Social media is an important and essential component to include in your digital marketing campaign and can be an effective tool to optimize your web presence. While most businesses integrate social media marketing in their campaigns, newcomers to this arena are struggling with how to properly utilize social media to their advantage.

Be informed; know these 6 common mistakes that marketers make.

Don’t Buy Followers or Likes

We talked about this two years ago in our previous Don’t Buy Twitter Followers article. But, the same holds true for buying Facebook likes. While having tons of followers, fans, and likes will increase the invisible numbers on your social channels, having fake followers will not get you lead generation, ROI or user engagement. So spend your money and time more wisely on creating relevant content to increase your fan base organically.

No Strategy

In order to achieve successful results and deliver an effective message to your audience, your business needs a good marketing strategy. You have to plot your course where you want to go in order to get there. Otherwise, you’ll just be posting blindly with no tactical plan. So, create a social media calendar, distinct social media voice, and measurable goals.

Not Using Visual Content

Using images and/or videos increases user engagement more so than just having textual content only. Keep in mind that mobile devices changed the game for how we do many things online. Today, social media marketing is more about sharing visual content.

Under estimating the power of visual content would be a mistake. For example, on Twitter you get:

• 28% more views on videos.
• 35% more retweets on images.
• 19% more engagement on famous quotes.
• Hashtags 16% more engagement.

Using Too Many Social Channels

The more you have, the more time it’s going to take you to keep them all updated. Research shows that most social media marketers use primarily three social media channels – LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. However, you should use the social channels that best fit your niche, product or service. For example, a professional services business may want to focus on LinkedIn and Twitter more as compared to Facebook. A lifestyle or food oriented business would benefit more from Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

Disregarding Other Platforms

This sounds weird, but I assure you it is true – some businesses have and aggressively use social channels, but do not have an official website. This is like owning a vehicle with no motor in it. Your website is the focal point from which everything your business does and should revert back to online – it’s the engine that used to drive your online presence. For maximum reach, social media marketing must must be connected to your business’ official website.

Ignoring Your Customers and Clients

Be consistent in interacting with your audience. Don’t ignore your audience and wait for them to create a loyal fan base. Instead, reach out to your customers, listen, respond, and be proactive to take the relationship to the next level.

Hazel Burgess

Hazel Burgess
FOUNDER/SEO DIRECTOR

Hazel is the Founder & SEO Director at Envisager Studio, a premier website design agency specializing in WordPress website design, development and internet marketing. In her spare time, she writes about search engine optimization, website design, and internet marketing.