However crowded the market place becomes, every marketer hopes to get their brand out there in front of as many eyeballs as possible. No wonder many love to leverage the power of social media. In an attempt to stand out in these networks, it is not unusual for marketers to make some mistakes.
1-Not having a social media marketing plan
Creating a social media marketing plan might seem like an obvious thing to do, yet many companies fail to do so. They fall into the trap of just posting things on social media without any real plan in place. You should take social media marketing with the same seriousness that you do as with any other marketing effort.
Come up with a list of specific objectives you want to achieve, then create a budget and an easy-to-follow plan of action. This should clearly outline what you hope to achieve, how you intend to measure your results and the number of resources you might need.
2- Not defining your target audience
Not everyone on social media will fit your brand. Defining your target audience will let you concentrate your social media marketing efforts on people who are genuinely interested in your product. However hard you work, if you do not know your audience, you will record lackluster results.
Convince & Convert, a social media strategy company does this quite well, largely because its founder, Jay Baer understands that he is in the B2B space and not the B2C space. He makes sure that all the content he publishes has LinkedIn share buttons instead of just the more popular Facebook and Twitter share buttons.
3- Failing to engage in conversations
It doesn’t matter how many updates you add to your social media channels; if no one comments or shares them, it is all a waste of time. That is why you should take time to create content that people want to engage with — content that elicits conversations.
If your updates get no reactions, perhaps it is time for you to think long and hard about the social media marketing approach that you have taken. And when you finally get your audience to react to your updates, be sure to engage back. A conversation is a two-way street. Respond to comments even when they are negative. And remember to keep it cool; be polite and friendly.
4- Promoting yourself a lot
To stand out on social media you must be sociable. If all you do is promote your content, many social media users will grow a disliking for your brand. Instead of increasing your following, you will watch it dwindle like a candle in the sun. Promoting your brand is important, but be subtle about it.
5-Not tracking analytics
Your strategy book should be a living document. You have to keep improving it. But for you to do this, you must be in a position to see the impact of your past actions. Insights into what you have done in the past and the results you got out of it will help you plan for the future. Find a good analytics tool and assess your performance.
By tracking your analytics, you will be better placed to create targeted marketing strategies that will improve the quality of your brand following. Monitor customer engagement, conversions, buying trends, and your growing influence in your eCommerce niche on social media.
