While incorporating Social Media Marketing (SMM) into your business’s marketing strategy is of utmost importance in today’s increasingly online world, the process is not always an easy one, and many businesses fall victim to some of the common SMM mistakes. The following takes a look at some of the most important dos and don’ts of SMM:
Do start with a solid plan. Your social media strategy needs to work together with your other online marketing processes, such as search engine and content marketing. You’ll need to start with realistic goals and a thorough knowledge of your target audience.
Do not be tempted to go overboard by setting up profiles on as many social media platforms as you can. While the largest platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+, can be useful for almost any business, many smaller networks are targeted towards a more specific industry or demographic.
Do stay committed to your SMM campaign. Social media is all about posting regular updates and engaging your audience on a regular, preferably daily, basis. You need to stay involved for the longer term, and it should become a part of your business’s daily routine.
Do not use social media as a platform for hard selling. Your social networking profiles are not all about generating sales - they are a stepping stone between your potential customers and them getting to know your business. Sales pitches do not belong in things like Tweets and Facebook posts.
Do find the right compromise between professionalism and casualness, depending on the particular social network you are using, but regardless of the tone you use, be sure that you always use impeccable spelling and grammar and have something to back up your statements.
Do not expect an immediate return on your efforts, or in the case of paid advertising, your investment. As is the case with almost any form of online marketing (particularly the free ones), it will take time for your efforts to come to fruition.
Do listen to your audience. Social media is as much about listening as it is about speaking. As previously stated, social media is all about conversation rather than a platform for sales pitches. Be sure to partake in debates and answer any queries that your audience may have as soon as possible.
Do provide a regular, interesting and engaging stream of content that provides something of value to your audience. Your social marketing efforts should start with your blog or website and the content you publish on the Internet. SMM provides you with something to show off and share your knowledge.
Do track your results. Find out which social networks and any paid social advertising programs you have are delivering the most traffic to your website. Always track your results using the wealth of information generated by such activities, and tweak and customize your campaign to keep it on the up.
As the above notes point out, SMM differs immensely to traditional advertising. These days, consumers are far more likely to respond to things like recommendations based on shares and likes on social networks, and getting involved in the discussion is critical for small businesses to stay competitive in a constantly evolving marketplace.