4 tips on what to avoid on social media

As a business, you only get one chance to make a good impression on social media. That means avoiding the pitfalls that some businesses make by treating social media as a traditional one-way communication platform.

Avoid the following 4 things to build better social media engagement.

You don’t need to be on every single platform

Unless you are a large corporate who has a team of individuals working on social media, limit the amount of platforms you are active on. It may be tempting to want to be on every social media platform, however, have you considered the time and content needed.  Stick to the networks that have the largest audience and where your target market is likely to be.

Failing to Plan

‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’ so the saying goes and it also applies to social media. It is essential that the business objective is clear for social media.  Whether it is brand recognition, promoting expertise or generating leads it needs to be tied into your overall business objectives and your marketing and communication plans.

Too Much Marketing

Social media is not a one-way advertising channel. It is a two-way, conversational platform which focuses on engagement.  Traditional one-way marketing will damage your business on social media.  It is outdated and our mindset needs to change.  Promotion, of course, is important for all businesses to stay sustainable.  However, promotion is not engagement so getting the balance right is important.  Follow the 80/20 rule – 80% valuable content / 20% marketing activities.

Uninteresting Content

This can be a challenging one, particularly for small businesses. However, there are some basic key points:

• Don’t talk ‘to’ your audience, talk ‘with’ them
• Try using humour
• Ask questions
• Use photos or infographics
• Provide an interesting opinion to the article you are sharing

The aim is to connect and promote engagement. Once you get to know your audience, content will be easier to source or create.

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Tags: Social media pitfall • Social Media Risks • social media tips