5 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid and What to Do Instead
Contributed by Idea Collective Member:
Mary Murray
Social Media Strategist
Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are valuable lessons that teach us what to do and what not to do.
In this article, I’ll review some common social media mistakes and what you can do instead to have successful social media business pages.
As someone who reviews and audits social media pages, I’ve seen firsthand the mistakes made on business pages. Oftentimes the mistakes are made because the business doesn’t have a social media strategy or a dedicated professional keeping up with best practices and trends.
Read on to learn from others’ mistakes.
If you want to increase brand awareness, attract more followers and create lasting relationships with your audience, here are 5 things to avoid on your business pages and tips for what to do instead.
1. Not uploading videos directly to social media platforms
If your company produces videos, you should most definitely upload them to YouTube. YouTube offers an easy way to capture the video link to make it shareable, however, using that link on social media isn’t always recommended. Research shows that social media algorithms don’t favor YouTube links. Networks, like Facebook and LinkedIn, prefer to keep viewers engaging on their own platforms rather than sending them away to YouTube. Social media algorithms favor native video and let it reach more people. So, it is best to upload your video to YouTube AND your social channels like Facebook or LinkedIn.
2. Not answering comments or reviews
After posting on social media, monitor the post to see if it received any comments. If it has, respond to the comments as soon as possible. Algorithms like to see conversations and back and forth replies. When conversations occur, it shows people are engaging and the social network will deliver it to more people. After all, social media is social! Algorithms aren’t the only reason to reply to comments. Answering comments and reviews is a part of reputation management. When people see you answered, it builds trust, makes your business credible and shows you care.
3. Not optimizing your about section
On all platforms – especially your LinkedIn Company page – take advantage of the maximum number of characters allowed in your about sections and load them with keywords. Use this section to tell your audience about your company and what you offer. On Facebook, if your business page has changed to the “New Pages Experience”, check your intro section. The character count for describing your business has decreased, so you may need to update your bio. On all social media channels, use a strong cover image and a clear profile photo. The images should be sized according to platform requirements to ensure they appear properly on both PC and mobile devices. Maintain a consistent brand across all your channels. Fill in the necessary contact information.
4. Not using hashtags
Hashtags are an important part of social media strategy. Using hashtags can help your posts be found by individuals that might not see them otherwise. They are a way to increase your reach organically. Hashtag use and best practices vary depending on the social media platform you’re using. To maximize engagement, it’s important to know how to use them on each network. Make sure they are relevant for your business and that you’re using an appropriate number of hashtags.
5. Not enough variety and too much self promotion
Keep your posts interesting, educational and entertaining to create awareness and build your community. About 80% of your content should educate and entertain your customers and 20% should sell your products or services. Engage and build relationships with your audience and sprinkle in a little sales. Social media is a form of marketing, but is should be social! Vary your content with photos, videos, slideshows, polls, curated and original content. Help your audience get to know, like and trust you. Offer variety and your audience will keep coming back for more. People use social media like a search engine. When they find your page, they want to learn more about your business to determine if they want to work with you.
Avoid these mistakes for successful social media pages that will provide value for your audience and insight about you, your team and your business’s story.
Do you have a question? Feel free to reach out – I am happy to have a conversation with you. You can also find me in the Idea Collective, along with like-minded small business owners who are more than happy to talk with you about your business.
Contributed by
Mary Murray
Social Media Strategist
Mary supports B2B companies with social media strategy, page management and LinkedIn advertising, while creating awareness for their brand and building relationships with their audiences. She keeps up with the constant social media changes so they can focus on other areas of their business.
