When a new business owner sets up their first company social media accounts, they may not be aware of how intentional they actually need to be with their social media strategy. While on the surface social media marketing may seem simple, it actually involves a lot of careful consideration and complex methods that businesses will want to follow in order to be successful.
Once you understand the intricacies of social media marketing, however, it becomes easier to share content that keeps your target audience engaged. Staying on top of the game requires constant observation, analysis and tweaking of strategies, so below, nine members of Young Entrepreneur Council shared the most common mistakes they’ve noticed new businesses making on social media and how to fix them.
Young Entrepreneur Council members share common mistakes business owners often make when starting up their social media.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.
1. Posting Content Inconsistently
One mistake many new business owners make on social media is they don’t post content consistently. You’ll see a flurry of posts one week and then nothing for the rest of the month. This type of unreliable schedule will lead to people ignoring your profile until new content pops up in their feed. However, if you upload posts at the same time every day, people will start to notice the pattern and check in with you instead of waiting for your posts to appear on their social media wall. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
2. Coming Off As Inauthentic To The Brand
Posting inauthentic content for their brand is a frequent mistake new businesses make. New businesses often put out content without a clear strategy behind it (Yes, having content is better than having no content, but at least put some thought behind what you are posting). Customers won’t trust your brand until they trust who is behind it, so I always suggest building trust with your audience in the beginning so that they gain brand loyalty from the start. – Ismael Wrixen, FE International
3. Focusing Too Little On Creating Awesome Stories
A big mistake is brands not focusing enough on creating awesome stories. Stories give your audience an even more intimate way to communicate and interact with your brand. From quizzes to giveaways, your social media’s story platform is the way forward to cultivating an exclusive and exciting relationship with your audience. Further, use more videos and fewer pictures. If TikTok has proven anything, it’s that audiences want bite-sized, first-hand access to great content. They want to feel like they’re there and they can relate to what you’re saying. Give the people what they want. – Emily Stallings, Casely, Inc.
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4. Failing To Tailor Content To The Medium
I think the most common mistake businesses make on social media is not tailoring their content to the medium they are using. Different social platforms have different ways of optimally delivering content, from image sizes and formatting to the way in which you speak and link out to other content. If your content is generalized and not tailored to the social platform you are using, you are significantly hampering the effectiveness of your messaging. The best way to fix this is to either bring on experts who understand these platforms or to invest in getting your teams familiar with writing and creating for these platforms. Don’t use the same content release schedule for all of your accounts; treat each one like the unique medium that it is. – Salvador Ordorica, The Spanish Group LLC
5. Ignoring Negative Reviews
Business owners and marketers who ignore negative reviews on social media are doing their brands a disservice. Negative reviews have the potential to be helpful. They give you a unique opportunity to learn from your mistakes and turn a poor experience into something positive. Ignoring negative feedback will lead to more people speaking up, which could turn into a PR nightmare. If you see someone tag your brand in frustration, comment on their post and ask them to send you a direct message so you can resolve the issue. If you follow this advice, the user may remove or amend their feedback, which is good for your business! – John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC
6. Failing To Give Others Credit For Their Work
This is not just a mistake; it shows unprofessionalism, giving your business unexpected foes instead of more connections. Also, giving people credit shows your appreciation for their work and also promises better working relationships in the future. We value our influencers by helping them gain more followers and have better exposure. If possible, we also train and help them with their craft and in bringing their ideas to life. – Daisy Jing, Banish
7. Relying Too Much On Automation
A major mistake new businesses make on social media is relying too much on automation. In doing so, they tend to forget that social media is not just a promotional platform. People want to interact with real people on social media and not with robotic messages. Relying too much on automation can only make them feel less connected with your brand and distant them from your business. So instead of depending too much on automation, find some time to interact with your audience and build a relationship with them through real activities. You can do that by actively engaging with them through likes, shares and comments. You can also go live and interact with your audience one on one. Doing these things will give your brand a human touch and make your audience feel more connected to you. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
8. Lacking Strategy And A Target Demographic
A common mistake is businesses lacking a clear strategy and target demographic. Commonly, new businesses start posting frequently with no clear or interesting purpose. It’s important when utilizing social media to make your posts interesting, relevant and personalized to your audience. If not, you risk losing engaged followers or not growing the following you are aiming for. – Nic DeAngelo, Saint Investment Group
9. Waiting Too Long To Get Started
The biggest mistakes new business owners make with social media include not starting at all. Social media is where people learn, engage and make purchasing decisions. When a new business fails to show up under relevant hashtags, consumers are unaware what options they have to solve their problems. New businesses need to prioritize social and start putting up content consistently. There’s no need to start on all platforms simultaneously. Setting small goals for one platform at a time until mastery can help a new business focus and drive results. The fastest and easiest way to start using social constantly and build the “know, like and trust” factor includes showing your face. Showing up is the fastest way to create content even if the message isn’t clear yet. Selfies count and video is ideal. – Libby Rothschild, Dietitian Boss
