Social media marketing traps for small business owners

Social media marketing has now firmly established itself as an integral part of most businesses, but despite its popularity, there are still those who aren’t quite sure how to maximise its use. Whether you see it as a blessing or a curse, social media isn’t going away.

Here are my top 5 mistakes to steer clear of:

1. Jumping on the social bandwagon

   There are a vast number of social media platforms that are constantly growing and gaining traction. For many small business owners, there is a misconception that they will receive more eyeballs by signing up to as many of these platforms as possible because "everyone else is doing it". But this is simply not the case. Not only does it mean spreading yourself very thin, but not all social media platforms will suit your business and the consumers you are trying to reach. Ask yourself: What am I trying to achieve by engaging with a community on this platform?

2. Leaving it on the backburner

   Many small business owners don’t take into account how much time and effort social media takes to grow and flourish. It requires constant interaction with followers, and targeted and engaging messages that will resonate with your intended audience. No social media platform will grow itself, and leaving it stagnant can be more detrimental to a business than having no social media at all. Consider creating a social media calendar, outlining what kinds of messages you will be posting and how frequently, and ensure you don’t stray too far from this. Take into account which posts work well and continue to use these methods to your advantage. This social media calendar should then be factored into your overall marketing plan. This way, you can take full advantage of the content being created by other activities throughout your business. For example, whenever there is an event, celebration or even a staff birthday here in the office, you will find the details on our Agent99 social media.

3. Not using current technology

   There are so many exciting new technologies and services at our disposal. Why not explore them, learn from them and begin to incorporate them into your work? An incredible new world of social media monitoring has emerged in recent times; services offer comprehensive reports of consumer engagement and behaviour, not only for owned channels but also our competitors’. This can be a game changer for small businesses wanting to replicate the style and success of some of the bigger players in their market.

4. Over-selling

   That’s why you’re on social media, right? To sell your products and services? But your customers don’t want the hard sell when they’re on social. They’re not there to look at ads, they’re there to engage on a social level. You can still pique a consumer’s interest in this environment, but in a much more organic way. Use your platforms more as a portfolio of your work, an inside peak into your world, as opposed to a glorified advertising space.

5. Not taking control of your own brand

   This is a must for small business owners who will often delegate their social media management to other staff members to save themselves time. Depending on the staff you leave your social media with, this can reflect poorly on your business for a number of reasons. Not all of your employees will have a flawless understanding of your business’s unique branding. This is of utmost importance to ensure what is being posted is in line with your brand, looks neat and professional, and stands out from your competitors. Another downfall of passing off your social media to someone else is the senior knowledge that may not be utilised. As a business owner or manager, you have years of knowledge and experience that potential consumers may want to know, and your junior staff will not be able to take advantage of this.

Remember that your social media is something that should be nurtured. It should take pride of place in your business portfolio. Stay true to your brand, utilise your knowledge and skills, and most importantly, be natural and engaging. The social part of social media is key!