Social media is the go-to marketing tool for many small businesses. But there are a few common mistakes we keep seeing business owners make.
Here are some truths that will help you understand social media from our experience in the business.
- Your business needs a strong brand
Your brand is WHO you are and social media is a tool to bring awareness to your brand. If you are not clear on your positioning, messaging and your target audience – your communication on social media will not be effective. Profile visitors will be confused as to what you are offering and what your niche is. To stand out, it’s important to invest time in building your identity to set yourself apart.
- Copying the competition isn’t helpful
We’ve seen too many clients often compare themselves to their established counterparts. They want to copy the same colour palette, aesthetic and brand tone. The truth is that, by copying what other brands are doing on social media, you may be diluting your own. This is why it’s crucial to have a clear brand strategy before the urgency to launch on social media.
- There’s more to social media than the ‘look and feel’
We don’t deny that stellar, high-quality imagery and design is crucial for social media presence but we see too many business owners make the mistake of only focusing on the visuals. Instead, focus on creating a solid visual brand identity. Make sure your branding remains consistent across your social media, website, print and other marketing collateral. You want to focus on recognition as opposed to an ‘aesthetic’.
- Vanity Metrics don’t determine the success of your business
You don’t need to reach 10k followers in a month or get 1000 likes on a post. There are other metrics that indicate your social media is working. Chasing followers and vanity metrics tempts business owners to buy followers and focus on short-term gimmicks – neither are sustainable or recommended for real social success.
- The results are not immediate
We can’t say this enough – you have to be consistent on social media. More than a marketing tool, social media is a chance to build a relationship with your customers and clients. Show up consistently, instead of posting and ‘ghosting’. For this you need to come up with a strategy that is sustainable and workable for you.
- Social media does not guarantee sales
Sales can result from social media and social media can drive traffic to your website or other sales channels. But if the real motive behind social media is only sales – you are in for disappointment. Social media needs to work with other elements of your business – such as product and pricing. And if any one area is lacking, your social media presence cannot make up for it.
- You will need to invest
Gone are the days where you could delegate social media tasks to the intern. Social media requires time, careful planning and money. You will need to set aside a considerable repeat budget and time if you want to see results.
Written by Natalya Kamal
Image credit: Social Squares
