Social Media Marketing Mistakes: 10 Errors To Avoid

Even with a strong online strategy, many brands find themselves committing the most common social media marketing mistakes. It could be as simple as not setting up a long-term strategy or only using the platforms sparingly.

As a result, these businesses are missing out on the benefits that encourage us to get online in the first place.

Like any tool, social media must be used properly in order to gain its benefits. So, as long as you avoid making these 10 common social media marketing mistakes, you’ll be on the right track for online success.

1. Not Setting An Audience

One of the most vital social media mistakes to avoid is not pin-pointing your target audience.

Social media is designed for linking you with a wider network, which in this case is your customers. So, your social media strategy should reflect your overall business strategy (and marketing strategy if you have one).

If in doubt, step back for a moment and ask yourself as a customer: ‘Why should I follow this page? Why should I purchase this brand?’

2. Not Following Your Brand

In the same way that you need to understand your customers, you also need to understand your brand and how you're selling it.

It’s easy to get caught in the social media cycle, posting random content that detracts from your key selling points.

A brand messaging framework is a great way of nailing down your messages while providing a reference point for communication across multiple platforms.

3. Having An Unfinished Profile

This is the easiest part of social media, yet it’s often one of the most overlooked social media marketing mistakes. It’s one thing to have a nice cover photo and profile picture, but as they say, the devil is in the detail.

Completing the ‘about’ section will make your profile easier to find - mostly for those searching a particular category. Plus, it's the perfect space to provide crucial info like store hours and contact details.

For customers, a well-written description provides credibility and hopefully, a referral to your website.

4. Not Following A Content Plan

Now that you have a great-looking profile, the next step is filling it with engaging content.

There are many factors to consider when posting content on social media, though not following a content plan is a good example of what not to do.

A content plan gives you the freedom to post around key dates and deliver diverse content across all your platforms. Plus, it gives you a solid base from which to grow your profiles and foster engagement.

5. Posting Irrelevant Content

Irrelevant content is one of the great pitfalls of not having a content plan.

Social media is not a one-trick pony, and every day offers something unique and different across your newsfeed.

Ensuring that you strive to share relevant content, while also not being too sales-driven, is a balancing act which comes from a strong understanding of your audience and brand.

6. Posting Too Little Or Too Much

Even once you find that balance between engagement and sales, the latter may not happen if you don’t follow a posting schedule.

In everyone’s already-cluttered newsfeeds, you don’t want your posts appearing three or four times. This can result in ‘unfollows’, meaning that users will no longer see your posts on their newsfeed.

Likewise, if you don’t post for an entire week, chances are they have forgotten about you and won’t make that call or purchase they had been pondering.

7. Not Having The Right ‘Voice’

This common social media mistake goes back to knowing your audience and brand.

Although social media content requires a certain level of clarity, it’s vital to infuse some personality into it. Don't be a faceless entity.

Being creative and maintaining a ‘human’ element in your posts is vital in building engagement.

8. Not Responding To Followers 

Engagement loses its value if you don’t respond to your audience. This doesn’t mean you have to respond to every comment, but you should keep an eye on the comments and post a general response to a series of questions if applicable.

It’s perhaps more vital that you respond to reviews, especially when they are bad. Being ‘human’ is about being open and honest with other people. Accepting poor feedback shows that you care about your audience and are committed to providing high standards.

9. Not Managing Risk

At a time where social media makes headlines, it’s vital to safeguard yourself from unwanted attention.

If you don’t employ a social media officer, at least provide training to whoever is managing your account. Set up a social media policy with rules for managing a PR crisis. Even the little things, like posting incorrect info or using the wrong profile can become a major headache for business owners.

10. Not Checking Analytics

The goal of social media should be to drive new leads, and regularly reviewing your analytics will enable you to see if you are achieving these goals.

Are you driving traffic to your website? Are you gaining new customers?

Having a balanced, yet diverse content plan can help you get the most out of social media, and can stop you from falling victim to these common social media marketing mistakes.