Patsy Stewart writes .. Social Media can be a real asset to marketing your brand but you can also miss some fantastic opportunities to capitalize on the full potential of social media marketing by making some common blunders. John Lusher shared the 11 Things NOT To Do on Social Media .
This post will cover solutions to some common mistakes people overlook when planning the steps to their social marketing strategy.
- The first visual image most people will see is your profile image. Make sure it is consistent across all platforms. It doesn’t have to be a professional headshot, but a good, clear photo. Don’t post pictures of your pets or children and make sure your image is recognizable as a thumbnail.
- Social Media is not about selling but about building relationships. Do not push your message but build your relationships by promoting others and providing valuable content. Make yourself a resource for others and the sales will come to you.
- Consistency is key to successful social networking. Posting updates consistently is crucial but what is the right number of posts per day? Each social network is different. Twitter followers expect more frequent tweets and love the engagement but Facebook fans engage best with 1-2 updates per day. Consistency on Google+ is necessary because of the SEO benefits it provides.
- Showing appreciation goes a long way in social media. While building relationships, don’t forget you need to show gratitude . Engagement comes in the form of comments, likes, retweets and sharing. You can express gratitude when you get new followers, when someone likes your posts and when they share your content. Equally important is promoting others.
- Relationship building on social media requires transparency. For a successful relationship you must be authentic. Find your authentic voice . Be real while asking questions, telling stories, listening and relating to people. Let people know you are real.
- Visual Marketing is crucial for brands. People have less time for reading your message but with high quality images you can draw them to your content. Pinterest and Instagram have become powerful visual marketing strategies . Including quality images in your content will provide a means for your fans to share your images driving more traffic to your website.
- Blogging provides many advantages to your social strategy. It is often ignored because most companies have a website. A blog serves as a platform to express your voice and to allow others the option to express theirs. It allows you to tell stories visually with images and graphics. Blogs are excellent for search engine optimization and serve as the hub for your social strategy.
- Integrating social media with traditional marketing is crucial. Always include your social networking links or icons in every piece of marketing you produce. If you want a big community following you have to tell them where to find you. Include social icons on all print marketing, mention you’re on Facebook and Twitter in all digital media, add links to newsletters and websites. For more ideas see our 23 Ways to Integrate Social Media with Traditional Marketing .
These are just a few ideas that can help improve your social media experience. Do you see other mistakes being made? Share your solutions and suggestions of things that companies can do to effectively promote their brand using social media. We would love you to post them below in the comments!
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