6 signs that you’ve got your Social Media strategy wrong
Every now and then, I come across marketing managers who swear by the divine powers of Social Media marketing. Yet, it's extremely rare that I see them utilizing these powers correctly.
6 signs that you’ve got your Social Media strategy wrong
Here are a few indicators to check if you’ve got your Social Media right or wrong!
1. You are present on 5 different Social Media platforms but effective at none.
Focusing on too many platforms, is the most common trap brands fall into. Just because it’s free or you’ve got tools to simultaneously post everywhere, doesn’t mean you should.
Try and focus on one or two platforms at first. For most, brands Facebook should suffice in the beginning. The idea is to build a vibrant community, maintain high engagement and continuously monitor the impact your efforts are generating.
2. You have 50K followers but only get 3 likes per post.
One ‘like’ is your own, one from your wife (Come on, admit it). And the last one is the sweet fruit of your incessant nagging everyone you know.
The fan base is not worth much if the community is not active and engaged. A simple reflection of this is the number of comments, likes, and shares you are getting from your audience.
If the numbers don’t look very good, there are two possibilities. A) Your targeting is faulty or B) Your communication is weak.
3. Your most popular post is the Happy Holi wish!
The importance of what you are posting on your profile is unparalleled.
Here’s a quick list of what not to post: A) Don’t pick up random content from net and post. B) Don’t wish your followers on each and every little festival. C) Don’t talk about sports or politics just because you want to. D) Don’t post information that looks/feels like a sales pitch.
These content may fetch you some likes but they have no real business value. The communication strategy should be crafted by professionals keeping your brand positioning, business objectives and target audience in mind.
4. You wonder why your followers are not excited about your new range of 3 Phase 5 HP 4 Pole Flange Mount FLP Motors.
The bitter truth is, nobody gives a damn about B2B products on Social Media. If you are a B2B business or are into selling industrial goods, save your time and money and stay away from Social Media.
Social Media is most effective for products and services of popular interests. This means businesses dealing in Fashion, Food, Personal Grooming, Toys, Electronic Gadgets, Travel, Wellness etc. would do better than others.
I’m not saying other businesses can’t be on social media, but then don’t sweat it too much.
5. When you run a Social Media contest and the only participants are your own employees/cousins.
Make peace with the idea of spending money for promotions. Social Media platforms are here to earn. They provide you the cheapest mean to reach your target audience. But you still have to spend.
Workout your promotional and creative budgets before you even think about building a community. Even word-of-mouth marketing would require a few mouths to start with.
6. Your customers are surprised when you tell them you are active on Social Media
Not integrating your existing customer base into your Social Media community is the biggest mistake you could make. Social Media works on the power of word-of-mouth communication. And who else can vouch for your products or services better than your existing customers!
Actively encourage your existing customers to join your Social Media community. Roll out incentives for them to do so. Make Social Media the cornerstone of your loyalty program.
Hope this article helps you identify loopholes in your Social Media strategy. If you have Digital Marketing related queries, feel free to reach out!
Source: Chirag Dagli – Linkedin, Ecumen
