How to do social media marketing (*maximizing organic traffic) the pro’s and con’s revealed...

Social media marketing and the use of social media platforms.

In fact, we now live in a conversonial economy.

And it means word of mouth marketing.

Isn’t this really the original social media platform?

Word of mouth marketing is the process of actively influencing…

And encouraging organic word of mouth discussion.

Conversions about a brand, organization, resource or event.

Word of mouth (referral marketing) is still considered the most powerful of all.

In business, we can use social media platforms to connect with audience.

And we can use social media to build brand, increase sales…

Including driving traffic to our website.

For example…

Buffer is a platform of social media management tools.

Buffer can help you achieve success with your social media marketing.

Below is a list of 36 ways to fail in social media marketing:

1. Not writing social media marketing plan…

Think about this.

Marketing is probably your company’s only source of income.

In turn, your social media marketing is part of one of the most important documents you have.

2. Infrequent or erratic social media marketing messaging…

You will waste money in social media marketing by messaging too infrequently.

Conversely you will “burn your list” if you over message.

Survey (directly or through observation) to discover the expected frequency levels.

Small or occasional variations are acceptable, but always respect the message frequency.

3. Not Setting Goals For social media marketing is an essential investment…

And it can be expensive.

Without a clear set of goals for your investment dollars, your return will be limited.

Remember…

You only get what you measure.

An extra 1% compounded annually makes all the difference over time.

Goals and objectives will help you maximize your social media marketing return on investment.

4. Not creating a budget for social media marketing…

This is a major reason why social media marketing fails.

Your message must stay in front of your customers on a regular basis.

Your budget must be sustainable.

5. Setting unrealistic expectations for your social media marketing…

Consistent, long-term social media marketing builds a clientele.

Running a few social media marketing campaigns will not bury you in new customers.

You need patience and determination.

As a general rule, look for your social media marketing to impact on your business after 3 months.

This is reality.

Social media marketing is an investment, not a miracle.

6. Talking when no-one is listening…

A little research can go a long way in determining actual demand for your products or services.

If there is no demand…

Social media marketing cannot create it.

Yes, but social media marketing can make people aware of solutions to their problems…

Still people will not buy solutions for problems they don’t have, no matter how much you might want it.

7. Thinking of social media marketing as unimportant, undignified or childish…

You probably wouldn’t be reading this if you thought social media marketing was unimportant.

Yes, but let’s say it anyway…

All of the social media marketing in the world won’t help you if you don’t eventually close the sale.

Respect the fact social media marketing is part of the selling process.

No sales = no business.

8. Lacking the commitment to sustain an ongoing social media marketing…

Management needs to agree on the social media marketing plan.

And don’t let the accountants select your social media marketing unless they are well grounded in marketing principles.

If your company can’t give your social media marketing the time, resources, and effort it requires to succeed, don’t even start it.

9. Not using social media marketing calendar…

This valuable tool helps you to visualize your social media marketing activities over time.

It keeps track of your social media marketing schedule.

Use it. *Yes, you should plan ahead with your social media marketing.

I know it’s common to think of social media marketing as “spontaneous” or “random”

BUT IT’S NOT…

10. Not committing enough time to social media marketing activities…

Social media marketing is a resource-intense part of your business.

To be successful…

It needs your time and attention.

Remember, social media marketing = customers, and you need customers.

11. Missing your target audience…

This is targeting and media selection and planning.

A vital question is where do your clients/prospects get their information?

What websites do they read?

Where do they ‘hang out?’

What/Who do they find believable and influential?

12. Positioning your social media marketing poorly…

You need to think like the customer.

Yes, think like the customer.

and think like the customer.

Give them what they want…

And you will get what you want.

If you don’t know what your customers want, ask them.

Do not guess…

And do not assume.

13. Sending out confusing, contradictory or inconsistent social media marketing messages…

Your social media marketing message should be communicated clearly and consistently to customers, employees, public, investors, partners…

And suppliers at every point of contact.

14. Designing bad social media profiles…

Your social media marketing profiles represent your company/brand to the customer.

It might be the first message they see and they’ll judge you by it.

Your social media marketing profile might be the last impression you make.

It’s simple…

Poorly designed social media marketing profiles make you look bad.

Professionally designed social media marketing profiles make you look professional.

15. Not getting attention…

Remember = Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action…

Well, attention is first in business advertising as well in social media marketing.

If your customers don’t notice your social media marketing…

Your chance of success is exactly zero.

You must get attention.

*Just do it carefully and strategically…

16. Writing bad social media messages…

Act in haste, repent at your leisure.

Don’t engage in sloppy social media messaging.

Spell check.

Think before you push that button.

There is no undo and what “happens online now stays online … Forever.”

17. Selecting the wrong social media…

It’s true, the media IS the message.

In addition to your message…

The form/channel of media you choose should be a good fit.

Some of your prospects/customers will be on Facebook…

Some on Twitter…

Some on LinkedIn…

Some on Instagram…

Some on Tik Tok…

And others elsewhere.

Do not assume one “media” works for all – it doesn’t.

18. Paying (too much?)…

Let’s do a social media quick recap…

Social media is free.

Using social media is not.

Your biggest investment in social media marketing is labour.

This is the time you and your staff spend communicating with the market.

Educate yourself about social media marketing service providers, don’t tolerate price gouging.

19. Copying your competitor’s social media marketing…

If you want customers to notice you…

You must stand out from the crowd.

Blending in gets you nowhere.

CONTRAST gets ATTENTION.

20. Not copying your competitors’ social media marketing…

As a general rule…

You need to match your competitors’ level of social media marketing to remain in the minds of market.

If you want your business to grow…

Do more social media marketing than they do.

21. Not responding to your competitors’ social media marketing…

You have to watch your competitors.

If they radically change their social media marketing…

They could take your customers attention overnight.

Use technology and monitoring services to ‘listen in’ on important topics of conversation.

Follow your competitors, because if they’re good they’re following you.

22. Failing to pre-empt your competitors with social media marketing…

Same thing but its a different angle.

There is a reason why you don’t chase your competitors.

Make them chase you.

The public will see you as the leader…

And everybody likes a winner.

Remember, social media marketing is new.

However, it’s not new at the same time.

It’s an enabling technology…

And that allows us free reign on all aspects of our nature which are deeply ingrained in our psyche.

Spend time thinking how you can leverage this.

23. Confusing your ‘Voice’ with your company’s social media…

Social media marketing is about the conversation.

Remember to keep your “personal” voice and the “company” voice separate.

It’s not that you shouldn’t allow them both their place online…

Remember each likely serves a different function in overall marketing plans.

24. Failing to close the sale after your social media marketing brings in prospects…

While social media marketing can be fun and rewarding…

Remember it’s part of the selling process.

Always remember this and ensure you (respectfully) follow up with people who have shown interest in buying whatever it is you’re selling.

25. Not using social media marketing to stay connected with existing customers…

It costs between five – eight times the amount of money to get new customer than it does to keep an existing customer.

And it takes at least twenty-seven exposures to your business advertising just
to get a new customer to notice you.

Your existing customers already know and trust you.

They are your best, first prospects.

Ensure you use social media marketing to keep them involved and engaged.

Social media marketing is great for customer support, customer loyalty and other innovative retention programs.

26. Not testing your social media marketing…

In one test, marketers changed just the headline of an advertisement…

And they achieved a 500% increase in response.

You only get what you measure.

Test your social media marketing because it shares direct history with “direct response” style communication.

27. Not testing your media channels…

Often a small, local special interest forum will offer a much better response for your social media investment than a large public general platform.

Focus your social media marketing.

Test to see what gives the best return.

28. Not testing different social media marketing methods…

You must test, test, and test your social media marketing.

And test some more.

What worked today may not tomorrow.

Experiment.

It’s all so new, the possibilities are exciting.

29. Hiring anyone who doesn’t understand social media marketing…

Social media marketing is different…

It challenges many of the cultural norms of traditional marketing.

Social Media is a way of thinking…

It’s not a generational birthright so don’t think hiring some youngster fresh out of college will set you right.

It won’t…

You need to find people that are innate communicators, comfortable with the speed and nature of the digital realm.

And most importantly…

They need to understand business…

And that social media  is a part of the business process.

30. Not doing ANY social media marketing…

All social media marketing is often expensive, and it can be scary.

The truth is…

Some social media marketing doesn’t work for certain markets.

Yes, but if you are careful…

And you communicate in the most professional way you can…

The odds are with you.

31. Looking for a miracle…

Social media marketing is a long-term process of building recognition and trust with the public.

Miracles rarely happen…

And one-shot social media marketing programs are just a waste of money.

Expect to stick with an social media marketing program for at least three months just to measure the initial impact.

32. Changing your social media marketing too frequently…

You, and everyone around you…

And close to the business will get tired of your social media marketing.

And only the customer counts.

It takes a long…

Long time for your customers to get tired of your social media marketing.

Be patient…

Allow the data tell you when to change – not before.

33. Slowing down or stopping your social media marketing…

When the economy has hiccups and slows down…

The golden rule of business, if there is such a thing…

Is “stay in touch with your customers.”

If you are inconsistent, they won’t trust you.

If they can’t find you, they will go to your competitor.

And if they forget who you are, you have to start all over again.

34. Not using direct response strategies…

Direct response strategies are designed to get customers to respond now.

Using direct response strategies gets attention…

And stimulates interest by touching on human emotions, desires, and needs.

Social media marketing is a ‘direct response’ medium.

Yes, people can literally take action…

They can respond, reply or do something as soon as they receive the message.

35. Not telling the truth in your social media marketing...

You  can make friends with people very quickly.

Sometimes people abuse this ‘trust’ and tell untruths.

This is not only illegal in many places…

It’s also self-defeating.

Let’s face it, online information has a funny way of making itself known.

There are cautionary tales all over the web of companies…

They thought they could short-cut the process by lying.

And it cost them dearly in the end.

36. Not asking for help with your social media marketing…

Unfortunately, there are many more possible mistakes to make.

Just take a look at the social media marketing listed above.

Yes, social media marketing is an evolving sphere.

There are new “rules” and codes of conduct.

These appear and disappear (often quickly.)

37. Last thought…

No sales = no business.

Do not fail to listen to the market.

Ask questions.

Ironically with Social Media…

Actually asking for help is very powerful.

Remember, it’s powerful because you are building trust by engaging…

And even more reach is achieved by comments and shares.

In fcat, you’re helping to bring the audience even closer to you.

Bottom line: Maximizing organic traffic = building audiences.

Yes, make no mistake it’s all about audience building methods.

Here’s what you want to do for building your audiences:

• Regularly add compelling content
• Consistently not just a couple of times per month
• Nurture and grow your audience
• Engage through storytelling
• Strategically target buyers
• Stay on topic and relevant

If you want to build audiences successfully using social networks…

You want to learn and understand how the platforms work.

It is amazing how many people dive in without any knowledge whatsoever.

They have no concept about the mechanics behind social networking.

And it is the reason why you’ve heard people complain that “social media” doesn’t work…

And that “building audiences” aren’t worth anything…

Got any questions about your social media marketing strategies?