Do you want to use social media to your company’s advantage?
If you own a small or new business, it’s a good idea to leverage the potential
marketing power that comes with the right use of social media outlets. Chat
apps, friend sites, and other major social media (SM) outlets are a key part of
many entrepreneurs’ sales and advertising efforts. What many people forget is
that it’s easy to make errors and end up with nothing to show for all the time
you put it. The worst-case scenario is that you’ll not only waste time but
actually lose customers
by saying the wrong thing to the wrong people. The entire environment can be
volatile and unpredictable. That’s why it makes so much sense to learn about
the common traps and avoid them. Here are some of the most frequent that
business owners fall prey to social media pitfalls.
Wasted Time
By far, the biggest problem with working the social media angle
is wasted
time. By their nature, social sites draw you into discussions, chats, and
conversations that can go on and on. We all know the feeling of spending time
on a site and suddenly realizing that an hour has passed by without notice.
It’s one thing to fall into the time trap when you’re not at work, but when
it’s company time, the wasted minutes can really cost you. Set time limits and
make lists of exactly what you want to achieve in each at-work session.
Ignoring SEO
When posting content, be certain that it’s SEO optimized.
That way, the big search engines will notice it and boost its ranking. In the
end, good SEO strategies will pay off handsomely with more traffic to your main
site, more sales, and increased revenue. Hire an SEO freelancer with confidence
and you’ll get solid results. But, don’t expect overnight traffic surges. Smart
SEO takes at least a few weeks to kick in, but the wait and expense is worth
it. An experienced freelancer will be able to check your main site as well as
anything you post socially. That way, every word you speak on behalf of your
company will be targeted and have a higher probability of bringing in new business.
Trying to Do Too Much
Don’t spread yourself, and your time, too thin. It’s easy to
get
sucked into the idea that more is better. Don’t believe it. Focus on just
one or two outlets and add your best content and comments. Consider posting no
more than once per day. Even an every-other-day strategy can be highly
effective. Some entrepreneurs choose their two favorite social sites and post
something every day on alternate ones.
Being Controversial
When you court controversy, political argument, or combative
interactions, you lose. Some owners are lured by the initial burst of publicity
such content can bring in. The problem is the long-term effect, which can be
destructive. The list of companies that have fallen into this trap is long.
Don’t become one of them.
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