Nowadays, social networking sites are the go-to place for many people to stay connected to the world. Hence, as more and more people get into these platforms, so are the number of businesses looking to capitalize on this trend to market their brands. Of course, there are plenty of companies that have found success in their social media campaigns. Yet, not all businesses share the same fate – with some failing in their strategies altogether.
If your business is one of those that fall in the latter category, chances are, you are using social media in a totally wrong way and it is taking its toll on your business. So what are the reasons why your social media campaign isn’t working? Read on.
Lack of Strategy
As with any other things in life, planning things strategically is an important component of having a successful social media campaign. Unfortunately, many businesses are too giddy to do their brand marketing on social networking sites that they often overlook the importance of having a solid plan – a perfect recipe for disaster.
Bear in mind that social media is constantly evolving. And in order for you to smoothly adapt to the changes, it is vital that you have a clear plan way ahead before you bring your marketing efforts on social networking sites. You should tackle all points including the goals, expected results, the likely issues that your campaign may encounter along the way as well as a contingency plan that you can carry out in the event that “plan A” fails. Carefully looking at these things and incorporating them in your plan is the most ideal means to cover all the possibilities and risks involved in your campaign.
Lack of compelling content
So you already have your pages set up in major social networking sites, but people doesn’t seem to be interested. What could be the reason behind this? You’re not posting the right content. You should be aware that just like search engines, social media adheres to the adage “Content is the King.” Hence, people are not following you simply because they cannot find anything in your pages that are relevant for them.
However, if you have been consistent at posting content but people are still not taking notice, then you’re probably blasting them with spiels about your brand, or perhaps your posts are all text-based. Balance is the key when it comes to posting content on social networking sites. You would want to limit your brand sales pitch and combine texts and visuals to get the attention of your followers. Back these up with consistency and timing and you are on your way to getting the word out about your brand.
You miss the point of being social
Numerous businesses miss the whole point of social media – to be social – and you’re probably missing that point as well. You need to understand that these platforms are not just extensions of your marketing efforts, they are vehicles for you to get in touch with your followers and build a community. More than just posting content and talking about your business, you need to ask questions, engage in conversations, listen to what your followers have to say, and run a contest every once in a while. These things are vital in order for you to establish your influence and to make them feel that it’s not just about your business.
Smart ways to use Social Media for Knowledge Sharing
You’re not utilizing Tools/Applications
Most social networking platforms today do a lot of the work for you by letting you use the available tools and applications on their sites – some of which are free. Facebook, for instance, have insights for you to track down your analytics. All you have to do is utilize them to your advantage.
You should not disregard these tools and applications. Instead, you should be using them to have an idea what your target market is looking for and to understand if your time or money are giving you the results you are after.
You have set unrealistic expectations
Sure you’ve been doing your social media campaign for quite some time now, but it seems that you’re not reaping the rewards. You should know that marketing in social networking sites is not an easy feat that can be accomplished in a month or two. You can’t expect to gain a hundred or so followers on Twitter each day when you are tweeting only twice or thrice a week. That said, you need to be committed to building everything from the ground up, including your credibility, before you can even gain substantial results. Also, you should not consider social media as the end all and be all of your marketing campaign. Social media alone may not give you the results that you want. You should consider other forms of marketing such as email marketing, native advertising, SEO, and more. Know the marketing cost, and only invest in what you can measure.