A study that surveyed 25 of the top leading retailers in the UK discovered some common mistakes being made when it came to marketing and interacting through social communities. Bad social media can hurt your company, just as good social media can help it.
If you aren’t familiar with social media, you should visit a few sites and do some research to see how it works. Social audiences are smart and savvy. It will take more than pushing sales at them to win their favor. Here are some commonly made mistakes newcomers need to avoid when starting a social media campaign.
First of all, in this stage of technology, communication and marketing, if you don’t have a presence in social media; that in itself is a mistake. People are constantly checking in to their social sites to see what is going on, what’s new, and so on. If you don’t have a presence; it is definitely; “out of sight, out of mind” for your business.
The next mistake is setting up a social media account and not using it. This can do you more damage than not having a site at all. Setting up an account and then not interacting with your customers or answering questions can get your business a lot of negative attention. Communication is the key to a successful social media strategy.
Research your options. There are numerous sites out there; make sure you choose the right one for the audience you’re looking for. When you decide which social media site to use, don’t just push ads and “buy my product” messages. Your followers want to know about your business. They want to know about you; moreover, they want to know you value their opinions and care about their needs.
If you don’t have the time to manage your site and decide to hire someone to do it for you; make sure they know your brand, your business, and how to interact with your audience. Their knowledge (or lack of knowledge) and general attitude toward your product will show. If they don’t care; neither will your audience.