In recent years, the growth of social media use has exploded. Users have grown not only in the United States, but also throughout the world. In fact, one report shares that since last year, the worldwide total of social media users has grown by 288 million. With this growth in mind, it’s easy to see why it’s important for any type of business to use social media marketing, especially since there are so many active social media users. In the United States, there are 230 million active social media users, which is 70% of the population. The average daily time spent using social media is 2 hours, which means that people are not only active on social media, but are also spending large amounts of time on different platforms.Alongside the explosion of growth in social media usage is the expansion of content production, such as videos, infographics, blogs, and more. Sometimes it can be tricky to know the best practices for producing content, especially with so many different opinions floating around on the Internet. So, we’ve compiled a list of 5 social media content mistakes and how social media managers can avoid them.
Failing to set goals
Lots of social media managers post content without thinking about the content’s goal or purpose. They post without thinking twice about the content they create. By failing to set goals for their social media accounts, they aren’t doing themselves any favors. Every piece of content that a business creates should have a purpose or a goal, whether that goal is to sell a product, inform a customer, or help develop a brand image. Often, there are larger objectives associated with social media marketing strategies, such as a sales quota or an objective to get more people to your website. By setting an overreaching goal, each individual piece of content can be designed to suit a certain purpose.
Not understanding your target audience
Creating content without understanding your target audience can lead to a disconnect with your fans and followers. You’ll want to consider your audience’s demographics, such as their age, gender, location, and interests. For example, a younger audience might appreciate content like short-form videos more than an older audience.After you have a better understanding of your target audience, determine which types of content they would like to see, or types of information that would best benefit them. Make sure try to genuinely connect with your audience via the content you are creating.
Being too promotional
One common mistake social media managers often make is that are too promotional. If your content comes off continuously as “salesy” on social media, chances are, most people won’t be drawn to your content. To avoid sounding like a salesperson, you can write captions for your social posts that are more conversational and less wordy. You can avoid common phrases that are active commands, and instead, op for phrases that are more passive. Followers will appreciate not being bombarded with call to actions. Although there can be times when a direct call to action is more appropriate, in general, most social media users prefer content that doesn’t scream “sales.”
Spelling and grammar mistakes
Even though spelling and grammar mistakes should be fairly obvious, it can still be common to see them in various types of content writing. It’s important to have precise spelling and grammar, not only because it shows that you are an expert in your industry, but also that you care about your content. People don’t want to follow a company that is constantly making mistakes when they post. To help minimize spelling and grammar mistakes, you can download a Google Chrome app called Grammarly, which automatically checks your misspellings and errors as you type. You can also have someone review your post drafts so that they can catch any mistakes you’ve missed.
Not engaging with followers
It’s called “social” media for a reason. Social media is a place where people engage with one another. They chat with their friends, share photos with family members, and more. If you’re not engaging with your followers, then you’ll miss opportunities for growth, like gaining more loyal followers. Companies can also use social media as an opportunity to interact with their followers, who are all either current or potential customers. One of the simplest things businesses can do on social media to engage with their followers is to respond to comments on their posts. Another opportunity for engagement on Instagram can include sharing photos that fans have tagged their business in. There are so many easy and simple ways to increase engagement with your followers, you just need to figure out what works best for your business.
Key Takeaways
Social media allows businesses to reach more people than ever before. Producing quality content is essential, especially content that has a purpose and pleases its target audience. It shouldn’t be too promotional and should be completely free of spelling and grammar mistakes. Social media managers should also be engaging with their followers, to create a service-oriented brand and gain a more loyal fan base. Avoiding these common content mistakes will help take your social media marketing strategy to the next level. 97 Switch has been recognized as one of the Top Content Marketing Agencies and Top Facebook Marketing Companies in the United States.
