As of 2018, 77% of small businesses were using social media to connect with their customers.
That means that there are thousands of small businesses with social media accounts.
It’s great that so many businesses are using social media platforms, but this comes with its own set of drawbacks. Because the pool of businesses is actually more like an ocean now, it’s much harder to stand out.
Building your following is complex and time-consuming. It can be hard if you don’t know where to start.
That’s why we’ve created a shortlist of common mistakes that small businesses make on social media.
Mistake 1: Posting Too Much
Using social media as a small business is hard work, but the hours you put in are not the most important part of the social media game.
Posting 3 times a day sounds great, but 3 posts that are rushed and not thought through are not in any way better than one post that is well crafted and optimized. If you choose to run paid ads, one paid ad is eons better than several posts that are not at all well thought through.
Mistake 2: Only Talking About Your Services
No one wants to hang out with someone who only talks about themselves. Why should your business be any different?
If you have a business page, most people will be able to understand that you are in fact trying to sell things. You do not need to post every day about the same services. This will get boring for both you and your followers.
Of course, you do need to inform people about your products and services, but social media is also the place for you to educate your potential customers on your industry, your story, or whatever else is going on in your world as a business owner.
You might not think your life is very interesting, but you’d be surprised what keeps people engaged on social media.
Mistake 3: Using Too Many Platforms
In addition to posting too much, many businesses will also post their content on every single platform that exists. This sounds great in theory, but if you’re not careful, this can lead to a decrease in quality.
If you absolutely have to be on every platform, you might want to think about outsourcing your social media management to a digital marketing agency, like us.
Our team has years of experience in building brands, following, and creating quality content. At the very least, a consultation with a digital marketing agency can help you learn the best way to create content that’s engaging, aesthetically pleasing, and well written.
Mistake 4: Being Impatient
Despite the fantasy of “going viral” and getting thousands of followers overnight, social media is a marathon, not a sprint.
Ideally, you’ll have an active social media account for as long as you have your business, so why rush?
Social media (especially in the beginning stages) is a bit like yelling in an empty room, hoping someone will hear you. Don’t fret when they don’t come right away. If you use tried and true methods for building followings, you’ll see results over time.
If you build it, they will come.
Mistake 5: Not Posting Consistently
Like I said, you’re probably not going to go viral.
You might, and if you do, that’s awesome. Good for you.
But what if you don’t? What then?
If you don’t go viral in your first month on TikTok or Twitter or any other platform, don’t worry. What you really need to do is create a content calendar, follow it with the discipline that you use to approach all other aspects of your business. Over time, you will reap the rewards.
In Conclusion
These are just a few of the mistakes that business owners make when they try to take their company into the social media world.
If your business is struggling to gain traction on social media, we’d love to help you out. If you’d like to learn about social media through osmosis, follow DesignzDigital on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
We can’t wait to hear from you.