There is something I have noticed that I think is super important to start talking about – common mistakes we are all making in our social media posts. And it got me thinking, what other mistakes are we making right now that we may or may not even realize?
I think everyone was doing really well a few months ago – especially when our world was flipped upside down. But now, we are all getting burnt out. Myself included. It’s been a long 8 weeks. I’m sure you can sympathize.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel. Only a few more weeks until school is out. You can do it! And hopefully, there will be a little bit of reprieve then. At least for a few weeks, right??
Most people don’t realize that they are using generic posts that don’t get people to slow their scroll. As a result, they aren’t connecting with their customers. The person may understand that their posts aren’t connecting, but they think it’s enough to just get a post up and check it off their to-do list.
People Crave Connection
Michael Lieberman made a case in his book Social that our need to connect is as fundamental as our need for food and water. So why aren’t we trying to connect in our social media posts?
#NewsFlash – that isn’t going to work in 2020.
Sometimes I don’t think we understand the power our content has over connection. Content motivates. It calls to action. If you do it well, it reaches and grabs your heart and soul and will never let go.
Just so we are clear – content is how you share your message. It’s how you call your client to action. It can be done through social media posts, videos, comments. Really, anytime you are sharing your message, you are creating content.
Biggest mistakes with social media posts
So that being said, most people are making 1 of 4 classic mistakes in their posts – sometimes all 4!
Do you know what they are?
- They aren’t using a graphic in their posts or ones that will get people to slow their scroll.
- They are only using a picture or a quote graphic and nothing else. There is no commentary.
- The picture and/or the text doesn’t engage the conversation. There isn’t any back and forth-ness to create the relationship.
- The content doesn’t build or connect to other posts.
You may be asking yourself why these things are even a problem. And that’s okay if you are because that is what we are used to. But with the shift in the world, you need to have a shift in your content too. People are asking for more.
When you are making one of these 4 mistakes, it’s like treading water. There is no communication going on. The posts aren’t inviting people to take another step. You aren’t creating that connection that your ideal client craves.
If they aren’t slowing their scroll to learn more or start a conversation, they will never buy from you. They most likely won’t even download your free stuff.
What should businesses NOT do on social media?
There are a few other mistakes that I wanted to mention too. Social media is meant to be social. It’s meant in interact. Social media marketing is a long term plan. It’s not something that will change overnight.
Sometimes I think we have unrealistic expectations of what social media is and what it’s used for. The intention – first and foremost and always – is to connect with your audience. Sales are just a bonus.
Social media is meant to educate your audience on your product so your sales cycle is shorter. It will never replace the other marketing you should be doing.
That being said, here are some of the common mistakes I see being made on social media.
- Ignoring Comments – So you get the comments, but you don’t respond. Social media is not a set it and forget it type of thing. You have to be engaging. Set a goal to engage within 24 hours of comments. Even better if you can do it within a few hours. Keep the conversation going!
- Selling a Product vs. a Lifestyle – People are sold to nearly 24 hours a day. They don’t want to be sold on social media too. Instead, create a lifestyle for your brand, a story and narrative your fans can invest in.
What does your day consist of? What trending topics does your brand care about? What kind of conversations get your audience excited to buy?
- Making it all about yourself – This is especially true for 2020. I know it’s tempting to only talk about yourself and your success. It’s exciting and you want somewhere to share that. I get it.
BUT customers don’t want to follow an account that only talks about themselves and shows pictures of themselves and only talk about their success. Make sure your content is worthwhile and inviting them to connect with you: insights, behind the scenes, how does hiring you support them and make their life better??
- Scheduling too much – Automation is great, but if you aren’t aware of what you automated, then you won’t come across as compassionate (or kind or caring or a decent human being) when you have a post that goes up like that.
Something else about scheduling too far in advance: you cannot address trending topics when things are always scheduled. You will seem inauthentic if everything is scheduled and regurgitated over and over. If you are going to use those tools, make sure you are checking in on your pre-scheduled posts every once in a while to make sure they are still relevant.
We had a client that came to us after she had been using Meet Edgar for over a year. She had a post go up that said: “What are you celebrating today?” It was posted the same morning as the mass shooting at a Jewish Synagogue. She appeared completely inauthentic and unsympathetic to what was going on in the world that day. And even worse, it was a client of hers that caught it, not her.
So if you are going to use those tools, you still need to be watching your content each day! They aren’t meant to be “set it and forget it” type platforms. Be aware of what you are scheduling. Go in often and clean it up. Keep it fresh.
It’s time to up your game
Most of us have been in the game long enough that it’s time to start upleveling. It’s time to play a better game. To create connections and start converting.
If you don’t do it now, there is a good chance that your revenue will go nowhere in 2020 – and no one has time for that! If you don’t jump in on this now, you will get drowned out.
And I don’t want to see that happen to you. Start the connection with your audience.