It's not all fun...social media marketing takes some strategy to work.
If social media marketing isn’t working for you, you’re probably not using it correctly.
How can you not use social media correctly? Believe it or not, there are a few things you could be doing wrong that can effect your business.
Here are some things you should make sure you’re not doing before putting any more effort into social media marketing:
Who are your connections/friends/followers?: You need people who are interested in your services/products to be connected to you. What’s the point in delivering your sales pitch if who you’re talking to doesn’t really care?
Are you hiding your presence?: You might not think you’re being anti-social on social media, but you could inadvertently be doing so. For instance, is there a link to your Twitter page in your email signature? Do you have a link to your Facebook account printed on your business cards? If people don’t know how to find you or don’t think to find you…they won’t.
Are you replying to people within your industry?: It’s important to talk with potential customers, but it pays to join the conversation about your industry, too — this legitimizes you as a solid player in your market. Hootsuite allows you to set up multiple columns for keyword searches and Twitter lists so you can always see what is being talked about and be able to give a timely reply.
Are you following the “rules” of social media?: You might be following too many, and it could be detrimental to your business.
There are many experts who suggest that you follow specific guidelines in how you use social media. While there are some things that should not be done (such as running a constant stream of advertising), there are some social media rules that may not apply to followers in your niche or industry.
The best way to see what works is to follow those who are successful utilizing social media specializing in the same subject area as you and analyze what they do. Do they reply to their followers/fans often? Do they share blog posts? Do they share industry news? How do they personalize their profiles, backgrounds, etc.?
So…are you doing any of these three things? Stop! And watch as your social media marketing efforts start progressing.
