Interacting with customers and and conducting media marketing through the various social media outlets has become critical to the success of any business. From rebuilding analytics in order to drive sales to addressing customer needs, social media represents one of the most important aspects of business marketing – yet a large number of entrepreneurs and businesses makes painfully embarrassing faux pas through social media.
Let's go through the five common social media marketing mistakes that entrepreneurs always make, and how some of these mistakes have panned out for the companies making them.
But before then Please Read - How to Use Social Media For Your Business Advantage.
1. Making Irrelevant Jokes
I'm not saying having a sense of humor is a bad thing, it’s a good thing to make your audience let off a few seam; it’s engaging and warms them to your product and service. But whatever you’re joking about, ensure it’s actually funny and not offensive.
Don’t make the mistake of making jokes that aren’t funny at best or at worst, alienate your audience.
2. Don’t Be Any Kind of -ism
When posting or tweeting a content, make sure it doesn't contain sexism, racism, nationalism, and the rest. This is because it may not likely to be well-received by your audience. Targeting any demographic with prejudicial humor is likely to get you in hot waters.
Take an example, few years ago, MTN carried out a paid ad where sexism was indirectly promoted, utilizing genuinely problematic phrases like “mama na boy.”
These promotional ad/tweets were met with a backlash from much of their audience, including many women, who called them out on their inherently sexist ad/tweets. Reportedly, these ad/tweets hit MTN’s sales for a few weeks. While a company as big as MTN might be able to take a financial hit like that, smaller companies definitely can’t – so choose your words wisely, and don’t be a victim to the most common internet marketing mistakes.
3. Avoid Using Tragedy to Your Advantage
Avoid capitalizing on tragedy, that's, using someone else’s pain or tragedy to promote sales. Doing so can be truthfully, one of the most reprehensible marketing skills any company or entrepreneur could possibly use; and yet Miracle Mattress, based in San Antonio, Texas, choosed to carry out a commercial ad supposedly honoring 9/11 with a “Twin Towers Sale,” offering all size mattresses for twin size mattress prices. The ad, which aired via YouTube, sparked immediate outrage. The video was later removed and an apology letter was tendered/posted.
To avoid getting into uncomfortable situation, don’t use tragic events to sell your products or services. Your customers will not forget in a hurry.
4. Make Sure Your Content is Detailed
Posting content that addresses the emotions of the reader – is standard marketing practice for many companies. Doing something contrary, will result to making the worst online marketing mistakes. Gina Raimondo, presently the governor of Rhode Island, spent millions on a marketing campaign for the smallest state in the union that, regretably, featured footage of Iceland and not Little Rhodey. The governor was berated for this, because the money spent on the tourism campaign were from taxpayer money. The video feature was later corrected, but the mistake is still part of a lively discussion among Rhode Islanders.
5. Rely Less on Social Media Marketing
While social media marketing is undoubtedly important, engaging other tools in marketing your business is essential to the success of your business. Hard copy materials, such as postcards, flyers, and business cards are just as analytical, as on-site tools like, outdoor metal signs, banners, or posters. Successfully marketing a business means, showcasing a presence in the areas where your current or prospective clients can see your product or service. As an entrepreneurs, you should aim at covering as many outlets as you possibly can in and around your arena.
While all of these are common mistakes for an entrepreneur to make, they can be avoided with carefully composed and well-researched content, using the employment of a wide variety of marketing skills.