3 Social Media Marketing Mistakes and How to Fix It

You’re human. You make mistakes. Social media marketing for your brand is no exception, and the following three mistakes are very common.

Treating Social Media Like a Popularity Contest

The benefit of social media marketing has nothing at all to do with how many fans, followers, or likes you have. What matters is how many fans, followers, or friends are actually actively engaging with your brand on social media.

The contacts you make, and the relationships you build, should be strong and long-lasting. Treat each of your followers as a friend, not a means to an end. Be humble, kind, and genuinely helpful. Your (inter)actions will speak for themselves.

Jumping on Any Bandwagon without Knowing What You’re Diving Into

Within social media marketing, there are so many trends and memes that it can be hard to keep up with it all but the included benefits of participation are worth the effort. However, it is essential that you avoid the blunder that can come with misusing a hashtag or meme.

Instead, take the time to research where something originated and the “inside meaning” (if relevant) because it can—and will—backfire to join in any conversation without knowing the backstory.

Thinking Your Social Media Accounts Are About You

Think of any social network as a real-world party, and don’t be that person standing by the punch bowl trying to start conversations where they are the focal point. That person is the reason other people avoid the punch bowl.

Instead, be the person who will introduce a friend to people they should meet. Be the person who asks questions and listens to the answers. Be the person who will share a joke and give credit to the original source. That person will make far more friends than actually matter. Social media is not about you… it’s about relationships.