Ground Report

The rise of social media has revolutionized the marketing scene. Before, businesses had to pay thousands to get mails sent, to hire sales agents, or to have precious TV airtime so their marketing strategies are actualized. Now, social media serves as the most strategic and least expensive option to make startups grow.

The playing field that is social media is relatively fair. Entrepreneurs can post their products online and reach locations in real time. In social media, the world is your audience. In social media, there is no barrier. But no matter how fair the battlefield is, a soldier must learn how to use his sword, right? As a newbie, here are the common mistakes that you must take note to start your social media campaign on the right track:

• “The Newcomer Syndrome”

The tendency of any newbie business in social media is to focus on how to promote its products. When this is the only goal, the result will be very, very, bad. Of course, the end goal is to let products be known and to end up in a purchase. However, posting “over promotional” posts creates a perception that your page is about a dull business wanting to sell their products quickly. Rather than letting be perceived this way, try to create relationships with your target customers first. Let this be the initial goal, and everything else will flow smoothly.

• “The Shotgun Approach”

This is the most underrated problem of any business, online or not: the more people the business targets, the more the customers will be. Unfortunately, the law of probability does not apply to social media marketing. When businesses post without regard to who views their posts, they leave a portion of their target market uncaptured. As a result, the chances for awareness depletes. To avoid this disaster, know social media demographics. Research can work, but online marketing experts will save you the time and give you the most accurate statistics.

• “Atrocious Aesthetics”

How your page looks like is integral to rouse interest. If your post has pixelated pictures and unstylish infographics, social media users will absolutely be turned off. Time is precious because impressions last, so make sure that your page is free from unattractive graphics. If not, you will lose the chance of letting users comeback, even if your website/social media page improves. It’s scary how irreversible impressions are, right? To avoid this, make sure that your page is flawless and stunning before it even becomes operational. Learn from The Founder of Craps Geeks, who made sure that their site is classy and eye-catching. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be an expert on graphic design. Basics in Photoshop will suffice. If you really don’t have the talent, freelancers online offer decent services for low costs.

Now that you understand the don’ts of social media management, you already have an advantage over your contemporaries. Learn from these mistakes so that you won’t commit them. Good luck in your social media management journey!