We all know that we should be using social media to grow our business. Some people are a natural on social media - they know what to post, when to post, how to interact with others, etc. But there are lots of people who seem to be missing the mark.

Below are a few common mistakes that I see small business owners, I hope you’re not making them:

#1 - Posting irrelevant content

I have a theory called “Bikinis & Puppies” - basically I think you can get anyone to click on anything if your post includes a photo of a woman in a bikini or a puppy.

This is a cute puppy. It has nothing to do with your business…but it sure is cute and cuddly :)

Don’t believe me? Go to Instagram and click on a popular location or tag and see how many bikini photos and photos of women dressing in a revealing manner there are…and who doesn’t love a cute cuddly puppy. However if you’re not in the swimwear industry or a pet-related business, the clicks you get will not be relevant to your brand. Keep your message relevant and on-brand, unless you want a bunch of lookie-loos who will never buy from you.

Example: It frustrates me when I see a realtor post information about local events or wildlife. My real estate agent will never be my source of information for coyote sightings and such. You’re trying to be helpful and get my attention but please limit your posts to your brand and real estate.

#2 Not posting enough

I am talking about people who post very little or never. Marketing can be a game of momentum so you’ll want to post at least a few times a week in order to get some consistency. However make sure you’re focusing on posting quality (content that people engage with) instead of quantity.

Example: You cannot possibly expect to post once a month or two and expect to get any results. And don’t be surprised when you get no response from your once-a-month post. Either use social media or don’t. Don’t half-ass it!

#3 Know your audience

You should have a good answer to who you are trying to reach and what audience you’re communicating to. Your followers probably have certain expectations about what you’ll post. In addition, people go to different social media platforms for different content. If you have a visually-oriented business, you should be on Instagram. If you are trying to reach B2B customers, you need to be on LinkedIn.

Example: People who post personal photos on LinkedIn or cross-posting a link to Twitter. When people see these types of messages, they tune OUT.

#4 Understand the role of social media in your business - Stop Selling!

One of the biggest objections I hear about social media is that it doesn’t work for them. I think the actual problem is that people don’t understand the role of social media. The biggest benefit is to grow your brand and awareness, not to drive sales.

We all want to generate sales and more leads, but the reality is that people need to Know, Like & Trust you before they will buy (emphasis on trust you). Social media is great for that, it just takes time. So continue to post about your business - entertain, inform, educate and inspire your audience and they will get to know you and want to do business with you.

#5 Not being authentic

People have excellent bullshit meters so if your posts are inauthentic people see right through you and begin to distrust you. Your brain is constantly trying to interpret the information you hear - as soon as it can’t understand or trust what you’re saying, it immediately tunes out the message.

Your social media voice should be authentic and true to your brand. In addition, writing the way you speak makes it easy for people to understand your message. Some of the most effective marketing messaging is written at a 4th grade level or less.

Example: If you are a solopreneur, then it’s okay that your posts should reflect your personality. Don’t act like you own a Fortune 500 company when in reality you work from home and your top employee is your cat.

#6 Posting junk, silly stuff

We are all overwhelmed with information and there is probably no quicker way to get people to dislike you then to post silly shit. If it’s truly entertaining and relevant to your audience, it’s okay once in a while, but in general, don’t be goofy.

If you are guilty of these mistakes, please contact me so I can forward a bunch of bikini pics and cuuute puppies to you. —J

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