The social media marketing world has so much information floating around that it can get confusing, and even make you to believe in some of the tried-tested-and-failed strategies. It’s time you learned to separate the hype from the reality when it comes to channelizing your social media marketing efforts.
As a child, we fall for fairy tales and fascinating stories where everything ends on a happy note. These fascinations for happy-endings continue as we mature. We tend to do everything to avoid unpleasant experiences and fall for things that give us a sense of guaranteed successful conclusions. Yes, you guessed it right. I’m pointing out at sure-shot practices that are proclaimed to never fail…. But the reality is just the opposite.
Going social is the latest buzz in the online marketing world. People give all sorts of advice to win over the social world. However, an entrepreneur should be able to separate over-the-top claims from the honest reality when going for social media marketing.
Hype #1. You need to be on all social networks.
The reality: You need to be on social networks that your customers care about the most.
Take time to research where your customers are more actively involved in availing services or buying products that you offer. Say, yours is an online store selling women apparels. Your presence on Facebook and Google+ matters more than being on Twitter because; most people tend to look for apparels on these two social sites.
On the other hand, if you are a provider of merger and acquisition services, you are more likely to connect better with your potential clients on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Hype #2. You need to post X number of posts daily.
The reality: Numbers hardly matter, sharable content counts.
People are being overwhelmed with a deluge of posts and notifications for just about anything and everything on social media sites. While you need to keep the content flowing on your social networks, over publishing will lead to only one person talking, and that’s you.
This brings me to the point that some online marketers automate their updates in order to reach out to a larger audience in almost no time. However, people are smart enough to make out whether it is a real person or a robot on the other side.
Hype #3. Include as many popular hashtags as you can.
The reality: Include only those popular #tags that are relevant to your business.
Marketers use hashtags to reach out to people interested in, say, particular services, city whereabouts, artist, or TV shows. Topic-related hashtags are a great way to get your message across to a large audience, but using them in excess won’t land you anywhere special.
Hype #4. Steer the conversation around your company on social networks.
The reality: Conversations should be interesting.
Social media marketing is not sheer marketing, it’s sharing. Posts should be shareable -- give advice, urge caution, amuse, inspire or leave readers in awe. To sum it up, your posts should not be dull and boring. Talking about your company on your Facebook page is not a crime, but be sure you say it interestingly enough that it encourages readers to share.
Hype #5. Catchy content will get people to read.
The reality: The image and call to action that goes along with the post matters more.
Often it’s not just the content that gets people to click through the posts shared on your Google+ or Facebook page. Striking image coupled with a compelling call to action is what gets you likes and shares. On the social web, people don’t read the posts, they scan through the content.
Hype #6. Sending e-mailers were just so yesterday.
The reality: Many people still prefer email notifications for social posts.
Social media didn't make email marketing extinct. While social media marketing might not entirely include sending out emails, but in case your fans and followers decide to leave your social network, you can still stay connected with them by reaching out through good old emailers. Who knows, some of them might decide to hop in your bandwagon again!
Hype #7. Social media marketing is just a branding practice.
The reality: If done right, it can help you generate leads and surge online sales.
I’m not sure where people are getting this idea from. Social media marketing isn’t just to create brand awareness or concretize your social presence. If leveraged appropriately, it can prove to be an effective sales tool. Remember - Online chats do get transported into offline actions.
Hype #8. Steer clear of any controversies.
The reality: Controversies will crop up; it’s how you deal with them.
I had to share it because this is one of the most disturbing misconceptions about what's going social is really all about. Humans have an innate desire to share and to have a sense of audience to hear their stories. This craving to share is what makes the social web oh-so desirable and massively successful.
When you remove or delete harsh comments, you are depleting your social network of being genuine and making it more plastic. While you should not add gasoline to a heated discussion, manage it rather than weeding it out.
Controversies will always remain. Try to manage the situation. This brings me to dispel yet hype, which is….
Hype #9. You don’t need a pro to handle your social presence, you can do it yourself.
The reality: You need an expert to help you manage your social presence and reputation.
Most entrepreneurs think that it’s all about posting comments and sharing stuff, just as you do it on your personal Facebook or Google+ account. Actually, it’s not so. You need a professional who has a clear sense to curate what would interest readers, post current content, be responsive to your fans and followers, and tactfully handle awkward situations that come up during casual conversations.
Over to you
Have you ever come across a social media marketing advice that’s touted to be fail-proof? How did it work for you? Share your experiences that would serve as a fair guideline to others about what to avoid when going social.
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