One of the things I come across a lot in my line of work, is the question of how a company can obtain actual results or return on investment (ROI) through social media marketing.

The truth is that in the start of the social media revolution; to “appear online” was just enough and there were few companies on Facebook (and even less on Twitter), so it was easy to get attention.

With the popular adoption of social media, it is now even harder to keep companies prominent in this social standing wave. Moreover, social media is very different from traditional marketing.

These difficulties, adding to the fact that social media marketing is relatively new, cause small companies inevitable mistakes and costly missteps can happen.

Below there is a list of the top five mistakes (or gaffes) small companies can find themselves making..

Mistake 1: Speaking/Selling TO people instead of engaging with them

Many small companies see social media as another way to spread information, such as a website or news feed. Then they wonder why no one talks to them.

Example: “We continue following the people, but they do not follow us back! Why don’t they talk to us?”

The answer to this question in social networks is the same as the real world. Would you spend time with someone who just kept pushing their own agenda every time you met with them?

Start a conversation based on a mutual interest. You know that Just talking non stop about yourself, even if you move from group to group, will not engage people. They will become bored & “switch-off”.

Join the conversation, and add VALUE to the dialogues.

Instead of seeing social media as another place where you can disseminate promotional messages (offers, releases, new product announcements, etc.), businesses get better results by engaging with the online community by actively participating.

Mistake 2: The mentality of “If you build, they will come”.

Most small companies are excited when they enter Twitter and Facebook and then they look around and ask, “Where is everybody?”

Absolutely everyone is busy on the Internet connecting with friends, family and people who enjoy subjects of common interest. People do not have the time, interest, or simply ability to connect with each company or brand that tries to contact them.

As an example, consider that on average a person on Facebook is connected to 130 people and 80 pages, add to that groups and events. If each of these upload 5 publications in day, there will be more than 1,000 updates in one day to be seen by each individual.

Your company should have a plan to promote your accounts on social media with VALUE to those with whom you connect. Not simply create an account and consider that the world will interact!

Mistake 3: Obsession with having the largest number of fans / friends / followers.

A study done last July showed that only 3% to 7.5% of your Facebook fans actually see your posts.

Thus, rather than focusing on the amount of “likes” that your page has, you should focus on creating quality and relevant content so that you can build engagement with your followers. Add to this, the new algorithms introduced by Facebook recently, aimed at enhancing the individuals experience by cutting down “spammy” advertising posts. You really have to know how to write & enhance your post.

Also, NEVER EVER pay for Likes / fans /followers – These are easy to spot and not only get you a terrible reputation with your genuine followers, many social networks are now deliberately squashing accounts with paid for followers & likes and you will see your interaction plummet…

Mistake 4: Not being prepared for questions or problems.

When small companies enter the world of social media, they should be prepared to answer basic questions from time to time. Consumers expect companies that are active in social networks to be able to respond as if they were a customer service desk; this means that if your company has constant problems, they are likely to appear on social networks.

This should not be a surprise to anyone, but unfortunately, many small companies are not prepared. Make a list of the 10 most frequently asked questions you are getting by phone or email and be prepared to deal with those in social networks.

Mistake 5: Lack of a clear plan.

The biggest root cause for not having satisfactory results in social networks is the lack of a plan. Since accounts on social media networks can be created free, it is common that most companies create and start publishing “things”.

The problem is that without a plan, some “things” that are posted are most likely to be of no interest to your target audience. Even if your audience is interested in “things” that you post, it may be difficult to create a link between social media interactions and the real value you are looking for. Example: engagement with the brand, brand building, brand association, orders, sales, conversions, etc. Without goals and a defined plan, it will be very difficult to measure any kind of success.

It may sound daunting – BUT Social Media is an absolute must for any business now.

However it doesn’t have to be difficult and you can have fun whilst using it but it is essential for every business to be using it effectively.

Just remember that your customers / fans should always come first and they want to be made to feel special.

Contact Rocoja Limited for help and advice.

We are here specifically for small businesses, events, charities and individuals.

Contact us for some advice info@Rocoja.co.uk

We are to help.