Social Media is one of the most powerful tools on the Internet – hands down. I don’t say that lightly as I’m a big fan of my online tools, but the result I’ve seen through social media have blown me away, and no it’s not a fad. So, if you’re like me and love this stuff to death, why isn’t it working like you planned? Odds are that you’re making one of these fatal mistakes that incredibly easy to avoid.
• Expecting too Much – You shouldn’t expect ridiculous results out of your social media marketing overnight. It doesn’t usually work like that. You have to be realistic about what you can get out of a Facebook or Twitter account. You’re building trust, developing followers and eventually you’ll be able to cash in on them.
• No Plan – You need a plan to be successful with social media. Just tossing stuff on a website and hoping it works isn’t good enough. You need to provide valuable content, interact on a steady schedule, and be there day after day. The second things look uneven, you will fail.
• Aiming to Dazzle, Not Inform – Let’s face it, no one knows who you are yet. You’re not a major brand and your site cannot speak for itself. So, instead of trying to build your entire social media presence on some flashy graphics and branding, offer useful content and information that will tell your readers exactly what they’re getting.
• Interacting with Fans – The whole point of social media is to interact. So, if you’re not doing that, it’s time to rethink your approach to the whole process. Spend time talking to your fans, ask them what they want to see and learn from you. Find out about their successes and failures. Reference everything. My rule of thumb is to respond to at least one comment, question, or post each day. That’s not much, but it shows I’m on there being active. Ideally, double or triple that.
• Faking It – Nothing’s worse that a faker. If you want to be successful with your site, it needs to be authentic. Don’t expect people to be interested in you anymore because you’re “talking their lingo”. Be yourself and be interesting. If your persona doesn’t lend itself well toward the internet, spice it up, but don’t lie to cover it up.
The whole purpose of being successful on the Internet is to build a steady stream of leads. Social media is a giant lead generating factory. If you want to be successful, you need to be in there, developing contacts and creating interest. It’s not a static website – you have to be active. Do that, and you’re set.