Let’s assume your customers are on social media. Let’s also assume that you’re engaging them there. If you’ve been doing the latter for a while and still aren’t seeing any ROI, the problem might not be with your social activity it might be with the message behind it.
I’m talking about user experience, which can make or break your relationship with new prospects.
In this post, we’ll look at 11 things to avoid when interacting with buyers on social media so that you don’t accidentally sabotage your chances of converting them into leads and sales
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Prioritize active listening to buyer needs. |
| 2. Avoid aggressive sales pitches; focus on value. |
| 3. Respond promptly to customer inquiries. |
| 4. Be authentic and transparent in interactions. |
| 5. Avoid ignoring or deleting negative feedback. |
| 6. Use social media as a customer service platform. |
| 7. Don’t over-automate; maintain a personal touch. |
| 8. Be mindful of the timing of your posts. |
| 9. Avoid ignoring social media comments and messages. |
| 10. Steer clear of excessive self-promotion. |
| 11. Monitor your social media channels consistently. |
1. Not Having A Social Media Presence
Social media is a great way to increase brand awareness and build trust. It’s also an excellent way to generate sales and get feedback from your customers.
Social media can help you get customer service, find new customers, and even improve the quality of the services you provide.
But if you don’t have a social media presence at all or if you only have one or two accounts that aren’t actively being updated you could be missing out on huge opportunities to grow your business.
Many people are beginning their search for businesses on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn (to name just a few).
So if your company isn’t present there already then it’ll likely be harder for potential customers to find you later on down the road when they’re ready to make their purchase decision!
Crafting a successful social media strategy is crucial for B2C marketers. Learn about the essential steps in our guide on The Social Media Strategy All B2C Marketers Need to Learn to enhance your brand’s online presence.
2. Your Social Media Posts Lack Value
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of social media, especially if you’re just starting. But it’s important to keep in mind that your posts are not only a reflection of your brand but also an extension of it.
If you want buyers to trust and engage with your brand, then make sure every post has value for them.
This means avoiding posting irrelevant photos or links (which will hurt engagement rates), as well as making sure that everything is on-brand, relevant, impactful, and engaging for everyone who sees it your audience will thank you for caring about their experience!
3. Your Social Media Posts Are Not Consistent
Social media is a great place to share information about your business and engage with potential customers, but only if you’re doing it right. A lot of businesses don’t understand how social media works or even how to use the platforms themselves.
One mistake that many companies make on all social media platforms is being inconsistent in their posting style and frequency. For you to reach as many people as possible, you need to post regular content consistently so that people don’t forget about your brand!
4. You Only Post Updates Related To Your Company
Social media is more than just a way to advertise. It’s a great way for you to build your brand and brand loyalty, connect with customers and potential customers, and build your company’s reputation.
If you’re only posting updates related to your company, chances are that people won’t follow you on social media because they don’t see it as relevant or interesting. Instead of focusing all of your attention on sales pitches and promotions (which can be done via ads).
Try using some social media tools that allow users to interact directly with each other as well as brands themselves (like Facebook Live).
Videos are a powerful tool to build a community and engage your audience. Discover the benefits of video marketing in our article on Why Video Marketing Is an Effective Way to Build a Community, and take your marketing strategy to the next level.
5. You’re Not Replying To Inquiries On Social Media
- You’re not replying to inquiries on social media
- You’re relying too late on
You should reply to inquiries within 24 hours. If you don’t, buyers will wonder what is taking so long and may eventually lose interest in your property altogether.
Responding within a few hours sends the message that you are committed and serious about meeting their needs, which increases trust between buyer and seller.
Responding within a few minutes tells them that this isn’t just another one of those dozens of listings they see every day it matters!
And responding within seconds makes them feel like they have come across something truly special: an agent who understands how important their time is!
6. Your Posts Don’t Generate Engagement
The first mistake you can make is to post content that doesn’t engage your audience. If you don’t know what your target audience wants, it is hard to find out what they want from you.
If you do not know what your target audience wants from you then they can’t give a good response if they like or dislike something about your content.
If people feel like they are being spoken down all the time then they may choose not to engage with anything else that comes out of the company ever again.
Because they see it as just another attempt by someone who doesn’t understand their needs while trying too hard in order not lose face by admitting defeat!
7. Your Landing Page Is All About You And Your Brand
Your landing page should be about the customer, not you. It’s tempting to make your landing page about your brand and all the cool stuff you offer but that’s a mistake. Instead, focus on what benefits the customer will receive by using your product or service.
A good example of this is Apple’s homepage: they don’t talk about themselves; they talk about how great their products are for their customers.
Apple also uses social proof by displaying an impressive number of awards they’ve won over their long history as one of the most successful tech companies in history.
You must focus on what problem your offering solves for your customers because that’s what makes them want to buy it from you instead of someone else (or do nothing at all).
Content marketing can be a key driver in selling your services. Explore our insights on Using Content Marketing to Sell Your Services to learn how to leverage compelling content to attract and convert potential customers.
8. You Have No Idea Where Your Leads Are Coming From
If you don’t know where your leads are coming from, how can you tell what channels are working and which ones aren’t? For example, say Twitter has been bringing in 3% of your total sales while Facebook has been bringing in 50%.
Which channel is performing better? The answer is that it depends on the goals of your business. In this case, if gaining new followers is more important than closing sales then Twitter would be a better choice as it brings in more new followers but fewer closed sales.
On the other hand, if closing sales was more critical then Facebook would be a better choice because it contributes less to new followers but brings in more closed sales.
9. You Never Measure Your Results
Again, you’re not trying to be a social media expert. You’re just trying to sell your stuff and make a little bit of money online. So if you don’t measure your results, you don’t know what needs improving or changing.
The importance of measuring is that it gives you concrete evidence that something is working or failing so that you can make the adjustments needed for success.
There are five different ways to measure the effectiveness of your strategy:
- Measure the number of clicks on an advertisement or ad campaign
- Measure how many people respond to an advertisement or ad campaign (for example by clicking through)
- Measure how many leads (potential customers) come from each ad campaign and which ad campaigns generate more leads than others
- Measure how many sales were made as a result of this marketing activity (obviously this will only work if products are sold online)
Influencer marketing can significantly amplify your brand’s reach. Dive into our guide on How to Grow Your Brand Business with Influencer Marketing to discover effective strategies for collaborating with influencers and achieving marketing success.
10. You Are Ignoring Feedback On Social Media
Social media is a two-way street, so you need to listen as well as talk. There is no point in having a conversation with your customers if they get the feeling that you don’t care what they have to say or that their opinion doesn’t matter.
As soon as they think like this, chances are they won’t engage again and will go elsewhere for their next purchase.
There are many ways you can respond to comments and questions posted by your customers on various social platforms:
Reply directly – This is great for questions where there might be several related answers, such as ‘What time does the store open today?’
It’s also good if someone asks a question specifically directed at you; it shows them that you’re interested enough in what they’re saying to reply personally (rather than just sharing generic information).
Reply publicly – This allows other users to contribute their thoughts too; sometimes people will respond positively when others chime in with similar experiences or advice based on their own experience of using your product/service at home or work!
11. Social Media Has Become An Important Resource For Brands
Social media is a great way to reach a large audience, get feedback from your customers, interact with them and build brand awareness. It can do all of this because it allows you to engage directly with your customers in real-time.
With social media, there are no filters or gatekeepers between the consumer and the brand everything happens in real-time. This immediacy allows companies to respond quickly when something goes wrong or they need extra support from their customers.
Building trust is paramount in B2C marketing. Learn valuable insights in our article on The Art of Making the Most Out of B2C Marketing Without Losing Customer Trust to ensure your marketing efforts resonate with your audience and maintain their loyalty.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of social media selling mistakes to avoid. But don’t let that deter you if you do it right, social media selling is one of the best ways to drive sales for your eCommerce business.
Further Reading
Common Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid A comprehensive guide on the most frequent social media marketing mistakes and how to steer clear of them.
Top Social Media Mistakes Businesses Should Avoid Discover essential tips to prevent common social media mistakes that businesses often make.
7 Rookie Social Media Mistakes from Big Brands Uncover seven social media missteps made by prominent brands and learn valuable lessons to apply in your own strategies.
And here’s the “FAQs” section:
FAQs
What are some common social media marketing mistakes?
Common social media marketing mistakes include inconsistent posting schedules, neglecting audience engagement, focusing solely on self-promotion, using irrelevant hashtags, and underestimating the power of visual content.
How can businesses avoid social media mistakes?
To avoid social media mistakes, businesses should plan their content calendars, engage with their audience promptly, strike a balance between promotional and valuable content, research and use relevant hashtags, and invest in high-quality visual elements.
What are some examples of social media mistakes by big brands?
Big brands have made mistakes like using inappropriate hashtags, failing to address negative comments, creating tone-deaf content, and misjudging cultural sensitivities, all of which have had negative impacts on their brand reputation.
Why is consistent posting important in social media marketing?
Consistent posting is vital in social media marketing because it helps maintain your brand’s presence, keeps your audience engaged, and establishes a sense of reliability, which can lead to increased brand awareness and customer loyalty.
How does engagement impact social media success?
Engagement on social media, such as likes, comments, and shares, indicates that your content resonates with your audience. Higher engagement levels lead to increased visibility, reach, and the potential for your content to go viral, thereby enhancing your social media success.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.