Social media is still a relatively new phenomenon in the world of marketing, and even though it’s been around for a while, many big brands still get it wrong.
You’ve probably seen some of these errors on your favorite social media channels; perhaps you’ve even made some of them yourself as you built your own brand. We’re here to tell you that there are good reasons why big brands fail at social media…..
| Takeaways |
|---|
| Big brands are facing challenges in their social media efforts. |
| Understanding the reasons behind these challenges is crucial. |
| Effective social media strategies are essential for success. |
| Learning from failures can lead to improved future strategies. |
| Adapting to changing trends and audience preferences is vital. |
1. Put Human Voices Out Front
The best way to get your customers to trust you is to show them that you actually care about them. You can do this by being honest and transparent on social media.
This means being upfront and straightforward with your customers, as well as admitting mistakes when they happen.
When you’re friendly, engaged, and human on social media, it makes people feel more comfortable sharing their feedback with you and that’s important.
Because the more feedback companies receive from customers (positive or negative), the better prepared they are for future issues and opportunities.
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2. Share Knowledge, Don’t Sell
Once you have a social media presence, it’s time to share knowledge, not sales. When people see a corporate account posting about an upcoming sale or campaign and immediately start making purchases from the company, they feel like their trust has been violated.
They feel like their friend’s list is being used for marketing purposes instead of genuine communication between people.
So what can brands do? They can offer something valuable first: information that would help potential customers make informed decisions and consider buying your product later on (or even better buy something else entirely).
If you’re selling products that solve problems, then help people solve those problems first before asking them to buy what your company has to offer!
3. Add A Little Mystery
Many people think that social media is all about being transparent, but the truth is that you should add a little mystery to your posts.
Your customers want to feel like they are part of something special and exclusive. If you keep them guessing with some juicy information about what’s coming up for your brand, then you’ll create a sense of urgency that will cause them to come back for more.
This can be as simple as telling them what kind of events you’re planning shortly or showing off design concepts for new products before they go into production.
Just make sure it’s not too obvious; otherwise, people will stop caring about what else is going on with the company!
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4. Put ‘real’ First
The best way to use social media is to put people at the center of your strategy, not just your brand. Many big brands are failing at this because they don’t have an effective strategy for putting their audience first and making them feel like a part of the conversation.
They are only using social media as a way to promote products and services without any care for genuine engagement with their customers or fans.
To be successful on social media, you need to take great care in how you engage with other people online before promoting yourself or your products too much!
5. Think Basic
There’s a reason that the most successful brands on social media are those that are the most authentic. When you take the time to reflect your values in the way you communicate and interact with people, it is easy for others to feel connected to you and trust your brand.
By being open and genuine, people will feel like they can relate to you and they’ll be more likely to trust what comes from your mouth.
6. Let Employees Into The Secret Room
A lot of social media failures can be attributed to a lack of transparency. If you don’t trust your employees with knowledge about what’s going on at work, how are they supposed to help?
They might be able to provide valuable input on issues like content, marketing strategies, and customer service issues.
Hire More People Who Will Tell You When You’re Doing Something Wrong
The key here is not just having someone who will give their opinion it’s having someone who will give their honest opinion (and then stick around long enough for everyone else to see that they were right).
If everyone knows that there will be no repercussions for speaking up when things aren’t working as well as they should, then there’s no reason why anyone shouldn’t step up and say something!
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7. Spice It Up With ‘real’ Life Videos And Images
Brands can also use real-life videos and images to show off their products, employees, and offices.
They’re more engaging than photos of a product on a white background, and they’ll increase your likes and followers because people like seeing things that aren’t photoshopped.
You don’t have to make your video there are plenty of free stock videos online that you can download for free that you can use as part of an Instagram ad or other content on social media.
8. Focus On Just One Or Two Channels
Social media is a great place to build brand awareness, but it’s not the only one. You need to consider all the channels that your audience spends time on, and then make sure you have an appropriate presence on each one.
For example, if you’re selling beauty products to women over 35 who like reading blogs and watching videos of cats in hats, then Instagram is likely the best platform for you (and maybe Facebook too).
However, if you’re trying to reach millennials with disposable income who are interested in health and fitness information, then Twitter may be more effective and Pinterest could be even better than either one!
You don’t want all your eggs in one basket; instead, try spreading them around as much as possible.
If this sounds like an impossible task given how many social networks there are these days (and how many more seem poised for success), take heart:
Even though there are thousands of different platforms out there today (and thousands more still being launched every day).
Most people tend not use more than three or four regularly enough for their brands’ purposes. So focus on these key ones and if any others pop up along those lines later down the road? Great! But start small first before going big-time…
9. Show Customers They’re In Charge
One way brands can be transparent is by giving customers a voice. Patagonia is a great example of this:
They’re known for their transparency and honesty with their customers, even when it comes to mistakes (they once posted an image of a fleece jacket that had been returned due to being worn out; instead of hiding the imperfection, they showed it off).
When you give your consumers the freedom to speak up, they’ll feel powerful and engaged.
Don’t be afraid to admit when you’ve made a mistake either as long as you learn from it! Customers appreciate transparency and honesty, even if it makes them mad at first.
If you show people that you’re listening and trying hard not just to make money but also to do good work every day, they’ll forgive any mishaps along the way because they know that ultimately their voice has power over your brand’s actions.
10. Ask For Customer Reviews (Then Act On Them)
Too often, big brands are afraid to ask customers for their opinions because they’re worried about negative feedback.
But this is the perfect way to identify issues with your product or service and fix them right away. Don’t just leave these reviews sitting in a database somewhere use them to improve your product/service so that you can stay competitive in the market.
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11. Go Beyond The Link – Give Your Content Context
The first thing you can do to make your content more shareable is to provide a summary of the article. Your audience will be able to read at least a few paragraphs that way, which means they’ll be able to decide if they want to click through and read the whole thing.
Next, give them links to make it easy! You should link directly back to where you found it in case someone wants more information or just wants a bit more context around what you wrote about.
After all, if someone finds this kind of stuff interesting then chances are good that they’ll want as much info as possible.
And I know that when I’m reading something new on social media (or anywhere else), one of my first reactions is usually “how can I find out more?”
Here are some examples:
12. Tell A Story (Not A Sell)
You’re probably wondering how you can tell stories and not just sell. Well, it’s easy! You must first know your audience and their needs. Next, create content that is valuable to them. Finally, share this content with the world!
Here are some examples of brands who have used storytelling effectively:
Southwest Airlines has a blog called “Nuts About Southwest” where employees write about the culture at Southwest Airlines in an entertaining way that is still relatable for consumers (and also makes it seem like employees have fun).
Oreo was able to use its sense of humor during Super Bowl XLVII by creating an ad for its Twitter account in which they tweeted phrases from the classic book “The Odyssey” with updated branding from Oreo products such as cookies or milk
13. Give More Than You Get
This may be the most important tip on our list. There’s a reason why the saying goes, “Give and it will be given to you.” When you’re generous with your time, energy, and resources, people will be more likely to reciprocate in kind.
They’ll trust that they can rely on you long-term rather than viewing you as a transactional relationship where they expect something in return at every turn.
It’s important not to fall into the trap of thinking that if someone doesn’t give back right away then they’re not going to return the favor at all because this is simply not true!
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned from working with clients all over the world, it’s that if someone doesn’t feel like their needs are being met by another party (or vice versa), then things have gone wrong somewhere along the line.
14. Don’t Be Afraid Of Being Controversial
Don’t be afraid to be controversial. The best way to get your audience’s attention is by being different and saying something they’ve never heard before. The worst thing you can do is play it safe and stick with the status quo.
If you’re going to put yourself out there, it’s better if people know who you are and what you stand for — even if that means that some people won’t like what you have to say.
There will always be haters (and probably trolls), so don’t let them bring down your momentum or distract you from the conversation at hand.
As long as your message is coming from a place of honesty and authenticity, then it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks or says about it — especially when they’re just trying to bring others down!
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Conclusion
After all, a social media faux pas from one brand won’t be the end of the world. And as we mentioned in our intro, it can even be helpful for customers to see that your brand isn’t perfect.
But for those who are interested in standing out from the crowd and staying ahead of the competition, these guidelines should help you out!
Further Reading
Here are additional resources to explore for insights on why businesses struggle with social media marketing:
Avoiding Social Media Fails Discover tips and strategies to steer clear of common pitfalls that businesses encounter on social media platforms.
Two Reasons Most Businesses Fail at Social Media Learn about the key factors contributing to the failure of many businesses in their social media endeavors.
5 Reasons Why Some Businesses Fail in Social Media Marketing Dive into the five main reasons behind the struggles faced by certain businesses in their social media marketing efforts.
FAQs
Why do businesses often struggle with social media marketing?
Businesses may struggle with social media marketing due to a lack of clear strategy, inconsistent content, inadequate audience targeting, and difficulty in measuring ROI.
How can businesses avoid common social media pitfalls?
Businesses can avoid common social media pitfalls by defining a clear strategy, creating consistent and engaging content, understanding their target audience, and regularly analyzing their performance metrics.
What are some key factors contributing to social media failure?
Some key factors contributing to social media failure include insufficient resources, ineffective content planning, misalignment with brand identity, and failure to adapt to platform trends.
How can businesses improve their social media engagement?
To improve social media engagement, businesses should focus on producing relevant and valuable content, actively engaging with their audience, responding promptly to comments, and leveraging interactive features.
What role does audience targeting play in social media success?
Audience targeting is crucial for social media success as it ensures that content reaches the right people who are interested in a brand’s products or services, leading to higher engagement and conversions.
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.