Social media marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies for startup entrepreneurs. It’s inexpensive, and when you do it proactively, it will yield great results. In this article, you will learn some social media marketing mistakes every startup entrepreneur should avoid.
As amazing as social media marketing seems, it could be your worst nightmare and affect your online presence negatively if you are doing it wrong.
Read Also: How Social Media Platforms Can Help Small Businesses
So, if you are starting your business, you should avoid these 5 social media mistakes at all costs:
#1. Creating Company Accounts in All Social Media Platforms
Ordinarily, you may think that the more social media accounts you create for your company, the better the exposure. Oops! It’s not true. It’s one of the social media marketing mistakes every startup entrepreneur should avoid.
I know you are eager to showcase your amazing brand to the world. But if you create accounts on multiple social media platforms, you may not manage them effectively.
Imagine having a company account on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms. Managing your account on all of these social media platforms may require your full attention. And you don’t have that kind of time because all of your attention will be on running your startup.
Do extensive research on your business and know the social media platforms that cater to your audience.
For instance, if you are a career or personal finance coach, your brand should be more active on LinkedIn because most of your potential clients are on that platform. Similarly, if you are a relationship coach, your audience will be more active on Instagram and Facebook.
So, before deciding on the platform that’s perfect for your startup, carry out a detailed assessment across all platforms. This will enable you to know how your startup can easily establish an online presence and interact with potential clients.
#2. Not Timing Your Posts
This is another area most startup entrepreneurs flop. Of course, the world of social media never sleeps, but if you want to achieve great results from your social media marketing efforts, you must post content strategically. And it starts with understanding your target audience.
Once you know the country your target audience resides in, study their time zone, and post your content when they are more likely to see it.
For instance, it doesn’t make sense to post social media content at 2 am when your audience is sleeping. It doesn’t matter how much you spend on ads. If you post the content at the wrong time, your audience is less likely to see them.
Take note of this the next time you post content on any of your social media platforms. Trust me, it will make a difference.
#3. Inconsistent Posting
Inconsistent posting is one of the social media marketing mistakes every startup entrepreneur should avoid. There’s no way you can engage and retain your followers if you aren’t consistent with your content.
I understand that the lifestyle of an entrepreneur is a busy one. You have to run your business, manage your customers, source for clients, etc. But you should take your online presence seriously.
Try to take time from your busy schedule to post inspiring and high-value content on your social media platforms. It makes it easier to engage your customers and establish your brand as a thought-leader online.
Again, not posting content regularly on your social media account is bad for your business reputation. It will give your audience the impression that you aren’t consistent. And when they start thinking this way about your brand, your social media marketing efforts may become counterproductive.
However, if you engage your audience on social media with great content, they tend to better trust your brand. And possibly recommend your business to their friends and family.
#4. Posting Content That isn’t Related to Your Brand
Let’s be honest. It’s a bit challenging to come up with great content that maintains your online presence. Sometimes, you may rack your brain for hours before you could come up with awesome content.
It’s not easy but always look at the bigger picture. And try to resist the urge to post content that isn’t related to your brand. It could hurt your brand and possibly reduce its perceived value online. So, always post content that aligns with your products and services.
If you are a digital marketer, it’s important to post content related to digital marketing on your social media account. But if you start posting off-brand content like relationships, politics, etc., people won’t take your brand seriously online again.
#5. Asking Your Friends to Like or Follow Your Page
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with asking your friends to like or follow your page. But it’s one of the social media mistakes every startup entrepreneur should avoid.
You can reach out to your friends and family to help you like or follow your page. They may respond, share with their friends, and within a short time, you will get several followers.
But some of these followers are your friends and family who may never buy your products or services. Sometimes, they may not even interact with your posts because they aren’t interested in them.
So, these are the 5 social media marketing mistakes every startup entrepreneur should avoid. Be strategic about your social media marketing. Identify the platform you want to use, and establish a strong presence on that platform.
