Social media can be a hard one to crack. Especially in the early days. To get yourself off on the right track, you need to avoid the big no-nos. Sites like Instagram have a tricky algorithm to get around. This is why you need to be strong within your marketing.
Being too perfect
People want to see the real you. They want to know you are who you say you are. Needing to be perfect all the time doesn’t show you have flaws, which, everyone does. Especially on sites like Instagram, people enjoy seeing into the real life of the brand or business they’re following. We all know that no one is completely transparent online. There are usually edits made or filters applied. However, customers are more likely to trust a brand if they feel their account is genuine.
A few points to note are:
- Avoid altering images so they look unrealistic – example, if uploading photos of how skincare products work, don’t overdo the Photoshop effects. It doesn’t show how your products actually work.
- Don’t overdo the text – too much text can be heavy for users to read. Users tend to come to Instagram and other social media accounts for images.
- Include images relevant to your target audience – for example if you’re aiming products at 50+ you shouldn’t be marketing it using 20-year-olds in your images.
Not posting regularly
Setting up an account and then rarely posting on it won’t do you any favours. People won’t see your account. Social media platforms won’t suggest your account to anyone because there’s no regular content. If you want to grow your accounts, you need to draw people in. This won’t work if there’s no new posts to do the job. Potential followers will think you don’t care enough about your business. If this is the case, why should they follow you?
No one has time to post 24/7 on social media. Equally, you aren’t expected to. Get yourself into the habit of preparing social media posts ahead of time. This will mean you can sit down and get your post lined up when you have the time. Then, they’ll post without you having to even look twice. This makes it easier for you to manage your social media accounts. You’ll be able to rest assured that your social media accounts will have daily posts. You can find so many apps and websites that will easily allow you to prepare posts before they go live.
No posting schedule
You need to figure out a pattern that works for you. Consider what days you want to post and what times work best. This should always be altered. You’ll start to notice a pattern over time of when your followers are most active. Make sure you change your posting times to match when you have the most active users. This will ensure your posts get the maximum views they can. If your users know when to expect new content, they can be ready.
Perhaps you post 3 days a week. If they know when and what times, they can come and check out your new posts and interact with them. It ensures everyone is on the same page. Having a posting schedule is a great way to attract new followers and potential clients. No one wants to click on an empty page. Have you ever been on a company’s account and seen they haven’t posted in months? It’s off-putting. Are they still in business? Not having updated images of products can make people wary. How can they know what to expect from you?
Not responding to comments or messages
When people message you on social media, it’s usually because they want a quick answer. If it’s something that can wait, they’ll email you. However, when it comes to social media they typically ask questions that need a quick response. It could be about your stock levels. Or, maybe their order is incorrect. They might need to know about sizing or colours. It really could be anything. However, keeping them waiting for a response isn’t a good look. Social media should be a place where customers can have a response within 24-48 hours. This keeps them trusting you, and they’re more likely to use your service again.
Also, people will take to the comments section of your posts to ask questions. This can be a great way of eliminating repetitive questions. For example, if you’ve posted a photo of clothing that has now sold out, many people will head there to ask when it will be restocked. Make sure you answer the first person you see. It might be a good idea to pin your response to the top of the comments section. That way, anyone heading there with the same question can have it answered. Leaving it for too long will have people getting angrier. Especially if there’s an issue for you to resolve. People often will give the benefit of the doubt if you rectify issues quickly and are apologetic.
Not using social features to your advantage
On Instagram Reels perform so well. They can take your profile views from small to huge. They’re one of the most powerful features to be added to that platform since it began. With the rise of TikTok, people love the interactive, short but sweet style videos. These are the things most likely to appear on explore pages. Try it for yourself. You’ll be sure to see more views on your Reels than you would on your normal posts. As people scroll down their home page, their eyes are automatically attracted to moving image.
If you put sound with it, you should see even more interaction. These style of posts capture your audience. It’s not something they can scroll past without noticing. The sound alone will spark their attention. Make them fun and interesting, and you’re far more likely to do well within Instagram. The same goes for Instagram stories. If you put information and links within them, people are more likely to listen. Those who don’t scroll down their home page often will still flick through stories. Keep these regular, and you’ll see a growth in page views.
