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5 Big Mistakes Businesses Make on Social Media + What to Do

5 big mistakes your company is making on social media ... and what you can do instead.

We all know social media is a powerful (and necessary) tool for businesses. What started as simply a place to share status updates, photos and thoughts in 120 characters or less has evolved into a behemoth. Today, if your brand isn’t on at least one social media platform, it renders the company almost irrelevant. Social media is the best way to tell your brand story and raise brand awareness. To reach your target audience. To handle negative feedback. To deliver stellar customer service. To launch products. To promote products. 

You get it.

If you’re not on social media, this is your reminder to stop what you’re doing right now and set up your social media accounts, and develop your social media presence. Immediately.

​But, a word of warning: social media is powerful.

It can make your brand. Or, it can break your brand. It’s more than simply throwing up selfies, unedited photos of products, sales pitches, etc. Social media marketers know the type of content you need to build your customer base. They can work with you to create promotional content, tap into user-generated content, and develop a smart social media marketing strategy.

Of course, not every brand has the ability to bring on a team to help implement a content calendar or build a brand presence on these various social platforms. Their pain points are why we are here to help.

These are 5 of the most common mistakes brands make when it comes to developing an online presence across different social media platforms … and what you should be doing instead.

5 mistakes brands make on social media

Mistake #1: Adopting a one-size-fits-all model across all social media sites.

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they're also a part of your brand. It's ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don't need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It's ok to flub your words. It's ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you. #1: Adopting a one-size-fits-all model.

​This is one of the most common social media mistakes we see businesses doing. It’s easy for a company to write a post and add a photo and post it on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, Threads, and so on. But, each platform caters to a different audience and favors different formats. 

For example, let’s use a company’s recent press coverage. Here’s how we would break it down:

– Facebook: Pull a quote from the article and use that as the copy, tag the publication and writer, then add in a few relevant hashtags and a location tag. Then, add the URL so it populates.

​- Instagram: Use a gorgeous photo and in the caption share what the article was about, tag the publication and the writer, add a few relevant hashtags and then share a screenshot or PDF of the article in your stories with a link to the published article. Also, add that to a Press highlight.

– X and Threads: Share the link and engage with your community by asking a question. Tag the publication, writer and use relevant hashtags.

– LinkedIn: Take the opportunity to talk about your business and how it got noticed by the publication and include tags and link.

​The goal here is to tailor the messaging to the social channels. Remember, Instagram is about leveraging visuals and video, Twitter and X are all about engaging in conversations, and LinkedIn is about emerging as a thought leader.

If you simply slap up the same copy for each platform, you won’t experience social media success. Your audience who might also be following you on all the different platforms might get tired of seeing the same posts on all the platforms.

Mistake #2: Posting just to post

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they're also a part of your brand. It's ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don't need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It's ok to flub your words. It's ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you. #2: Posting just to post.

​When building your brand identity, the last thing you want to do is post just to post. It’s another one of the most common social media marketing mistakes we see. Posting just to post will reflect the lack of care you put into your content. People will definitely notice the difference between a quality post with meaning and a post that was mocked up within seconds.

The right way to use social media is to have a clear plan, understand basic social media analytics and post high-quality content across all your social media pages. Whether that be informational videos, info-graphics, or showing off company culture. Those posts will always be a hundred times better than a pointless post. 

If you’re posting inconsistent, irrelevant content, bad photos, and copy that isn’t engaging, your brand will give off the impression that it doesn’t care about it’s audience and you will be chasing them away. It’s vital to get to know your audience. You want to understand customers’ and potential customers’ interests and pain points to create content that resonates with them. It’s important to anticipate and answer their questions, spark meaningful conversations, and engage with them. 

By understanding analytics, you understand the best time to post, what content brings you the best engagement rates, and gain other valuable insights. This is a powerful marketing tool to help craft your branding online and create valuable content to keep your audience fully immersed.

Mistake #3: Abiding only by your content calendar

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they're also a part of your brand. It's ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don't need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It's ok to flub your words. It's ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you. #3: Sticking to a content calendar only.

​

Another social media failure is sticking to a content calendar. 

Yes, content calendars are important so they can keep you in line when it comes to posting and allow you to plan ahead. But, a part of your social media strategy needs to be paying attention to what is trending.

For example, when Instagram or TikTok have a song that is trending, they’ll sometimes throttle those posts so they reach more people. The algorithms on these apps are crazy with how they push out certain content if they have a trending song or filter.

Another example was when the Calvin Klein ad featured Jeremy Allen White who was in his underwear on a rooftop in NYC and the internet went crazy. Away, a luggage company, didn’t waste time and hopped on to create a similar video, acknowledging the video that was trending. They won social media around that ad because people found it hilarious and entertaining. They posted a photo of their suitcase, clad in the same CK white underwear, on a rooftop in NYC. It was a brilliant way to get in on pop culture and for the brand to reach a ton of new people.

People love it when brands get involved in trends and acknowledge some of the crazier ones. It makes companies and brands seem more human. Sticking only to a content calendar means you’re missing out on opportunities like this to grow your brand. You need to monitor trends, be ready to adapt your content, and participate in relevant conversations to connect you with your audience.

Mistake #4: Being perfect

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they're also a part of your brand. It's ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don't need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It's ok to flub your words. It's ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you. #Being perfect.

Here’s your reminder: perfection does not exist. Therefore, be real on your social media networks.

Sure, it’s great to show polished product shots and graphics. But, it’s also important to be authentic and build trust. You want to humanize your business and make the brand relatable. You only have a few seconds to entice users to watch or listen to you and most times perfect often can equal boring. They want to see the “real you” behind the brand.

There’s a reason why TikTok has become one of the most used social media apps and it’s because most people who go viral are posting authentic and raw content. Audiences don’t want a perfectly produced commercial, they want to see what makes your brand human. The brands that are on TikTok right now know the laws of the land of being real have skyrocketed with their audience growth. 

Remember, people love to connect with stories, emotions, and shared experiences. By hopping on Instagram Reels, TikTok, or even YouTube, and showing your brand is relatable and imperfect allows the audience to see themselves in your brand.

You can build immense brand loyalty by simply being more than just another faceless corporation, and allowing the people who believe in it and work for it to show their personality. When you share vulnerability, it shows you value transparency and honesty, which are necessary for building the all-important trust. Gaining trust with your audience is pivotal for brand retention and growth. The more people have your trust, the more they will talk about you to their friends and family. Nothing beats someone talking about your brand and how great you are to other people. Especially if they utilize social media to brag about you. 

We also have to remember that it’s okay to make mistakes and it’s ok to admit that you made them (hey, we all make ”em!). So, talk about learning experiences and show that you’re human. There are already way too many robots out there with all this AI emerging, so we don’t need any more of those. People want to see real.

Content that incorporates all of these aspects are behind-the-scenes videos, sharing vulnerabilities, about company culture and celebrating imperfections (hello, blooper reel). Humor also makes you more relatable so it’s okay to embrace a little humor and lightheartedness in your content. Again, it makes your brand relatable and likable. 

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they’re also a part of your brand. It’s ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don’t need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It’s ok to flub your words. It’s ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you.

Mistake #5: Only showing finished products

On your Stories, offer Questions for people to ask and then use those as starting points for content, or simply create a reel and answer them with a human on-the-fly. Additionally, be engaging with your audience; incorporate polls too to make them feel like they're also a part of your brand. It's ok to be lo-fi. After all, you don't need fancy equipment or professional setups to create content that resonates and leads to growth. It's ok to flub your words. It's ok to have out-of-place hair. The world will keep turning and, importantly, your audience will keep supporting you. #5: Only sharing the finished product.

​This goes along with mistake #4 and being perfect.

In an age where instant gratification is rampant, we can forget the power of showing the “how” behind the “wow.” Yes, we want to see the finished product, but more than that, we want to see the entire journey. We want to see how you got to that perfect ending. You’ll notice we talk a lot about authenticity and sharing a journey is a part of that. People crave authenticity. So, when you share stories, struggles, and growth, it lets audiences connect with you on a deeper level. They will feel invested in your successes … and challenges.

In addition, a transparent brand means a trustworthy brand. Moreover, the lessons you share are valuable content and allow users to feel connected to you. When you share progress updates, it invites curiosity. After all, we all know people love to see things unfold and offer their feedback. Consequently, followers feel like they are a part of the journey. Everything about your journey builds a connection to your audience. It gives them a glimpse into who you are, what you stand for, and how you achieve your goals.

Here’s your reminder

These are some of the biggest social media mistakes we’ve seen brands make. However, with our best practices guide, you can start down the path of building trust with your audience. And build your social media fronts.

Remember, these are key to your social media presence:

Tailor your content to each platform: Have a firm understanding of what each platform is good for and capitalize on it to tailor your content. It’s not one-size-fit-all; don’t treat it as such.

Know your audience: When crafting your content, make sure you customer is at the top of your mind and you connect with them on their interests and pain points. Have meaningful conversations and answer their questions. Don’t post just to post.

Embrace trends: Don’t be afraid to adapt your content calendar to capitalize on relevant cultural moments and trending topics. We all love a good meme.

Show your human side: Don’t strive for perfection – authenticity builds trust. Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, vulnerabilities, and imperfections.

Document your journey: Share your process, challenges, and lessons learned. Give your audience a window into your brand story and values.

Never forget, social media is a powerful tool, but it requires constant attention and commitment. By implementing these tips and being mindful of common pitfalls, you can navigate the social media landscape with confidence. The result? Your brand will thrive. Are you overwhelmed by all of this and don’t know where to start? Reach out to T Palmer Agency today. We offer full-service social media management and strategy and know the industry inside-out. Connect with us today and start growing your brand now.

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