As someone who helps businesses with their social media presence, I’m here to tell you how your business can be successful on the social web. However, no matter how many tips and tricks I give you, some businesses are destined to fail online.
Why?
Here are five common reasons I see business crash and burn with their social media efforts:
1. Lack of strategy.
Companies that don’t know why they’re engaging in social media or what they want to get out of it will struggle to get results.
Before you dive into social media, take the time to answer a few key questions to determine your goals and the best approach for how to reach them. This will help your efforts be more focused and put you in a better position to be successful on the social web.
2. No measurement.
As marketers, our mantra is this – you can’t manage what you don’t measure. This especially goes for social media.
Despite what some people may tell you, you absolutely can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns and ROI of your efforts. If you’re not taking the time to do this, how do you know what works?
3. It’s not part of the company culture.
Companies that don’t understand the two-way nature of social media will have difficulty being successful with it.
Social media, when done well, should be woven into the fabric of your company culture. This means you’re willing to respond to criticism, answer tough questions and encourage employees to act as ambassadors for your brand. If your company isn’t willing to embrace this mentality, you’re headed for trouble.
4. Lack of resources.
Social media is not free. Although it costs nothing to sign up for the various networks, you must dedicate time and resources to manage your company’s presence on the social web.
All too often, companies don’t consider the time it will take to manage this effort and their social profiles turn into ghost towns. Don’t let that be your company. Whether you manage social media internally or hire someone to help you, you must make sure you’ve allotted the proper resources to get the job done.
5. Unrealistic expectations.
Although social media offers an incredible opportunity to connect with your target audience and grow your business, it is not a silver bullet. Success with social media will not come overnight.
Yes, you can and should expect to get results, but social media is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a long-term strategy for growth, not a get-rich-quick scheme that guarantees instant success.