
5 Common Reasons Social Media Marketing Isn’t Working For Your Business
Social media marketing is not for the light of heart. Whether you’ve grown up with social media or are in the process of learning how to integrate it into your current marketing plan, you know by now that it is an unforgiving beast of a marketing strategy. While it can connect you with new customers, improve sales, and get your name out there, it can also feel like washing dishes or mopping – a most-hated chore. There are good days and “let’s not talk about how bad that campaign performed” days.
If you have been putting in the effort, but social media has started to give you nightmares or you are questioning its value as of late, this article is for you.
Here at Embrace Your Brand, we know the feeling. Extremely well. We specialize in helping businesses harness the power of empathy in their digital marketing strategies – and social media is a big part of that. If you have been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or just plain angry, don’t worry. Shake it off and read the most common reasons why your social media platforms aren’t giving you the results you’re looking for, and how to get back in the game.
You’re Talking To Everyone (and No One)
Imagine walking into a room full of people and trying to talk about your business products or services with everyone at the same time. Wouldn’t it be overwhelming, not to mention pretty ridiculous? Social media marketing can be similar. With no clear persona or target audience in mind, your posts won’t contain the focus necessary to resonate with anyone.
The Fix: Always talk to your ideal customer. Not sure who that is? Take 1-2 hours to define them, identifying, thoughts, beliefs, problems they are going through, things they do for fun and anything else that may be worth knowing. Then create messaging for social media that speaks to them and them only. When your engagement takes off, that’s when you know you’re making progress.
Your Content Puts People to Sleep
Do you like reading the content you putting out? Be honest. Are you social media posts actually relevant or do you find yourself posting things you’re less than proud of? Take a look at your content, is it a ton of sales pitches with generic images? Are you using too much jargon that makes users break out the dictionary? Everything you post doesn’t have to be the most innovative thing on the planet, but it should be informative, engaging, show off your personality (or your brand’s) and, when possible, be fun!
The Fix: Remember that you are doing more than pitching a product or service, you are building a relationship that hopefully lasts for years. With that being said, mix things up! Share user-generated content, industry insights, a peek behind-the-scenes, or ask questions that make people think. Don’t be afraid to try new things, you’ll find balance of sales and engagement with a bit of trial and error.
You Post When You’re “In the Mood”
Consistency is key when using social media. Even if you have the best brand in the country, it doesn’t matter if your potential customers have no idea what you’re up to.
No one is saying consistency is easy. Social media posting has gotten the best of us several times! But, I am saying that you can’t point the finger at social media if you treating it like a Saturday workout you know you have no intention of truly putting your heart into.
The Fix: Commit to your social media strategy! Create a content calendar and stick to it no matter what. When you make the calendar, do not start with posting 5 days a week (unless you truly have the capacity and willpower) otherwise you risk falling behind. Meet yourself where you are. Start posting once a week. Then sit back and be amazed that consistency really works.
You’re Flying by the Seat of Your Pants (and It Shows)
Do you sit down in front of your computer and simply start writing a post? If that works for you, please come work for us! For most people however, it doesn’t. A clear social media strategy, however, does work because it restricts you from posting random content that, if you’re honest without yourself, serves no purpose (other than checking off the task on your to-do list).
The Fix: Tired of hearing about SMART goals yet? Let’s hope not because you need them to stay focused. It’s too easy for your mind to trick you into thinking that your posts are good and make sense. Instead, ask yourself what you are trying to achieve. Write it down. Once you have a goal in mind that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Bound, you can develop an aligned social media strategy to get you there.
You Take Every Comment Personally (but It’s Not About You)
Take a moment to really think about how you feel when you are tasked with posting on social media. Are you thinking about negative comments your posts have received? Maybe you are thinking about how no one engaged with your posts at all.
Having a healthy fear of social media makes sense, but you’re tougher than that. At least, you will be going forward.
The Fix: Repeat this sentence, “Social media is not here to kiss my ass. Social media is here to help me reach [insert the type of person] in order to help them [insert what problem you are solving].” Your customer is the rock star, not you. Don’t lose sight of that. Repeat as often as necessary.
Develop a thick skin and then take some time to go through the comments (if you have the stomach), to learn the difference between constructive criticism and negativity. You’ll be on your way to becoming bullet proof and your ability to create relevant, engaging content will improve.
(Bonus) You Don’t Have the Resources
Running a successful social media marketing campaign requires time, money and creativity. If you are a small business owner trying to network, automate operations, improve your product, etc., well then it makes sense that your social media marketing can’t have as much attention. The same goes for overworked marketing managers too.
The Fix: Focus on quality over quantity; that may mean posting once every two weeks as opposed three times a week. Prioritize engagement over vanity metrics (which can suck you into the void) and explore free or low-cost tools to help you manage your presence.
Partnerships with the right agencies or platforms that understand your brand’s unique needs are sometimes necessary to build a strong social media presence. Resources like DesignRush can connect you with top marketing agencies, ensuring you work with social media experts who will optimize your social media efforts.
Change Your Approach and Get Better Outcomes
Social media is a powerful tool when used strategically. You can transform your social media presence from a dreaded chore to a thriving community by addressing these common issues and focusing on building genuine connections with your audience.
Remember, it’s not about screaming into the void – it’s about having meaningful interactions and conversations. Show your audience you care, and you’ll build stronger relationships that ultimately lead to greater brand awareness, sales, quality leads, and more.
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by social media, don’t hesitate to reach out or schedule a free consultation! Embrace Your Brand can help you develop a social media strategy that connects with your actual audience and fuel business growth.