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5 Ways Not to Cut Corners In Social Media Marketing

social media_croppedThere always seems to be something more to do as a business owner, from day-to-day operations to trying to find the next big feature or service that gives your business the edge. Trying to find time to post to Facebook or tweeting can seem like a burden when your to-do list is long, but resist the urge to cut corners on your social media marketing. Your customers sense when you do, and you won’t achieve the results that you joined Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest to achieve.

  • Don’t cross post. Linking your Facebook page to Twitter, or your Pinterest account to Facebook may seem like a brilliant way to save time, however resist the temptation. Each social media site has its own atmosphere and set of rules, and social media players who play by those rules (your customers) do not look kindly on an obvious, automated cross post. In short, you are not giving your customers the good impression that you joined social media to achieve.
  • Using pictures without written consent is not recommended. With the advent of smart phones, it’s easy to snap a picture and share it on your social media site. Great time saver, right? Not so fast. If the subject of the picture is a customer, or someone in your store, follow a marketing best practice: get the subject’s written consent to use the photo.  This does not apply to pictures taken at public events.
  • Be prepared to be sued if you copy and paste photos from a Google search. We clearly remember the shocked expression of a local business owner when we told him that photos and graphics online are not for public use. This is a common misconception, and one that can get your business into legal hot water. Don’t assume the images that come up when you do a search are okay to use. Use your own photos or graphics, or be budget for stock photos from a photography site.
  • Don’t take a half-hearted approach to social media marketing. If we had a nickle for every time we heard a business owner say, “I meant to post regularly, but…” we’d own all of Wisconsin. Regular posts are important, because consistent customer interactions is the key to social media marketing results.
  • Schedule posts in moderation. Pre-scheduled posts seem like a great idea, don’t they? Just schedule all your posts for the month, then schedule the next. Your customers can see through the ruse. Schedule posts when you are on vacation, or for a short time period, but regularly check and live post your social media sites. You need to be able to respond to your customers, especially the occasional angry customer.

Don’t feel like you have to do all your social media marketing. There’s no shame or blame in outsourcing your social media marketing efforts. To the contrary, putting your business social media marketing in an expert’s hands can get you the results you desire: more customers, deeper customer interactions and an excellent online presence. Check out our do’s and don’ts of outsourcing so you know what to expect from hiring a social media marketing agency, then contact a firm that achieves results. Yes, it’s another thing to add to your to do list, but the long-term results, regular posts and shorter to do list are well worth it.

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