If you�ve been working on your social media for some time but haven�t gotten the results you�re looking for, don�t fret. Chances are you�re making one of these seven common mistakes.
Social media isn�t a lever you pull that instantly generates leads. Instead, it�s more of a gradual dial that you need to turn up slowly, over time. Any mistake in the process could lead to your leads drying up.
These are seven of the most common mistakes people make in social media. Fix them and your leads will start flowing in.
1. You�re in the Wrong Social Media
No matter how well you�re executing your social media plan, if you�re in the wrong type of media, your message isn�t going to be heard.
If you�re regularly publishing on Facebook and Twitter but you�re primarily targeting CEOs who only spend time on LinkedIn, then your strategy really isn�t going to work.
Figure out where your market spends their time. Then create a strong presence in those social media networks.
2. Not Putting Likes and Shares on Your Website
Inspite all that social media has going for it, one thing it�s not great at is getting initial traffic. It�s great for following up with readers and it�s great for putting out viral content. But the best way to get people into your social media funnel is still your own website.
Make sure that you have the like buttons, share buttons, tweet buttons and follow buttons embedded on your website to generate healthy social media leads.
3. Not Making the Most of Captured Attention
When someone on social media comes to your page, you have something that�s extremely rare: Your customer�s attention.
Don�t waste it. Make sure that every inch of your social media real estate is filled with value adding, brand building material.
For example, if you have a Facebook page, make sure that you have everything filled out: make sure you have company information, website details, photos, etc all uploaded to your page.
4. Not Adding Value Through Content
Marketers who treat social media as just a platform to push advertising are missing the boat. Not only won�t they get buyers, but they�ll alienate their platform.
However, even marketers who don�t make that mistake still often don�t provide enough value. Giving updates about your company for example doesn�t count as adding value to your customers� lives.
In order for your social media lead generation initiatives to really take off, it has to really make your customers� lives better. You need to solve problems for your customers. You need to provide valuable content that your customers will be glad you shared.
5. Not Combining With Email
Social media shouldn�t be a standalone endeavour. Instead, social media lead generation activities should always be combined with other ways of following up with users, most notably email marketing.
Email marketing is more effective than social media for following up. Something that you post on a Facebook feed might never be seen by your followers. On the other hand, an email you send is guaranteed to be delivered.
That said, email doesn�t have the viral power of social media. People don�t pass on emails the way they share things on Facebook or Twitter. The best way to get both follow up power and viral power is to use both email and social media in conjunction to build social media leads.
6. Not Clearly Directing Users to Take Action
As a website owner or marketer, it�s easy to assume that other people know what you want them to do. However, the reality is most people really don�t.
Don�t assume that people know you want them to visit your site, to give you their email, to call your company or to buy your product. Tell them explicitly what to do.
One simple reason you might not be generating the kinds of social media leads you want is because you aren�t asking for the leads.
7. No Clear Tracking Metrics
Without clear metrics for tracking how you�re doing in social media, it can be very hard to tell if you�re succeeding or failing.
Pick one to five metrics that you want to optimize for, then steadily work to improve those metrics. For example, you might want to increase the number of times your content gets shared every time you post an update. Or you might just want to increase your visitor count.
These are seven of the most common reasons why social media users fail to generate leads. If the social media leads aren�t flowing in, look to see if you�re making one of these mistakes. If you are, that�s where your problem lies.
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