5 mistakes clients make on social media

Social media is a helpful marketing tool when it is used correctly.Ever wonder why your social investment is not paying off? Jeffrey Hau, sales director of digital marketing agency Prizm, reveals five of the most common mistakes marketers are making, but probably may not notice.1. Underestimating the complications of social media adsSocial networks such as Facebook allow clients to target their ads according to specific demographics, interests and preferences. Contrary to common assumption, such targeting strategies often require meticulous planning, depending on the client’s objectives, the nature of the promotional campaign, the content of the campaign, and so on. A client is wasting money every time the Facebook ad is shown to a user who isn’t interested in the product or service. “Reach” doesn’t mean everything. Quality engagement is what you want.2. Focusing too much on the number of fans versus the quality To many of our clients or potential clients, numbers matter the most. That’s understandable, but the quality of the engagement on the page should not be neglected. A quality fan base with followers who are truly interested in your products is a much more powerful marketing resource. The effectiveness of a social campaign is reflected by users’ digital footprint. On Facebook, even the amount of “reach” shown on your posts cannot tell how many online users have seen the posts, but only how many times the posts appeared on users’ front page.3. Using social media as another press release platformOn social media platforms, what people want is quick information. Press release content is usually a turn off. While adhering to the brand’s guidelines, clients should be aware of the unique culture on each social media platform and modify their promotional messages accordingly. What you truly need is sharable content that ultimately directs users to the store or to purchases. Engaging bloggers, for example, is one way to convince people.4. Using the same marketing strategy for every social media platformClients should be familiar with the unique culture and the characteristics of every social media platform. It’s wrong to assume a single strategy can be universally applied on various social networks. Sina Weibo, for example, cannot tolerate discourteous wordings. We also found that online users on this platform are looking for more authentic content, regardless of the content being traditional and old-fashioned. On the contrast, Facebook users are looking for causal and bite-sized content. This is a highly competitive platform for brands to stand out on so eye-catching content and a light-hearted approach is key.5. The wrong assumption that every campaign or content launched on Facebook will go viral automaticallyNot every campaign carries the “viral factor” that every client wants. Facebook is not the panacea for every marketing campaign. A lot of factors matter, such as timing, and the attractiveness of the incentives. Social PR management after launching a campaign is also important, especially to handle negative responses that go viral quickly.