Social Media is a Two-Way Street

Writing by Brick Marketing in Social Media

By now, the majority of businesses get that social media isn’t just a place for college kids to stalk each other anymore. Social media has become a large part of the lives of people of all different ages and backgrounds. This means that no matter what kind of business or industry you are in, your target audience is using social media. Social media is a great way to build a brand and improve a search engine presence. Unfortunately, too many businesses that are involved in social media still don’t “get it”. They just use it as another medium to advertise. Social media is about being social and businesses that don’t understand that will be tuned out, un-followed, and un-Liked.

To follow, are three big mistakes that businesses make. If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to re-evaluate your strategy.

Your Content Is Promotion Heavy
It’s important to mix up the kind of content that you share in social media. If you only post links to your blog posts or announcements about deals, coupons, or promotions you are only getting it half right. Those posts certainly have their place in the grand scheme of things, but it’s important to also post content that will promote dialogue as well. Ask followers for their opinion on a certain topic that is relevant to your business. Encourage them to ask questions. Social media connections are like a built in focus group. Not only will they appreciate being heard, but their thoughts and suggestions can lead to strategic business decisions in the future.

Not Paying It Forward
Social media links are now a search engine algorithm ranking factor. The thought is that links that are frequently shared in social media are trusted and provide value. This means that in addition to posting content, you want others to share that content too. The best way to get others to share your content is to establish meaningful relationships with others in social media and participate in reciprocal behavior. You can’t expect others to always share and promote your content if you’re not returning the favor. Sharing the work of others shows that you understand the social element of social media. It isn’t just all about you.

Too Much Automation
There are numerous social networking tools that make sharing that much easier. You can simply decide when certain posts will go live ahead of time and let it do the work. While this is a major help, you don’t want to rely on it too much. Remember, in order for a social media strategy to be at 100% there needs to be a human element, someone that can respond to questions and have a conversation. Robot-like social media is obvious, and annoying.