marketing

Don’t Do These 3 Things With Your Small Business Social Media

At Mischa Communications, we’re all about giving you tips on what you should do for your small business – how to email market, how to get your website in tip-top shape, or even how to use data to grow your business.

But today, just to change things up, we’re going to tell you what not to do — specifically, with your business’ social media pages. (Professional marketers on a closed course. Do not attempt!)

Don’t Combine Business and Pleasure

What we mean: Do not, under any circumstances, attempt to run your small business social media from your personal page.

That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t mention your business on your personal page — by all means, let your friends and family know what you have going on. Nor does that mean that you can’t (on infrequent occasion) post a picture of your kids/dog/cat on your business page.

Combining the two, however, can only lead to disaster.

Your small business’ audience really doesn’t care that your neighbors have left their trash can at the curb for the past four days. Your friends and family would much rather not be privy to every customer question or complaint.

And while we’re on the subject of what not to talk about on a business page: It’s probably a safe bet to not bring up politics or religion, either. These two topics get out of hand way too easily, and that’s the last thing you want when you’re trying to run a business. Maintain a separate page for your business, and keep everyone happy!

Don’t Just Sell, Sell, Sell!

Your small business exists to make money. Obviously. But your audience still will be less than thrilled if every single post is nothing more than a thinly-veiled infomercial.

You know what happens when they get turned off? They’ll turn you off, as well. As in, they’ll hide your posts — or worse, unfollow your page. Either way, your small business probably will be forgotten forever.

Your social media pages should be informative, entertaining and engaging. Post a how-to video. Give people a behind-the-scenes look at how your business is run. Host surprise giveaways, contests or flash sales on occasion. When you create a well-rounded page, current and future customers will keep coming back for more!

Don’t Post Too Much (Or Too Little)

Posting frequency is a slippery slope. Post too much, and your fans will carry out a mass exodus to the proverbial hills. Post too little, and they’ll forget about you altogether.

So how do you determine the magic formula? While there’s no one “right” answer (it’s different for every brand), it’s important to pay attention to your analytics and figure out what works for you. When do people engage the most? When are people saying “enough is enough” and jumping ship? The answers to these questions will help you find your most effective posting schedule.

If you’re still stymied, try using an auto-poster like Hootsuite, TweetDeck or Buffer. These automated systems will determine the best times for your posts, helping to ensure that your audience will see (and hopefully, engage with) your offerings.

An inefficient social media strategy is just as bad as no strategy at all. Put some concentrated effort into your platforms and pages, and you’ll reap the rewards!

Do you need some “socialization?” Mischa Communications is on your side! Call or email us today and let us be your guide to Facebook, Twitter and beyond!