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22 Social Media Marketing Mistakes To Avoid

Avoid common pitfalls with our 2024 guide to social media marketing mistakes. Learn how to optimize your strategy and boost engagement.

Published

1 Aug 2024

Updated

Sep 30, 2024

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This article will highlight 22 common social media marketing mistakes and provide insights on how to avoid them. By understanding and avoiding these errors, you can optimize your campaigns and ensure a better return on ad spend (ROAS). Read on to enhance your social media marketing efforts and connect more effectively with your audience.

Table of contents:

Not starting with multi-platform social media strategy
Not establishing your KPIs and goals
Focusing on vanity metrics
Not researching your audience
Not building out personas
Not being inclusive
Ignoring comments, questions, or posts from customers—especially negative ones
Being too sporadic about when and where you post
Being too regular about when and where you post
Posting with an inconsistent voice or tone
Posting without proofreading and checking
Not integrating your social media marketing across other channels
Not investing in paid social media promotion
Not utilizing user-generated content (UGC)
Neither listening to nor utilizing your community
Not focusing on the channels that give a higher ROI
Not consistently testing copy, image, and CTAs
Not evolving your strategy
Not leveraging influencer partnerships
Neglecting video content
Ignoring analytics and feedback
Failing to optimize for mobile users

1. Not starting with a multi-platform social media strategy

An SMM plan is much more than just "Post three tweets a day, five days a week." A good social media marketing plan sets clear goals, matches tasks to those goals, and then assigns metrics by which you'll measure your success.

Social media can be a waste of time and budget without a focused effort. You’ll need to choose your platforms wisely, leverage integrations to help you corral data and metrics from each, engage a social media pro to keep your messaging on-brand, and post consistently and purposefully.

Define the target audiences you're trying to reach and what platforms they use, such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Pinterest, Reddit, Quora, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and LinkedIn. Then, adopt a multi-platform approach and develop a content strategy for each. This will ultimately help you determine which platforms deliver the best ROAS.

Going one by one can take too long, resulting in missed opportunities and increased campaign cost. Use marketing automation tools that streamline tedious, repetitive work, leaving your marketing team free for higher-level activities.

Recommended tools for managing multi-platform strategies

Hootsuite. Hootsuite allows you to schedule posts, track performance, and manage multiple social media profiles from one dashboard. It's particularly useful for coordinating content across various platforms, and it provides comprehensive analytics to measure success.

Buffer. Buffer helps streamline the scheduling process and provides insights into your social media performance. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to plan and publish content across multiple networks, ensuring consistency and efficiency.

Sprout Social. Sprout Social offers robust social media management features, including scheduling, monitoring, and reporting. Its analytics tools help you understand which platforms and types of content perform best, aiding in refining your multi-platform strategy.

Practical examples of successful multi-platform strategies

Nike uses multiple platforms to reach the various segments of its audience. On Instagram, they share visually engaging content and stories that highlight new products and athletes. On X, they engage in real-time conversations and customer service. Their YouTube channel features longer-form content like athlete stories and product launches, catering to users looking for deeper engagement.

Coca-Cola maintains a consistent brand voice across platforms but tailors content to suit each one. Their Facebook page focuses on community engagement and global campaigns, while their Instagram highlights vibrant visuals and user-generated content. On X, they run promotions and engage with trending topics, maintaining relevance and connection with their audience.

2. Not establishing your KPIs and goals

Launching a campaign without establishing goals and measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) is like sailing a ship into open waters without a planned route or navigation system. Set goals and metrics early in the planning process and design trackable, measurable campaigns. Knowing whether or not a campaign is achieving your goals allows you to make adjustments along the way to optimize results.

Common social media marketing KPIs include:

Reach KPIs. These include basic measurements such as follower count and impressions, which help you determine if you're reaching enough people. Click-through rate (CTR) remains crucial for measuring how effectively your content drives traffic. Assign unique UTM codes to each link to measure click-throughs for various social media content accurately.
Engagement rate KPIs. Engagement rate KPIs allow you to measure how people interact with a post, ad, or page. They signify if the audience is actively connecting with your brand and help build relationships with them. Engagement KPIs include comments, replies, shares, retweets, reactions, and likes. Engagement rate by reach (ERR) is gaining traction as a valuable metric, offering insights into how engaging content is relative to how many people saw it.
Website visits. These are the first steps toward conversion. Measure website visits from different social media platforms and ads using unique UTMs. Track the pages each person viewed on your website, session duration, and bounce rate for additional insights. Tools like Google Analytics can help you gather this data efficiently.
Conversion KPIs. These are usually the ultimate measurement of social media campaign success. Knowing how many leads from social media end in a sale is essential if generating revenue is the primary goal of your social media activity. Non-revenue-related conversions, such as signing up for a rewards program or capturing data for lead generation, are also important metrics.
Customer loyalty KPIs. Tracking customer loyalty is essential to your customer experience program. KPIs like customer lifetime value (CLV) and net promoter score (NPS) can help you understand and enhance long-term customer relationships. Social media campaigns that enhance CLV help you consistently connect with the right people versus making brief impressions.

If you need help establishing and tracking KPIs and goals, search for top independent professionals today to meet your needs.

Examples of how top companies set and track their KPIs

Coca-Cola uses a combination of engagement and sentiment analysis to track their social media campaigns. They monitor hashtags, track user-generated content, and use tools like Brandwatch to gauge public sentiment and engagement rates in real time.

Airbnb sets specific KPIs for each campaign, such as booking conversions from social media posts. They use tools like Sprinklr and Google Analytics to track the performance of their posts, measure engagement, and calculate the ROAS. They also leverage user-generated content and influencer partnerships to create authentic and engaging content that resonates with their audience.

3. Focusing on vanity metrics

This misleading tactic might cause you to keep using ineffective strategies or fail to pivot your focus because vanity metrics (e.g., likes, views, follows) don't matter, even though they might paint a rosy picture.

Know what you're measuring and how it's contributing to your bottom line. Analyzing and reporting vanity metrics doesn't relate to ROAS or return on investment (ROI) because they don't ladder back up to the larger business objectives, such as generating sales and revenue.

Tips to shift focus from vanity metrics to more meaningful KPIs

Set clear business objectives. Begin by identifying your business goals. Are you aiming to increase sales, boost brand awareness, or improve customer retention? Align your KPIs with these objectives. For example, if increasing sales is your goal, track metrics such as conversion rates, sales revenue, and customer acquisition cost (CAC).

Identify actionable metrics. Focus on metrics that provide insights into customer behavior and can guide strategic decisions. These include conversion rate, customer lifetime value, and customer acquisition cost.

Use advanced analytics tools. Implement tools like Google Analytics, HubSpot, and Sprout Social to track and analyze actionable metrics. These tools offer detailed insights into customer journeys and help you understand your marketing strategies' effectiveness.

Regularly review and adjust. Continuously monitor your KPIs and adjust your strategies based on the data. If a particular metric isn’t improving, analyze the reasons and modify your approach accordingly.

Educate your team. Ensure that your marketing team understands the importance of focusing on actionable metrics. Provide training sessions to help them identify and track these metrics effectively.

Use customer feedback. Customer feedback offers insights into what is driving their engagement and conversions. Implement changes based on this feedback to enhance your marketing efforts.

Case study on the impact of focusing on actionable metrics

HubSpot shifted its focus from vanity metrics to actionable metrics such as CAC and CLV. By concentrating on these actionable metrics, HubSpot identified the most effective marketing channels for acquiring high-value customers.

This shift led to a significant increase in customer retention and a reduction in CAC. For example, HubSpot's focus on these metrics helped WeightWatchers improve their deal close ratios and customer engagement, leading to a seven-figure increase in annual contract value.

4. Not researching your audience

Knowing your audience is vital in our modern marketplace. It enables you to relate to the audience with the right messaging, voice, and tone. You must reach the mark and appear connected to your audience to fulfill your marketing objectives.

Mistargeting ads and posts is a social media mistake that can do more harm than good and damage your brand's reputation.

Tools and methods for audience research

Surveys and questionnaires. These tools gather direct feedback from your target audience about their preferences, needs, and behaviors. For example, a fashion brand might use surveys to understand customer preferences for seasonal collections.

Social media analytics. Platforms like Facebook Insights, X Analytics, and Instagram Insights offer detailed data about audience engagement, demographics, and behavior patterns. Using this data, brands can tailor their content to match audience preferences.

Customer interviews. Conducting in-depth interviews with current and potential customers can reveal insights into their motivations, challenges, and expectations. This method is particularly useful for B2B companies looking to understand complex buyer journeys.

Focus groups. By gathering a small group of your target audience, you can test ideas and gather qualitative data on how they perceive your brand, products, or marketing messages.

Successful audience research case study

Spotify's Wrapped campaign is an excellent example of audience research in action. By analyzing user data, Spotify created personalized playlists and insights for each user, which they could share on social media. This increased user engagement and amplified brand visibility through user-generated content.

5. Not building out personas

Every target audience consists of buyer personas—representations of your real customers within the market segment you serve. Market research and data about your existing customers will help you identify personas, including their behavior patterns, motivations, goals, and demographics.

If you fail to build out accurate personas, you can overlook important audiences,, spend money on messages for people uninterested in your brand, and waste resources on mistargeted social media channels.

How to create and use buyer personas

Conduct market research. Start by collecting data from a variety of sources such as customer surveys, social media analytics, and website analytics. This data should include demographic information (age, gender, location), behavior patterns (buying habits, product preferences), motivations, and challenges.

Identify common traits and behaviors. Analyze the collected data to identify common characteristics and behaviors among your customers. Look for patterns and group customers who share similar traits and needs.

Segment your audience. Based on the common traits, segment your audience into distinct groups. Each segment should represent a different buyer persona with unique needs and behaviors.

Create detailed personas. For each segment, create a detailed persona that includes name and background, demographics and goals and motivations.

Challenges and pain points. List the main problems they face that your product can solve.

Buying behavior. Describe their buying habits, preferred channels, and decision-making process.

Using personas to guide marketing strategies. Once you have your personas, use them to tailor your marketing messages and strategies. Ensure that each campaign addresses the specific needs and preferences of your different personas.

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6. Not being inclusive

Audiences are composed of individuals, each with a unique combination of traits. By not being inclusive, you're limiting your brand's reach.

On the other hand, focusing on inclusivity, embracing diversity, and including people from different backgrounds representing the real world we live in expands your market. Inclusivity in social media campaigns can be as fundamental as having people of various ages and ethnic backgrounds in ad images.

Still, layers of diversity extend beyond images alone, including gender identity and spiritual beliefs.

Latest trends and importance of diversity in social media marketing

Authentic representation. Consumers want genuine representation of diverse groups, which means featuring real people and stories from various backgrounds in your marketing materials. Authenticity resonates more deeply with audiences and fosters trust.

Inclusive language. Using language that respects and acknowledges different identities and experiences is crucial. This includes using gender-neutral terms and being mindful of cultural nuances.

Accessibility. Ensuring your social media content is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, is essential. This includes adding alt text for images, using subtitles for videos, and ensuring color contrast in graphics.

Collaborations with diverse influencers. Partnering with influencers from various backgrounds can help reach and engage a broader audience. Influencers bring their unique perspectives and followers, enhancing your brand's diversity appeal.

Celebrating diversity in campaigns. Highlighting diverse cultures, holidays, and important events can demonstrate your brand's commitment to inclusivity. This approach shows respect and recognition of different communities.

Examples of brands excelling in inclusivity

Nike has consistently championed diversity and inclusivity in its marketing campaigns. The "Until We All Win" campaign featured athletes from various backgrounds and emphasized the importance of equality both on and off the field. This approach has strengthened Nike's brand image and resonated with a global audience.

Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign is a notable example of inclusivity. By featuring women of different ages, sizes, and ethnicities, Dove challenged beauty standards traditionally shown in ads and promoted self-acceptance. This campaign was widely praised and contributed to Dove's reputation as an inclusive brand.

7. Ignoring comments, questions, or posts from customers—especially negative ones

Sometimes, you don't have to do anything wrong for a social campaign to tank. In fact, sometimes it's what you don't do that creates issues.

People use social media platforms to connect and converse. If you use your brand's profiles as a bullhorn—only talking about yourself and never acknowledging interactions—engagement will drop off.

That lack of engagement can have far-reaching effects (i.e., your content won't be seen) thanks to algorithms designed to show posts from accounts users interact with most.

Acknowledging positive and negative comments shows followers and customers you care and that they are meaningful to you.

Importance of real-time engagement and customer service

Immediate response. Responding quickly to customer inquiries and comments can significantly enhance customer satisfaction. Quick responses show that you value your customers' time and concerns.

Building brand loyalty. Engaging with customers in real time helps build stronger relationships and brand loyalty. A Bain & Company report found that customers who engage with brands on social media are likely to spend 20-40% more money with those brands. Positive interactions foster trust and a sense of community around your brand.

Enhancing visibility and reach. Active engagement increases your visibility on social media platforms. Algorithms favor accounts that interact with their followers, meaning your posts are more likely to appear in users' feeds. This can lead to increased organic reach and higher engagement rates.

Proactive customer service. Utilizing social media for customer service allows you to address issues publicly and transparently. This resolves individual complaints and demonstrates to a wider audience that you are attentive and committed to customer satisfaction. For instance, a positive resolution shared publicly can enhance your brand's reputation and attract more followers.

8. Being too sporadic about when and where you post
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We hear you when you say you're not going to post just for the sake of posting, and that's spot-on, considering users can block a brand that only posts timeline-crowding fluff.

There's value in waiting to post until you have something relevant to say, but try to spread content across a few posts for more mileage or create an editorial calendar that gives you topics to talk about more consistently. Otherwise, a lack of regular engagement may cause your content to not surface in social feeds, thanks to algorithms.

Most social media platforms provide post-scheduling tools, but if you're using a multi-platform strategy, consider using software that automates posts across channels and analyzes their performance.

Creating a posting plan

When creating your posting plan for different channels, start by identifying content that naturally fits each platform. For instance, photos work well with Instagram, videos on YouTube, and business-oriented blog posts are on-target for LinkedIn.

Keep in mind that not all messages should be applied to every platform. For example, Reddit offers a different kind of community engagement than X, which supports short snippets of information and responses.

Reddit includes user-driven communities called subreddits that are essentially discussion boards. Users can choose which subreddits and subjects they follow versus following people or an account like on X. Knowing this, the content you develop for your Reddit community would be substantively different than tweets.

9. Being too regular about when and where you post

There's a flip side to posting frequently. It's possible to use automation too much, making your scheduled posts feel predictable and robotic. Be sure your social media budget includes room to spend time on each platform daily to interact, share content from other accounts, and use relevant current events to your advantage.

Also, make sure you don't over-post on a channel. You can overwhelm users with content and cause followers to ignore your messages or unfollow you. Instead, be selective about what you're publishing. Embrace quality over quantity. Get as much interaction from a single post as possible versus posting an avalanche of content and losing your audience.

Balancing automated posts with real-time engagement

Example 1: Scheduling and spontaneity. Use automation tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to schedule your regular posts, such as blog links, company updates, and product promotions. Complement these with spontaneous posts that respond to current events, trending topics, or user-generated content. For instance, if a relevant news story breaks, share your thoughts or ask your audience for their opinions.

Example 2: Interactive sessions. Schedule regular automated posts but intersperse them with live sessions, such as Q&As, live videos, or real-time polls. This approach encourages immediate interaction and shows your audience that you're present and engaged.

Tips for creating engaging and less predictable content

Vary content formats. Mix up your posts by using different formats, such as videos, infographics, polls, and stories. This keeps your content fresh and engaging.

User-generated content. Share content created by your followers, such as photos, reviews, and testimonials. This provides variety and fosters a sense of community and engagement.

Behind-the-scenes looks. Give your audience a peek behind the curtain with behind-the-scenes content, such as a day in the life of your team, product creation processes, or sneak peeks of upcoming projects.

Relevant hashtags and trends. Stay updated with trending hashtags and topics. Participate in relevant conversations and challenges to make your content timely and engaging.

Personalized responses. Respond personally to comments and messages to engage with your audience. This shows that you value their input and helps build stronger relationships.

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10. Posting with an inconsistent voice or tone

Know who you're talking to, and craft the right tone for how you speak to them. Social media is all about connecting. So be sure your brand has a clearly defined, consistent personality—and avoid being too salesy in what you post. It can come across as inauthentic and be a real turn-off for followers.

Craft a consistent voice and tone that expresses your brand's persona and reinforces your brand image. Changing voices and tones can make audiences question the trustworthiness and reliability of your brand. You can, however, cultivate tones that vary slightly based on the content and information provided on social media channels.

For example, announcing a new product on Instagram or Facebook could have a different tone from an announcement on LinkedIn, which would likely portray a more business-like brand persona.

Tip. Your voice isn't just limited to the copy of your posts—it can include the "flavor" of photos and videos you post, too.

Guide on creating a brand voice and maintaining consistency

Define your brand's core values and mission. Start by identifying what your brand stands for and what you aim to achieve. This foundation will guide your brand's voice and tone across all platforms.

Know your audience. Understand who your audience is, what they care about, and how they communicate. Tailor your voice to resonate with your target demographic.

Create a brand voice chart. Develop a chart that outlines the key characteristics of your brand voice. Include descriptions, dos and don'ts, and examples of language that aligns with your brand.

Develop a style guide. Create a comprehensive style guide that includes your brand voice chart, guidelines for visual content, and specific instructions for different social media platforms. Ensure this guide is accessible to everyone involved in creating content for your brand.

Train your team. Conduct training sessions to familiarize your team with the brand voice and style guide. Regularly review and update the guidelines to keep them relevant.

Monitor and adjust. Continuously monitor your social media engagement and feedback. Be open to making adjustments to your brand voice as needed to better connect with your audience.

Examples of successful brand voices on social media

Wendy's has built a reputation for its witty and playful social media presence. Their humorous and sometimes sarcastic tone resonates well with their audience, creating a memorable and engaging brand voice.

Mailchimp's voice is friendly, approachable, and slightly quirky. They use humor and a conversational tone to make their content relatable and engaging while still providing valuable information about their services.

11. Posting without proofreading and checking

Some social media foibles are worse than others. You don't have to go full-on foot-in-mouth to make the wrong impression; sometimes, even a simple typo can require some damage control.

Double-check your copy, consider sensitive content from every angle, engage a proofreader, and, when necessary, run certain posts by a legal consultant. Even the best proofreader can overlook something that could cause legal issues.

Proofreading checklist for social media posts

Spelling and grammar. Double-check for spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, and typos.

Punctuation. Ensure all punctuation marks are correctly placed and used appropriately.

Consistency. Verify that the post aligns with your brand voice and tone.

Hashtags. Check that hashtags are relevant, appropriate, and correctly spelled.

Data accuracy. Confirm that all statistics, dates, and other data points are accurate.

Links. Test all links to make sure they work and direct to the correct pages.

UTM parameters. Verify that UTM parameters are properly set up for tracking.

Content appropriateness. Review the content for any potentially sensitive or controversial material.

Legal approval. If necessary, have posts reviewed by a legal consultant.

Post length. Ensure the post meets the character limits and guidelines for the specific platform.

Visuals. Check that images and videos are high-quality and relevant to the content.

Examples of companies that have made social media mistakes

Social media mistakes put you at risk for a viral consumer backlash. So, always proof before posting, and when an error occurs, handle it as quickly as possible. Here are a few examples of social media failures.

DiGiorno Pizza. DiGiorno faced significant backlash after they mistakenly used the #WhyIStayed hashtag, which was trending to raise awareness about domestic violence, to promote their pizza. This incident highlighted the importance of understanding the context of hashtags before using them.
U.S. Airways. In 2014, U.S. Airways accidentally tweeted an extremely inappropriate image in response to a customer complaint. The tweet remained live for about an hour before being deleted, but by then, it had already gone viral, causing a major PR crisis for the airline.
H&M. H&M faced backlash when they posted an image of a black child wearing a hoodie featuring a racially insensitive slogan. The image was widely criticized and led to a public apology and the removal of the image.

12. Not integrating your social media marketing across other channels

Do you have a blog, regular promotions, affiliate marketing, or landing pages that you use to drive sales, conversions, and traffic to your site? Cross-pollinate content and marry those efforts with what you're doing on social. But be sure to tailor the messages and intent with each platform, or it might end up feeling forced or out of place.

Integrating and working cross-functionally with other channels creates an interconnected, unified experience for your audience and makes a positive impression, reinforcing your brand identity. It's also a cost-effective way to leverage sales opportunities and move potential buyers down the marketing funnel at various touchpoints.

Cross-functionality can be as simple as using content you created for a LinkedIn post, such as a downloadable ebook, and posting a link to it in an appropriate Reddit community or promoting it on an affiliate website.

Benefits of cross-channel marketing

Increased reach and visibility. By sharing content across multiple platforms, you can reach a wider audience. For example, promoting a blog post on social media can drive traffic to your website and increase its visibility.

Enhanced engagement. Different channels provide different ways to engage with your audience. An Instagram campaign might generate comments and shares, while an email campaign might encourage direct responses.

Consistent messaging. Cross-channel marketing ensures that your messaging is consistent across all platforms, reinforcing your brand identity and making your communications more memorable.

Better data and insights. Integrating marketing efforts allows you to collect data from multiple sources, giving you a comprehensive view of your audience's behavior and preferences.

Cost-effectiveness. Using existing content across different channels maximizes your resources and reduces the need to create new content from scratch.

Step-by-step guide to integrating social media with other marketing channels

Identify key channels. Determine which marketing channels are most relevant to your audience. This could include social media platforms, email marketing, your website, blogs, and affiliate sites.

Create a content calendar. Develop a content calendar that outlines when and where you will share your content. This ensures consistency in messaging and regular engagement with your audience across all platforms.

Repurpose content. Adapt your content to fit different channels. For example, turn a detailed blog post into a combination of a social media post, infographic, and email newsletter. Ensure the format and messaging are appropriate for each platform.

Use automation tools. Use tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, or HubSpot to schedule and manage your posts across multiple channels. They can help streamline your efforts and maintain consistency.

Promote cross-channel engagement. Encourage your audience to engage with you across different platforms. For example, include social media buttons in your emails, share your blog posts on social media, and use calls-to-action that direct followers to other channels.

Track and analyze performance. Use analytics tools to monitor the performance of your cross-channel marketing efforts. Track metrics such as engagement rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates to understand what's working and where improvements are needed.

Adjust and optimize. Based on your analysis, adjust your strategy to optimize your efforts. This could involve tweaking your messaging, changing your posting frequency, or focusing more on channels that deliver the best results.

‍Examples of successful cross-channel marketing

Nike seamlessly integrates its marketing efforts across social media, email, and in-store experiences. Their "Just Do It" campaign is a prime example, where they use inspirational content on social media, personalized emails, and engaging in-store promotions to create a unified brand experience.

Starbucks uses cross-channel marketing to promote its loyalty program. They engage customers through social media, email newsletters, and the Starbucks app, offering consistent messages and rewards across all platforms to encourage repeat business.

13. Not investing in paid social media promotion

Social media marketing can be incredibly valuable to brands, letting you personally connect with customers where they spend the majority of their time online.

It's an unfortunate reality, but it's hard to get your content seen on social as a branded page. When you're working up a budget for your SMM, leave room for paid promotion so your more important content gets better engagement when needed.

When it comes to spending money on paid promotion, however, don't be tempted to buy followers or pay bots to engage with your content. If you're authentic and put in the work, engagement and the audience will follow!

Of course, paid social media promotion requires resources and a budget. Budgeting helps ensure you will have adequate resources required to support social media marketing and advertising campaigns, and also helps you keep track of your costs.

Examples of successful cross-channel marketing

Targeted advertising. Use detailed audience targeting options to ensure your ads reach the right people. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer robust targeting features based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more.

A/B testing. Continuously test different ad creatives, headlines, and calls-to-action (CTAs) to determine what resonates best with your audience. Use the results to optimize your campaigns for better performance.

High-quality visuals. Invest in high-quality images and videos for your ads. Visual content is more engaging and can significantly impact the success of your campaigns.

Clear CTAs. Make sure your ads have clear and compelling calls-to-action. Whether it's "Shop Now," "Learn More," or "Sign Up," a strong CTA can drive higher engagement and conversions.

Retargeting. Implement retargeting strategies to reach users who have previously interacted with your brand. Retargeting ads can help convert interested prospects into customers by reminding them of your products or services.

Analytics and optimization. Regularly review your ads' performance using platform analytics. Track key metrics like CTR, conversion rates, and return on ad spend (ROAS) to refine your strategy and maximize ROI.

Case studies of successful paid social media strategies

Airbnb's paid social media strategy focuses on user-generated content and storytelling. The brand creates authentic and engaging ads by promoting posts from real users who share their unique Airbnb experiences. This approach builds trust and also drives high engagement and conversions.

Glossier leverages Instagram and Facebook ads to promote their beauty products. Their strategy includes using influencers and brand ambassadors to create authentic and relatable content. By featuring real people and their experiences, Glossier's ads resonate well with their target audience and drive sales.

14. Not utilizing user-generated content (UGC)

UGC is content created by your users and followers that shows the human side of your brand. It includes images, videos, reviews, and text. A considerable part of UGC value is linked to consumer trust.

UGC is such a powerful marketing tool that many brands run UGC campaigns. For example, Netflix used the title "Stranger Things" in a hashtag to promote the series' second season. Thousands of people began posting images of stranger things in their daily lives, hashtagging the title of a show that generated close to one million viewers in two weeks for Netflix.

A common use of UGC is posting user reviews on your website or sharing them in social media ads. Or, let's say you have a brand ambassador who posted a great image using your product on Instagram. Get their permission to share it on your Instagram account to leverage this UGC.

Another example is sharing an eye-catching ad a customer posted featuring your brand on their Facebook to your Facebook page. Or leverage the consumer appeal of a clever user-generated TikTok video highlighting your product on your Instagram Reels or YouTube.

Tips for encouraging and curating UGC

Create a branded hashtag. Encourage your audience to use a specific hashtag when posting content related to your brand. This makes it easier to find and share UGC.

Run contests and challenges. Host competitions that encourage users to create and share content. Offer attractive prizes to motivate participation.

Feature UGC on your platforms. Regularly showcase user-generated content on your social media channels, website, and email newsletters. This highlights your loyal customers and also encourages others to contribute.

Engage with users. Like, comment on, and share user posts that feature your brand. This interaction shows appreciation and can boost customer loyalty.

Offer incentives. Provide discounts, freebies, or other rewards for users who create high-quality content featuring your products or services.

Collaborate with influencers. Partner with influencers who can create authentic content and encourage their followers to do the same.

Examples of UGC effectiveness

Known for its user-generated content, GoPro regularly shares videos and photos captured by its customers. This strategy has helped build a community of loyal users and generated millions of views on social media.

Starbucks invited customers to doodle on their white cups and share their designs on social media. The winning design was used on a limited edition Starbucks cup. This campaign increased engagement and strengthened community ties.

15. Neither listening to nor utilizing your community

The whole idea behind social media is being social, connecting, creating goodwill, interacting with customers and potential customers, and promoting your brand. This requires listening to your audience and gaining valuable consumer insights that occur organically in post replies. Likewise, you can interact to get input on new marketing campaigns and recent events or interface with your community to complete surveys.

Let's say you own a local chain of bakeries and see many favorable comments about a new cookie you introduced. At the same time, users comment they wish you sold them in prepackaged boxes of cookies. Based on this information, you could try "grab and go" cookie boxes and promote them on your social media platforms.

Or, perhaps you own a restaurant, and everyone on social media raves about your special dipping sauce. This may lead you to test the demand for bottling and branding it.

Another example highlights how social media listening can help you proactively improve your product or service quality. You can, for example, use social listening tools to monitor mentions using keyword filters. Doing so may make you aware of a glitch and proactively offer a fix before it gets out of hand.

Tools for social listening and community engagement

Brandwatch is an advanced social listening tool that helps you track and analyze online conversations about your brand. It provides deep insights into consumer sentiment and trends, helping you make informed decisions.

Mention lets you monitor mentions of your brand across the web and social media in real time. Its analytics features help you understand the context of conversations and identify influencers.

Talkwalker is a comprehensive social listening tool that tracks conversations across social media, blogs, forums, and news sites. It provides insights into brand sentiment, trending topics, and audience demographics.

Examples of brands effectively using social listening

LEGO actively engages in social listening to understand what their community is talking about and what they want. By paying attention to customer feedback, LEGO has introduced new product lines and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Samsung uses social listening tools to track mentions of their products and identify any issues users face. This proactive approach allows them to address problems quickly and improve customer experiences, enhancing brand loyalty.

16. Not focusing on the channels that give a higher ROI

It's fun posting creative photos on Instagram and short videos on TikTok. But if blog posts on LinkedIn produce a significantly higher ROI, why waste money on social media platforms that aren't delivering results and supporting key business objectives?

Instead of over-extending your marketing resources on channels that don't deliver ROAS, think of what you could accomplish by focusing them on channels that deliver results.

According to Hootsuite's 2024 social trends report, 70% of brands are confident that LinkedIn returns a high ROI, making it the top platform for B2B marketing. Instagram follows closely, with 68% of brands expressing confidence in its ROI, particularly for reaching younger audiences. Meanwhile, 62% of brands are confident in Facebook's ROI, highlighting its continued effectiveness due to its vast user base and advanced targeting options.

This data underscores the importance of prioritizing these high-ROI platforms to maximize marketing efforts and achieve better results.

Guide on how to identify and focus on high-ROI channels

1. Analyze your current performance. Review the performance metrics of your existing social media channels. Look at engagement rates, conversion rates, and overall ROI. Use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and LinkedIn Analytics to gather detailed data.‍

2. Set clear goals and KPIs. Define what success looks like for your social media campaigns. Set clear, measurable goals such as lead generation, website traffic, or sales conversions. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with these goals.

3. Identify your target audience. Understand who your audience is and where they spend their time online. Conduct surveys, analyze customer data, and use social listening tools to gather insights about your audience's preferences and behaviors.

4. Evaluate platform features. Assess the features and targeting options of different social media platforms. Platforms like LinkedIn offer robust B2B targeting, while Instagram and TikTok are better suited for B2C marketing with younger demographics.

5. Test and optimize. Run small-scale campaigns on different platforms to test their effectiveness. Use A/B testing to compare different ad creatives and strategies. Monitor the results and optimize your campaigns based on performance data.

6. Focus on high-ROI channels. Allocate more resources to the platforms that deliver the highest ROI. Reduce spending on less effective channels and reinvest in those that are high-performing. Continuously monitor and adjust your strategy to maintain optimal performance.

7. Leverage cross-channel strategies. While focusing on high-ROI channels, don't completely ignore other platforms. Use them to support your primary channels. For example, drive traffic from Instagram to your high-converting LinkedIn blog posts or use Twitter to amplify your Facebook campaigns.

17. Not consistently testing copy, image, and CTAs

With a variety of automated tools available, there's no need to launch a campaign without testing the content first. For instance, A/B testing allows you to compare different marketing assets to determine which ones deliver the best results. Savvy marketers try different versions of ad copy, images, infographics, and calls to action to determine which ones will help them best reach their goals.

Don't consider testing a one-time activity at the outset of a marketing campaign. Continual testing helps keep your marketing messages on target.

For instance, suppose you're running a campaign that's doing well, then a competitor announces a product upgrade, and you see your social engagement slip. Chances are, you'll want to modify your marketing assets to highlight your advantages over the competition's new offering.

Guide to A/B testing

1. Define your objectives. Start by identifying what you want to achieve with your A/B tests. Common goals include improving CTR, increasing conversions, or boosting engagement.‍

2. Identify variables to test. Choose specific elements to test, such as ad copy, images, headlines, CTAs, or layouts. Focus on one variable at a time to accurately determine its impact.‍

3. Create variations. Develop two or more versions of the element you're testing. For example, create two different headlines for the same ad or two distinct images for a social media post.‍

4. Split your audience. Divide your audience into random segments and ensure that each group sees a different version of the test element. This helps to eliminate bias and provide more accurate results.‍

5. Run the test. Launch your A/B test and run it for a sufficient period to gather meaningful data. Ensure that the test duration is long enough to account for variations in user behavior.

6. Analyze results. Use analytics tools to compare the performance of each variation. Look at metrics such as CTR, conversion rates, and engagement levels to determine which version performed better.‍

7. Implement findings. Once you've identified the winning variation, implement it in your full campaign. Use the insights gained from the test to inform future marketing strategies and improve overall effectiveness.‍

8. Repeat and refine. A/B testing should be an ongoing process. Continuously test new variations and refine your marketing assets to keep them optimized and relevant.

Example of successful A/B tests in social media marketing

HubSpot Academy found that out of more than 55,000 page views, only 0.9% of users watched the video on the homepage. Based on chat transcripts highlighting the need for clearer messaging, HubSpot decided to test new value propositions to improve user engagement.

They used three variants for this test: the control (Variant A), a version with vibrant images and an animated headline (Variant B), and a version with added color and movement, including animated images (Variant C). The result showed that Variant B outperformed the control by 6%, potentially leading to about 375 more monthly sign-ups, while Variant C underperformed by 1%.

18. Not evolving your strategy

Jack Welch, the ex-CEO of General Electric, once said, "Strategy is not a lengthy action plan. It is the evolution of a central idea through continually changing circumstances." The marketplace, technology, and your competitors are continually changing and evolving. You may be left behind if you don't grow your strategy.

Even social media platforms and technologies will change. For example, TikTok, a media app used to create and share videos, launched in 2017 outside China and had more than 1 billion active monthly users worldwide as of 2023.

In the U.S., two-thirds of people between 18 and 19 years old use TikTok. So if your target market includes Generation Z, then paid advertising on TikTok shouldn't be overlooked.

Example of a brand evolving their strategies

Nike has successfully evolved its social media strategy by embracing new platforms and trends. They were early adopters of TikTok, creating engaging short-form content that resonates with younger audiences. Nike also uses Instagram Reels and Stories to showcase their products dynamically and creatively.

19. Not leveraging influencer partnerships

Influencer marketing continues to be a powerful strategy, with social media influencers holding significant sway over their followers' purchasing decisions.

Influencers can help brands reach targeted audiences more authentically and engagingly. They offer credibility and trust, as their followers often view them as experts or relatable figures in specific niches.

According to a recent study, 69% of social media users say they trust the recommendations that influencers give them for new products or services.

Example of influencer marketing

The #ThisOnesFor campaign by Coca-Cola collaborated with fashion, travel, and lifestyle Instagram influencers to promote the brand in the European region.

By hiring 14 influencers and creating 22 sponsored posts tagged with @cocacola.eu and #ThisOnesFor, the campaign generated over 173,000 likes and 1,600 comments, making the hashtag one of the most popular on Instagram.

This success highlights the effectiveness of influencer marketing and showcases how big brands like Coca-Cola leverage it to stay relevant.

20. Neglecting video content

Video content is becoming increasingly vital in successful social media marketing. Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram Reels have surged in popularity, with video content achieving higher engagement rates than text or image posts.

By 2025, videos are expected to make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic. Their visual and dynamic nature makes them more engaging, memorable, and effective for storytelling.

Tips for creating engaging video content

Start with a strong hook. Capture viewers' attention within the first few seconds to keep them engaged.

Keep it concise. Shorter videos tend to perform better, especially on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Aim for videos under 60 seconds long when possible.

Focus on quality. To make your videos more professional and appealing, use good lighting, clear audio, and high-resolution visuals.

Tell a story. Craft a narrative that resonates with your audience, whether it's an educational tutorial, a behind-the-scenes look, or a customer testimonial.

Include a clear CTA. Direct viewers to take action, such as visiting your website, subscribing to your channel, or purchasing a product.

Leverage platform-specific features. Use YouTube's longer format for in-depth content, TikTok for trends and challenges, and Instagram Reels for quick, engaging snippets.

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21. Ignoring analytics and feedback

Regularly reviewing analytics and feedback is crucial for refining and improving your social media strategies. Analytics provide valuable insights into what's working and what isn't, helping you make data-driven decisions.

Both positive and negative feedback from your audience can guide your content creation and engagement strategies to meet their needs and preferences. Ignoring these metrics can result in missed opportunities and ineffective campaigns.

Tools and methods for effective analytics review

Using platform analytics. Many platforms have built-in analytics tools like Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, and YouTube Analytics to track performance metrics.

Setting specific KPIs. Define key performance indicators such as engagement rate, reach, click-through rate, and conversion rate to measure success.

Regularly monitoring performance. Schedule regular reviews of your analytics data to stay updated on trends and changes.

Gathering qualitative feedback. Use surveys, polls, and direct messages to collect feedback from your audience. Listen to their suggestions and concerns.

Leveraging third-party tools. Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Google Analytics offer comprehensive insights and reporting features.

Adjusting strategies based on insights. Use the data and feedback to refine your content strategy, posting schedule, and engagement tactics.

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22. Failing to optimize for mobile users

With more than 80% of social media usage occurring on mobile devices, optimizing content for mobile is essential.

Mobile-friendly content ensures a seamless and engaging user experience, which can significantly impact engagement and conversions. Failing to optimize for mobile can lead to high bounce rates and low engagement.

Tips on ensuring all content is mobile-friendly

Use responsive design. Ensure your website and content adapt to different screen sizes and orientations.

Optimize images and videos. Use high-quality visuals that load quickly on mobile devices. Compress files to reduce loading times.

Simplify navigation. Make it easy for users to find information and navigate your site or social media pages on their mobile devices.

Use short, concise text. Mobile users prefer shorter content that's easy to read on small screens. Break up text with headings and bullet points.

Test on multiple devices. Regularly test your content on various mobile devices and browsers to ensure compatibility.

Leverage mobile-specific features. Utilize platform features like Instagram Stories, mobile ads, and one-click call-to-action buttons to enhance the mobile user experience.

Find social media professionals on Upwork

Establishing a social media presence is a must in today's highly competitive marketplace, regardless of whether you're a large or small business. But it takes more than merely creating a few social media accounts and taking a haphazard approach.

Treat social media as you would any other valuable marketing channel. Create an umbrella social media marketing strategy and develop a content plan for each platform. Define best practices, create innovative social media marketing campaigns, and use marketing automation tools to execute, track, and monitor your social media activities. Last but not least, keep your social media presence engaging and energetic.

If your in-house marketing team doesn't have the bandwidth or the expertise required to launch, manage, and monitor SMM, engage social media marketers on Upwork.

Are you a social media marketer looking for your next opportunity? Find exciting jobs and connect with top clients on Upwork today!

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the third-party tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.Did you know that over 5 billion people use social media worldwide? Social media has become an essential marketing platform for both B2B and B2C businesses. It's where today's customers connect with their favorite companies, making it a critical tool for engagement and growth. However, navigating social media marketing (SMM) can be tricky; there are no charts marking the way, the shoals constantly shift, and the waterways are crowded!

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Author spotlight

Annette Brooks

Marketing and Business Copywriter and Editor

An eclectic copywriter with 15+ years' experience, Annette leverages her depth, breadth, and expertise gained during a 20+ year marketing and engineering career. Her copywriting specialties include marketing, advertising, business and management, wireless communications, software applications, and networking technologies.