11 Red Flags That will Derail Your Digital Marketing Efforts.

Brand Visibility through social media is definitely the way for businesses to connect with their potential consumers. As a brand, it is important to note that it is an everyday process of creating, sharing & engaging. Being on social media just for the sole purpose of sharing content particularly self-promotional will have you on a couple of red flags that audiences are keen to take note of. Red Flags result into;

1. No/Low Click-through Rate to your website.
2. No engagement on content shared.
3. The audience begins to unfollow/unsubscribe.

I got to engage The Social Circle Community on a discussion about red flags and here are some points they shared;

1. Inconsistent posts/messaging
2. Slow Response Time/ No response to queries/ complaints.
3. No Original Content/ Thoughts & Photos
4. No Customer Reviews
5. Irrelevant responses to queries
6. Being too salesy/Self Promotion
7. Lack of structure in responses.
8. Lack of consistency in branding across all social networks
9. Negative comments
10. Lack of transparency
11. News Jacking

Inconsistent Posts/Messaging

Inconsistency appears in different formats; 

• Different tone and voice in your messaging.
• Irregular social media posts.

To counter the above create a content calendar & plan content in advance i.e weekly, every 2 weeks, or monthly. To make your work easier, use scheduling apps to share the content that way you have ample time to engage with your audience.

Scheduling Apps to consider;

1. Buffer
2. Hootsuite
3. Agorapulse

Slow Response Time/ No response to queries/ complaints.

For a consumer to feel that a product/service is an ideal fit for them they take the time to do research, read through your posts & reviews on social media, read through comments left by other consumers. It is of importance for a brand to take time off it's the day to respond to every query, complaint, or mention. Consider the Social Listening approach and use apps that will let you get notified when your brand is mentioned or even keywords in-line with your brand. Social Listening apps;

1. Sprout Social
2. Talkwalker

Here are some statistics about consumer response time;

No Original Content/ Thoughts & Photos

We've all been victims either as a consumer or a brand where the photos posted on social media versus what you get are two different opposites. Photography can be pricey for a brand on a tight budget however make the most of your phone & editing apps. Lack of Original Content & Thoughts can also be a deal breaker to your audience. Get creative don't just copy-paste what your competitor is doing. The Quote ' Document rather than Create ' should act as a guide.

No Customer Reviews

Reviews are increasingly becoming the reason why a customer will consider making a purchase. To get reviews from your customers; Do follow up's post purchase or consider creating an incentive. Here are important statistics;

• 72% of consumers won't take action before they read some reviews.
• 70% of consumers need to read at least four reviews before they can trust a business.
• 82% of consumers visit review sites because they want to purchase a product or service.
• A single business review can lift its conversion by 10%

Source of Statistics

Irrelevant responses to queries.

As a social media manager/agency managing a brand on social media take time to know every detail about the business. You need to be informed to be able to respond to queries without it seeming as though you are unsure. Uncertainty leads to doubt, doubt leads to people choosing to buy from your competitors. Doubt also makes your brand lack credibility and if not careful you may end up shutting down.

 

Being too salesy/Self Promotion.

On Social Media, it is recommended that the content shouldn't be centered on the business solely. Have a mix of business, User Generated Content, research & inspiration, and quotes. For business, it doesn't have to be about the product/service, an addition; photos of the team, Behind The Scenes. The mixture makes you feel relatable & personable to your audience

Lack of structure in responses.

When a customer makes an inquiry take the time to inform them of all the information necessary. Creating a structure is where Lead Nurturing comes to play since each customer is in a different stage of the buying journey. Taking time to engage with them & understanding their pain point will make you not to seem sales oriented. Read more on Nurturing here.

Lack of consistency in branding across all social networks.

Branding Consistency is noticeable in different ways i.e. logo, brand color, theme especially through images, voice & tone in messaging. Ensure both existing and new audience can easily identify with you. It creates brand credibility & trust.

Negative Comments

Negative comments can plunge you into a bad situation or even risk closure. Take the comments as a reason to make an adjustment or improve in service delivery or product quality. Use the following two golden rules;

1. Never Delete the comment.
2. The entire Experience matters, not just the Sale.

Lack of Transparency.

Transparency online is key for a brand to establish a relationship with potential consumers. Ensure all information that a consumer deems as important is accessible i.e. pricing, shipping details, return policy, contacts. Avoid a back and forth situation which may be tedious & time consuming. 

News Jacking

How a brand chooses to approach this can make or break the brand's reputation. Consider asking yourself;

1. Is it in line with the brand values?
2. How will your audience interpret your opinion?
3. How will your opinion be perceived on a wider scope?

Read more on news jacking.

The Social Circle is a conversation that takes place on Twitter every Thursday at 8:00 am GMT, 11:00 am EAT. We discuss consumer behavior & the impact of social media on a consumer's life.

Conclusion

Each day is work in progress both in our personal lives & businesses. Pay keen attention to any of the above red flags and work towards building a strategy that will be reputable for your brand in the long-term.

Thank you for taking the time to read. Leave a comment.

Remember to Stay Safe.