Don’t Make These Social Media Marketing Mistakes in 2014

Want to grow your business’s social media reach and increase your social marketing ROI?  Well, we have a few tips to help you do just that.  However, the social media tips we will share in this post are not on what your brand should do.  Instead, we’ll show you which mistakes you want to avoid as you move your social media marketing plans into 2014.

Photo Fail

Is your business still sharing photo memes on its Facebook for business page?  If so, then the social network will make sure your posts are seen by less and less of your Facebook fans in 2014.  Facebook’s latest algorithm showcases quality content – think links to blog articles, news stories, etc – and punishes businesses for sharing content that has no real value in relation to your brand and followers.

Stuck on Repeat

If your business has been around the social media arena for a long time, then your social marketing strategy and action plan may be stuck on repeat.  The social network landscape changes minute to minute and what worked well in the past (see post above regarding memes) quite often is not longer effective.  Don’t make the mistake of not reevaluating your social strategy on a regular basis and taking advantage of the newest features and best practices.

The Big Networks

For many years, most brands did just fine using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for business.  Times have changed and – if it has not already – then your brand needs to branch out in 2014.  The big, successful brands move well beyond the big three social networks with their social media marketing.  Don’t make the mistake of not making the most of Pinterest, Vine, Instagram and others to reach new customers and grow your social audience.

Burn the Bandwagon

Want to avoid a major publicity meltdown in 2014?  Here’s a simple way to make sure your business doesn’t end up being the punch line of any jokes, face the wrath of an angry wave of social media posts and tweets, or become a case study for what not to do in social networking.  Stop jumping on the bandwagon and trying to find clever ways to take advantage of tragedies, anniversaries, holidays, etc.

Experience Counts

Are you still trusting your social media marketing to an unpaid intern or entry-level employee?  Stop making that same mistake in 2014 or you might just end up in one of the unfortunate scenarios mentioned in the previous paragraph.  There is real value to your brand when you use social media effectively.  Assign an upper-level employee with the responsibility of running your social networks campaigns, or hire yourself an experienced social marketing manager in 2014.

What social media mistakes do you think our readers should avoid in 2014?  Please share in the comments below.