I saw this article on Small Business Trends and thought it was a useful tip. I culled up a typical blunder businesses make on social media below.
Big brands and small businesses alike are flocking to social media in droves, but most only become notable when they get hacked, fake getting hacked, or make a major faux pas. We see very few shining social media moments from brands because almost all companies are making the same mistake.
So what’s wrong with these examples?
They’re broadcast messages. They’re generic and lifeless, aimed at everyone in general and no one in particular. These companies are not talking to their followers. They’re talking AT them. The tweets are all about the company or product — not anything that would be remotely interesting to their followers
Compare those tweets to these:
In the example above, Netflix is engaging with a Twitter user who expressed the need to stop dropping his iPad on his face when watching Netflix. Netflix was listening and cleverly responded with a solution: A hands-free iPad holder that’s perfect for the Netflix customer who falls asleep watching movies.
So every #Dorothy needs a#Toto. Here’s mine, during my#UNminivanMomentsadventure with…http://t.co/GVVcf4EXKCpic.twitter.com/0KOlMv2PLF — Lizza Monet Morales (@xoxoLizza) June 17, 2014
In the next example, Ford didn’t need to say a word. The company just retweeted a customer who was already pushing its product. The result was an authentic product endorsement.
The Problem With Broadcast Messaging
The main reason most companies fail to make these authentic, personal connections with customers is that they’re trying to apply traditional broadcast messaging tactics. These tactics work for mass media such as TV, radio, and newspapers that reach millions of people covering a wide range of demographics, interests, and needs — the so-called “masses.” But they’re inappropriate for social media.
Unlike traditional media, which are unidirectional and make gathering real-time feedback virtually impossible, social media channels are all about connecting with a highly targeted audience and engaging in real-time conversations with real people about their interests, needs and questions.
When businesses try to apply traditional tactics to social media, it results in boring posts that bring the same lackluster outcomes as traditional media: A 98 percent failure rate or, as the industry calls it, a 2 percent conversion rate.
It’s time to stop settling for such abysmal results and start engaging your fans and followers
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Follow the link below to get the rest of the tip.
http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/07/number-one-social-media-mistake.html
