Did you know that 83% of Twitter users who sent a tweet to a company and got a response were more likely to do business with them?

Yet many businesses think social media presence is unimportant or don’t use its full potential.

Building a social media presence the right way can help you reach the right target audience faster and sell your services or products.

Ok, but you have a social media platform, and you post regularly, and somehow conversion is not happening?

Having an account and posting regularly is not enough. You are probably making some of the most common social media mistakes that slow down your progress.

How can you avoid these mistakes and promote yourself or your brand better?

Today, we will list the 5 most common mistakes on social media and tips to avoid them, so you can start using the potential of social media to its fullest.

Let’s start.

Why do you make mistakes on social media?

You can make mistakes on social media because you don’t research and make a strategy before you start creating content.

Mistakes that don’t lead to new customers and more sales happen because you don’t:

  • Know how each platform works -  Platforms require different strategies and forms for creating content. For example, Tik Tok favors video format, while LinkedIn is more centered around longer textual posts.
  • Have a content marketing strategy - You just post on social media, but you don’t have a clear intent with that post. For example, you should decide if your post promotes a service or educates your audience about it.

Nobody likes making mistakes that cost them money, but being aware of them and knowing how to fix them can help you out.

5 most common mistakes on social media

1. Poor copy

Poor copy is one of the most common mistakes people make on social media.

If the writing under your post or on the visuals is not engaging and full of value, it can drive your audience away.

With so many products and services people can buy on the internet,  trust plays a big role.

Why would someone buy from you if you haven’t convinced them to do so? Right?

Poor copy makes you look unprofessional and untrustworthy, so your audience won’t be eager to buy from you.

Telling your or your brand's story, engaging, and providing value to your audience is what you have to share through your content.

Here's an example on how can you do that:

1. Use fewer words to get the message across

Your readers want to get information fast. 

Keep it short and simple by eliminating extra words ( like definitely, very), using bullet points, and writing no longer than four sentences per paragraph.

2. Use casual words that your audience uses

Speak the language of your target audience. If they are a specific group of people ( digital marketers), use words they are familiar with ( sales funnel, marketing strategy, etc.).

You can use a Google search to see the keywords your target audience uses and include them in your copy.

3. Provide a proof 

Social proof will convince the reader to buy or learn more about you or your brand.

When providing social proof, make sure it is relevant - states the problem and proves that you or your brand solved it.

The best social proof will be directly from your buyers, whose words will always sound more natural and less “salesy” than yours.

Incorporate your audience's feedback by using their exact words for your copy.

Here is an example of How Slack included social proof in their copy:

4. Write a CTA at the end 

A lot of businesses write an excellent post, provide value, and then don’t navigate their audience to take the next step.

Why?

God knows why.

Your target audience will see the post, like it, and then disappear.

To convert viewers into buyers, you need to navigate them towards your paid offer.

To create a good CTA, you can:

  • Use actionable words - Words like “ sign up,” “ download,” and “register” prompt action.
  • Make the benefit stand out -  Read this article to learn how to avoid common mistakes on social media.

An example of good CTA: benefit + actionable words

2. No hashtags

Instagram posts with at least one hashtag produce 12.6% more engagement.

Hashtags help you categorize your content among similar ones, which helps people to find you.

Using hashtags is important for LinkedIn, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. 

If you want to increase engagement and reach your target audience, don’t forget to include at least 5 relevant hashtags.

How to know what hashtags to use?

You can:

  • Research -  Type in your main keywords on Instagram with a hashtag, click on the post, and use the keywords.

Here is an example for the keyword “digital marketing.”

  • Use a hashtag tool - You can type the main keyword in a tool such as Kicksta, and it will list the hashtags that work well for that keyword.

3. Not using video format

Since the rise of TikTok, videos get more views and convert better. That is why it is important to use them when posting on platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram.

Videos appear more “raw” and less formal than writing. Adjusting the format to the app will help you make a community on that app faster and convert them into buyers.

Still, creating a good video is not just posing in front of the camera.

To create a good video that can become viral, you need to:

  • Provide value in the first 3 seconds - Grab the reader's attention by saying something like “ Did you know..”  stating a problem “ Social media can be overwhelming,” or short intro ( Here are the X tips for..)”.
  • Tell a story -  The video has to provide value to the viewer for them to watch it. Use the video format to show the person behind the brand or the behind-the-scenes of the product.
  • Use trendy songs - Trendy songs can help you become viral and get more views, so don’t forget to see which song has the most shares (Tik Tok and Instagram).
  • Edit it properly - Don’t forget to edit your video to look professional. You can do that easily using apps such as iMovie or CapCut.
  • Add captions -  Captions make it easier for the viewers to follow your story, so use them to keep your viewers watching.

4. Not interacting with the community

To build trust and convert your audience, you need to interact with them. The best interactions are in the comments, DMs, or stories.

Not interacting with your audience won’t form a community where you can position yourself or your brand as an expert. Plus, interacting with people can help you create posts in the future.

How can you use this interaction:

  • Answer a comment stating your biggest problem or concern about your product or service. Screenshot the interaction, create a post/story/video, and share the information.
  • Create a pool asking your audience about their opinion regarding the comment or your service/product.

5. Not posting regularly

Brands posting weekly on LinkedIn see an engagement rise by 2x.

Not posting regularly leads to people forgetting about you easily.

Plus, you can attract a potential buyer with every new piece of content.

Of course, you don’t have the time and inspiration to post every day, but you can make content in advance and just publish it.

A good option is to make a monthly content plan for every social media you plan to post on. In that way, you will be consistent with your content and not have a burnout.

To use your content to the fullest, try to repurpose content. How does that work?

If you want to sell a digital marketing course, you can teach your audience about the “ 10 most important lessons you wish you knew earlier regarding digital marketing”.

How to use one idea for multiple platforms?

  • Create a long post on LinkedIn
  • Post a shorter version on Facebook ‍
  • Create a carousel on Instagram‍
  • Create stories on Instagram‍
  • Create a TikTok

With one initial idea, you are able to create 5 posts. Elaborating on each of the lessons in future posts will keep you covered with content for a while.

Conclusion

Avoiding the most common mistakes businesses make on social media can help you achieve faster results.

One of the biggest challenges is creating engaging copy on every social media platform so that you convert your viewers into buyers.

Many businesses appear to be boring or aggressive when trying to sell their product while promoting their products/services.

Plus, knowing all the algorithms and trends and writing for different social media platforms can be time-consuming.

TextCortex can help you speed up the process of writing captions for social media.

How?

TextCortex is an AI writing assistant that can help you write engaging Instagram and YouTube captions in seconds.

It uses your input and trained use-case models to generate content that will sell.

You don’t have to waste time eliminating necessary words or thinking of CTAs.

To create an Instagram caption, all you need to do is:

  • Enter a few word idea into your textbox
  • Highlight the text, and hit long-form button

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Sign up for TextCortex for free, and create captions for your social media platforms that sell while you sleep.