Embarrassed about your social media?

Whether social media makes you want to post a selfie or hide under your duvet, it’s here to stay. And in today’s world, few businesses can reach their full potential without a presence on the platforms we all know and love (or hate).

The good news is that whatever barriers you’re facing when it comes to embracing your social media marketing, you can overcome them. But first you need to recognise where you’re going wrong, remember where you’re coming from and clarify what you want to achieve.

What’s holding you back?

If you’re sticking your head in the sand when it comes to social media marketing, it’s worth considering why that is. Because while your instinct might be to fade into the invisible, what your business needs is to be seen.

Do you feel like you’ve got nothing to say, or scared that what you do say won’t be good enough? Is that voice in your head saying you’ll get negative comments or no comments or likes at all?

You can’t control what other people think, and you can’t please everyone, but you can stay true to yourself and your brand identity. Be clear on who you are and why you’re using social media and well, let them be the judge.

You will always feel too busy to post on social media and may find yourself wondering whether it’s worth the effort. But remember that results from social media marketing campaigns take time, especially in B2B. Your approach doesn’t have to be large scale, complicated or require a big budget — devise a simple plan and follow it.

Top tips to banish embarrassment from social media marketing

You’ve probably already made some mistakes and you’ll almost certainly make some more. The key is to adopt a growth mindset and see mistakes as a positive. Making mistakes is how we learn, how we grow, and how we gain important insights — accept the challenge! Focus on the facts, analyse the data your social media accounts provide and use it to adjust your approach.

Mistakes make us human and, fortunately, that makes us more likeable to other humans, so see it as an advantage.

That said, being aware of a few dos and don’ts will help you get off to a good start, or turn your existing social media marketing into something you’re proud to put out there:

• People are most interested in themselves so focus on them — it’s not about you!

• Avoid posting at the wrong time of day. If your target audience do the school run, don’t post at 3pm when they’re all offline.

• Be clear on what you’re trying to achieve and adapt your posts accordingly — if you want to start a conversation, ask a question. If you want to promote your business more directly, post a testimonial.

• Hashtags help people find your content and help you connect with the right audience. Use them.

• Consider new followers a bonus but remember there’s more value in developing deeper connections with your existing audience.

• Respond to comments, engage with other people’s posts, and share content that fits with your values — it’s meant to be social, so imagine you’re having a conversation in the pub.

• It’s easy for social media marketing to fester at the bottom of your to-do list when you’re busy, but it’s important to be consistent and post regularly.

• Focus on quality over quantity — nobody likes someone who talks too much about nothing much.

Simple questions to re-set your social media marketing strategy

Before you begin or refresh your social media marketing plan, get back to basics and make sure you’ve got absolute clarity on where you’re coming from. Be honest with yourself.

Who are you, anyway?

Have a dig at the foundations of your brand. What is your purpose — what is the meaningful reason why your brand exists? What are your values, and what makes you unique? What do you want your customers to experience when they interact with you?

Who are you talking to?

Sit down and have a cuppa/G&T with your ideal client persona — revisit and clarify exactly who you’re trying to reach. Remind yourself who they are, what’s important to them, and why they need to know you. The masses can think what they like — focus on the demographic you’re trying to connect with.

What are you giving your audience?

Before you create content, be clear on the impact you want it to have. Are you aiming to inform, entertain, educate, or inspire? People engage with social media when there’s something in it for them. What can you give them to make their lives easier or better?

It’s okay to ask for help!

The best way to shed any embarrassment and embrace social media marketing is to focus on your purpose, your audience and remember the social in social media — pretend you’re making friends at a party! Be human.

But if social media marketing just isn’t your thing, consider investing in training or support. You’re an expert in your field and great at what you do. There’s no harm in working with a social media marketing professional who’s great at what they do and can help you find, reach, and spark meaningful connections with your ideal customers.

If you’re ready to take flight with purposeful social media marketing but need help figuring out where to start, get in touch.