The world of social media has exploded in the last decade, opening a new world for marketing. Pay close attention to online market research, however. As companies venture out into this strange new world, many commit gross errors which could harm the company’s interests.
Delegating to Juniors
Typically, younger people have a better grasp on newer technological evolutions than their elders. Facebook was originally targeted for college students and teenagers until it exploded into a worldwide phenomenon. The “older” generation often has a more difficult time getting a good grasp on all the newfangled changes in the world.
However, just because your junior staff has the knowledge doesn’t mean they have the experience. When delegating your social media managers, be sure to find the balance between knowledge and experience. Technologically and Internet savvy young people are often still greatly lacking in business finesse, which can spell near-ruin for your company.
Lack of Effort
Social media is about building relationships with your customers. No matter how trivial they are, relationships take effort. Many companies make the mistake of creating a social media presence but never attending it. This can have disastrous results, especially when it comes to resolving customer complaints.
Delayed Response
Social media allows you to interact with the customer in a way like no other. The downside of this is the customers’ expectations for you to stay on top of things. The Internet world moves quickly, and it doesn’t take long for something to go “viral.” Whether it’s a customer complaint or an incident that happened, a response must be forthcoming. A quick response in just a few words is far better than a delayed one that is articulated.
End Dates
The Internet world is constantly evolving, and so should you be. Social media campaigns are not the same as print ones and should not be treated so. When a print campaign ends, that’s the end of it. You got the word out and that’s it. Social media goes much farther than simply “getting the word out,” however. Your campaign may end, but be careful not to lose everything that you’ve just built up just because it’s the end date.
False Advertising
In social media, you’ll meet some of your most critical clients: the people. This world of technologically-savvy Internet users is also very shrewd. People expect a measure of dishonesty, if you will, in a TV commercial. It is not, however, accepted in online forums. Beware of hiring “actors” to pose as customers, giving false testimonies about your product or company. They will most certainly be found out, and the ripple of disapproval could seriously damage your interests.