The Pitfalls of DIY Social Media Marketing

The use of social media is now a must for any business -regardless of its size.  Both Joe's Pizza Parlor on the corner of Main and Sycamore in Anytown, USA, and the franchise giant, Pizza Hut, must employ social media as part of their strategic communications and marketing strategies.  Trust me when I say that Pizza Hut has an extensive social media marketing plan based on research.  They also have dedicated resources to manage their social media marketing efforts.  Every post and tweet by Pizza Hut is calculated and follows their extensive strategic communications plan.  The posts by Joe, the owner of Joe's Pizza Parlor, are random, unplanned, and inconsistent.  And, because they are not synchronized with a carefully developed plan, they may actually harm Joe's sales.   Here are some pitfalls to avoid when employing do-it-yourself (DIY) social media to support your business:

1. Do not simply jump in.  If you cannot swim, you probably should not jump off of a ship into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  When it comes to social media marketing, the same premise holds true.  Without guidance, reliance on a comprehensive strategic communications and marketing plan, and without the requisite knowledge of social media, DIY social media operations can actually hurt your sales.  Mastering social media for professional marketing is not a simple undertaking.  Consult with experts, and always have and follow a comprehensive plan for all of your professional communication efforts.

2. Don't get personal.  One of the first things you learn in business is to keep your personal finances and business finances separate.  When it comes to personal and professional social media activities, the same holds true.  Do not post irrelevant family photos on your Facebook business page.  Better yet, do not communicate anything that is personal in nature on any social media platform you employ on behalf of your business.  Business is business.  And, when it comes to social media marketing for your business, nothing should be personal.

3. Realize your limitations. 
I doubt that you would represent yourself in a court of law should you be charged with a crime.  Your freedom is too important.  Although the situation may not be as dramatic, I assume your business is important.  Do not simply take it upon yourself to manage your social media marketing efforts without a strategic communications and marketing plan and without consultation with experts in that field.  It can become a nightmare when you do not truly know what you are doing.  You run your business for a reason.  And, one of the reasons is to succeed.  Using social media marketing for success requires expertise in the execution of a planned strategy.  If your DIY social media marketing means running it by the seat of your pants, that is definitely not a recipe for success.

When DIY becomes an SOS, you can count on Concierge PA.