It's the social media campaign that begins like fireworks in the night sky before fizzling like birthday candles beneath a fire sprinkler.
Splashy blogs go months without updates. Companies won't interact with customers beyond Facebook (Nasdaq:FB) or Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).
But experts insist there are simple ways businesses can avoid these common social media pratfalls and focus on successful digital marketing.
Clayton Mitchell, a digital sciences consultant at Vancouver-based Powershifter, said businesses often don't follow through on social media campaigns if they don't see instant results.
That's easy to fix, he said, if companies set realistic goals when marketing online.
"They think creating a Facebook page is a goal. It's not – it's a tactic designed to accomplish something," Mitchell said, adding that companies first must know what they want to accomplish.
Chris Breikss, president of Vancouver's 6S Marketing, said many business owners lack confidence in their social media skills. Instead, they hand the reins to a young whippersnapper – often the lowest-paid employee.
"They don't necessarily empower them with the budget or the training to help them be successful, and their expectations are through the roof," he said.
But even if goals are set and employees are qualified, October 17 Media's Tamara Brooks said companies often commit the blunder of using social media purely as a sales tactic.
"Straight away, every post they're putting out there is based on what they want to get from the people reading the post rather than the opposite, which is providing content and worthy information to the people that are fans and followers."
Brooks added that online community building through sharing useful content is critical to the success of social media marketing.
Meanwhile, Mitchell believes companies must also use platforms other than just Twitter and Facebook.
He said websites like Yelp, where customers post comments about their experiences, allow businesses to "pay attention to [clients], respond to them, be sort of interactive in that way."
Breikss said social media also allows companies to target clients more precisely than print or broadcast.
For instance, hotels can interact with potential customers better on websites like TripAdvisor or Expedia, which are specifically designed for travellers.
While the service industry stands to gain from instant interaction with clients, there is less of a return on investment for business-to-business (B2B) companies when it comes to digital marketing.
"It can be difficult to attract [via social media] the decision-maker on the other side of the fence," Brooks acknowledged.
Meanwhile, shipping giant Maersk has 1.7 million likes on Facebook – the same amount as online discount-deals provider Groupon.
Mitchell said the key to Maersk's success is tapping into enthusiasts looking for pictures and stories of daily life on a freighter.
These shipping devotees might not sign contracts with Maersk but, Mitchell said, the company's social media presence bolsters its brand recognition worldwide.
When it comes to costs, Breikss said a B2B company should allocate 5% of revenue to marketing while a business-to-consumer company should spend 15%.
In both cases, half of that budget should be invested in digital efforts.
No matter what, effective social media marketing takes strategic thinking, according to Mitchell.
"And strategic thinkers don't typically get paid $12 an hour."
Mitchell added that companies must either research social media vendors thoroughly or be willing to send in-house staff to classes for training.
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