SOme Mistakes Nigerian businesses must avoid on social media

 

 
Social media is a bold new frontier for businesses big or small. While some businesses are doing great stuff and creating connections with their audience, some are not doing so well.

While the most talked about social media disasters are by big brands, this does not mean small businesses do not err on social media too, think about it, there are over 16 million Nigerians on Facebook and Instagram as of April 2017 has 700 million daily active users worldwide.

This large number of users on social media means is that your small business has an increased number of potential customers, however, this large number of people have such diverse backgrounds, beliefs, experiences and cultures that you have to be careful not to
alienate your customers.
While it is impossible to please everyone, there are some mistakes your small business can and should avoid, here are 6 of such mistakes.

1. Insensitivity

Inasmuch as social media encourages brands to be informal and more risque than traditional communication, you still need to be careful not to come off as rude or insensitive. If you are being humorous, go for self-deprecation rather than snarky replies or as they are better known, ‘clapbacks’. While clapbacks will get you retweets, shares and LOLs, you could come off as rude and insensitive.

2. No focus

You do not have to be on every social media platform. Find the one that works best for you brand or that your potential customers use and focus on that. Being everywhere can be a little too overwhelming for your target customers.

3. Inconsistency

Creating a brand is a long con, same for creating a social media following. Social media users can be fickle, so keeping your business off social media for a long time is a huge mistake. Be consistent about posting. Do not post in sporadic bursts.

4. Bad grammar

Proofread all your posts. No text speak, you are not talking to your buddy. Bad grammar reflects off your brand, your customers will think if you can not write good sentences then you can’t provide good products or services. Use spellcheck and get a second pair of eyes to look at posts before publishing.

5. Silence

Social media is about interaction. Communicate with the people, communicate with brands. If there are questions about your brand, respond quickly and do not be condescending in your response.

6. Hashtag Abuse

While using a trending hashtag in your posts will get more people to see your post, if the hashtag is unrelated to your post or your business then do not do it. Watch what trends and see if it reflects your business. #NoToHashtagAbuse