// WIDSIX WRITTEN WORD //

6 Signs Your Social Media Is Weak

Here at WIDSIX, we throw the phrase “your marketing is weak” around a lot. This came into being because we were seeing a shocking amount of truly awful advertising endeavors coming out of otherwise awesome, professional, respectable companies. The truth is, marketing is hard. We don’t fault you for that. In fact, we want to help you. But as we all know, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. And the problem we’re addressing today is social media presence (or lack thereof) that isn’t living up to its full potential. We know we can’t just throw around a phrase like “your social media is weak” without a way to back it up, so we’re creating this list of 6 Signs Your Social Media is Weak so you can self-diagnose and take those first steps towards rehabilitation.

1. Question marks appear above your head when words like “handle”, “hashtag”, or “story” come up

In order to use social media effectively, you actually have to have a working knowledge of social media. If you’re constantly hearing terms you aren’t familiar with in regards to social media management, this is a sure sign that you’re missing out on a lot of really valuable opportunities to promote your brand. An effective social media manager will constantly be updating their knowledge on new terms and features. A true social media expert knows they’re never done learning. 

2. You only use one or two platforms

You’re selling yourself short by limiting your reach to just one or two platforms. There could be a whole other audience out there that would be interested in what you have to offer, but simply aren’t aware of your existence because you don’t have a presence on their platform of choice. You should make it your goal to expand your reach to at least the big 3: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You should also probably develop your professional presence on LinkedIn as well. And since you can use the same daily post across all 3 platforms, there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be utilizing all of them. 

3. You post inconsistently and infrequently

Is your posting schedule a metaphorical chalkboard with the word “whenever” written on it? Creating your social media accounts is all well and good, but that alone isn’t going to drive results. Followers want consistency and value, and the best way to attract new followers is to continue putting your brand out there through your content. If you only post once a week, or once every other week, you’re not doing enough. Ideally you should start with three posts a week and increase from there with the demand. 

Once you get on a schedule, your audience will know when to expect your posts. Simply seeing your brand pop up on their feed consistently will plant a seed in their mind, which will continue to be watered as long as you post somewhat frequently. You can use social media management tools such as Hootsuite or Buffer to create a preset posting schedule that will automatically post your content at the times you set. This way, you can schedule all of your content out the week before so it’s all ready to go.

4. You have little to no engagement

No engagement usually signals that your audience isn’t getting the value they are seeking from your posts. People are most compelled to engage when they feel a camaraderie with your brand, and when you start experiencing consistent engagement, you’ll know that your content has succeeded in touching people’s hearts. The best way to increase engagement is to… well… engage. When your followers see you responding thoughtfully to others on your page, they will feel more comfortable and confident to begin interacting with your brand. This also shows them that you genuinely care about the happiness and satisfaction of your followers, so much so that you’re willing to read their comments and even reply. Sadly, not many brands do this. But this just means it’s even more important that YOU are one of the ones that does, and that you do it well.

5. The majority of your posts are ads

The quickest way to deter followers is to self-promote too frequently. While it may be true that your sole purpose of having a presence on Instagram is to advertise and grow your brand, and yes you will want to make posts promoting your product or service, this doesn’t mean you should neglect providing value that your followers crave. Your followers will get annoyed if you consistently shove your produce or service into their face in an obvious, shameless way. No one wants to be seen as just a number, they want to be recognized as an individual. Find a healthy balance between promotional content and content that your followers can get something out of in return. 

6. You can’t pinpoint what your audience wants 

If you’re missing the mark on what your followers want to see, odds are you won’t gain or retain many fans. Like we mentioned earlier, your followers want to be recognized as individuals, and so you must make them feel like individuals by giving them what they want without them having to ask. You should know your audience so damn well that it’s borderline creepy how well you can describe your average follower. 

Your social media is weak… but it doesn’t have to be

So you’ve read the entire guide, and you’re now sitting back in your chair thinking Well shit… my social media is weak. What now? Like we said, social media marketing is complicated and not easy by any stretch of the imagination. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to help you help yourself. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you found yourself identifying with any of the above… we’ve got your back.