We all reach the point where the shine has worn off of our social media efforts. We feel like we’ve hit a wall and the much-hoped-for results don’t quite meet our expectations.
The rose-colored glasses come off and we’re not thrilled with what we see.
If you think your efforts are falling flat and that you aren’t getting all the bang for your buck, there are likely some issues that can be easily corrected. Here are six of the top things that could be dragging down your social media efforts and what you can do to correct the problems.
1. You think filtering is a bad thing. When you get started on the social media madness, you’ll be tempted to collect followers and fans with reckless abandon, sticking with the “more the merrier” way of thinking. But what you really need in social media is quality and not quantity.
Don’t be afraid to hit the “unfollow” button on users who have nothing useful to tweet about and unsubscribe from blogs you’ve lost interest in. If you joined a social network that has given you nothing for your efforts, stop visiting it. The key is to find networks that make you WANT to participate each day and see what’s new. If you aren’t interested and excited, then how can you expect your audience to be?
2. You don’t follow interesting tidbits. Timelines, readers and newsfeeds can be more of the same everyday, leaving you feeling like your in a rut. Start reading comments that people leave on Google+ or different blogs and you’ll find more people to connect with. Follow an interesting Twitter feed and take note of who responds. When you see that someone has added a link in a post, click on it and see where your curiosity leads you.
3. Close your mouth and listen up. You can’t just spread your links around like fertilizer and wait to see results. You need to venture out of your own realm and start reading what other people are saying. Click on someone else’s links., observe others’ conversations and take notes. When you actually take the time to observe, you’ll be amazed at the things you can learn.
4. Complete the social media cycle. It’s a simple cycle and it makes the social media world go round: listen, understand, contribute, converse, repeat.
Ask questions. Share posts from other users. Join in on a forum discussion about an industry topic. Share your knowledge with others. Raise awareness and funds for a cause that you care about. You can’t just take, take, take from social media. You need to give as well in order to become an integral part of it.
5. Don’t be afraid to hit the “off” switch. If something just isn’t working for you, stop. Take a break. If Facebook is not your friend this week, log off and come back another day. Is your blog not getting you where you want to go? Stop writing posts and start reading someone else’s.
Sometimes taking a breather is all it takes. Then you can come back with a fresh set of eyes and dive right in. Social media isn’t easy. Let’s face it, if it were people would’ve lost interest a long time ago. It takes effort to make it work the right way.
6. Apply what you’re reading to your situation. Sure, you can research with the best of them. You’re bookmarks are full-to-bursting with interesting tidbits about success in social media which you’ve gathered from all over. So, why isn’t it helping?
Each person and business is different. What works for one can be a complete bomb for another. Take what you’ve found and shape it into something that works for you. Cookie cutter advice needs to be molded to fit your needs, so you need to understand all of the things you’re reading about and put them into practice.
Social media is a fickle beast, but when you take the time to reflect on what you’re trying to accomplish you’ll be able to get yourself back on track. Don’t be afraid to shake things up and go against what your instincts are telling you.
Do you ever feel like you’re wading through a social media quagmire? What do you do to get yourself transpired? Share your thoughts and tips with us!
About The Author:
Dawn Pigoni of Be Social Worldwide is a certified social marketing specialist and a social media virtual assistant. Dawn offers superb social networking, social marketing and social bookmarking to WAHMs, Small Business Owners, Internet Marketers, Affiliate Marketers, and Coaches who desire to bring stunning internet presence through social networking to their businesses. Get Dawn’s free report, Social Networking today & see how she can assist you with being Social Worldwide!
