Between the odd spelling mistake and the accidental repost, mistakes on social media are kind of customary.

But when the singular slip becomes a standard slide … It's time to admit that you have a bit of a posting problem.

So, content creators, if it's not just your Halloween posts that are giving you a fright this spooky season, then you've come to the right place.

media update's Lara Smit is helping you put your fears to rest and correct those common blunders here:

1. You're not keeping your target audience in mind

Content creators, it's so easy to get lost in your ideas of what you think a platform should do and how it should look. However, when you do this, you often lose sight of who it's really all for — your brand's target audience.

So, although you may have a content idea that you're dying to execute, it's important to ask yourself, "Does this content speak to my target audience?"

If the answer is, "No," then bank the idea until the opportunity arises where you are creating content for an audience it will appeal to.


2. There is too much focus on the brand

Content creators, you specialise in subtlety. However, you still sometimes slip into a 'salesy' mode of creation where you push a product or service a bit too much in your content. This type of content tends to deter potential customers who are seeking to invest in the values and purpose of a brand instead of just a product or service.

Therefore, you should always try to avoid making a hard sell while still subtly promoting a brand. And how can you do that?

Simple: You should create content that relates to the brand's industry and, ultimately, benefits the consumer.

So, instead of creating content that speaks directly about a brand's products, a content creator should focus on creating posts that show consumers how the product can add value to their lives.


3. You're forgetting the tone and style of the brand

Between writing for multiple brands and your own individual style and tone of voice, it's actually quite easy for you to slip into a style that doesn't match the brand that you are producing content for.

Content creators, in order to keep producing content that matches the style and tone of the brand that you are creating it for, you should constantly refamiliarise yourself with the brand.

You can do this by:
  • reviewing old content on their website and social platforms
  • revisiting the brand’s style guide or creating a style guide for your own reference, and
  • refamiliarising yourself with the brand’s aim, purpose, values, goals and target audience.


4. The same content style is on all platforms

A common mistake that content creators make is that they take a one-size-fits-all approach to their strategies and create the same content for their various platforms.

However, every social media platform has its own:
  • purpose
  • content types, and
  • audience.
Therefore, content creators should have a niche approach to producing content for each individual platform. This is to ensure that it matches these three unique aspects of the platform.


5. You're using the wrong hashtags

Hashtags are a great way to improve the searchability of your posts and categorise your content to appeal to your target audiences.

But, there are a few faux pas when it comes to using these nifty devices.

Examples of these include:
  • Using too many hashtags: This harms your credibility in the social space. Rather stick to a few concise tags to boost your post.
  • Employing generic hashtags: These tags unfortunately allow your content to get lost in the sea of posts that also make use of them.
  • Applying unrelated hashtags to your posts: This also harms your online image and makes your brand come across as unreliable.


6. There is no call to action

A Call To Action (CTA) is one of the most critical parts of creating content. Why?

CTAs guide the user process by telling them exactly how they should respond or react to your content.
Therefore, users are less likely to take action on or as a result of a post if it does not have a CTA.

So, content creators, always make sure that your content has a CTA that asks users to:
  • share
  • like
  • comment
  • click on a link, and / or
  • visit a website in your bio.


7. You don't engage with comments

Engagement is one of the key goals that every content creator should have for their posts.

Not only is engagement a key indicator of the success of your content, but it also helps you to form relationships with audiences on behalf of a brand.

But some content creators still shy away from getting involved in conversations with users who comment on their posts.

Content creators, whether you are introverted or extroverted, it is one of the most important parts of your job to respond to comments on social media. This is to:
  • thank users for their input
  • confirm or politely correct their perceptions of the post
  • guide conversations about relevant topics, and
  • answer any queries that they may have.


8. Things are just too formal

Although the content that you create for a business online should always have an air of professionalism, some content creators miss the social media mark by producing posts that are a little too prim and proper.

Social media is, in essence, a social space, and content creators should keep in mind that people enter into these spaces looking for connections and relatively casual interactions.

Therefore, it is important that they keep things professional while also using an informal tone to ensure that their content doesn't stick out like a sore thumb on these platforms.


9. There's too much copy and too few graphics

Content creators, you may think that your copy speaks volumes about the brand that you are creating posts for.

But your content may actually be falling a bit short without the added pizazz of an image or a video.

In fact, according to the Digital School of Marketing, posts that contain graphics like images and videos get twice as much engagement as those that don't.

So creators, what will it be: copious copy or a short punchy paragraph with a picture?


10. The page is unoriginal

In the social space, the sheer amount of content alone makes it quite tricky to create cutting-edge content — we know. And in the expanse of trends and similar social posts, your posts can easily disappear into the abyss of average.

For this reason, it is crucial for creators to not make the mistake of mimicking other content — even if it's performing really well on the original page.

Instead, creators should make posts that are striking and distinct, which will allow their brands to stand out in the crowds.

Be an innovator, not a follower!

What do you think are other common mistakes that content creators make? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Content creators, you may think you're a 10 in the social scene, but there are a few things that you’re doing that are bringing your score down. Want to find out what they are? Then be sure to read our article, You're a 10 but … a social media edition.
*Image courtesy of Canva