For many businesses, social media is that magic wand that helps them achieve a big percentage of their marketing and sales goals.
But not everyone is this successful. During a recent Statista survey, 81% of marketers said social media gave them more exposure, 71% mentioned increased traffic, and 62% pointed to lead generation. But here’s the thing: only 46% said it actually boosted sales. This means more than half didn’t see direct sales from social media.
If that sounds familiar, don’t panic. It doesn’t mean social media “doesn’t work.” It usually means there’s a missing piece in the strategy. The good news is that whatever it is, it’s definitely fixable.
Let’s explore some common areas brands overlook in this article.
OmniChannel Marketing
The first thing that could be affecting your strategy is your marketing approach. Are you treating your different social media accounts like separate islands with no connection between them?
Here’s the thing: your customers should have the same seamless and consistent experience on your Instagram as on your Facebook, X, TikTok, and even your website.
Incidentally, quite a few business owners think that being on social media is enough and don’t bother with having a website. Big mistake. If this is you, the good news is that you can create a website and have it up and running in just a few minutes by using an AI website builder.
According to Hocoos, tools like this allow you to build a professional website that showcases your expertise, no coding or design experience needed.
With your website up and live, the goal is to create a seamless flow among all your channels. Your brand voice, your core messaging, everything needs to be consistent everywhere you can be found. That’s what omnichannel marketing is all about.
User-Generated Content
Did you know that your audience doesn’t trust those glossy, brochure-like ads on your social media pages as much as they trust real customers sharing their own experience? This could be a photo of them using your product, a quick video review, or a shoutout in a comment.
That’s the power of user-generated content (UGC), and if it’s missing, your social media strategy is incomplete.
Deloitte’s 2023 Digital Media Trends states that 50% of shoppers rely on UGC to discover new products and services they didn’t know before, with 40% more likely to buy after watching a creator or everyday user review it first.
What does that mean for you? No matter how clever your ads or how eye-catching your graphics, what your fans say carries more weight. So, start curating and celebrating user content. Run a hashtag contest, share customers’ photos and videos on your feed. It’s not just free, it’s incredibly effective.
Influencer Marketing
That people now prefer user-generated content to influencer marketing doesn’t make influencer marketing less effective. It’s still a great tool to have in your social media marketing kit. However, to get more results, you may want to focus on micro or niche influencers.
These are people who have built a deep, loyal connection in a smaller, more dedicated group. Yes, they have a smaller reach, but their engagement is often through the roof. In fact, they usually have a much better engagement than those with millions of followers, mostly because they’re small enough to take your business personally.
If you’re ready to start leveraging influencer marketing, be sure to work only with people who are genuinely interested in your products. This genuine interest will translate into how they recommend your products to their followers.
Social Proof
Remember what we said earlier? People don’t always believe what a brand says about itself. But they do believe what actual users say about the brand. That’s why social proof, including reviews, testimonials, and ratings, is so important.
Need more proof (pun intended)? According to PwC, as many as 32% of shoppers say that they typically check other customers’ reviews before making any purchase decision. Evidently, reviews, whether on your social media or website, can impact your sales efforts.
So, what can you do to make this work for your business?
- Make reviews easy to find on all your websites.
- Share glowing testimonials on your social feeds.
- Highlight case studies in email campaigns.
Here’s the thing: even if some of these reviews are negative, share them. You can use this opportunity to reply and correct any negative impression about your company.
Tracking and Analytics
Every point we’ve discussed here is pointless if you’re not listening to what the data is telling you. Sadly, this is one area many businesses skip.
If you’re not diving into your tracking and analytics to understand the why behind the what, you’re likely missing out on important insights that could help you better optimize your social media strategy.
Tracking and analytics go way beyond just following the count or number of likes. It’s about which posts drive traffic, which ads convert, and which pieces of UGC get the most saves.
Here’s exactly how the CMO Club puts it:
“Social media analytics can be the North Star for marketing teams, leading to strategic decision-making and optimized results.”
The takeaway: pay attention to what the data is saying because that’s the only way to know what’s working and what isn’t.
What’s Your Missing Piece?
Social media is not just about posting and chasing trends; it’s about turning dialogue into success, and the only way to achieve this is by identifying what’s missing in your strategy.
- Is your message inconsistent across all your channels?
- Are you leveraging UGC?
- Are you partnering with the right influencers?
- What does your social proof look like?
- Are you following the data?
Answering these questions will help you determine what’s missing in your strategy so that you can take steps to make things right.
