I started some research on some of the ways people waste time on social media and came across a bunch of articles from the late 2000s discussing whether or not social was a big waste of time for businesses. It’s funny to look back on that time period now; social media was still a question rather than a statement.
There’s no question now that social media marketing is worthwhile for businesses. And since it’s relatively inexpensive to get started, it’s a perfect tool for small businesses and startups.
But just because social media is a way of life now, doesn’t mean you (or your employees) can’t waste time on it. In fact, there are more ways now than ever before that people lose time and productivity to social media time sucks which eat away at profits.
Here are the 10 biggest time wasters with regard to social media, and how to avoid each one.
1. Not Selecting a Focus
A huge trap I see business fall into every day is failing to pick a focus for their social media efforts. That is, they try to be everywhere at once and establish a presence on every social network there is. While it’s a good idea to set up profiles on every site to secure your brand name, you don’t need to be active on every site. In fact, doing so only cuts into time you have to spend on more efficient uses.
For starters, not every social media network is suited to every industry. If you don’t have an audience there, why bother spending time on it? You could also dilute your message if it’s spread across too many networks. For example, repurposing content is an effective way for content marketers to save time and make the most of every piece of content they create. Spread yourself too thin on social, however, and you’ll find you burn through your content a lot faster, without much effect. If you need more help figuring out which social networks are a good fit for your business, read “How to Determine Which Social Media Network Fits Your Business.”
