Social Media

Avoiding Pitfalls: Key Mistakes to Steer Clear of in Social Media Marketing

Avoiding Pitfalls: Key Mistakes to Steer Clear of in Social Media Marketing

Tackling social media marketing can sometimes feel a bit like navigating through London’s foggy streets – a bit mystifying but full of potential if you know the way. Here at Guided Creative, nestled in the bustling heart of St. James’s, we’ve seen a fair share of pitfalls and triumphs. Let’s pull back the curtain and have a candid chat about common blunders in social media marketing and how to avoid them, all based on our first-hand experiences with businesses just like yours.

Not Having a Clear Plan – It’s Like Setting Off Without an A-Z Map

Jumping into social media without a plan is akin to setting off on a journey without an A-Z map. Remember that local bakery around the corner? They came to us with a haphazard posting schedule and saw little in return. Once we got a solid strategy in place, they began to see real engagement blossoming on their platforms.

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Balancing Your Time: How Much Should UK Businesses Invest in Social Media Marketing?

Balancing Your Time: How Much Should UK Businesses Invest in Social Media Marketing?

“Right, let’s talk about time and social media,” you might say, sitting comfortably in your office in the bustling heart of St. James’s, London. As you ponder over your digital marketing strategies, a question often pops up: “How much time should I be spending on social media marketing?” It’s a question we at Guided Creative hear often, and the answer, my friend, is not as straightforward as one might hope. Let’s unravel this together.

Understanding Your Unique Needs

Every business is different, and so are its social media needs. A hip new start-up in the tech sector will have different requirements compared to a well-established law firm. Your goal defines your time investment. Are you looking to build brand awareness, or are you nurturing an already engaged audience?

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Is Social Media Marketing Right for You?

Is Social Media Marketing Right for You?

Social media can no longer be ignored, even by traditional marketing agencies and old-school businesses. But before you make the plunge into this powerful but often misunderstood marketing tactic, ask yourself these 7 important questions.

Can you have a conversation? I recently saw a wall comment posted to a major clothing retail chain’s Facebook page, questioning whether the company was going out of business. As of today, the comment still has not been responded to. Obviously, they are not interested in having a conversation or managing their brand reputation for that matter. If you want to do social media, make sure you have the time to listen and respond, not just push out content.

Do you have the time? Managing a Twitter or Facebook account can easily suck hours of productivity from an aimless employee charged with the task of managing it. Are you willing to invest the necessary time but able to limit fruitless, unproductive chatter? Are you able to commit to the long haul? Social media is more of a commitment than a campaign. If you start, expect to finish and stick with it for the long run.

Are you saying anything worth listening to? If you’re thinking of using Facebook updates as another channel for press releases or pure advertising, think again. Your friends and followers will quickly see through this sham. The key is to strive for interactions. If your updates contain only push content (e.g. “Come buy our new widgets!”), your followers will quickly tire. Much can be accomplished by transforming push into pull content (e.g. “Please comment with your opinion on our new widget!”)

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