Marketing myth busting: social media.
The social media landscape changes on the daily, but it’s important to identify fact from fable in order to create an effective social media strategy.
So, let’s get debunking!
When it comes to social, don’t expect amazing results overnight.
Social media marketing takes time. It takes time to build a presence, a community, connection, and trust. Then brands can establish a foundation for ongoing business relationships and foster them continuously on an ongoing basis.
So, scrap the idea that it’ll work wonders and give you an audience of millions in a matter of days.
Just because there are lots of platforms out there, doesn’t mean you need to be on them all. Take a sigh of relief er’body!
Research the networks that you think will work best for you and your customers. You should only devote time and resources to the platforms that align most with your audience and marketing tactics.
Use data to identify which marketing activities yield the best results — if a social network isn’t working for you, cut it loose and say toodle-loo.
Regular posting is important, but too much can be as damaging as too little as it will get on everybody’s nerves. Use a social media planner or scheduler to plan your posts so you can post on a regular basis but not continuously. A plan will help you visualise what’s going out and when, so you can keep tabs on your frequency.
When it comes to social media posting, it’s a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Your frequency has got to be just right.
For some strange reason, most people believe that hashtags belong in every single social media post. There’s also a strange belief that pretty much every single bloody word should be hashtagged too.
Let’s set the record straight…
The point of hashtags is that they join together common conversation threads. So, while it’s nice to have a hashtag for an event, like a webinar or a trade show, don’t lose your mind if it doesn’t become a trending topic.
The same applies when it comes to hashtagging random words or your company name. Only hashtag relevant words people will be following or searching for that’ll help your posts be seen. Think of hashtags as a way of being user-friendly for those following the hashtag, not a way to make all your marketing dreams come true.
A big social media following doesn’t always spell success. It’s much better to grow your network steadily with the right audience. As we mentioned above, social is a long game, not a quick win.
Sometimes all it takes is a small following of the right people for your network to grow organically.
With the idea of being more likable comes the misconception that social media is far too informal for business. Wrong.
The beauty of social media for business is that you can be more human and show a different side to your business that isn’t often represented by other media or collateral. If you’re still skeptical, why not try a more professional platform like LinkedIn? Measure your success and see if it’s for you.
We don’t blame you, really. The social media world is a confusing place.
Whilst we hope our blog has been of some use, we totally understand if you’re still unsure about social media.
But don’t worry! At Purpose Media, we have a dedicated team of social media experts who live and breathe social media. Much like Merlin himself, these social media wizards can magic up a storm and help you reap the rewards of social media. Plus, they’re always happy to advise on what’s real and what’s not when it comes to social myths.
For more information about social media marketing, give our team a call. Who you gonna’ call? SOCIAL-MYTH-BUSTERS! (Too far? Yeah, we thought so too…)