Social media has been around for decades now. Which means using social media for promoting businesses, products and services isn’t new. Yet, many myths about social media marketing exist. We’re here to bust the most common myths about social media marketing.
Top 8 Social Media Marketing Myths
- Social media is free. This is true. It doesn’t cost anything to sign up for most social media platforms. However, when you consider the work involved, the learning curve, and the cost of plugins and other software that make it easier to manage and enhance your social media presence, it’s not free.
- The more exposure you have, the better your general social media profile. Most of your potential followers, friends and customers are not on 10 or 15 social channels. So, there is no reason for you to be everywhere, either. Instead, figure out your potential audience. Find out which channels they use and focus on those.
- You can’t measure success. Actually, you can. You just have to define “success” first. That means you need to consider your social media goals. Do you want to increase brand awareness? Increase sales? Improve your authority as a trusted source? Drive more traffic to your website? You can measure these metrics with software that tracks engagement, awareness, shares, and more.
- Content is king. This is absolutely true. Good content sets you apart. However, having great material has no benefit if no one reads it. You must promote your content, which means you must promote the platform where the content lives using your website, blog, and other channels.
- Followers and friends are the best measures of social media success. If your only goal is to have lots of followers and friends, this is true. However, if your social media goals include improving engagement, driving more visitors to your website, growing brand awareness, increasing sales or almost any other goal, getting lots of friends and followers isn’t enough.
- A social media presence will replace your website. There are limits to social media. Most platforms don’t let customers place orders. They are not appropriate for long-form content that can improve organic placement in search engine rankings. They don’t convey the depth and breadth of your products and services, or answer the question, “Why should I buy from your company?”
- A strong social media presence will replace the need to show up at networking events. Nothing beats in-person conversation. Go to trade shows, conventions and forums. This will increase your standing as an expert and put a name to the online face. People are more willing to trust someone they have seen in person.
- Social media is a fad for young people. Not true. You should not ignore its power if your target market is people approaching retirement or older. Seniors doubled their smartphone use since 2013, according to a Pew Research Center study. Demographics show that older technology users are better educated and more financially secure. These are great potential customers.
Get Answers to Your Social Media Questions
It is often hard to separate the myths from the facts when it comes to using social media marketing. But you can get help debunking the myths and choosing the right approach for your company. Call our firm today to learn how our social media consultants can help you.
