When it comes to marketing your business, social media cannot be ignored. Some marketers are still closing their eyes and hoping social media goes away, while others aren’t keeping up with the ever-changing trends and suffer from F.O.M.O. (Fear Of Missing Out). Since things change so often in the online world, it’s important to always reevaluate and look at the social myths we once believed and debunk them. Today, I’m going to debunk three myths that I hear quite often!
1. Social media is impossible to measure Wrong. The first thing you have to think about is your overall goal with social media. Once you figure that out, it’s a lot easier to plan and then measure. Yes, it may be overwhelming to stare at four different pages of metrics, three different measurement tools, and have no sweet clue what means what. But, with the right investment, knowledge, and time, you can really learn a lot from your social media metrics. Having the right tools can go along way, so if you feel like your metrics mean nothing for you, start by looking at what tools you’re using and source some other options that will work better for your goals. 2. A social media strategy means using ALL the social platforms No! *slaps wrist* Put down the tumblr and the Snapchat! Yes, consumers are using all sorts of different platforms and it’s important to keep your eye on what’s popular, fresh and new, but that doesn’t mean you need to be on every single platform. Social media strategy begins by looking at your business and your customers and reaching them in a way that makes sense and where they are. It’s also looking at which platforms are intuitive for you and easy to use. If a platform is too confusing, leave it for a bit…or forever. Start with 1 or 2 platforms where your audience is and that make sense to you. ‘Get’ those ones first then consider expanding to another. If you’re a law firm, you absolutely do not need to be Pinteresting for the sake of Pinterest pins. Maybe Twitter isn’t even right for you! A good social strategy means using social media well, not just using it for the sake of using it. Focus your efforts where they will count and rock it. 3. Social media doesn’t generate leads I beg to differ. If you are using social media to generate leads, there are a few things to consider: Are you leading people to a landing page or website that converts? If you are trying to sell products, can people buy them online? If you are booking appointments, do you have an online calendar app on the landing page to convert? Are you being social on your platforms? Are you reaching out to people? Are you being a human? While some social media platforms may not specifically contribute to a “buy”, your consumers are actually shopping constantly on social media. Whether it’s scrolling through your Instagram feed and “liking” your product, or reading your websites blog, or sharing something your company posted on Facebook or LinkedIn, they are actually slowly being converted into customers…or strategic partners. Social media is one of the first places people go these days to really get to 'know' a company before they take the plunge. They want to know you’re legit, they want to know other people like you, and they want to get to know you before they buy. That’s the reality these days, so consider your social media presence to be one of your biggest tools to convert consumers into customers.
