It was not very long ago when most marketers dubbed social media a “fad” that would soon die out. Fast-forward to today and 77% of Americans have a social presence of some kind, forcing more businesses adopt social media as part of their marketing strategy. Despite its popularity, there is still some vagueness about social media marketing, which is why so many myths exist to this day.
Below we have compiled a list of the most egregious social media marketing myths and ways you can combat them!
1. It’s simple
We hear it all the time – “Anyone can post to Facebook,” or a personal favorite, “My teenager is on Instagram, I’ll just have him/her run my business account!” And well, sure, this is true – anyone can post to Facebook, even your 16-year-old. Anyone can check the oil on a car, too. But if you want it done right and done well, you call in an expert.
Social media is much more than posting on a regular basis. If you want to see a return on your marketing efforts, you need to employ a strict and succinct strategy. You need to do A/B testing of posts and ads so you can get stellar and consistent results. You should know how to boost and run ads, but more on that later.
To put it simply, social media marketing is anything but simple
2. It’s free
Let me preface this with yes, having a social media account is free. However, employing a social media strategy that will work is not. The free ride is over and has been for quite some time now.
Most social media platforms, like Facebook, are pay-to-play. If you want to see sales increase or more traffic to your store/website, you need to run ads. While not every business or entrepreneur has a large budget to invest in online advertising, a little can go a long way. Social media ads continue to be one of the most cost-effective ways to target your audience and procure results.
3. You need a lot of followers
The size of your following is important and can attest to how well your online marketing is doing. However, you can have a smaller audience and still find success if you are connecting and engaging with your target audience. This way, you are able to turn people into longterm clients and advocates of your brand.
While the numbers help, they aren’t the end all to be all. All you need is a good amount of dedicated followers, rather than hundreds of thousands of passive followers who aren’t engaging or interested in your company.
4. You need to be on every single platform
This is false for a number of reasons. First, if your target audience isn’t on that platform, then your business doesn’t need to be either. Social media is all about the connection and the ability to interact with one another. You can’t build a relationship with your consumers on Pinterest if they prefer scrolling through Instagram.
Finally, being strategic and successful on social media takes time! You should only be on as many platforms as you are able to affectively manage. It’s not enough to put subpar content out on multiple platforms. Instead, you should be focusing on producing engaging content for only the platforms your fans are on.
5. I need to use a lot of hashtags
Unfortunately, hashtags are not the saving grace that so many marketers make them out to be. Hashtags are a simply a way of joining in on conversations your audience is already participating in. So while adding a handful in each post is a great way to find new followers who are already interested in your business, adding too many can be detrimental. It’s a rookie mistake that can directly affect your brand’s image and cheapen your social media marketing.
Need some help getting your business’ social off the ground? Contact us today to help!
