There is a lot of misunderstanding when it comes to using social media to market your business. There is an expectation that it is going to garner you business overnight or in the very near future. Social Media works differently for different types of businesses. Having a social media presence is vital much like having a yellow page listing was back in the old days. People can’t do business with you if they can’t find you or know that you exist. So, let’s discuss some of these common social media marketing myths.
Social Media Marketing Myths
1 I don’t have time to do social media marketing – What do you have time for? Yes, it does take time to market your business. It does not have to take all your time though. It becomes a matter of making time for it. We make time for things we deem important to us and the things we like to do. So, if you don’t have time then either you do not value marketing or you do not like to do it. There is value in using social media to market your business. It is a great tool to get your message in front of the many Facebook, Twitter, Instagram users who could be looking for the product or service you offer. They can’t do business with you if they do not know you exist. Not liking it can be addressed by either changing your perspective (seeing the value) or hiring somebody to do it for you. Just be sure you hire a professional and not your next-door neighbor’s best friend’s niece just because she is young and likes to play on these platforms.
2 I have been posting on Facebook and I am not getting any results – This could be the result of several things. The type of content you are posting and how you are determining results. If you are not posting content that is interesting to your audience then they are not going to engage with your posts and Facebook will not see it as being relevant enough to show it organically to a larger portion of your audience. The content you post must be about your audience, what they value, like, find interesting and not what you want them to know. Posts that overly promote your product or service is not compelling. Ads is what you use to promote your product or service. Determining your results is not about looking for a direct correlation between posts and people contacting you about your business. Many think that there is a direct correlation, I call it the I posted but the phone did not ring syndrome. Facebook marketing is a process and involves being consistent. In fact, marketing in general is a process and produces long term results. In other words, future sales but you must keep at it and not quit after a few months.
3 I do not care about engagement and reach all I care about is an increase in business – There are some who feel engagement, reach and all the other metrics do not matter unless it produces sales. There are 2 types of sales, transactional and relationship. Social Media marketing is about building relationships that leads to sales. The stronger the relationship the better the sales. If you are a locally owned business and you are not marketing your business on social media, then you are leaving money on the table.
4 I should not have to pay Facebook, so more people see my posts – Facebook ads remain one of the most affordable ways to advertise your business. Many business owners are used to ads costing a specific dollar amount but with Facebook ads you set the budget, so you only spend what you decide is your budget. While google ads, print, TV and radio can cost thousands, you do not have to spend that much to get results on Facebook. You should have a strategy when placing ads so you get the most results for your budget.
5 My customers are not on social media – in rare cases that may be true, but this is usually said by those who feel only a younger demographic uses social media. You do need to choose the platform that best suites your target audience. You do not have to do all of them. Start with one and build from there so that in time you have a social media presence.
If you are not marketing your business on Social Media, we highly recommend that you educate yourself or hire a professional because people can’t do business with you if they do not know you exist. You can learn more about our services at Social Media Services
