6 Common Social Media Misconceptions

Are you considering taking on social media marketing? Here are six common misconceptions about the medium that you should know before starting.?

1. Content doesn’t matter it only matters how often you post

I’ve regularly run into folks who think that quantity wins over quality. In the early days of social media, constantly posting could give you a boost (think Buzzfeed’s business model) but Buzzfeed isn’t currently pulling the kinds of numbers they used to, in part, because people are looking for content they like, not content that just clogs up their timelines. If you’re only posting content to have something to post that day, reconsider your social media strategy and see if you can figure out a way to post content that’ll mean more to your followers.?

2. If there’s content on your page, there will be engagement?

Just like constantly posting won’t lead to more followers, having a lot of content on your page will also not lead to an equal amount of engagement on your page. To get more engagement, you need to be an active presence on your page. See what people enjoy in your area and post about that. See what your followers care about and give them that content. And, most importantly, share that content with other pages or community groups!

3. You only have to post regularly on your page to reach new followers

As mentioned above, only posting content to your page will not get you engagement or followers. The only people who will be seeing that content are people who already like or follow your page or people who are followers of people who share your content to their page. This means that organic growth isn’t going to happen on its own—you have to be proactive in seeking out new followers. So how can you get new followers? Engage with your page regularly. Ask friends and family to like and follow your page and to also share it with their followers. And, let your customers know by word of mouth that you have a social media page they should check out for deals, promotions, and tips from your industry. Let people know that you exist and give them reasons why they should follow you.

4. Social Media takes more time than it is worth?

Perhaps after seeing everything that a successful social media presence requires you’re thinking that social media seems like more trouble than it is worth. You may feel it takes too long to see results, and that direct marketing will give you the numbers you want more quickly. The truth is that nowadays customers are developing immunity against traditional marketing and advertising. Think about the way you make a decision to purchase a product or service. Do you go with the first company you see that offers the service or product you’re looking for? Do you see an ad and immediately call to schedule a service or type in your credit card info to buy the product they’re selling? Or, do you instead look at customer reviews or ask for the opinion of someone you trust before buying? It’s said that a customer needs 6-8 marketing touches to take action. Social media is a great medium for those 6-8 touches. If a customer is familiar with your business, they are more likely to pick your business. If a customer trusts your company, you will likely be the company they always choose. Social media personalizes a company, puts a face to the name, and people are more comfortable doing business with a person rather than an advertisement.??

5. If you’re not seeing results right away, you’ve failed at social media?

This is by far the most common misconception that I run into with clients. Their Facebook Ad could have a reach of over 5,000 but, if it isn’t leading to their phones ringing or their sales increasing, they think that the ad has failed. Their page could have a post reach upwards of 7,000, but if they’re not seeing a ton of engagement on every post they think their socials are dead. But, they haven’t failed at social media. In fact, I’d say they are doing pretty well. You don’t have to go viral or have an explosion in phone calls to succeed at social media marketing. Social media is a slow burn—you aren’t going to get a like on every post or a sale from every ad. However, if you’re doing it right, you are going to reach people, and those people could lead to a sale or a phone call months from now. Think of social media like a billboard. It gives your business top-of-mind awareness and provides those 6-8 marketing touches I mentioned earlier. You may not see the fruits of your labor right away, but that doesn’t mean that effort was wasted. You’ve planted the seeds and you’ll see the growth eventually. Exposure accumulates in time.?

6. Anyone with a social media account can do social media?

The final misconception I’ll leave you with is that anyone with a social media account can do social media marketing. This just isn’t true. Anyone can learn how to do social media marketing, but just like any other skill, it takes training and consistent dedication to be successful at it. If you want to learn more about social media marketing, check out our page for more tips, tricks, and advice for you to follow!?