Social Media Doesn't Replace...

Believe it or not, social media can't do everything (surprise, surprise). Sarcasm aside, you get the most out of social media marketing when it is integrated into a comprehensive business strategy. While social media is a two-way street for communication-- a direct line to your customer-- it is not meant to replace all other channels of communication and interaction. Before you rely solely on social media to be your connection to your customers, keep in mind that it does not replace:

? A Good Product

While marketing can help facilitate the initial sales of a product, you won't see continuous sales over the long term if it ultimately doesn't stand up to expectations. If you buy vitamin tablets to give you healthy, shiny hair, but your hair doesn't look any different after applying it for the recommended time, then you won't re-purchase. If you sign up to work with a social media manager to post 20 posts a month but they only post 10 times a month, you won't continue with their services. If you buy wall stickers that keep peeling off of the wall, you're not buying that pack again.

Good social media marketing will get a product and service in front of its intended audience far beyond what it would reach locally. With the social aspect being front and center, it's a natural forum for supporters to gush about what they've purchased and loved through sharing. The other side of the equation is if your product or service does not live up to expectations, users will be much quicker to air our their frustrations for the entire social media world to see. The backlash can be more of a tidal wave since social media is about earning the trust of your audience, which could go sour if you offer something that looks pretty and shiny but doesn't actually work. One wrong move can swiftly wipe out the reputation of any business.

? Face-to-face Interactions

After the world was at a standstill for two years, we were all more than ready to mingle in the flesh again. Social media gives you a feel of someone's vibe, but you don't get a full picture until you meet them in person. Having spontaneous chats about what you mutually find cool, random musings, and being able to get immediate answers to questions are still so much easier when you can physically talk to someone. Social media is immediate but not really. Many of us still present an edited version of ourselves, products, and services-- but at an actual storefront, when you can closely inspect something, it's so much harder to hide the cracks and defects. It's both good and bad, but I often get swept up in the twinkly environment, a lovely chat with the store associate, and the vibes of a shop or store that I'm almost bewitched to spend.

I have so many personal examples of fans who initially found me on social media, found out I was selling art at an event near them, and showed up to actually BUY ?? My experience marketing my in-person events through social media has resulted in actual sales. In a future post, I'll share how I have been successful and have not advertising leading up to an event.

? Direct Communication

I'm not talking about sending Direct Messages (DMs) through a social media platform to a brand you need help from, although that is also a good way to get to the bottom of a specific order issue with a customer. Sending your customers direct emails, provided that they explicitly give their email address to receive communications, is what I'm referring to. Personally, when businesses are throwing out discounts or a social media manager I follow on social media releases a new course, I first find out through email.

These days, many people filter incoming emails, so email marketing could be hit or miss, although I recommend giving it a shot if you tend to do promos and discounts. With all the new posts and videos that come out every second of every minute, your deals can easily get lost on social media. And remember that not everyone has a social media account, but most of us do have email so it's still a viable way to get through to the least "social media" of us online.

? A Help Center

There are many users on social media who are "trigger happy" when it comes to asking for help to resolve their issues directly in the comment section of a brand. Or will shoot a DM over to a brand when they get stuck checking out. Maybe it's because in my previous work life, I worked with internal help content. Or I want to figure things out myself first before talking to a human but when I need formal help, I will search for the online help library to see if there are other folks experiencing the same issue and a resolution.

Good luck scrolling through all the posts on Facebook to potentially find an answer seven months ago. You could answer FAQs in Instagram Stories as a business, but searchability is poor as it's not designed to be searched later for help. Having a help guide portal is still the best way to help your customers and clients out.

? A website

A website that has the story behind your product, photos and videos, testimonials, specs, and all that jazz is still the most professional representation of your brand. When I want to establish credibility, I visit the website. If it looks like it has poor UI/UX design, like it's straight from 1997, or appears to not have been updated in forever, it influences my perception of how the product works or how detail-oriented their service is. I mean, if you're looking for a web designer and their website is not easy to navigate, it doesn't give you as much hope. If you're interested in the new ice cream flavors a new ice creamery has near you but the photos on the website are taken in bad lighting or blurry then you might hunt for another place to satisfy your cold sweet tooth because they don't look appetizing.

Your clients, customers, and fans are not all on social media. Take advantage of multiple channels to market so you maximize your reach. If you need help determining how to magnify your reach on social media, let me know! I love helping small businesses grow their presence on social media.

Happy Content Creating!

Leah

#Marketing #ReachYourGoals #AudienceEngagement #AudienceGrowth

Hey, my name is Leah! I'm a social media content strategist and creator. I've crafted this newsletter guide to equip:

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...to develop dazzling yet authentic digital content strategies to attain their business goals and beyond?

?? My favorite all-around social media content scheduler is?Loomly?to customize posts per platform and ensure photo and video posts go out on time

?? Midjourney speeds up the time it takes for me to create visuals that get my ideas across. In fact, all of the magical imagery you see in my newsletter has been created with the ?? MAGICAL ?? help of AI.

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