In the last five years, we all saw how social media marketing changed the game when it comes to dealing with consumers. Today, most brands strive to build – and maintain – a solid presence on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and the like, with a team managing their social media community.
Not all businesses are able to take advantage of social media’s benefits, however, mainly because they subscribe to certain myths about it. Here are some of said myths that need to be debunked, once and for all:
Social media is for tapping new markets. Many businesses erroneously think that social media is for those who are looking to expand their reach through customer acquisition. The important consequence of this thought is that if they are not keen on attracting new customers or new segments of the population, there is no need to spend more effort on social media management. The truth is, social media is an exceptional platform for strengthening relationships with existing customers. They are great for fostering a sense of community among people who patronize the same brand. Posts that bring value to the consumers’ lives can inspire brand loyalty, and loyal customers will help bring in new ones, eventually.
Businesses might reveal too much information by going social. On the contrary, businesses can outdo their competition by talking a lot about their brand and the industry. If they do so with authority and without revealing trade secrets in the process, they will be able to establish themselves as an organization that truly knows what they do and how to do it right. This is called thought leadership, and thought leaders are the ones that draw followers.
Social media is only for reaching out to customers. Actually, social media is also perfect for starting partnerships between businesses. A lot of joint marketing campaigns can be conceptualized based on common sets of followers on social media accounts. Moreover, influencers who can serve as ambassadors for the brand in the future can be found on social media.
Small businesses don’t need it. There is no business too small or too big for social media. In the end, this platform is simply just another means to communicate with the target market, potential business partners, and the general public. What is important is to assign people to do social media community management based on the company’s marketing goals and available resources.
Note that these myths fall on both sides of the debate: the other overestimates the role of social media, and the other downplays it. And as it goes for most business tools, the key is to not get carried away by the hype, but at the same time get the most of it while it’s at its peak.
To learn more about the rules of the social media marketing game, get in touch with us here at GreyBox Creative. We have mastered the many domains of digital marketing, and we would be more than glad to give your business a hand in navigating each.