Social media marketing has been on the rise over the past decade and continues to grow dynamically. Despite its relative youth, social media marketing has proven itself to be a valuable addition to the marketing mix. As reliance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms continues to grow, business owners and marketing managers must educate themselves on the myths and realities of social media marketing.
By recognising and unlearning the following 5 myths, you’ll be better able to improve your social media management efforts, while avoiding ineffective practices.
1. Social Media Efforts Must Go Viral to be Useful
It’s like a dream. A post on social media that spreads like wildfire, is talked about and goes viral.
The stories of social media campaigns, videos, and images that “go viral” and attract millions of views are appealing, but the reality is that most social media content will never reach that level.
So, do you let the dream of “going viral” die?
No. But don’t expect it, and definitely don’t add it to your list of success metrics. Remember, the best use of social media is adding value to your followers’ experiences, cultivating relationships with current and potential customers, and providing a source of useful material that helps your followers time and again.
This type of simple business effort takes time, but it will create a larger group of loyal customers who will be likely to support your company, recommend your products and services, and spread the word about you by sharing your posts, and opening up their wallets.
And as a social media agency will advise, you don’t want your carefully planned content to go viral for the wrong reasons, which will likely be a costly experience.
2. Social Media Will Let Me Reach Only Younger Customers
It’s true that much of the audience for social media is younger, and the driving force behind it rests with teenagers and young adults. However, it is a mistake to believe that only the young are using social media effectively and enthusiastically.
According to a study by a digital research lab, some 30% of active users of social media are above the age of 40. It also shares that 77% of the age cohort 30-49 years old are using social media, as well as 52% of the 50-64 years old cohort. Interestingly, the overall usage among the 18-29 year-olds is slightly on the decline. But even at 83%, it’s still a significant market with much potential.
Regardless of age, social media usage around the globe continues to be strong and is constantly growing. Don’t neglect social media as a means of connecting with older customers. You will be excluding a sizeable number of potential clients if you ignore (online) places where they can already be found.
3. Frequent Postings on Social Media Translate to Improved Campaign Performance
A social media user with numerous friends, who is subscribed to several groups, and who follows many celebrity accounts will receive dozens if not hundreds of new postings on their newsfeed every day.
In this constant stream of new information, sources who post too frequently can defeat their purpose (that is to get attention) and instead disappear into the background noise. Worse, platforms like Facebook and Instagram have their own ranking algorithms, which penalise too-frequent posters, reducing the chance that future posts will be seen.
Don’t overwhelm your social media followers with multiple posts that can get lost in the information deluge. A single post daily is usually enough to keep your followers informed and interested. Craft your posts to be interesting and useful, use vibrant images, keep your content relevant to your audience, and it will be worth looking out for. Remember to include relevant links, and perhaps a video if possible, to boost interest and increase the chance that the post will be shared or forwarded to others.
4. Social Media Advertising Won’t Attract Customers
Think that “sponsored” and “paid” posts are useless? Think again.
Advertising on Facebook or Instagram not only helps generate “likes”, but it can also be a valuable tool for engaging with current customers and driving revenue. Your online social media presence increases the number of individuals who know about you while also bringing existing customers back to you more frequently. Go big and tap on the advertising opportunities available for the best digital marketing efforts.
As you engage with current customers, you encourage referrals and recommendations. Consider offering a reward, such as a discount or a coupon, to current customers who refer a new client to you. Or to have similar features on your advertorial posts for new customers, to lure them to engage with you.
5. You Need to be on all the Social Media Platforms
You might have heard people say that having a presence on all platforms is crucial. “If you aren’t on Twitter, you don’t have a voice”, for example.
That’s simply not the case. It’s no use if you’re on a platform and not making the most use out of it, or worse if you don’t have the resources to properly support your customers or users.
Just like in the real world, you cannot be everywhere at once. If you’re just starting to execute a social media strategy, try focusing on one, maybe two channels, and make sure you’re giving those channels all the attention you can before you start spreading your wings and going to other platforms.
Real-World Advice on Getting Social Media Marketing Right
So we’ve debunked a number of common myths about this game called social media marketing. And hopefully, you’ll be better able to score.
If you still aren’t sure how your brand should be taking on social media, I Concept may be able to help!
As a Top Creative Agency in Singapore, we have years of experience in social media management and digital marketing, working with many of your familiar brands to help with their social media strategies.
With an understanding of your preferences and your business needs, our team of experienced strategists and designers will guide you to creating quality posts content and draw up effective campaigns, helping you reach your target audience. Get in touch with us today!
