The Top 5 Social Media Myths
Social media marketing may be one of the most misunderstood industries. Sometimes I think there are more myths or mistruths out there than there are actual facts. Even some of my clients, who are social media managers, fall into believing these lies. There are literally hundreds of social media myths I would love to debunk but for the sake of time, today we are focusing on the top five.
Here are the top five social media myths that are hurting your marketing efforts and holding you back from achieving your goals.
#1 MYTH: You must be on every social platform.
TRUTH: You should start small and show up well and consistent on ONE platform before adding on another. It is better to be on one platform really well and meeting your goals, then trying to be on all of them and not moving the needle. The truth is that you should be on whatever platforms your target audience or ideal clients are on. Start with the one they are on the most!
#2 MYTH: You need to post every day. Quantity over quality.
TRUTH: Posting consistently is more important than frequently. Most of my clients are getting great results posting 2-3 times a week. The old approach of just “posting to post” is no longer effective and can actually hurt your brand’s reputation and performance. The feed is crowded and you need to focus on quality content that speaks right to the heart of your target audience to get noticed and see engagement. Every post is a chance to further develop trust - or turn off your followers.
#3 MYTH: Followers equal sales
TRUTH: I have worked with plenty of business owners who start with small followings but are completely booked out! While on the flip side I know of business owners who have massive followings but struggle to bring in new business or pay the bills.
Just like the amount you show up online, the quality of your followers matters. If you have a bunch of followers but none of them are your target audience, you’re going to have a really hard time selling to them. But, if you have a smaller number of followers who have all the pain points of your ideal client, it will be much easier for you to reign in new business.
The comparison game on social media can quickly turn into a downward cycle that has you questioning your business, your success, and even your sanity. Pay attention to whether or not you are meeting the goals you set for your business - and not how many followers you have compared to your competitors.
#4 MYTH: You have to be on social media all the time
TRUTH: When you have a strong social media strategy in place that works for your business and its goals, you can take as much time off of social media as you want. (And I actually encourage you to!)
I approach social media as a tool for your business. And if you consider all of the tools you use to manage your business, the reality is that you probably don’t check-in or use each of those tools daily.
Once I perfected my social media strategy for business owners, I was able to help them see that they don’t have to share every day, or even every other day for their social media to be a successful part of their sales funnel.
And when you have a social media system in place, you can find success with waaay less time. And spend your precious time doing the things you love - or on other parts of your business.
#5 MYTH: Social media marketing is free
TRUTH: Slow growth (organic) social media marketing is free!
Sharing about your business on social media sounds really simple, it doesn’t cost anything but time, and it just requires a device and the internet!
What’s important for business owners to keep in mind is that what’s free about social media marketing is organic reach. Organic means that you’re not putting any money, or running any ads on a social media channel. Instead you’re producing high quality content that you let algorithms bring to your target audience.
I always recommend my clients start with organic social media marketing, until we learn a little bit more about what type of content their audience interacts with the most. I’ve had many clients have fantastic results with organic marketing and have even brought in new clients without spending any money. The only downside of organic social media marketing is that it takes consistency and a long amount of time.
Rather than trying to please the social media algorithms with organic reach, you can invest as little as $20 to help get your content in front of your target audience. The best part about boosting content is that it not only brings a larger audience to the specific post you attached money to, but to your entire profile.
While paid social media marketing is not for everyone, it can be an effective way to grow your business in half the time it takes to do it for free. When you’re trying to decide what’s best for your business, keep in mind that you should be treating your social media as only one part of your sales funnel.
In addition to boosting your posts or running ads, keep in mind that there are a lot of amazing tools (some free and some with minimal fees) that can make your life as a social media manager so much easier and save you lots of time.
From helping you schedule content, to checking your analytics, it can be overwhelming to decide what to invest in. Here are a few to consider:
If you’re feeling stuck on which to choose to help you make managing your social media a little bit easier, just ask!
Which one of these myths were you still believing and most surprised by? Or which one would you add to this list?