There is so much so-called “advice” on the Internet that it can be difficult to work out what is actually true and could make a difference to your digital marketing efforts – so let’s bust some social media myths.
Social media allows businesses to market themselves in a place where their customers are naturally comfortable and willing to listen. Because content marketing has become such a prominent and effective tool for maintaining a steady market on your website, many people write and promote their own blog articles – including social media heads and digital marketers. The problem is that some of the tips that they include in their articles may well appear to be classed as common knowledge but, in reality, have little to no grounding in fact.
We’ve set out to bust some of the most popular social media myths so that you can have a better idea as you launch into your own digital marketing efforts…
MYTH #1:
Integrating all your networks is the path to success
There are plenty of social media automation tools out there that allow you to integrate and post your content across multiple networks. This isn’t always a good thing. Because each social network has its own restraints and features, one piece of content simply cannot be suitable for all of them. Remember that your messages are not catch-all and need to be tailored specifically to each network.
MYTH #2:
The more followers the better
A huge social media following does not always spell success. It’s far better to grow your network steadily within the right audience; after all, these are the people who are going to consider using your services. social media gives new light to the concept of specifically targeted marketing. Sometimes all it takes is a small following of the right people for your network to grow organically. As far as social media myths go, this is one of the worst and can be damaging.
MYTH #3:
It’s impossible to track ROI on social media
Tracking ROI through social media can be difficult, but it’s certainly not impossible. Any social media marketing company worth their salt should have access to the right analytical tools and reporting software that can help track leads that have come directly from social media.
MYTH #4:
The popularity of your social media pages has a direct impact on your web search results
Some people seem to think that the strength of your social media pages has a direct impact on your website’s Google rankings, as studies have pointed out a correlation between high Facebook activity and good ranking on SERPs. It doesn’t – it has an indirect impact that’s all down to content marketing. If you want your social media to have a positive effect on your search results you need to be creating awesome content on your website and encouraging shares, clicks and links through social networking.
MYTH #5:
Only promoted posts give you a reach worth shouting about
It’s a matter of time and about building an engaged audience. If you spend time investing in building the correct audience, eventually the amount of engagement on your organic posts will be able to stand up to the might of your promoted posts.
MYTH #6:
Interacting with your competitors is bad for business
It’s understandable that some businesses are wary about interacting with their competitors on social media – it’s something that is simply not done down any other marketing avenue. However, their audience is your audience, and interacting with them will get you noticed. You aren’t poaching their customers – you are simply promoting the beginning of a discussion that will hopefully grow among users and become mutually beneficial.
MYTH #7:
Follow and retweet competitions are the best way to grow
Follow and retweet competitions can grow your following quickly over a short amount of time – but after your competition is over you are likely to find out that many of your entrants were only interested in the free iPad that you were giving away and they will inevitably unfollow you. That’s not to say competitions aren’t great though – it’s just much better to create something that is interactive and requires a particular action to enter. While you will have less entrants, you will find that you grow a far more engaged audience as a result.
MYTH #8:
You can guarantee a certain amount of growth
While social media is a great digital marketing tool, that also makes it very competitive. Be wary of any social media management service that makes a promise about the amount of followers they will get you – this is one of the most toxic social media myths. Quality social media marketing companies will always research and undertake the best practice to get the best results for your industry but it is impossible to guarantee results. There are a number of illicit services that can buy you followers and none of them are even worth considering.
MYTH #9:
Social media is just a fad
The concept of social media has been around for years, way before the Internet boom of the nineties. There are now 2.307 billion social media users worldwide – over 31% of the global population. So I think we can safely assume that it’s here to stay.
