Laura Donovan
Eight years ago I started to speak to local business owners about Social Media Marketing and how important it would be in the future.
Often I was met with skepticism and even had a few business owners laugh at me, calling it ridiculous.
Flash forward to today, Social Media Marketing has become “the” medium for marketing and advertising. 81% of U.S. adults use the internet and 56% of the adult population uses Facebook. (PewResearch)
Many of the businesses that laughed or thought it was ridiculous are now frantically trying to figure out how Social Media works. Though, many still don’t understand it and quite a few do not see the importance of budgeting for it. Some business owners have tested the waters with no success. There could be a few reasons why they have not seen success.
If you are a business owner who knows that realistically Social Media is what you need to market and advertise, but still can’t quite buy into budgeting for it or having it done correctly, keep the following in mind before you give up completely.
Is your business page active?
70% of Facebook users engage with the site daily. (PewResearch) Updates should be posted daily. In fact, more than one update is now required. The recommended posting for each Platform, as determined by BufferSocial, is:
- Pinterest 5 Pins
- Twitter 3 Tweets
- Google + 3 Posts
- Facebook 2 Updates
Tweeting or posting an Update when you have something to say on occasion is not enough.
Are you posting relevant and interesting content?
Promotional and sales updates are prohibited on Facebook, and no one wants the in-your-face sales pitch when they are surfing Facebook or Twitter. Content should also not be boring. If you are posting only dry, industry-related information that has no real value to anyone but a professional in your industry that won’t cut it either.
Content should be interesting to your audience. Based on the demographics of your Friends and Followers updates should include information relevant to them, even if it has nothing to do with your business. Measuring this is easy – if your Updates and Tweets getting Liked/Favorited or Re-Tweeted then you are posting good stuff.
Are you new to Facebook?
Whether you have just put up a business page or started using the page you put up 4 years ago you are “new” and it will take some time to get the campaign running. Many business owners think that posting updates and running ads will generate countless new revenue. This is not the case.
If your accounts are new or finally being used it will take some time to create an audience and gain visibility. This is not an overnight process. Advertising campaigns on Facebook will help speed the growth. But, until you grow your following, spend enough on ad campaigns and build the page up a bit it will take some time. (Typically more than just a month or two.)
Do you think your sales will skyrocket?
While Social Media is the new platform for advertising it is no different than running an ad in the newspaper or sending out a postcard. The concept is still the same – supply and demand. The public needs to want what you are selling. If your product or service is worthy, you will most definitely see a return on your investment.” (Inc.) But, if you aren’t offering a service or product that is a daily requirement (food, medicine, etc.) you probably won’t make daily sales.
Plumbers are a great example. Plumbing is typically a service you need in an emergency. Having a strong marketing and advertising campaign ensures your company is visible to a large audience, though sales may not come in every day, when people need a plumber they will use the plumber they “know” on Social Media or one their friends refer them to via Facebook.
Some days, weeks or months may be better than others, but you need to be in Social Media for the long haul.
How does posting funny cat pics and baby videos do anything for your business?
“Posting photos on Facebook is the best way to get more attention from your fans. Photos are the most engaging type of content on Facebook, with a whopping 87% interaction rate from fans!” (SocialMediaExaminer)
The simple fact is that images sell. Attention spans are getting shorter. Images grab a viewer’s attention. When used correctly, they can encourage people to check out your website or blog, share the post with their friends, help them to understand a concept, or motivate them to click on an ad and purchase your product. Images improve muscle memory, making not only the image, but the content that goes with it more memorable.
If you still don’t think spending money on Social Media is a wise use of money you are wasting time. It’s time to jump into Social Media, adjust your budgets, allocate funds and start marketing and advertising with Social Media. Business Owners who ignore this do so at their own peril.
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