Social Media Mythbusting: How to Use Social Media for Small Business

How Social Media Has Changed Marketing

Once upon a time, long, long ago there was no social media. Marketers used radio ads and paper ads to generate business. Now, in the year 2022, Marketers have so many channels of opportunities for growth. Social media is one of these opportunities. Now, you can get a post out to your audience in a matter of seconds, all at your desktop or in the palm of your hand; for little to no cost at all. However, since Social Media is still a fairly new medium, there are many common misconceptions.

What Should I be Posting on Social Media?

Myth #1: You should only post promotional content so that you increase conversions.

Reality: Only 20% of your content should be promotional. Your social media content should build your brand voice and identity, as well as showing your audience what they want to see. Cater to your following, and show your audience things they enjoy.

Myth #2: I can reuse my content over all platforms.

Reality: While some posts can work for multiple social media platforms, you wouldn’t post the same thing to Twitter as you would to Linkedin. The reason being that every platform has a different audience. Linkedin is composed of business professionals, whereas Twitter thrives on memes and trending concepts. For the best results, think of each platform as separate entities and create content specifically for each one. 

Where Should I be Posting?

The Myth: You should post everywhere you can to get the most views.

Reality: Identify Who Your Target audience is, who’s your ideal buyer? Then decide what social media platform best fits that persona. 

• If you’re B2B you should focus on LinkedIn: Their user base of professionals and business owners offers many partner opportunities.
• If you’re B2C and targeting a slightly older demographic, Facebook is the way to go, with 77% of users being aged 30-49.
• If you sell goods to consumers, Instagram is a great choice. The ‘shop’ section and the focus on photo content, as well as a large age demographic, makes this a great platform for goods and some services.
• Twitter is a primarily male-dominated social media, with 70.4% of users being male. In 2021 adults spent an average of 6 minutes on Twitter a day. So if you think you can keep up with and thrive in a fast-paced environment, Twitter is for you.
• Tiktok is a great platform to engage with your audience, and form a more personalized connection. If your company can convert using humor, Tiktok is the choice for you.
• If you are looking to share information visually Youtube is a great choice as it can be adapted to nearly any industry.

Of course, you don’t have to focus your efforts on just one social media platform, but you should prioritize which platforms will grant you the best ROI. It should also be stated that you should start slowly. Even if your competition is dominating a particular platform that doesn’t mean you must join in immediately. Take time to observe and learn what works (and doesn’t) for them. 

Do Followers Matter?

Myth #1: Regardless of platform, followers are the most important metric.

Reality: Certain Platforms almost require followers for engagement. Instagram’s algorithm depends heavily on followers, While Tiktok and Twitter rely on it considerably less. Every social platform’s algorithm is different and is frequently updated, so it’s important to watch your account(s) over time to stay up-to-date on potential algorithm changes.

Myth #2 Followers are a vanity metric and should be ignored.

Reality: Yes, but also no. Like we said before, follower count matters on some sites. However, you shouldn’t base your success on your followers. It’s better to focus on other metrics like engagement rates, conversions/click, etc. Each business will have a slightly different focus so it’s best to remember overall marketing campaign goal.  

The Real Costs And The Importance of ROI

The Myth: Social Media is Free

Reality: At its very core, yes, social media is free. However, time is money, and the time you invest in your account is money too. Not to mention each platform has its own version of paid ads and boosted posts which require varying levels of investment.. If you’re wondering if a particular social media platform is worth your long-term investment, test the platform for a few months, we recommend at least 6 months, then look at your time invested VS your return (ie: conversions to your website, quote inquiries, or sales).

Here’s the formula for ROI:

ROI = [ (Gain from Efforts – Cost of Efforts) / Cost of  Activities ] x100

Website VS Social Media

The Myth: My business is so small, so I only really need social media, and don’t need a website.

Reality: Expecting social media to do the same things as a website is like sticking a square peg in a circular hole, it’s not the right fit. Different tools serve different purposes, and social media should be there to promote interaction with your company and build its reputation and awareness, so you can refer them to your website. Your website should be your homebase, and once customers arrive, they see products, services, contact info, etc. You should view your social media as one giant call-to-action to your website.

Conclusion

We hope we helped clear up some common misconceptions about social media marketing, and inspired you to learn more. If you’re ready to learn more and dive into optimizing your social media check out our blog on The 5 Most Asked Questions About Social Media Marketing. Rather talk to someone? Let’s Chat!