5 Myths of Social Media Marketing

Marketing twenty years ago was rather elementary: design-catchy billboards, mail-out flyers, TV and radio advertisements, etc.

Consumers have now moved into the digital world, yet they still crave the attention of corporations they admire. However, many brands are still getting stuck on social media, and are failing to effectively utilize this channel.

Scott Langdon of Higher Visibility makes an interesting comment on why businesses may struggle with social media marketing:

I have found that a lot of our clients are struggling with social media because they’re following a rule or an idea that is completely untrue, but I always tell them that it isn’t their fault. Social media is constantly changing, so myths are constantly spreading. It’s important to go through some of these myths and figure out where you’re following the wrong path. It’s hard to let go of a strategy that you thought was working for you, but if you do, you will see a world of difference in your social results.

We will debunk several widely spread myths about social media marketing. Hopefully, this will allow you to reexamine and improve your social network strategy.

Myth #1: Consumers Aren’t Reading Your Social Posts

Contrary to what you may think, not only does your social content get read, it also has the ability to influence purchasing decisions. In fact, HubSpot found that in 2011, 67% of B2C companies and 41% of B2B companies have acquired customers through Facebook. However, it’s important to remember that your reach on Facebook is determined by a variety of factors, one of which is fan engagement with your content.

Text-only status updates tend to perform poorly compared to images and links. With that said, make sure to consider that when creating your social strategy. Visuals will stand out much more than just simple text.

Remember though, no matter what social network you’re utilizing, any text, video, image, or coupon you publish will be read by consumers.

Myth #2: Too Much Content Will Reveal Trade Secrets to Competitors

Halting social content production because you fear unknown tangibles, such as one’s ability to impersonate your  business model, will cause digression in social media goals.

Failing to leverage social media will reveal some weaknesses to your competitors, though — such as your company’s inability to provide knowledge and remain current within your industry.

Myth #3: Social Media Cannot Heal Reputation Wounds

Ignoring website feedback could product bad social karma. Ensure that your social page administrators are empowered to solve and approach each problem quickly and thoroughly. As you develop a strong connection with your customers via social channels, you don’t want to lose credibility because of negative comments.

Myth #4: Social Successes Should Be Gauged Solely By Social Interactions

The number of social interactions you get out of a campaign are great, but ultimate success should be measured by sales opportunities or ROI. Interactions amy enhance the likelihood of increasing sales opportunities; but, if you don’t close any of those leads, the campaign isn’t working to its fullest, regardless of how many interactions were made. Marketing exists to drive sales.

Myth #5: Social Media Marketing Costs Nothing

Though major social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube are free to use, hidden costs always exist when implementing a social media marketing campaign. These costs may include spending hours developing a strategy, posting updates, and responding to customers.

Although blogging and posting on social media sites is free, an effective media campaign is much more than just simply posting a random blog or Facebook post when you have available time.

To create an active and engaging social media promotion, you need someone who prioritizes and implements the plan, manages the messaging, and monitors the social platforms for customer engagement and feedback.

Set aside these social media marketing myths and concentrate on harvesting great relationships with your audience that will last beyond “the sale”.