Social media can be a powerful tool in your business growth and marketing strategy, but it has to be done well to provide successful results. In my last blog post I discussed which platforms your customers are on, how to drive the bottom line with social media, and more. Here are some more of the biggest myths and mistakes to be aware of when utilizing social media for your business.

• Do NOT talk about yourself … Authenticity is sometimes hard to find on social media. It is important to speak to your audience, but showing them your brand’s personality can help engage your audience and boost an emotional connection which drives buying decisions. So share your brand’s sense of humor, post something you find inspiring, even if it isn’t directly related to your industry, post pictures of you and your office, share the behind-the-scenes story of your brand.

• Social media is only for young people … WRONG!

• 32% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 50 use Twitter
• 52% of internet users between 55 and 64 are on a social network
• 93% of adults are on Facebook

• I don’t have enough content to do social media … Social media is an ever-moving beast, meaning new content is constantly being added, which also means, your content comes and goes rather quickly in the grand scheme of the news stream, so by all-means recycle, repurpose, reuse your content, chances are you’ll reach a new audience this time, just do your loyal followers a favor and highlight something new each time.

• Social media is free marketing … It’s free to create your account, yes, but it is still a resource you’ll need to invest in. It is considered one of the lower cost per lead marketing tools, but that doesn’t mean you can get by without investing some capital it your strategy. The most efficient use of your dollars lies in hiring an expert, this is their job, so they are effective and efficient when it comes to social media strategy, so don’t waste your time and your money, hire an expert who can maximize and stretch your dollars on each relevant platform. Contact Us

• Likes and followers are what truly matters … Likes and followers are great, but social media is also used as a lead generation tool, and for that you need to start a conversation. Not every follower or like will equal a customer, so seek to engage with your customers to weed through who is most likely to become a strong lead or customer and go for quality vs quantity.

Stay tuned for Part 4 where I cover topics like “Social Media is an independent strategy” and “I’ll see results in 30-60 days” and more.