Quashed! Social Media Advertising Myths [’23]
There are a lot of myths related to social media on the internet. Well, I am going to quash some myths and elevate the facts. Because 1000s of blogs, articles, and the like are being published each day, this is necessary.
1. You should join every single social media platform immediately.
It seems like every month there is a new social media platform going live. Well, that might be case, but it doesn’t mean you join each one. Here’s why.
First, it is best to focus your advertising monies and resources on a few platforms. Also, your team will need to research each social media network to ensure that your target audience is active on it. If they are not, simply move forward and remain focused on the audience.
Use data to guide your decisions but also consider other factors, such as past trends, current trends, what competitor is doing and so forth.
2. Customers are not on social media.
Last year, 4.5 billion people all over the world were active on social media. Frankly, social media is ingrained in all our lives. And people who do not have access to the internet will join once is accessible.
Facebook which overwhelmed Myspace (remember them) leads the pack for social media networks as far users. Instagram and Twitter round out the top social media networks currently.
3. Only focus on fans and followers who will turn into customers.
Frankly, this thought is short-sighted at best. Sure, fans and followers will likely turn into customers, but not always. Expand your target audience to ensure a steady stream of customers. Here are some other things to consider:
- People who are not fans/followers will still refer business to your way.
- If they happen to be an influencer, you will receive more attention.
- When gain more followers, you gain access to their followers?
Do not completely shift away from targeting a specific audience. More than likely, this audience has a high conversion rate.
4. Schedule posts during the workweek only
Digital marketing associates enjoy working traditional hours, Monday through Friday. Weekends should be reserved for critical issues and only managers should be involved. For example, let’s say merchandise which is being promoted has been delayed yet being advertised online.
This would be valid reason to engage a manager mitigate the damage until Monday.
Typically, more people have time off during the weekend. So, schedule posts during this time to account for that scenario. Review your data to see when your target audience is most active; then make an informed decision about scheduling.
5. It is hard to measure social media marketing success.
There are many social media marketing platforms which have metrics embedded. Whether it be Meta, Instagram, or any other platform, they all have a way to track metrics. Of course, defining benchmarks for success is the first step in the process.
Perhaps your team can consider the following:
- Impressions: the number of people who saw your post
- Followers growth
- Best time to post
- Click-through from your bio link
- Trending or branded hashtags
Collecting and displaying rich data is the purpose of an ideal social media management tool. Then associates can do a deep dive into the data and leverage it to improve the business in some way, shape or form.
6. It’s okay to publish the same post across all your accounts
Each social media platform is its own animal – Instagram is different from Twitter and vice versa. People who frequent Twitter might not necessarily be on Instagram for various reasons.
Instagram focuses on visual content, while Twitter is text-based. That is one of the clear differences between the two social media platforms.
Post ideas should be different based on different platforms. However, the style and messaging should be the same on other platforms.
Repurpose the same blog/content then post it to other social media networks.
7. You must respond to social posts/messages immediately!
We live in a world where people want quick service yesterday. However, most customers are reasonable and understand there is some queue or other business matters to always tend to. So, if someone has concerns about your site or product, prioritize them accordingly.
If your business provides mission critical software for an ER and it stops working, then this requires an immediate response. In contrast, sold out product on a website is something that can be resolved overtime.
Of course, you would review typical inventory orders for year over year then order more products. The previous examples showcase potential scenarios that might occur. Like all things, it is all about prioritizing.
8. Social Media Is Only for Young People
Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat appear to be titled towards younger people. When Facebook was launched, many moons ago, it was exclusively for college students but evolved over time.
A visual will help illustrate the age distribution for the most popular and visible social media networks.
According to digitalcampdigital, social media has over 50% usage in every age demographic. People over 50 are active on social media sites, more so than ever. Khoros has an in-depth breakdown of social media demographics.
9. Social media advertising is time-consuming
Social media advertising can appear daunting for start-ups or any other business. Though, after using a social media management app, you will find that it does not take more than 30 minutes a day. Caveat- This is dependent on the volume of interactions. Staying focused and having a strategy will enable you craft messages swiftly.
Summary
Social media advertising is challenging but has rewards when you look past some myths. Some business personnel feel like they need to join every single social media network. Frankly, this is not necessary, rather focus on a few platforms. Also, the notion that people are not on social media is outdated.
Millions of people log on social media for several hours each day. When it comes to attracting more customers, fans and followers should not be your only focus. Instead, consider people who not aware of your products/services. A lot people are active on social media during the week. Schedule content ahead for the weekend to save time, get more leads, conversions and sales.
When you schedule content, it is okay to repurpose the video/campaign and post it on other networks. If a customer has a concern regarding your site, product/services, you do not need to respond immediately. Of course, use your judgment because some situations need …immediate attention. Social media usage is high among young people, but usage is 50% among every age demographic.
References
Wainwright, Corey. “20 Social Media Marketing Myths to Leave Behind in 2022.” Hubspot.
24 January 2022, https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33734/20-Common-Social-Media-Marketing-Myths-BUSTED.aspx
“The 2022 Social Media Demographics Guide.”Khoros, 2022, https://khoros.com/resources/social-media-demographics-guide
I agree with the article that it is important to be aware of common myths about social media advertising. One myth that I think is particularly important to debunk is the myth that you need to join every single social media network. As the article points out, it is more important to focus on the platforms that your target audience is most active on.
I am also interested in the article’s tip about scheduling posts ahead of time. I think this is a great way to save time and ensure that you are consistently posting content. However, I am curious about how to schedule posts in a way that is most effective. For example, should I post at the same time every day, or should I vary my posting times?
Hey, Jeffrey!
For established and new business owners, it can be enticing to join all social media platforms. Though, this is a mistake. Instead, focusing on social media platforms where target audience reaps rewards.
Scheduling posts. I would recommend scheduling posts at same time each week. Customers like consistency whenever possible.
Hello! I’m really interested in learning more about social media advertising, and your article seems to debunk some common myths. I’ve been thinking about getting into social media advertising for a project I’m working on, so your insights could be really helpful.
One point that caught my attention is the idea that you should join every single social media platform immediately. I’ve heard about so many different platforms popping up, and it’s been a bit overwhelming to decide which ones to focus on. Could you explain a bit more about how to choose the right platforms for advertising? What factors should I consider to determine if a platform is a good fit for my target audience and goals?
You also mentioned the myth that customers are not on social media, and I find that surprising. I was under the impression that social media was primarily for younger people, but your article challenges that idea. I’d love to understand more about the demographics of social media users. Do you have any tips for effectively reaching and engaging with different age groups on social media platforms?
Lastly, I appreciate your point about measuring social media marketing success. It’s reassuring to know that there are metrics available to track performance. But as a beginner, I’m curious about the specific metrics that are most important to track. You mentioned impressions, followers growth, and click-through rates, but are there any key performance indicators that should be my top priority when starting out with social media advertising?
Thank you for sharing this insightful article about social media advertising myths! I’m looking forward to implementing some of these ideas for my project.
Hi Skamlka –
It appears that you have been ruminating about social media advertising for a while. Every now and then, one needs take action instead of hesitating. Anyway, to your question about which platforms to join and why? First, Facebook and YouTube continue to be the most widely used platforms by far. Anyone doing business should have some presence on these platforms.
Each platform has its core purpose, few provide all features to all audiences. There is a common denominator: enabling people to socialize. Instagram is used by people to post pictures about their person or businesses. Meanwhile, Pinterest lets users share images, discover recipes and much more. For simplicity, these are questions will help you choose your platforms.
1. Is this app designed for the content you create?2. Where are your competitors spending their time?3. What is the likely organic reach of each platform?4. What advertising opportunities does each platform offer? 5. How much time can you allocate to social media consistently?
Even though younger people use social media (generally speaking) at higher rate, the numbers of are changing all time. On each platform, demographics vary widely, from age, agender, income, and devices. Frankly, the following site: The 2022 Social Media Users Demographics Guide | Khoros has breakdown of all major platforms and demographics. Peruse it when you have some downtime.
To effectively reach and engage different age groups, I would recommend reviewing demographics on the above site. Then you can decide how to target your audience. Afterward, you narrow down the metrics you should track.
Besides followers’ growth, customer satisfaction and feedback are another metric to track. Understanding how the customer perceives your products and service is vital to your business. Followers’ growth rate is important as well. This can reveal whether your brand is moving in a positive direction.
You might want to consider tracking video view rates and engagement. Each one of these metrics reveals whether your content is interesting.
Appreciate your interest in my article.