Not Every Business Should Use Social Media. Here’s Why.

One of the most common issues we notice, are business owners struggling with is their presence on social media. They don’t know how to do it, they hate it, they don’t see the point, etc.

There are times when we recommend staying away from social media. Here’s why…

First off, social media is a pretty amazing way to advertise for very little money. It’s a great way to connect with your audience. That said, there are times where it makes sense to stay away.

Not Enough Resources – If ?don’t have the resources to dedicate to social media, you could find that it hurts you a lot more than it helps. Just staying away completely may actually be better than neglecting what little social media audience you do have.

Social media is an instant platform. People can post questions to you, deliver feedback, send their friends, etc. It’s what makes it so valuable. However, if you’re not going to bother being consistent, you could lose a sale before you even have a chance.

Social media neglect is a lot like walking into a party and seeing last years St. Paddy’s day decorations. Oh, and there’s no one at the party. You’re likely to leave right away without giving it a second thought.

Your Audience Isn’t There – We’ve already talked about which social media platforms are most important. Some platforms have different demographics than others. In this case, why focus on a platform of millennials when your audience is boomers?

Another example is an ice-cream stand for tourists. If you have the time and energy, by all means, be on social media. However, your audience is likely physically right in front of you, and those are the people that you should spend your time marketing to.

Social Media is Not Free – This ties in nicely with the last two points. We mentioned earlier that when your resources are limited, it could lead to neglect. If you’re going to do it properly, you need to spend time or money to make that happen. That said, you have to allocate your limited resources in a manner that will give you the best return. If you only have so many hours in a day, or only so much money to hire staff, is social media the best use of those resources?

Social media may appear free, but what’s your time worth? Or what does it cost you to have someone manage it? Just because the barrier to entry is low, doesn’t mean it’s the best way to spend your resources.

Now don’t kid yourself either. Don’t use lack of resources as a reason for poor management. We’ve seen many business owners dump money into completely useless parts of the business, when they should have been spending on social media.

Social Media is Not Magic – It won’t fix a poor product, or sell something to those that aren’t interested. It’s a great addition to a solid marketing plan, but it’s not something you should be doing simply because you think you have to.

I hate to use a cliche, but “if all your friends jump off a bridge, does that mean you will too?”

Social media – just like radio, newspaper, a website, and signage – is just one more piece of the puzzle. It’s impact totally depends on your plan for it.

Can social media help you? Almost certainly, but there are times where you should leave it alone. If you want to see how it can help you, contact us and we can point you in the right direction.