The rise of social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram has changed the way businesses communicate with their prospects and build customer relationships. What was once based solely on emails and phone conversations has become a more extensive approach to reaching a wider audience through all kinds of engaging content.
The issue that plenty of businesses come across eventually is the question of how much the time invested in their social media profiles pays off. While it may seem simple at first, the effective use of social media takes a lot of effort. You need to create a strong social media strategy, identify and create optimal content, run eye-catching targeted ads, etc.
If you’re wondering whether you’re wasting time with your social media channels, here are a few pieces of advice that can help you gain a better perspective.
Don’t Neglect Other Channels
The moment when it’s natural to conclude that you might be spending too much time on social media is when you realize that you’ve started to neglect other channels. Marketing campaigns generally work best when they combine different kinds of efforts, including email and offline marketing methods.
It’s also not to forget about building relationships. While social media may be one of the most powerful methods of connecting with your target audience, it should never be the only one. Some of the vital relationships in business are best formed in person, such as during events and conferences.
Use Social Media Channels In Line With Your Audience
You shouldn’t run a social media strategy on a particular channel because everyone else is doing so. You need to focus on your target audience. This means considering crucial factors such as the demographics of your customers and their preferences.
There’s no point building an extensive Instagram strategy if your audience isn’t there. If you know where your customers spend their time, you can focus on improving that channel’s reach. Aside from using data analytics, you can ask people where they prefer to get in touch with you.
Take What Experts Say As Advice Instead of a Principle
Along with the growth of social media came the rise of various expert roles in the field, such as social media consultants and specialists. Plenty of businesses hire these experts to help build and manage successful social media channels.
While plenty of experts will do their best to improve your social media efforts as a part of a larger marketing strategy, there are those that will try to convince you that having a profile on Instagram or Facebook is a surefire way to double or triple your leads. Considering what we’ve discussed about figuring out your audience, it’s safe to say that this approach can set up unrealistic expectations.
If you want to invest your time, effort, and money into social media, you need to be aware that getting a lot of likes isn’t the same as increasing your conversions and sales. Similar to your other efforts, social media is mostly about building relationships.
When you create an email campaign, you usually focus on nurturing your leads. Instead of sending them a sales pitch in your welcome email, you provide them with valuable content and suggestions that can solve their pain points. It’s when your recipients get to know and trust you that you email them about your products and present them with special offers.
Your efforts on social media channels should work the same. While some methods result in direct sales, you should spend most of your time growing your community and building a presence by creating and nurturing relationships.
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