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Like it or not, social media is here to stay. What better way to reach more people and to get your business message out to the masses than by using social media platforms?
You know the biggies – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest – and each platform will offer different features to reach those coveted ideal target clients. But in the haste to learn how to use each platform – and thinking you need to use ALL of them all the time – you might not be spending your time wisely and efficiently, thus seeing lackluster results. It’s also possible that you’ve gotten some mistaken information from other experts about how best to use social media. Let’s break down those myths right now so you can learn to love social media again.
Myth #1: You can ‘set it and forget it’ when it comes to posting.
Yes, there are plenty of third-party scheduling apps and platforms where you can plan out your social media posts and schedule them all from one place. Yes, there’s a huge convenience in using one of these schedulers. However, don’t forget about the ‘social’ in ‘social media’. Your tribe wants to hear from you. If they respond back to a post that made an impact on them, only for you to never respond back, you’re telling that person they are invisible, and you only care about attracting new followers to boost that ever-loving number. Schedule time during your week to monitor social media comments and to respond to questions.
Myth #2: Only young people use social media.
While the millennials may seem to have their phones stuck in their hands at all times, studies have shown that older demographics are highly active on social media. According to Statista, 82% of the 30-49-year-olds and 69% of 50-64-year-olds are active on social media. These are significant stats, so don’t discount this section of your target market.
Myth #3: I’m new to my business and I don’t have enough content to post on social media.
Hogwash! If you have blog posts, you have content to share. If you have photos from a live event, you have content. Start with the basics, such as sharing your thoughts about your industry or asking questions about current events. Answer some FAQs for your audience or ask a completely unrelated, funny question to break up the seriousness of business talk. As you focus on what kind of themes you want to post about, your content creation will get easier and quicker. For now, it’s important to get started on whichever platform you’re most comfortable and start interacting.
Myth #4: Putting yourself on social media just invites trolls to criticize and bash your business.
More often than not, you will attract like-minded people who look up to you. They are the ones who will converse with you kindly and who will stick up for you if someone posts negative comments. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide how to handle them.
If it’s a customer service question, such as someone is having issues downloading your program, take the conversation offline and work out a solution. Try taking the high road and answering each comment patiently instead of showing your frustration. At least then others reading the comments will see that you’re trying your best to diffuse an ugly situation.
Myth #5: I can just buy followers to bump up my numbers and earn credibility faster.
Just because there are services available where you CAN buy followers doesn’t mean that you SHOULD take part in this unscrupulous practice. Instagram especially cracks down on fake followers and will likely suspend your account if you’re found guilty. Brands also carefully vet their brand ambassadors and those with fake followers who don’t engage at all will lose their opportunity.
Nothing hurts your credibility more than purchasing a random list of followers. Take the time and effort to grow your audience organically and you’ll also notice more engagement; because REAL followers actually CARE about what you have to say!
