Balancing the Pros and Cons of a Wired World
Do you need a social media presence? Yes. Most likely. In a few very rare and limited circumstances, maybe you don’t. Maybe you have dynamite word of mouth and everyone knows and loves your business. Maybe you think your business has achieved the absolute pinnacle of performance and has no need for new business. Or, conversely, maybe you’re thinking about winding down an unsuccessful business. If those are the case, maybe you don’t need a strong social media presence. Otherwise, yes, you absolutely do.
Like it or not, humanity has become addicted to smartphones, the internet, and social media. Much as people no longer meet their romantic partners in person, few people will have their first encounter with your business in person. Even people who do “meet” your business through word of mouth, traditional media, or just seeing the sign will more than likely go straight to their phones to check reviews, scroll the social feed, and look up what your business has to offer.
Where to Put Your Social Media Dollars
Now that we’ve established that you need a social media presence, what should it be and where? Few businesses or individuals have the manpower, funding, and time to fully engage with all the social media platforms out there. Fortunately, there’s no need to.
When deciding what platform or platforms to use, consider the target market for your brand or business. Facebook, for instance, pulls in the largest percentage of the 50 to 64 age bracket among social media platforms, but one of the lowest percentages of the 18 to 29 year olds. So, if you are marketing to Baby Boomers, Facebook will get you there. Gen Z and Gen Alpha, not so much.
Simultaneously, consider what it is your brand or business sells or offers and how that can translate into social media content. YouTube offers good engagement numbers across age groups. If your product isn’t particularly conducive to video content, however, it may not be the best outlet for your advertising. It may be considerably harder, for instance, to sell ball bearings on YouTube than exotic vacation destinations.
Know When to Call in Help with Your Presence
For many people, sitting around thinking about the social media strategy for the business they’re working 80 hours a week to keep running doesn’t sound appealing. This is especially true for people who have extensive skill sets in the real world rather than the social media one. Fortunately, there are people that specialize in getting social media up and running for businesses.
Hiring a social media coordinator for your business is a strong move and can take a lot of pressure off of business/brand runners. However, it entails its own set of challenges. First, of course, is the expense of hiring on additional permanent staff. For some brands, this may be no issue. For others, it can be an uncrossable hurdle. Additionally, ensuring that your brand/business vision meshes well with the social media coordinator’s specific skillset is a must.
Short of hiring full-time staff, brands and businesses should also consider whether a virtual assistant can offer the social media management they need without a large outlay of time and money in the hiring process. Virtual assistants at SML, for instance, are adept in taking the outline of your business and creative assets and developing a cogent social media strategy around them that can provide you with the reach you need on social.
So, in conclusion, the bad news is you do absolutely need a social media presence for your brand or business. With very few exceptions, it’s an essential. The good news is, now, you should have a better idea of where to apply your social and how. And, should you still need assistance, it’s never been easier to reach out and get the extra help you need.
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