Correcting the Record: Social Media Misconceptions

Social Media is Not a Passing Fad.

You could be forgiven if, a decade ago, you thought of social media as another passing fad, a novelty geared more towards chatty teens than serious entrepreneurs. But today? Social media has become so ubiquitous in our lives that its potential to impact your business can’t be denied.

Despite this, there are persistent misconceptions concerning social media marketing. Some still think of social media as an afterthought or an “add-on” to more traditional marketing tactics, leading to faulty assumptions about the level of effort and specialized knowledge required to use it effectively. Make no mistake, though – social media is a crucial component of any digital marketing strategy. And misconceptions like these can harm your ability to engage with customers and promote your brand.

Let’s go deeper and look at a few more misconceptions surrounding social media marketing…

“Social media marketing only targets young audiences.”
This might have been true at one point, but not anymore! A recent survey showed that 69% of all U.S. adults now use at least one social media site. Sure, some social networks do cater to younger demographics than others. But it’s simply not true that older audiences can’t be reached by social media.

“I don’t create enough original content for social media.”
Don’t worry. Not everything you share needs to be original content. If about 20% of the content you share is your own, you’re in good shape. The rest can be curated content – things like news articles and blog posts from relevant, trustworthy sources that your audience will find interesting.

“To be successful, I need content that ‘goes viral.”
Everyone wants to create the next “viral” sensation, but really, all you need to do is publish interesting, sharable content that will engage your audience. That’s the true measure of success on social media. Don’t worry too much about “going viral,” or try to force it – people will see through that.

“I need to be active on every social media platform.”
Not true. In fact, this is actually a pretty bad strategy. The key is to identify the handful of social networks that are most relevant to your target audience, and best suited to the kind of content you’ll be sharing, and maintain an active presence on those.

Don’t let misconceptions about social media marketing hurt your business. At Rosie’s Creative, we understand how social media works, and we can help you formulate a social media strategy that’s integrated with your overall marketing plan. Ready to get started? Contact us today.