When you search for different digital marketing strategies, you will probably get similar answers on popular types of marketing.
Search engine optimization, advertisement placements, content marketing and so on. Many view social media marketing as the “golden goose” of digital marketing.
Don’t get us wrong, social media marketing can play an important role in many businesses marketing strategies, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for everyone. It’s a time-consuming, competitive segment of marketing that won’t always generate the results you desire.
Here’s why you don’t need social media in your marketing plan.
There Isn’t a Social Media Channel for Every Business
If you will leverage social media marketing, you need to choose the right platform(s). For a small business consultant, LinkedIn might be the right place for you.
If you sell lifestyle products or travel services, Instagram will show your products and services in the best light, but if you write thoughtful content that engages an audience, you might consider Facebook or Twitter.
What if you fit none of the above platforms? Do you pick Facebook or Instagram because they have the largest user base?
Knowing that other businesses are choosing these platforms because they “fit their marketing model”, how will you compete with them if yours doesn’t?
Not every business makes sense on social media. Rather than wasting your time trying to find the right social platform, you’d be better off leveraging other marketing channels.
It Takes Time
Time is a major factor in determining why you don’t need social media. Social media marketing is only effective if you have the time, manpower and willingness to commit to it.
If you stop updating, sharing and responding, your followers and engagements will drop like flies. If you can’t maintain a sustained presence on the network of your choice, it’s better not to start rather than to stop partway through.
Few things can hurt your online image more than a dead social media presence. If you have limited time to spend on your marketing strategy, spend it where you can get more value out of your time. Consider creating new advertisements or improving your SEO instead.
Social Media Advertising Can be Expensive
Social media platforms are advertising networks.
However, they are competitive compared to other advertising channels. You’re not just battling your direct competitors, but every other business that’s running ads.
While those same principals apply to other paid advertising networks, the competition isn’t as fierce. When there’s high competition, you’ll make higher bids to launch ads.
There are more cost-effective ways to get your ads out there.
If You’re Looking for Quick Results, You Won’t Find Them Here
New businesses need not jump on social media to build an online presence.
You will not see quick results if you get active on social media now, unless you have a piece of content go viral. Instead, focus on immediate marketing methods that can jumpstart your growth.
Social media doesn’t get fast results because it takes time to build followers. Once you have that audience built, you can engage with them.
If you believe your business is well-suited for social media, perhaps it’s better to build your audience now rather than waiting. If that’s how you feel, by all means, get started.
More for Your Business to Manage and Monitor
It’s important to know the effectiveness of your marketing strategies.
Not only will this knowledge show you where to invest your time and money, but it helps you learn what does and doesn’t work about your current strategy. Analytical tools are fantastic sources of insight to direct your future marketing efforts.
If you don’t need social media, it just becomes extra homework that might not pay off. Looking at what gets engagement, conversions and followers is a lot to worry about on top of your other marketing initiatives.
You Don’t Have Content to Engage With the Audience
Social media is all about engaging with customers and delivering share-worthy content.
Your business might have informative or educational content that’s well suited to answering customer queries on platforms like search engines, but that doesn’t mean it’s good content for social media. (at least not in its current state)
Social media content needs to be exciting, and it needs to have an impact. It has to convince users to stop browsing through a busy feed of other content to read yours. If your content doesn’t get your readers excited, then why should they read it?
Social media is a good content dissemination tool, but it doesn’t work for all content. Users won’t wake up in the morning excited to engage with your boring content.
Why You Don’t Need Social Media to Grow
Social media is an effective tool for businesses that follow a content delivery marketing model along with brands.
For owners of smaller businesses or businesses that don’t have the social clout to excite followers, readers, and tweeters, there are much more effective ways to improve your marketing, instead.
Look to the other strategies out there and stop wasting your time on a social media account that isn’t ever going to take off.