Throughout your childhood, I’m sure your parents have asked if you would jump off the bridge after your friend. We’ve all learned our lesson back then that it is best to think for yourself.  But sometimes following the crowd is so much easier than coming up with unique solutions, especially when it seems like the right thing to do. Nowadays, the same thing happens for businesses using social media.

Why Are You Using Social Media?

Are you a “just because” marketer?

Social media marketing is hot right now and you’ve probably heard multiple times that you are missing out if your business is not socializing online. And this could be true, but none the less, it’s not the reason to jump on the bandwagon and start signing up for a bunch of social media accounts. Even if it won’t do any harm, it might not do any good either and you’ll end up wasting time and money.

Set your goals.

Before you “implant” your business into every social network possible, set your goals. Some of the common goals for social media marketing are:

  • To build awareness about your business
  • To build relationships with your existing customers
  • To increase traffic to your website or blog
  • To generate more leads and sales

If you don’t know what you want to achieve, you won’t be able to measure the return on your efforts.

Develop a strategy.

Do some research before deciding whether social media marketing is a good allocation of time and money for your business.  A few things to consider:

  • Are your competitors on social media? If so, are they succeeding?
  • Who are you trying to reach? Does your target audience use social media?
  • Does your audience already discuss your business on social networks?

Once you’ve determined that social media marketing is indeed a golden opportunity to propel your business to new heights, it’s time to think about logistics:

  • Which social media outlets will be best for reaching your audience?
  • What type of content would your audience be most interested in?
  • Who will manage your social media networks?
  • What is your budget and timeframe for your campaign?
  • How will you measure results and determine whether you’ve met your goals?

This may sound like a lot of things to consider, but it’s well worth the time! And if you find that you need help setting goals or guidance through the process, let us know and we’ll help you get started with your own social media strategy.

But don’t do it “just because.” Believe it or not, I came across a recent article that listed “everyone else is doing it” as a legitimate reason to hire a social media manager.

 

Yes, a lot of companies are doing it and it is popular, so consider it but don’t blindly follow. Your business is unique, and what works for others may not work for you with equal success.