The Biggest Social Media Myths

The Biggest Social Media Myths

social media expert

MYTH: It’s all about me.

No, it’s not. People may follow or “like” you online for who you are or the brand you represent, but they don’t come to hear you talk about yourself or product all of the time. If you’re a small business owner, your primary objective should be to provide relevant information to current and future customers or clients.

If your strategy consists of simply pushing information out, then you’re doing it wrong. The key to the game is engaging with your online community. They are people too. Talk to them about why they’re interested in your product or service and how you can continue to impact their life in a positive way. Never talk at or down to your followers. Never assume. And, always ask the right questions.

MYTH: I can use the same content on every social media platform.

In fashion there’s a quote that says, “Just because it zips, doesn’t mean it fits.” The same mantra can be applied to social media. Applications like Tweetdeck and Hootsuite and a host of other social platforms now allow you to integrate and use all of your social media accounts simultaneously. But, you shouldn’t!

Take a moment to log in to all of your accounts. Do you have the exact same amount of followers on each? If the number is the same, is the community made up of the same people?

If the answer is NO, this should give you a good hint that the needs of each audience are different. Schedule some time to do an informal audit of how you’ve been using each platform and examine the times when you’ve gotten the most favorable responses and when you’ve gotten crickets.

Use that information to tailor your approach going forward.

MYTH: I can’t make money using social media.

YES YOU CAN! A large portion of of my PR firm’s new business and outside project request have been generated based on things I’ve blogged or tweeted about over the last few years.

And even if you don’t have a business, if you’re consistently talking about certain industries or products online then you can sign up for services such as Ad.ly or Sponsored Tweets to make some money!

myth-busting

MYTH: My fans/followers want info about my business 24/7.

Your online community wants to know that you’re a human being. If you can connect and relate to people on a human level, you will keep them as customers or clients.

This doesn’t mean that you have to share personal details about yourself or your family, but it is okay to join in on a silly conversation from time to time. Engagement is all about that two-way dialogue. Make sure you’re being a good participant in the conversation and not just pushing your wares all of the time.

MYTH: I need thousands of followers to make a difference.

Even if you have just 10 followers, you can make a difference if you have a spreadable idea or cause. If those 10 followers believe or buy into what you’re talking about, they’ll tell a friend to tell a friend. The beauty in social networking is that when you’re connected to someone, you also have a chance to have an impact on their networks by association.

Don’t worry about followers or viewers early on. Just be consistent and do the work. The rest will follow.

What are some other social media myths?

(Photo Credits: Google Images)