What They Don’t Tell You About Social Media

8
Jun 2018
There are no shortcuts in social media
via Instagram user @melissaelhon

Nearly everyone has a social media presence these days. Whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even YouTube, chances are you’re dipping your toes in the social media space. It’s easy to spend a great deal of time on your social media, talking to friends and family, and maybe getting a few near-viral posts. Unfortunately, many people feel that their mastery of their personal feeds will translate into quality marketing. You’re already posting, so it must be the same thing, right? Wrong. There is a lot more to social media than you think, and it’s time to learn the details that you don’t know about social media.

 

Don’t Look For Shortcuts

 

Lots of people will bandy about terms like “shortcuts” and “hacks,” but the truth is, there are no shortcuts or special hacks. Social media marketing takes not just a lot of work, but hours spent every week keeping up with the latest changes, the new algorithms, and the landscape as a whole. If you aren’t paying close attention to what is happening in the social media sphere, your efforts will quickly suffer. There is no replacement for constant education and hard work.

 

It’s Not All Fun And Games

 

Joking around with friends and family, sharing silly memes, and catching up with old friends is the primary function of social media for most people. It’s fun, a great distraction while in the waiting room, and a good way to keep up with people’s ever-changing lives. Social media marketing, on the other hand, isn’t always fun. In fact, it’s often tedious! Throwing up the cute picture with a funny caption is great, and you might see great results from it, but for every “fun” post you do, you will spend double (or more) the time it took to make the post looking at analytics, keeping up with what’s working, how your ads are converting, and so on. Posting itself is a very small part of the job.

 

Networking Is More Than Liking Responses

 

Networking is a key part of success on any social platform. Liking comments, and commenting back on your posts is great, and necessary, but that’s just the beginning. Finding groups that you can post content in, or meet other people that would be directly interested in what you have to offer is key. Commenting on other peoples posts, replying to tweets from people that don’t follow you, and reaching out to other people in the industry takes a lot of time and a very shrewd eye as to what makes the most sense for your business. If you aren’t reaching out, you aren’t growing.

 

Social Media Marketers Need Help

 

Content doesn’t appear in a vacuum. While posting occasional thirdparty content that relates to your business can be effective, if you aren’t focused on what you have to offer, you can’t expect the audience to stay engaged. Your social media specialist might be local, or they might be remote, but either way, they will need authentic content and a budget! Candid pictures around the office can be some of your most effective content. If you are hosting an event, make sure there are pictures and video ready to get posted. And make sure they have the time and budget to create the most effective ads. No man is an island, and treating your social media team like one is a surefire way to miss the mark.

 

Your social media activity is essential to keeping your business successful, but it’s important you look at the whole picture in order to get the most out of it. A trained social media specialist will always be a vital part of your business plan. If you aren’t planning for the behind the scenes work, you will quickly get overwhelmed, and if you get overwhelmed, chances are your social media etiquette will slip too. Make sure you’re ready, and you know how to most effectively run your social media platforms.

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