There are some hard truths about social media that can make it challenging to manage on an ongoing basis. We want to think that we can easily maximize social media without a plan or budget, and in return, gain tons of new customers!

The reality about social media marketing is that it requires strategy, skill, human interaction, and buy-in from the entire company.

Here are some examples of bad social media advice…but never fear! We tell you the truth about how to succeed with marketing yourself and your business on social media.

“You can make it up as you go along.”

The truth: You want a plan.

While using social media in your personal life can feel like second nature, that is not the case for using social media to generate business. Success on social media requires planning, resources, and time to grow in order to make an impact. Having a plan, goals, or schedule will greatly increase your chances of success with social media marketing. Don’t know where to start? We offer to consult so you can learn to create a social media strategy with the help of an expert. We also can make the strategy for you! Let’s talk!

“You can automate a presence.”

The truth: People want connection and authenticity.

When it comes to organic social media, very little can be automated. There are certainly free tools that can be leveraged to make you a better and faster social media. Nevertheless, social media marketing still requires a lot of work from actual humans. This is not to say all automation in social media is bad. No way! Bot accounts and responses are something that can be created and utilized for automatic customer service replies and thank yous to customers. At the end of the day, social media users want to feel like they are talking to a real person on the other side of the computer screen.

“It’s easy.”

The truth: Social media takes a lot of time and skill.

When social media marketing first started, there was not much sophistication related to the profession. Many institutions’ official social media accounts were managed by unpaid interns simply because they were millennials. Now there are Master’s Degrees related to social media marketing. The tools, tactics, and technology needed to succeed with social media marketing are extensive. It’s best to work with a professional to get results. (You can also check out our “Lazy Person’s Guide to Social Media”.)

“It’s free.”

The truth: Success on social media comes down to time and/or money.

Do you know of a place where we can get free time or money? Let us know!

Until then, there are three basic options when it comes to social media marketing.

  • Organic social media: Posting on social media without using paid ads
  • Paid social media: Using paid advertisements on social media
  • Both organic and paid social media

There are various benefits to each of these approaches.

Organic social media benefits

  • Connect with your audience in a meaningful way
  • Create an online space for your audience (current and potential clients)
  • Showcase your credibility and personality
  • Encourage people to engage with your brand and keep it top of mind

Organic social media challenges

  • Takes time to gain audience momentum
  • Difficult to prove direct ROI
  • Ongoing/never-ending

Paid social media benefits

  • Create customized content for a niche audience
  • Acquire earned media (blogs)
  • Generate data-driven information on cost per lead and A/B testing
  • Clearly defined schedule and results
  • Leverage retargeting tools
  • Obtain emails from target market

Paid social media challenges

  • Larger upfront financial investment (opposed to organic)
  • Larger upfront time investment (opposed to organic)
  • Audiences may stop engaging after the campaign is over

Our recommendation is to leverage both organic and paid social media. Invest in the honest, genuine presence of your brand with organic social media while dedicating funds to maximize advanced tools available with paid social media advertising.

“You won’t have to even look at it.”

The truth: Whatever your job is, your company’s social media presence should matter to you.

Be wary of social media managers who obtain little input from people within the company. The more every employee is involved in social media, the better. At Upward Anthems, we want to remove the burden of social media while highlighting its value to business owners. This is why we work closely with our clients to develop content and review performance. What we learn on social media can sometimes be applied throughout the entire company!

Do you feel like you are receiving bad social media advice? Schedule a discovery call with a social media and marketing expert to talk it through!