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Starting a new business is both parts exciting as it is daunting. There are many aspects business owners will have to consider, from branding to their business model. One element that tends to be oversaturated is the use of social media. Companies of all sizes believe that in order to reach the most amount of customers, they need to post on every social media platform that exists.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth. If your business doesn’t have a full understanding of social media marketing, it may be worth the investment to hire a digital marketing company to assist with these needs.
If you don’t have the budget just yet, take a look at these nine reasons why your business should limit the number of social accounts your business has.
1. Each Channel is Unique
When planning out your social media strategy, it may be tempting to fall into a case of imposter syndrome. You look at your competition and see that they’re thriving on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and every social media platform in between. But the reality is, not every channel is created equal.
Creating content to meet the unique specifications of each platform is incredibly time-consuming. Different platforms have varying requirements for photos, videos, or captions. Some platforms require different aspect ratios. You can’t post the exact same photo on Instagram as you would on Twitter because the sizes in the feed are completely different. The post won’t translate well or service your followers.
Plus, having the exact same content on every channel isn’t productive. It won’t give customers a reason to follow you on any other channel. Would you want to have the same information put in your face multiple times a day? Your audience won’t either.
2. Overall Management
There is a philosophy that says, “Go deeper, not wider.” This saying is true when it comes to deciding which social media platforms you’ll want your business to be on. If you’re trying to be on every channel, think about the bigger picture. How would you be able to manage the content creation, posting, engagement, and analytics of each platform? Not to mention, you will want to run ads and capitalize on pixels for generating new leads.
That leaves you with little to no time to actually run your business. Where you spend your time when working on your business shouldn’t be completely delegated on social media. That in itself is a full-time job. This means you’d want to hire someone, but that costs money your business might not have in the budget.
Outsourcing your social media marketing services can save you time and money. Plus, they have more experience in the field than you might have. They have the expertise to optimize your social media marketing strategy in order to receive the best results.
3. You Won’t Be Good at All of Them
We’re going to be brutally honest. You won’t be good at every single social media platform, and that’s perfectly okay. Everyone has a unique set of skills, so use your skills to your advantage. If you’re not great at keeping up with the consistency of Twitter, you don’t need to spend hours stressing over what to post.
As we mentioned before, each platform is unique. When deciding which marketing channels are right for your business, you want to consider the type of content you are going to create that is of quality.
If you’re not the best at video editing, don’t worry about spending time on YouTube. Focus on the strengths you have whether it be writing, graphic design, photography, or short informative videos. That should be the bread and butter of your content and will help you figure out which platform it’s best suited for.
4. Where Your Audience Is Scrolling
One of the biggest pieces of the social media puzzle people tend to forget is figuring out where their audience is scrolling. The conversation amongst your potential new customers is already happening. You just have to find exactly where they are talking. This is especially important for small businesses with fewer employees.
McConnell and Associates is a pavement maintenance service company that has been in the business since 1965. Their company has had to adapt to immense changes over the years, including the creation of the internet and the surge of social media. While it was challenging, they knew they needed the extra help. The company turned to a digital marketing company to help sort out what social platforms they needed to be on if they wanted to keep up with their competition.
As a small business, they found that it was best to focus their time and energy on Facebook and LinkedIn. Why? Because that’s where their ideal customer spent most of their time. TikTok wasn’t going to serve their business because the average age of someone using this platform is between 16 and 24. These teenagers and young adults certainly wouldn’t hire McConnell and Associates for their services. Remember to be thinking about where your ideal audience already spends their social media time.
5. Analytics For Success
One important aspect of social media platforms is your analytics. What this means is that you are taking a look at the insights of your social media content to see what is working and what isn’t. For an effective digital marketing strategy, analyzing your content and data is crucial for generating new leads and time management.
If you spend weeks posting the same type of content, but your analytics aren’t showing results, you’ll want to switch up your content. No to mention, managing the analytics of multiple different accounts will become convoluted and difficult to track.
6. Keeping Up with Latest Digital Updates
Every social media channel is constantly making new updates. You won’t be able to keep up with the latest digital trends and updates if you’re spread too thin.
Instagram, for instance, has changed over the last ten years. They went from once being a simple photo-sharing app to adding elements of a video that range from fifteen seconds to fifteen minutes. Then there are the daily stories to be shared that give real-time updates associated with your business. That’s just one platform of the many you’ll need to keep up with.
There is also understanding and learning how their algorithms change. Algorithms, specifically when we’re talking about social media, is how an application decides what type of content is being distributed to your followers, despite when the content was posted.
However, algorithms could change every few years or even every few months. In order to make sure your content is being shared and reaching the maximum amount of users, you’ll need to stay on top of the latest updates that are happening on the social media channels your business is on.
7. Quality Versus Quantity
Building trust with your audience means you’ll need to create quality content. Think about some of your favorite social media accounts. Ask yourself why you like their profiles and why you revisit them. Most likely, it’s because there are elements of education, entertainment, inspiration, and a pleasing aesthetic. The same applies to each of your social media platforms as well.
This gives your audience a reason to return to your page and have your content in their feed. Posting irrelevant content simply because you haven’t posted in a while won’t serve your audience. You’ll see a lack of engagement which won’t allow your posts to reach as many people.
8. Building Your Community First
Social media is no longer about sharing fun photos on Facebook from your family vacations or sharing about your successes. It’s about building a community of like-minded individuals who all share a common need or desire.
This requires engaging with your followers and connecting with them as people, not just as potential income. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and to feel valued. Stretching yourself too thin amongst multiple channels won’t allow you to properly build your community.
Think of it like the community you physically live in. More than likely, you wouldn’t take on volunteer work or attend city hall meetings in a town that is outside of your state. Just like this instance, you want to focus on nurturing the community that you have instead of trying to build one everywhere.
9. There’s a Platform That’s Right For Your Business
We get it. Looking at a plethora of social media channels to choose from can seem daunting that it makes you want to steer clear from it altogether. But there is no business in the world that doesn’t have a platform that’s right for them. LinkedIn is an incredible social media platform for recruiting.
Facebook is perfect for creating community-oriented groups where businesses can share their online courses. Pinterest is one of the best social platforms for interior designers to share stunning photos of home decor inspiration.
Not Every Social Media Platforms Have to Be Included in Your Marketing Strategy
These nine tips are to help you start thinking about which are the right marketing channels to best suit the needs of your business and your audience.
It might seem overwhelming at first, but the best part is that you don’t have to do it alone. A digital marketing and branding company can lift the social media strategizing and implementing from your shoulders.
This way, you can spend more time focusing on the parts of your business that need you most.
Thank you!
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