Why Social Media is Not Sales Media
Why Social Media is Not Sales Media
What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About Why Social Media is NOT Sales Media and What To Do About That!
The first social media platform was launched in 1997 with the short-lived Six Degrees profile-uploading service. In 2002 LinkedIn was founded, 2003 saw the launch of MySpace, and in 2004 Mark Zuckerberg introduced the world to Facebook.
In a relatively short period, Social Media grew exponentially and changed the landscape of traditional forms of communication for a business. Fast forward to 2022, and the use of social media is vast and widely spread across the globe. A business's presence on social media is not optional; it is necessary. Customers and potential customers expect to find your business online, and it is up to you how effectively you maximize your social media strategy. One critical concept business owners must understand though, is that social media does not equal "sales" media.
Yes, sales are the revenue-driving force of your business, but social media should not be relied on as your sole sales funnel. Social media's ROI (return on investment) is not measured in sales. The ROI of social media is so much more. It has expanded brand awareness, trust, and reputation, being top of mind, and providing valuable customer service. It is about building a loyal community, collaborating with others, and listening to what others say. Social Media should be a small piece of your overall marketing strategy, that also includes such things as landing pages, paid ads, email marketing, and SEO - just to name a few.
Social Media Statistics in 2022
As of January 2022, there are 3.96 BILLION total social media users across all platforms.
Key Statistics from Sprout Social's 2022 Social Media Findings:
- The average person uses 7 different social media platforms each month
- TikTok is the fastest-growing social media platform with a staggering 105% user growth rate
- Instagram now has over 2 billion users
- LinkedIn has one of the highest-earning and educated bases on social media
- Twitter has 436 million monthly active users
- 52% of Twitter users are on the platform daily
- Pinterest has over 400 million monthly active users
“We don’t have a choice on whether we DO social media. The question is how WELL we do it” - Eric Qualman
Steps to Successful Social Media Management | SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING | @DufferinMedia
FREE RESOURCES: Social Media Marketing
Eight Reasons Why Your Business Needs to Be on Social Media in 2023!
- Increase brand awareness
- Humanize your brand
- Help stay top of mind
- Increase website traffic
- Improve reputation
- Provide customer service
- Build a community
- Collaboration opportunities
We speak to an overwhelming number of small business owners who believe social media should drive sales, and this is a mistake that can be very costly in the long run. Posting to your social media channels about your business, products, and your promotions repeatedly, without any other content, is missing the point of social media. Remember, social media is meant to be social.
If you are not socially engaging with your audience, you will not be successful on social media. Social Media Platforms are a powerful way to connect with your clients and community more humanly. Over time, consistency will ultimately lead to increased sales and revenue; however, this should not be your sole focus of social media.
At Dufferin Media, we assist clients with strategies to create compelling scroll-stopping content that will help them increase engagement, stay top of mind, and elevate their brand awareness.
Measurements of Social Media Success
So how do you measure the success of social media efforts if not in sales figures? The following KPI's (Key performance indicators) can be used to measure your success:
Reach: How many people saw your business online? " Reach" or "Impressions" measures the number of times that your profile or your content. Increasing your reach is equal to increasing your brand awareness.
Engagement: Engagement is defined by any action taken on social media content. This includes liking, commenting, sharing, retweeting, clicking, or viewing. Your engagement can be measured in terms of numbers and also in percentage. As you share content designed to generate more engagement, your rates for this will increase. It is also important to note that engagement goes both ways. Your engagement statistics will increase as you engage with others from your brand account(s). As your reach and engagement increase, all other analytics will also increase. Follows, clicks to your website, and ultimately, your sales will grow too.
Brand Mentions: This is another type of KPI that you can track to practice social listening and analyze what other accounts say about your business and product. This creates an incredible learning opportunity, and you can potentially gain valuable user-generated content too!
Importance of Consistency
Lastly, the team at Dufferin Media all agree that the biggest wins from having a consistent professional social media presence are felt gradually over time. Using a healthy mix of social media posts such as the "30/30/30 Rule" outlined in this BLOG POST by our founder Sarah Clarke will build your reach, engagement, and results weekly and monthly.
If you are interested in discussing your social media strategy please contact us today to book a free discovery call!
