For those that have grown up without it, social media can be the type of marketing that feels a bit like a mystery. Thus there are many misconceptions about social media marketing.
Even the name, social media, means that some people feel like it should be reserved for pictures of cute animals and chats between friends.
But in recent years it’s become a popular and efficient business tool.
When you consider that there are over 3.725 billion active social media users in the world, that is a huge potential customer base for your business. The joy of visual social platforms like Instagram, as well, is that users can see your pictures.
They can enjoy the content even if they don’t speak the same language as you.
Here, we take a look at debunking three common misconceptions about social media marketing so that you can consider if it’s right for your goals.
Table of Contents
1. It’s Easy To Do
Sure, it’s easy to take a photo of something or write a quick post and upload it, but that won’t increase your customer base. The real skill in social media marketing comes from being able to craft content that gives something back to your audience.
Just like traditional marketing, the content you post needs to serve a purpose. What do you want your business to be known for? What benefit are they getting from your posts?
How can you best encourage them to trust your brand?
All of these are questions that you’ll need to answer in order to get the most out of your social media.
If you want to take your socials to the next level, you’ll need to have someone who is confident looking at your account analytics, and modifying your content accordingly.
They’ll be adept at creating a social media strategy, as well as demonstrating great customer service, as they’ll need to reply to all the feedback from your posts.
Additionally, as this is all in a public forum, their work is a very important demonstration of your business. So, you need someone you can trust to win your customers, not lose them. Not so easy, after all.
2. You Can Use the Same Posts on Different Platforms
Not all social media platforms operate in the same way or have the same audiences. For example, Instagram is a very visual platform, whereas LinkedIn usually leans more towards informative posts, as it’s designed for business connections.
Therefore, assuming that you can just choose an image, add a caption, and post it across Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn aren’t correct.
Technically, of course, you can do this, provided you meet Twitter’s 280-character limit. However, for the greatest rate of engagement, you should modify your content to best meet the needs of the users on that specific platform.
For example, Instagram offers feed posts, stories, and reels. Posts are for content you want to remain on your grid, stories tend to be more casual and show the day-to-day of the brand, and reels are high-action, rapid clips to grab interest.
In order to get the attention of as many people as possible, you’ll want to be creating all three types of content. Then, upload all this content on a schedule.
But in contrast, LinkedIn tends to favor longer written posts, sometimes with an accompanying image, but often fact-based.
3. It Doesn’t Generate Income is One of the Big Misconceptions About Social Media Marketing
Whilst social media platforms are not online shops, they can do wonders in raising awareness of your brand and directing followers to new products.
For example, take a user who is casually scrolling through Facebook, when they see a funny post you put up for April Fool’s Day.
They might then ‘like’ your page, and the next time you post about a new launch, this will show up on their feed. Or they may enjoy the post so much that they click on your page, and you have your business website at the top.
If they then click on this, they can go to your website and discover your full range of products. With good content, you can engage users and introduce them to your brand.
Using Influencers
Another way to generate income is to work with social media influencers. These people already have a solid fan base who trust their recommendations, and for a fee, they can post professional content about your business.
Whilst it might seem counterproductive to have to pay someone for this, it should again bring new clients to your business and hopefully increase your sales.
Social media marketing is not something you can no longer do alone. It takes a lot of time and your time should be running your own business, right?
However, a business owner should participate in the social media marketing mix as YOU are the brand, the person behind the business.
Conclusion: Social Media Marketing Misconceptions
Don’t let myths about social media steer your campaign off course. With clear goals and insights, you can transform your approach and see results. It’s time to act—analyze, adjust, and achieve. Have a question or insight? Leave a comment and connect with other readers.
Let’s Hear From You
Can you think of any other misconceptions about social media marketing today? I’d love to hear more from YOU in the comment section.
She has 30+ years of experience in marketing/advertising with 12 years of experience in content marketing, social media, blogging, and SEO.
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Such valid points, Lisa! I especially like the 1st one, about being easy to do.
In fact, I have met some young people who think that just because they like browsing through Instagram and creating posts and stories with stickers, they can apply for and get jobs as social media managers.
It is key to remember that social media marketing, like any other type of marketing, requires some understanding of marketing fundamentals: target audience, branding, content strategy. Otherwise, 1 billion people (the number of global Instagram users) would all be social media marketers, hehhe.
Hi Poulomi, Thank you. I love your point about the 1 billion people all being social media marketers. An excellent point. I appreciate your comment and your shares on social as well Poulomi. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead.