Myths and legends about social media

Social media changed the way we interact with each other. More importantly – it changed how businesses communicate and sell to their clients. In today’s world, it is almost impossible for a brand not to be active on different platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. The presence there is integrated into the marketing strategy of the company. There are tons of details about the target audiences, the types of posts, the tone of voice, and many more. 

It is fair to say that social media changed our lives and boosted the area of digital marketing in a way never seen before. However, there are several myths and legends about the networks that are still going around to this day and in this article, we are going to break some of them. In the following lines, consider us the “Mythbusters” of digital marketing. 

Myth #1: You should be present anywhere

Up to this day, a lot of people consider that they should be present everywhere and try to maintain accounts on all social networks. This is something that is not necessary. Depending on their target audience and type of business, companies can choose several channels in their marketing strategy. If they identify additional ones along the way, that is okay. 

It depends on the type of business you have. If you are selling clothes, then you want to be active on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. However, there is no point to be on LinkedIn with the same offers. People are there for other things and expect other interactions from this type of social network. Another mistake is that people rely on the same strategy for each of their pages. You have to adapt to the types of posts you can share, see what works best and brings you followers and engagement. And most importantly – that achieves your goals. 

Myth #2: You have to share engaging content at all cost

Some people consider that their pages must have a lot of likes, comments, and interactions. And while that is true, it shouldn’t be done with any type of content. For example – if you are a restaurant that has a social media page and shares pictures of cute animals you are probably going to receive a lot of engagement. However, it will be from people that like cute animals. Not from potential customers that will come and eat in your place. It is the same with other types of thematic content. You can use it, but you have to modify it from the scope of your business. Any page can post a funny picture – just make sure it is in line with your business area and target audience. 

Myth #3: I work from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. I am going to post at that timeframe

This is not that common myth. A few years ago it was and people considered that they can be active on social media from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and post regularly there. However, if you look closely, you will see that successful brands are active almost 24/7. And while some posts can be scheduled, for others you have to be the first one to reach. This is very important for media companies – whoever is the first is guaranteed the most likes, shares, and comments. 

You have to understand that people are online all of the time. And that is something they expect from brands as well. Today the brand follows the client, not the other way around. 

Myth #4: Social media is used by young people only

Once they started over 10 years ago, social media was used mainly by young people. Now, this is just a myth. What can be considered to be true is that young people prefer specific social media platforms. TikTok and Instagram are just two examples. Facebook and LinkedIn are left to professionals and the majority of people there are not students. This is not “a young man’s game” if we have to put it in a way to reference James Bond.  If you are interested in specific numbers and demographics, sproutsocial.com has compiled an amazing list of people from different age groups using each platform the most. 

Myth #5: I don’t need investments or expertise to achieve results

Social media is very complex and if you want to be successful you must hire professionals to help you. It is almost impossible to achieve results on your own. And there are several reasons for that. You can share posts and stories on your pages. However, social media has to be part of the overall marketing strategy you have. The SM networks should be chosen based on the type of business you have, the goals you want to achieve, and your target audience. The different platforms have constant actualizations and change their algorithms and functionalities. For a person that doesn’t have the proper background, this information will be hard to track. And those factors are crucial for how a business will perform on social media. 

Myth#6: Social media is marketing with no cost

In the early 2010s, some marketers referenced social media as a place where you can promote your business without investing in ads. This wasn’t true back then and it is not true today.  If you want to be successful you need to deliver amazing content to your target audience on that social network. And here we come to the content plan and the strategy for social media ads. What and when to be published, what types of ads to be prepared and run. And this is only the tip of the iceberg. It is complex and it costs money. Some marketers still reference social media as “marketing with zero budget”. Well, they don’t know what they are talking about. 

Those are the six main myths about social media that still can be witnessed today. If you want to be successful you have to be active on social media today. The best way to achieve results is to work with professionals. If you want to learn more about how you can take advantage of the potential that the social networks have, feel free to contact our team.