Social media platforms help to drive sales for many companies, but while it is a valuable resource to communicate with customers, there is still a segment of businesses that should not even bother with social media.
1. Limited Online Presence Elsewhere
In order to have a social media presence that is beneficial, you must first establish an online presence outside of social media. If you don’t have a solid website to link to your account, or if you haven’t claimed your Google local listings, then you are not optimizing your online presence in a way that will work with social media.
Social media users are looking for information all over the web, not just on one website. The more information you provide on the internet, across various platforms, the more customers will feel comfortable with you as a legitimate business. If you’re business only has Facebook and an unprofessional website, then customers are probably going to keep looking until they find a competitor with a more reliable online presence.
The other danger of relying solely on social media, is that terms and conditions change. Facebook may at any moment decide to shut down all business pages, and since you do not own Facebook there is nothing you can do about it. It is much more practical to have a stable site that customers can rely on without fearing whether it might disappear or violate a rule in the fine print.
2. Incompatible Products or Services
Sometimes you’re just not in the right business. This means that you may have a business that does not translate well to social media. There may be other options for your company online, but social media may not be the best use of your time and effort when it comes to your businesses online presence.
Businesses like funeral homes, or plumbers are not going to be something people want to engage with on social media. Besides, from the businesses standpoint there may not be a lot of content you could share that would be relevant and useful. In the case of the funeral home it would just be downright tacky. Being realistic about what sort of things are appropriate to post and will actually help your public relations and not harm them may make the choice against social media an obvious one.
3. Lack of Manpower
Small business especially run into this issue. If you don’t have someone who has the time and energy to keep up with social media, then its most likely a pointless endeavor for your company. Social media is fast paced, and requires constant updating and responding. Social media users will take your lack of posting or response as a lack of caring about customers. They may even begin to wonder if you are even still in business. This may end up driving them to your competitor who manages to have a fun, as well as constant, relationship with social media users.
Be aware that just having a Twitter or Google+ isn’t enough. Just because it exists doesn’t mean it is bringing in any new leads, or reminding customers of your presence. Consistent posting and communication is what does that. Social media is a tool, it cannot be left unused and still expected to be effective. It’s unrealistic.
Evaluating honestly the level of commitment your business is able and willing to give to social media will allow you to make the best decision for your company. Social media can be a great tool, but don’t allow it to distract your company from more important, online focuses. Social media is just one aspect of having a successful online presence, understanding the other ways your business can be successful online can help you create an educated decision about the importance of different levels of online marketing.
If your still unsure about what you need, we’d love to talk to you about your online presence. Request a free consultation today!