Social Media Myths for Business Owners

We have identified 5 major myths to help you push past and adapt to the ever changing world of modern social media

Myth One – “Posting multiple photos per day/week will attract more likes.”

Remember, quality over quantity. While posting regular images is not a bad thing, it is the engaging content which pulls in the most likes on posts across your Instagram or Facebook feed. Imagine posting three photos per day or a photo each day with boring content and captions. This action will see a decrease in your following very quickly. The fact is, people use social media as a leisure activity when they finish work or in their down time. Spam is the last thing they want to view on their newsfeed. Post consistent, high quality, content with captions that draw the viewer’s attention where they will click on your page link to find out more about your service or product and what you have to offer.  

Myth Two – “You must be on every social media platform.”

No, you don’t need to be. Each and every business is unique and offers specialised products, services and marketing techniques. You only need to be on social media platforms where your target audience hang out. For example a makeup brand is likely to use Facebook, Instagram and Youtube while an accounting firm is less likely to use Instagram and Youtube but more likely to use Facebook and Linkedin. 

Myth Three – “I need a large number of followers to be successful.”

This is not necessarily the case. While a large following may expose you to many people, it is those who engage with your posts by commenting, liking and clicking the link to your website who matter most. Those that are loyal and act as brand advocates are the followers who are most valuable to your business. A small social media community which is filled with people who love and want to try your brand or who are so satisfied that they have become repeat customers, is far more successful than a large social media community with few loyal followers. Although, this doesn’t mean you should delete or decline followers, you never know they could be an influencer who will bring exposure to your brand through their social media. They may also refer your brand to someone else who is seeking info about similar products or services. 

Myth 4 – “Only young people use social media.”

Not at all! While Millennials make up a huge portion of the population who engage with social media, there are plenty of people older than the age of 29 who have jumped on the social media bandwagon. In fact, according to Sprout Social, 79% of 30-49 year olds and 68% of 50-64 year olds use Facebook. Not to mention 47% of 30-49 year olds use Instagram while  a smaller portion of 50-64 year olds also use this social media platform. 

Myth Five – “Ignore or delete negative feedback on social media so that your brand doesn’t look bad.”

This is a major no no. Although social media may seem to be a place where positive feedback is often publicised, ignoring negative comments does not help you or your business whatsoever. Why make an upset customer even more upset? Replying to negative customers with a civil and helpful comment, will prove to consumers that you are listening and that you care about the customer experience. This little bit of advice may turn an upset customer into a thankful customer. A positive customer experience is key, right?