Social media is becoming more and more popular today, especially for brands who want to connect with their target customers. It started out as a source of amusement and entertainment for people. But now, it is considered as a serious tool for marketing. Yes, it has become a backbone of any successful marketing strategy.
Any brand can have the opportunity to grow their leads and sales through social media marketing. However, achieving success in SMM isn’t as easy as it sounds.
The competition is tough. You must have a strong online presence on different platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to rise above the competition. Other than that, you should also understand the pros and cons of social media to build a concrete SMM strategy for your business.
Pros and Cons of Social Media for Business
Whether you’re just start-up or aiming to reach more customers, promoting on social media is vital to your success. Lots of brands have hopped in the SMM bandwagon to reach potential clients – and you should, too.
Yes, social media is for everyone. You will gain different benefits from it. However, it doesn’t mean that there are no limitations. You need to consider not just the advantages, but also the disadvantages of using social media before plunging into the online competition.
The Pros
- Provides user generated content
If you want to boost your engagement, user generated content is the key. And you can find lots of this kind of content on social media. A tweet or a positive comment from your page serves as a great endorsement for your business.
Other than that, it also has more resonance compared to content that you’ve created for your brand. Hence, gather those positive comments, reviews, or posts made by other people about your business, products, or services. They are more powerful than branded images and posts.
- Helps in SEO
Social media can aid your efforts for search engine optimization (SEO). Since Google is always looking for ways to serve users with the most relevant search results, you can use social platforms to share content from your website. Google may recognize your content as good quality, placing it on top of search results.
- Specific customer targeting
If you know where your exact potential customers are, social media can be very beneficial in targeting them. For instance, if you’re a business-to-business company, you can promote on LinkedIn to reach more prospects. On the other hand, you can take advantage of Instagram and Pinterest if you’re a fashion brand. You can also use Facebook Ads’ specific targeting features to attract those who are looking for the products or services you are offering.
- Creates relationships
Building relationships is one of the most popular benefits of social media marketing. In today’s digital age, using your website to engage potential customers is not enough – you also need to be on social media. It will give your brand a voice and enable you to create a personalized experience for those who express interest in what you offer.
Always remember, the more they spend time on your channels, the more they get to know your business. Hence, the more likely they are to buy from you. Social media will help you build trust and create a positive brand perception.
- Content can be re-used
Content can be reused on social media. The posts that you’ve published on Facebook can also be used on Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms. A simple blog can be repurposed a couple of times depending on your preference.
You can make an infographic, quote, or a short video on one blog, and distribute it across social. Just make sure to use the right hashtags, call-to-actions, and structure when repurposing content.
The Cons
- Success takes time
Success in social media won’t happen overnight. You must build a strong online presence, nurture your followers, and create a solid marketing strategy. It needs continuous efforts to see the ROI. But that’s fine – being patient in achieving your goals won’t hurt. All that matters is results that you will get in the long run.
- Needs constant attention
Social media needs constant attention. It can be time-consuming for your business, especially if you don’t have a team member assigned to manage the social platforms. Your channels must be monitored and updated often, so it’s important to look for a social media manager or an agency lime Philip & Henry Media to help you out.
- Difficult to keep up with trends
Trends on social media change rapidly over time. Your business needs to keep up with the latest trends and updates because if not, you won’t be able to get the results you want out of your social platforms. That’s why you must be keen and move fast to keep up with the competition.
- No content means no engagement
Social media won’t be effective if you don’t post anything on the platforms you use. It needs content. Without it, there will be no engagement. And without engagement, you won’t be able to grow your customer base. So, you should invest some time and effort to create shareable content.
- Can ruin reputation
One single error can negatively affect the reputation of your business. For instance, if a customer complaint isn’t answered, they can post on their newsfeed and say bad things about your brand. With that mistake, you can quickly lose the trust of your followers.
Always remember that social media is a public platform. It is hard to hide anything. Sure, you can delete those negative comments and posts about your business, but it will surely come back again until you solve the root of the problem. So, if something happens and you think that it can cause a bad effect on your end, act fast.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know the pros and cons of social media for business, are you ready to take the next step? Even with the disadvantages, it’s still a great idea to promote your brand on social media. You just need to be patient and prevent problems from getting out of control.
