Social Media: Fact vs. Fiction

Social media is more effective than ever before in increasing business revenue, spreading awareness, providing opportunities for marketing and much more. It's important for any business owner to understand why a social media presence is a necessity, but also to understand how to use it effectively.

Let's debunk a few common social media marketing myths that are keeping people from having success on social platforms.

MYTH: Everyone is on social media. We should be, too!
FACT: Social media without a strategy is just noise.

Just like any content on the internet, consumers don't want to waste time sifting through articles that are irrelevant to them. Posting too much on social media with no purpose does more harm than good in the eyes of consumers. Be sure to develop a strategy and goals centered around who you're targeting and the exact message and sentiment you want to convey.

MYTH: You need a presence on all platforms.
FACT: Not all social media is created equal.

It feels like you should have a presence on every social media platform (especially if your competitors do), but the purpose of every platform is different, meaning every platform may not fit your brand. For example, a company may choose not to have an Instagram profile—that's OK! The Instagram audience may not include the audience they're targeting, nor might their brand entail consistent imagery that effectively tells their story.

Every post should have a purpose, and if that purpose doesn't align with the presentation offered by one social media platform or another, don't force it. Quality over quantity, always.

MYTH: You need a lot of followers to be successful!
FACT: The quality of your received engagement matters more than the quantity of your followers.

Having a lot of followers on social media might look impressive, but if those followers aren't engaging, then the following doesn't mean much from an advertising perspective. Also, the goal is to get the community talking to the community, meaning reactions hold more value than likes, comments are more valuable than reactions, and shares hold a lot of weight. You have to engage to get your followers to engage. Write your posts in ways that call for comments, clicks or shares and then join the conversation! Again, quality over quantity.

MYTH: Use the same professional voice for all posts.
FACT: Authentic engagements are valued traits online as well as offline.

Your posts will be most effective if they are authentically written. Yes, they need to reflect your brand's identity and voice, and yes, they should maintain a certain level of tact and professionalism. But your audience wants to know that you're real above all else. Write in a conversational, yet elevated tone. Fakes are spotted online as easily as they are offline.

If you need help debunking these myths or getting your social media on the right track, see the rest of our free resources for group travel professionals, available here.

Courtesy of Groups Today.

A version of this article originally appeared at Serendipity Media.