I think social media is a big waste of time for your business.
Huge. Massive.
Sometimes, I wonder why businesses even try to do it.
(Wait I probably shouldn’t tell you that since my whole career is social media.)
But here’s the thing. It’s not that I’m jaded (or that I’ve worked on so many social media content calendars that it’s made me go crazy). I’ve seen social media do wonders for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
However, I’ve also seen it do absolutely nothing. I’ve seen businesses invest hundreds if not thousands of dollars into social media campaigns that provide zero ROI. And I know how frustrating that is, especially considering the fact that social media is regarded as one of the best places to grow your business in 2019.
So what’s wrong here? Is social media not all it’s cracked up to be? Or are the platforms just wrong for your business?
Whether you are a B2B or a B2C company, if you haven’t seen any results from social media, the problem isn’t social media. It’s the way you use your social media. Here are four ways you might be wasting your resources.
1. Social Media Is A Big Waste Of Time If...
You Aren't Using The Right Avenue.
Social media is huge. It has become one of the largest ways to communicate and meet people, and it keeps getting bigger. Some think it will eventually die down, but from the trends, you can see, it won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. 
There are about 3.48 billion people that now use social media, 366 million of those people are new people that just started using social media in the past year. That’s more than a million new people joining social media every single day.
If that is where the majority of your audience is, don’t you think it’s something worth considering?
Unfortunately, simply having a business page or an account that says what your product/service is, won’t quite cut it.
How are they going to find you when 77.6 percent of small businesses are using social media to promote their businesses?
If you aren’t willing to utilize the possible most significant avenue to attract, convert and delight leads, for your business, yes. Social media isn’t right for you.
2. Social Media Is A Total Waste Of Time If...
You Aren't Planning On Spending Any Time On It.
Consistency is the biggest thing you can do to grow your social media. If you don’t have content, what is there for your audience to see? Are they going to think of you over that other brand they see daily?
You need to have your brand in front of them and provide content that they want to see. Not only does this build trust with potential customers, but it also makes it so they WANT to see what you are doing and where your brand is going. In the noisy world of social media, it is imperative for your company to build trust with frequent, high-quality content—and to respond to engagement as quickly as possible.
Another trust-building factor is social media reviews. Make sure if you are spending time with your social profiles. Take the time to ask your clients to leave reviews and thank them for their feedback with a gift. 90% of customers say they rely on a company's social reviews to decide to buy from a company.
3. Social Media Is A Total Waste Of Time If...
You Aren't Willing To Invest In Targeted Followers.
So where do you get the audience that wants to hear about your product or service? Yes, you can have family, friends, and past clients like and follow your social. But is that who you are trying to reach?
Although faithful, consistent followers are important, you need new targeted potential LEADS. These are the people that will make all of your social media efforts worth it.
How do you get these targeted followers? You will need to invest in reaching these people through ads. In the social media world, you get out what you put in. So throwing $50 at an ad to reach people in New York to fill out a Lead Form just won’t cut it.
You need to invest in building up a strong following, and then those people will learn to trust you from your consistent posting. They’ll be willing to fill out a lead form and be more likely to become your client. Everybody wins!
GET HELP WITH YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
4. Social Media Is A Total Waste Of Time If...
You Don't Think Your Business Is Worth People Knowing About.
You either thought your product or service was worth selling or the person who started the company did, or else you wouldn’t be where you are now.
You know people need or want it.
And that’s why it is astounding to me how many companies do not think social media is needed for their company. Social media is how 60% of customers want to discover new products or services. You know how amazing your product is. What better place is there to share it with the world?
Personally, I haven’t been to the mall to find or buy products in nearly two years, but you know how I make my impulse or even researched purchases or decisions? Social media!
And I am not the only one. 200 million social media users are visiting at least one business profile every day. According to Toby Cox from The Manifest,
“People trust what they see on social media,
and as a result, 67% have made a purchase
after seeing an advertisement on social media.”
In Conclusion, Social Media Is A Waste Of Time...Right?
I think you can see if you aren’t willing to invest in one of the biggest avenues of leads and sales, you won’t have much of an ROI from your social media efforts. That’s okay. You can continue to post once a year, or heck, you can post once a week.
Unless you see the value in what social media can do for you and your product or service, you are wasting your time. And that’s not something any business owner can afford to do.
I urge you: if you do see the value in what social media can do for your company, don’t just slap an ad or a couple of posts up. Be consistent and invest in a solid social media marketing strategy!
And if you want to get more from your marketing, the ROI team has your back. With an ROI PitStop, one of our expert co-drivers will help you identify opportunities for growth and work through challenges in your way. Or, if you want more in-depth help, kick your business growth in overdrive with a QuickStart. Our team will create all the elements you need to get results from your marketing.
So what are you waiting for? Schedule a free strategy session today, and choose the best program for your business!
