For any businessman or entrepreneur looking to succeed in the Philippines, it cannot be denied that social media use has grown to be more impactful now than in the previous years–even when it has already been larger in the country than anywhere else in the world. Especially with the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to keep nations on lockdown, many people have had to rely on technology to survive. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, among others, have been an everyday tool for Filipinos.
If I need to have food ordered and delivered, I can go to Facebook and search for businesses around my area that can provide me with the type of cuisine that I’ve been craving. If there’s anything else I need, the online marketplace is there, so I can send a message to any of my local sellers. Couriers and transactions can be done through another app, or a third-party provider. Many social media users also rely on social media for the latest news. As of September 2020, 85.15 percent of Filipinos are on Facebook, annualized.
Imagine if your business had a physical store, but barely any online presence? With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down economies left and right, how can your business survive? Your usual customers will then have to go online to buy from you. So, if you can, work with a social media management company that knows what it’s doing. In 2020, there remains to be a plethora of social media marketing myths that are keeping many businesses from succeeding.
The Top 5 Social Media Marketing Myths
While there are many myths and dated assumptions surrounding social media, it really comes as no surprise, as these are ever-changing tech platforms that intend to remain relevant. What used to work for your FB business page a few years ago is more than likely passe today. Listed below are the top five social media myths that are inherently linked to digital marketing:
Client says, “My target audience is not on social media.”
– A quick search on social media use and its statistics will tell you that as of January 2019, there are 74,850,000 Facebook users in the Philippines. With nearly 75 million people on FB, kindly do tell us about your target audience not being on social media.
If I’m not on all platforms, how can my marketing strategies be truly effective?
– Apart from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, the other popular social media apps/sites include LinkedIn, Youtube, Tiktok, and Pinterest — just to name a few. As a business with a brand to take care of and grow, this is where your marketing strategy comes into play. Find out which of these platforms happen to be where your target market is, as this will help you narrow down the number of sites that will carry your business profile. You don’t have to be on every single social media networking site.
Client says, “My potential customers are the only fans and followers that matter.”
– This is why social media has grown to be so impactful for businesses. The more users there are on any platform, the larger your audience becomes, and this means more potential customers down the line. The growth of your business can also be affected by other users who may not necessarily buy from your store. Remember that their network can be your network as well.
“Likes” are enough to grow your social media presence.
– These days, “likes” or “hearts” can only do so much. While they do help in promoting your brand’s posts in people’s newsfeeds, the algorithm will only do so if your products or services are relevant to their content preferences and browsing habits. Encourage your followers to share, comment, and further the discussions on your posts.
Hashtags are a critical element in every post.
If you have seen posts that are full of hashtags (#), how does that make you feel while reading the caption? It’s jarring, and it takes away from the experience. Hashtags are meant to help users browse posts with the same tag. It’s best to contribute to the content community or group that is relevant to your products and/or services.
Reach and Engage: Enriching the Conversation by way of Social Media
When businesses say that their clients cannot be found on social media, or that their brand has to be on all platforms for a strategy to be impactful, they are being resistant to the idea of social media’s impact. In trying times, we can access more people through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, among others, and can be of positive influence.
And whether they are already buying from your business, not only do these online fans and followers matter as they can be your captive audience, but they can indirectly impact your business, too. Whenever they share a post from your business page, they are already extending your brand’s reach to their networks too, like a calling card of sorts. So, this means that your content has to be on-point. Do not barrage it with hashtags that do not connect or are out of theme. Be user-friendly by enriching the dialogue through the use or relevant hashtags.
Apart from these five social media myths, what are the other social media marketing beliefs and practices that no longer apply today? Let us know what you think, we’re listening.
