Since setting up Youbee Media in 2020, I’ve heard a lot of different things about how people feel about promoting their business on social media. Some people simply don’t get it, some hate it, many mildly tolerate it and only few people actually see its potential and are happy to give it their time and energy. But for something that’s been such a big part of our lives for over 20 years, why is social media still such a big topic of conversation?
Well, to be honest, I think it’s because different platforms have different rules, tricky algorithms, and complicated systems (Facebook, I’m looking at you!). You must think about the length of your post, hashtags, what image to use – and is it the right size? But there are also a number of ‘myths’ around promoting your business on social media – and within this blog are just some that I’m more than happy to bust.
Organic reach
The organic reach of your content has been on the decline for a number of years. Sadly, a very small percentage of your audience will see your content if it’s not backed by an advertising budget. If you want to reach new people – it’s almost impossible.
The average reach of a Facebook post is around 5.2% - which means that approximately 1 in every 19 followers will see your page’s non-promoted content. Each platform behaves slightly different, but essentially, if you want to boost your organic reach, there are a few things you must have:
- A clear and engaging content strategy
- Engagement from your employees and close network of supporters
- Consistency in your posts
- Engage with others as your page / profile
- Ask for engagement and respond quickly to comments
Because of the downturn in organic reach across all social media platforms, it’s really important for businesses to switch their focus and still consider social as a key element of their marketing strategy – rather than see it as a lead generation tool. Social media is great for encouraging client retention, promoting employee advocacy, engaging with your network and showcasing the great work that you do. Consistently promoting your business on social media will mean that you’re at the front of someone’s mind – even if they don’t see everything you share.
If you’re an insurance broker that regularly publishes updates about your team, celebrate awards, your Chartered status or how you’ve supported a local charity – when a client’s renewal is due, they’ll remember not only your name, but the people in your business. When operating in such competitive markets, social media is one of the best ways to distinguish your business from your competitors. It’s an opportunity to showcase your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) and be remembered for more than just popping in once a year.
Paid reach
Social media platforms are free to create. Your audience is ‘right there’ and you know that you have something great to offer. They’re bound to find your content, right? Wrong. As we’ve just mentioned, organic reach is pretty useless if there isn’t a paid strategy behind it.
You don’t need to spend hundreds or thousands of pounds each month, as that’s not how the algorithms work. You can pick your best, or top performing posts and add a small ad budget behind it to ensure new people also see your content.
Having a paid social advertising budget means that you’re better equipped to track ROI.
Lead generation / ROI
So, how does social media work as a lead generation tool?
In short, that’s not really its purpose. It’s called SOCIAL media, remember? Which means that being sociable, interesting and engaging is really important (as we mentioned before). But of course, if you’re going to invest a lot of time, and a bit of money in something – you do want to see a return on your investment.
To begin to track this, you should consider a few things:
- Pixel tracking codes from social media -> to your website. This will help you to identify how much traffic has visited your website as a result of your social media post or ad
- Lead generation forms will allow you to collect data from the people who may have been interested in your product / service.
- Make sure you’re exploring all elements of a marketing mix – results don’t tend to come from just one form of marketing. Think about SEO, your website, blogs, email campaigns and other ways you can reach your audience.
If you’re looking to build a marketing strategy that fits your business, get in touch. We’ll probably talk to you about promoting your business on social media, but we’ll also look at other ways you can engage with your audience – without spending thousands on online ad campaigns. As a reminder, some of the ways Youbee Media can help are:
- Social media management and ad campaigns
- Strategy and planning – including short-form video
- Regular blog content
- Project management of your new website, as well as maintenance on your existing website
- Graphic design support for logos, branding, leaflets, brochures and more
- Press releases – local and national
- Marketing consultancy
- 1-2-1 training and support
- Direct mail campaigns
- Email marketing
For social media management advice, work with Youbee Media or join one of Becky’s marketing workshops for expert consultancy support.
