Do you still recklessly collect and analyze data, not paying attention to your overall strategy? If not, we’re already proud of you!
If yes, then once again, let’s attempt to save your future/existing business. One of the harmful myths, mentioned in Part 1, is the most destructive. We mean social media. Really. Hard to believe that such a beloved Internet feature could be a bad decision for your digital marketing plan.
Myth No.3: Focus solely on social networking – websites don’t matter anymore
Let’s have a closer look. There exist two digital domiciles for your business and you probably already know them. They are native (your website) and lent (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vkontakte, Instagram, etc.)
What’s the difference and how is one of them so bad?
On your website, you’re the monarch, master, boss, sahib, chef. It’s yours completely! Whether it’s your desktop website, mobile website or mobile app – you are the king of its content. You can be as strange as you want and present information in a way that works for you. Everything on your website is yours: domains, relationship with the visitors/customers, outcome, privacy, data, partners, censorship, and the list goes on. To make a long story short, owning a website is strategically marvelous.
But what about the lent domiciles like your Facebook page or YouTube channel? Yep, sure, you can create posts, images, infographics, and communicate with followers… but under pressure. Don’t deceive yourself by thinking you’re in charge when posting on social media.
Here are several reasons why:
- Having the best content – your creativity is restricted because you are limited by the framework of certain social media sites.
- All your followers are not initially yours, but Facebook’s or Twitter’s.
- Facebook’s algorithm, Edgerank, decides what to display in your followers’ newsfeed, without considering your wishes.
- Twitter will certainly test your nerves. You will always be checking to make sure you are still in your followers’ timelines without ever hearing their feedback.
- Besides the above written, all the data about your prospects is out of reach since you have no way of tracking it.
- Moreover, per the norms of each platform, privacy is questionable. They care about your business account only if it is “appropriate” for their authority. And you can’t always guess their next step.
The best digital strategy is to own both a website and social accounts, to engage the broadest audience. Show them that you care and all those interested in your business and billions of social media followers will be available to you!
But…
What if your marketing budget is limited, and you must choose only one?
Not a problem. Choose to create and promote your own website!
Why? Because you are special. Building your own platform means that you are unique, not just a part of the social media herd.
Lots of companies don’t understand this. They invest in SMM without creating a strategy. Sure, going with the stream is easier and you can do it, but only if success is not your cup of tea.
Imagine user is looking for a service. He will Google it. And what tops his search engine results? Websites. The first listings always belong to official sites. Only after scrolling through official sites he will be directed to social media account suggestions.
Oh, and getting back to investments…
Paying for a website is clear. You pay once and do whatever you want. Social media wants you to be flexible and dance to its tune. Why? Because organic promotion is worth almost nothing. Less than 5% results in ROI. You risk not appearing in your followers’ newsfeeds.
You need a paid strategy, for instance, on Facebook. It offers many ways to promote your brand, but you must pay – a lot. Maybe their advertising options will justify your spending.
Or, stop wasting time and money!
In conclusion: This myth was written by social media marketers. The key to your business uniqueness is building new, not sticking with what exists. Even without a great marketing budget, you can reach the top. The question is: Do you have the right strategy?
If yes – the rest will follow.
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