Why Social Media Development is Critical

How Social Media Can Impact Your Business

Facebook was founded in 2004, and little did Mr. Zuckerburg know how greatly he would change the world. What began as a way for college students to connect with one another has become a true behemoth, with more than 2 billion monthly users worldwide. Even the largest media companies in history haven’t had that kind of reach. With 965 of the US population now owning a cell phone, and 81% with smart phones, it’s hard to imagine a world without social media. Numerous other social media sites have cropped up over the last decade and present both enormous opportunities and challenges to local businesses, especially across demographics. Most business owners and marketing teams understand the importance of social media, but many are very confused how these platforms work.

In the last 5 years, we’ve seen an uptick in the need for local businesses to use social media. Some businesses have jumped in with gusto, learning the ropes and what works to reach their audience. Some have jumped in with the same enthusiasm, only to post cringe-worthy content or blast a negative commenter on their site. The worst of this negative content has made the news in local cities (and sometimes nationally), and I’m sure you know of a local business who has done the same. This has left a large gap between social media pages run well and pages which provide inconsistent posts, struggling to receive engagement with their followers. The best social media pages ultimately gain better traction with their audience and receive a natural lift in their messaging, resulting in rewards for the hard work of consistent, valuable content. Although the algorithm is a complex ecosystem, ultimately content that is most likely to be reacted and shared with friends & family receives preferred treatment. Have you ever put a post on social media and wondered why very few people have engaged with it? This could very well be why.

The worst social media page we’ve seen is a business with three different pages with the same business name, all on the same social media channel. This meant that when you typed in their name in the search bar, three different pages came up with mixed posts over the prior decade. This made for a very confusing consumer experience, which made it very difficult for their posts to enter newsfeeds. We asked why they had three pages, and do you know what their response was? Every summer, they would bring on unpaid college interns to work on their social media pages with nearly no oversight. This left their pages during those seasons full of content and valuable posts, but empty when the interns left. Worse, the logins and passwords went with the students when they left and they could not retrieve them. So, they would create another page and start over…and over. Social media sites are brilliant in their design, and they create consumer experiences that are convenient and easy to access. Three different pages and varied content is a confusing and difficult consumer experience, so their posts were naturally discouraged by their bewildering consumer experience.

We encourage you to start today to improve your social media page. Small, free steps can make a big difference over time. Be true to your brand, and provide valuable content to the community - content which consumers want to read and engage with. Paid social ads can supplement pages and can be a great addition to any marketing plan, but it does need a strong foundation of content.

Not sure where to start with your social media? Confused what to post, or how to respond to an online troll? We’re here to help. Drop us a line and we’d like to meet with you or set up a call. Guilt-free, judgement-free, pressure-free.