7 Things Social Media Can’t Do For Your Company

Have you heard that your company needs to be on social media? Although this is true, it doesn’t mean your business is going to go from 0 to 1 million sales overnight. In fact, there are a lot of things that social media can’t do for your business. In my last blog, I talked about what social media can do for your business. That is why in today’s blog I’m going to be highlighting what social media can’t do for your company. 

1. Social media won’t save your company.

Social media is not the reason your company is failing or succeeding, however, it is a tool that can help in many areas. The goal is for social media to be a part of your overall marketing strategy (I’ll get into that later), and to work with other departments to get your branding, voice, customer service, and overall company out there on the internet. 

Your company probably has many different components to it. From creating products and services, having a sales staff, allowing customers to have a great overall experience, and ensuring all of the day-to-day operations are taking place. There is a lot for your company to do. Social media can assist in helping your company in many ways, but do not think that social media will immediately get your company the online presence you are looking for, nor will it save your company if the other areas are lacking. It’s one tool in your tool belt and not the reason you are a success or failure or stagnant.

2. Social media isn’t instant success.

Like many things in life, it will take time. This does not mean it won’t happen, but you need to be patient with social media. Make sure that you are not committing to more than you can handle a couple of months from now. Many companies get so excited about the idea of social media that they start by posting every single day. Other operations come up and they let social media fall to the side. This not only shows inconsistency to potential customers, but the algorithm of social media also does not like this “strategy.” 

If you are new to posting on your company’s social media page, come in with a game plan. What do you want to focus on? How many posts can you commit to? Do you have someone checking for comments and questions each day? If you think you may be getting a lot busier soon is there someone that can take over the social media responsibilities? These are all questions to ask yourself and to make sure you remember prior to getting started. If you are able to do this, you are setting your company’s social media platforms up for success in the long run. But remember, social media is a marathon, not a sprint.

3. Social media can’t make you a thought leader.

Although you can put many amazing thoughts on social media, social media can’t make you a thought leader. These are your own personal thoughts or the thoughts of your company. What makes you a thought leader in your thoughts, actions, and content. Although social media is a platform and a great one, it is not all that you are able to bring to the table. 

You are however able to share amazing tips with your audience on topics that you do know a lot about. Social media is a great amplification platform but you don’t own this. You are on rented land that can take on a life of its own. Publish your original thoughts in videos, on your own domain name, written in books, and other content types. Then share those thoughts on social media. Social media doesn’t make you a thought leader – YOU do. 

4. Your social media posts probably won’t go viral.

Of course, you want your posts to go viral, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. People do not post a picture or video thinking that it will go viral, it just simply takes off after shares after share after share. Although you would love millions of people seeing your invention, chances are most people are going to click on that cute puppy cuddling the baby or the baby elephant getting rescued. 

It’s important to be realistic about your social media. If you are creating a sales post, it may not do as well as a post that is giving great tips and information. It’s also important to look at your analytics to see what is working and what isn’t. This will help you in preparing a marketing plan for the upcoming future. What works with social media is the message, the content, the delivery, the timing, and much more. That is what is going to help make you visible to your right audience. Viral posts are seen by a wide mix of people and you could potentially “go viral” for the wrong reasons and in front of the wrong audience. 

5. Social media can’t replace your marketing efforts.

Marketing is not a one-person or one-section game. Many people read about what social media can do for their company and put all of their eggs in one basket. The thing is, social media cannot replace your overall marketing strategy and PR team. It will only aid it. Social media is not the entire marketing strategy and implementation. It is so important that social media not be the entire strategy. 

Social media is a community and relationship builder, amplification tool, and platform for sharing ideas, thoughts, and information. It’s ONE way to do those things. It’s not the only way and it’s not even the most effective way for every time of relationship you want to build or message you want to send.

Components of a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

6. Your audience may not all be on social media.

Some companies draw a larger audience than others. This does not necessarily mean that they are doing better on social media. It simply means that there is more of a draw for that topic from their target audience. This is important to keep in mind so that you do not get discouraged. 

For example, if you have a plumbing company, fewer people will want to follow along on your daily posts than if you were a fashion company in which people may be looking for regular tips and entertainment. This does not mean that that plumbing company should not be on social media, it just simply means that it may not do as much for your company or may not be as wide of a range. 

And not every audience is on each platform. You’re more likely to find business professionals on LinkedIn so while your toy company could be there and participating, you might not find as good of engagement or audience growth as YouTube or TikTok. Audiences are everywhere but how hard and how much time and money will you have to spend to reach them?

7. Social media can’t fix your reputation.

Your reputation can be determined for you on social media. One viral for the wrong reason video, one bad experience, a slew of bad reviews, a disgruntled employee – all of these can affect how the public views your company. It’s been said that “people trust the reviews of strangers over what the company says about themselves.”

Social media can’t fix your reputation. Social media can’t manage your reputation for you. You have to have a strong company culture, great service, good product, and a focus on doing what’s right. These elements make a good company and in turn, can lead to good public opinion online. If some of these parts are broken, social media can be an amplification tool for the bad stuff. 

When managing social media accounts for your brand, make sure that you are ready. Understand what your public reputation is, monitor online review sites, company hashtags, local community groups, and more to stay on top of what people are saying. 

Social Media Can’t Fix Your Company But It Can Help

Social media is a fantastic way to gain new customers and clients. With that said, it’s not going to happen overnight. It also shouldn’t be your only form of marketing. With a consistent social media presence, you can make a real impact on your business.

For more information on social media and utilizing it for your company, reach out. I’m happy to chat about your company’s social media goals.