Are You Overreliant on Using Social Media?

If yesterday’s global outages of Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp aren’t enough of a reminder, anything can happen. While the outage didn’t even last a full day, it raised eyebrows enough for folks to think about the repercussions of a long-term social media outage. After all, the average American spends just under 2 and a half hours on social media every day! From a business perspective, what would a long-term social media outage mean? Is your marketing strategy spread out enough to survive without Facebook, Instagram, and the rest of social media?

How Are You Using Social Media?

First off, how much of your marketing strategy hinges on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? Sure, that might be where your customers spend the lion’s share of their internet time, but does that mean you should go all-in? The answer is no. To begin with, your business only needs a couple of professionally managed social media profiles. In other words, stick to one or two platforms before you spread yourself thin.

But what about your strategy? Regardless of which platforms you employ, what do you use them for? Are you trying to drive online or brick-and-mortar sales? Are you focused on building a robust customer loyalty program? Or are you simply trying to improve overall brand awareness? Depending on the reasons you use social media, there could be other avenues through which you can achieve those goals. 

For instance, don’t forget about your website. Especially if you sell from it, your website should be where you spend the bulk of your resources. Facebook and Instagram can get people interested in your brand, but interest doesn’t always equate to business. Rely on a well-designed, user-friendly business website, rather than social media, to help drive sales and brand awareness

What Can You Do Instead?

Remember, more than 90% of businesses across the country use social media to advertise. Compare that to the roughly 65% of businesses that have a website, and it’s clear: too much of an emphasis is made on the former. Does that mean there are no other viable alternatives when it comes to marketing your business? Absolutely not! Let’s take a look at some other potentially fruitful strategies. 

Your Website

As mentioned, your business website should be the face of your brand. Focus your energy on cultivating a worthwhile experience for your audience by implementing things like blogs, customer loyalty programs, interactive video, and more. 

Google Ads

When your customers aren’t on Facebook, chances are they’re on Google. Over 4 million businesses advertise on the world’s most popular search engine, so it pays to get your name out there where your audience will see it!

SEO/SEM

More than 90% of internet searches take place through Google. Take the time to plan out and implement your keyword strategy to maximize your visibility and help folks find you when they need you!

Social Media is Here to Stay!

Facebook, Instagram, and Whatsapp were all up and running again less than 24 hours after going down. While reactions from users ranged from obscene to understanding, today users are back at it like nothing happened. The lesson? Social media is here to stay. 

That means while it’s definitely good practice to diversify your marketing strategy, you shouldn’t abandon your business Facebook page. Instead, consider ways to spread your content across different channels, like your website, email marketing, and SEO. You’ll be better prepared for unexpected outages and you’ll have a better chance of reaching a more diverse audience!