Social Media Strategy :: Dispelling Social Media Myths

Article: Dispelling the Myths about Social Media
By Julie Friedman Bacchini

There’s a lot of buzz around social media these days … and where there’s buzz, there’s also usually a lot of confusion! So here are the top five social media myths – and the truths you need to know!

Myth #1: If you don’t start using all of these technologies right now, your business will be toast in 6 months.

The Truth: Deciding to start a program using Facebook or Twitter or any social media technology is a business decision, and the “old logic” of making business decisions still apply. You need to ask all the same vital questions: Is this the right fit for my business? Will it reach our target market? What are the potential risks involved? What are the costs and potential rewards involved? You should only begin social media marketing if you have good reason to believe that it will give you a positive return on your investment of both time and money.

Myth #2: Everybody’s doing it.

The Truth: Everybody is not doing it; take a deep breath. While it may seem like “everyone” has a blog or a Twitter feed or a Facebook page (personal or business) it simply isn’t true. Making the decision to use any of these technologies is something you should consider carefully, along with a solid plan for how you’ll use, manage, and track them.

Myth #3: You will make more money than you know what to do with if you just started using these things.

The Truth: The percentage of individuals and companies making money, directly or indirectly, from usage of any of these technologies is incredibly small. While social media technologies can be great tools in your marketing and communications arsenal, they are not a direct path to piles and piles of cash with no effort. A get-rich-quick scheme they are not.

Myth #4: Web 1.0 is dead.

The Truth: Web 1.0 is still represents the majority of the content on the Internet. Web 1.0 is not dead or dying. It remains a vital component of how organizations get their message, products, and services in front of their potential customers. The social media technologies represent opportunities to enhance your Web 1.0 efforts, not replace them.

Myth #5: There is no longer a line between the professional and the personal.

The Truth: Maintaining a line between personal and professional is still important. One of our favorite quotes is from Warren Buffet who famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.” These new technologies can allow for direct interaction with your customers, which is great, but they can also be the quickest path to a PR disaster. Having a plan and discipline is vitally important for business use of these technologies!

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About the Author:

Julie Friedman Bacchini is President of Neptune Moon Design (www.NeptuneMoon.com), a full-service agency providing businesses and non-profit organizations with custom web designs, web site marketing plans, and strategic search engine optimization (SEO), all designed to build brand recognition, increase site traffic, and generate leads, clients, and revenue. Be sure to visit NeptuneMoon.com to read additional articles that will help you reach your business goals!