One of the topics that we get asked about the most often is social media – and we’ve realised that there are a lot of myths out there around using social channels that need to be busted! So, we decided to put together a blog answering those burning social questions.

Whether you have worries about how many page followers you have, or don’t know how best to allocate ad budget, we’re here to help! Read on for the lowdown on using social media in 2020 and beyond…

How do I measure the success of my social media channels and posts?

 Every business has different goals relating to what they want to achieve from their social media. Some want to have millions of followers, other focus on how many likes their posts get, and others look at converting ads into online sales. Social media performance can be really difficult to measure directly, because its use is essentially all about brand awareness – and we know it’s difficult when that’s not directly translating into sales right away. We always advise our clients not to get too focused on page and post likes, but instead focus on engaging with their customer base and building strong targeted ad campaigns to deliver measurable results.

Do I need to use stories?

 We think that Instagram Stories are a great tool. They’re great for giving your customer a behind the scenes look at your brand, and there’s less worry about the images and videos you use looking perfect and “grid-friendly”. At last count, 500 million people were using Instagram stories, and they fit well with the way that many of us like to consume content now – in short, sharp bursts.

What is engagement and why is it important?

We can’t shout about engagement enough – it’s hugely important to create conversations with your customers, followers and fans, and encourage discussion, reviews, comments and chat. People want to know that they’re conversing with a real person, and social media should be SOCIAL. Developing dialogues and opening up conversions help people to resonate with your brand and give you as a business a great opportunity to discover more about your target customers.

Do I need to use video? 

According to Facebook, 100 million hours of video is watched on the channel every day. That’s a lot of content, and also a huge chance for your business to be a part of. Video tends to be more engaging, with more opportunity to tell your brand story and stop that potential customer from scrolling past. There are also so many great tools for creating online video at low cost – you can produce fantastic content just using your phone.

What’s the deal with organic reach and likes?

 With the latest algorithm updates, it’s estimated that organic Facebook posts are only seen by around 5.5% of a page’s followers. We do get asked about this a lot, and unfortunately it is just the nature of how social media works now. What it does mean, is that you need to put more effort into engaging with your customers, and you also need to think about using paid social ads, and what budget you can afford to allocate to this.

Do I need to be using paid social ads?

Based on the low organic reach we’re now seeing across the board, it’s a definite yes! Facebook ads are a great way of targeting new audiences for your brand. Facebook holds so much detailed data about its users (which is a little scary but also very useful!) which means you can be really targeted about the audiences you want to find. You can also experiment with different types of content on small budgets, to help you find what works best for you and your business goals. 

What channels should I be using?

Firstly, you need to think about the channels that work for your business. Do you have a very visual product or service? Then head to Instagram. Are you targeting B2B consumers? Then make sure you’re present on LinkedIn.

It’s also really important to think about what’s achievable for you and your team – you don’t need to be on every single social channel! Think about where your customers are, and what channels you can manage well. It’s better to have amazing, consistent content on a couple of channels rather than diluting your time and efforts.

I shouldn’t be repeating my content, right?

 Yes, you should! It’s very likely that you’ve spent a lot of time and effort creating the content for your posts, whether it’s a video, graphic or some well-written copy – so make the most of it! Plus, customers don’t always engage on the first try – they need a few reminders about your new product or special offer before they decide to dive in. So, when you’re creating your content and social media schedule, take some time to think about how you can repurpose and reshare that amazing work.

Why does social media take so long to manage properly?

Like all marketing, social media takes time. From deciding what content to put out there, to creating the posts and your campaign schedule, plus monitoring what your competitors are up to and your mentions online and engaging with customers – it’s a big task. That’s why we recommend using scheduling and social listening tools so you can consolidate your social media management into one place. We’ve been using Later.com recently and found it to be really useful! 

This all sounds like a lot of hard work – can you do it for me?

If you need some help looking after your social media strategy, we’re here for you! Get in touch for a chat at [email protected]. We also offer bookable consultancy sessions – find out more online now.

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