Social Media Marketing: 5 Common Myths, Explained

Social media has become the go-to channel for modern marketing strategy. With millions of users online at any given moment, creating digital content is now the best way to reach new audiences and grow your business.

But as social media's popularity has risen, so have the misconceptions surrounding its use as a marketing tool. When trying to develop the perfect strategy, it's easy to be misled by outdated ideas—especially for a medium with instantaneous updates at its core.

To help you gain a better understanding of social media marketing, here are five common myths—debunked.

Myth: Your Business Should Be on Every Social Media Platform

Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Reddit.

This is only a handful of the social media platforms frequented by today's users, and each one has a different algorithm, content format, and demographic. While it seems logical to think that the more social media platforms your business is on the bigger audience you'll reach, this simply isn't true.

Many companies make the mistake of going too broad with their social media strategy. Depending on the platform, your target audience might make up a negligible portion of the collective users. In these cases, crafting the perfect content for each site is largely a waste of time.

While there's nothing wrong with having a profile for your business on a handful of sites, conducting research and optimizing your content is more effective when your efforts are limited to a couple of platforms that provide access to your chosen audience.

Myth: Social Media is About Engagement Only

Audience engagement is an essential part of any good social media marketing strategy. Engaging with other users supports their conversion into customers and can broaden your posts' reach through shares and reposts. However, engagement isn't the only thing your strategy should be focused on.

Beyond being a connectivity tool, social media is also a traffic-generating tool and a place to develop your brand's unique voice, meaning engagement isn't the only way to measure success. Creating high-quality content that keeps users interested and encourages them to make a purchase is just as important as facilitating direct dialogue.

Myth: A Large Follower Count Indicates Success

Many businesses make the mistake of placing too much emphasis on their follower count, though it's easy to see why. While a large number of followers can indicate social success, it does not necessarily prove that your marketing strategy is effective.

Having a large following is, of course, good for visibility, but even more important is the percentage of your followers who take action after seeing your posts. Even a small social media community can be widely successful if users are compelled to connect with your content and ultimately go one step further by paying for your product or service.

Myth: Hashtags are the Most Important Form of Backend Work

At the beginning of the social media age, hashtags were a revelation. Across platforms, hashtags allowed businesses to connect with followers of certain topics simply by adding certain keywords to their posts. Unfortunately, hashtag use has declined steadily since 2017.

Now, hashtags are mainly used by influencers disclosing or promoting an affiliated partnership. For this reason, while hashtags can still be useful in moderation (for example, when referencing a trending topic), they are no longer the most important form of backend.

Other factors can have just as much influence over how far your posts reach. Developing an effective posting schedule, staying active on your account, and engaging with other users are all ways you can grow your audience.

Myth: Social Media Only Helps You Reach a Younger Audience

It's a common misconception that the only people who frequent social media sites are teenagers and young adults. In fact, plenty of platforms attract users of all ages. In particular, more than half of all Facebook users are over the age of 35, and the largest-represented age group on Twitter is between the ages of 25 and 34.

Even newer sites tailored to younger generations aren't to be counted out. In particular, TikTok has seen rapid growth in its number of adult users. Essentially, this underscores the importance of knowing where your audience is. Determining which sites your target demographic spends the most time on is the best way to find out which platforms are worth mastering.

The Truth Behind Social Media Marketing

Social media is constantly changing, whether it's through the addition of new features or the obsolescence of the old. The best way to keep your strategy up to date is to find a social media management partner who can help you understand the ins and outs of these dynamic platforms. At May Street Studio, we can do just that. Contact us to develop the perfect social media strategy today.