Debunking 2021 Digital Marketing and Social Media Myths

Customer behaviors are constantly evolving. Are your marketing strategies evolving with them? How your customer researches and weighs buying decisions today is vastly different than even a year ago, especially with the “new norm” the pandemic has brought to the forefront.  As a leader in your industry, it is important that you are consistently evaluating and pivoting your marketing efforts and not just “checking the box” on the same old list of activities.

Here are 6 common myths that we are debunking because, well they simply aren’t true.

1. Sales are more important than relationships

After a year of limited physical customer interactions, changing consumer demands, and new behavior patterns, building a relationship with your customers online should be your number one focus. This article said it best, “the digital experience is now the human experience.”

Instead of asking, “How can we increase online sales?” companies need to be asking,
“How can we create a more personalized, online shopping experience?” Many companies have turned to virtual events, live video content, and more authentic marketing tactics that focus on value, empathy, and transparency.

2. My industry competitor isn’t doing it, so I don’t have to.

These days, with more than 2.14 billion people buying goods and services online, it is critical that every company has a digital presence. At a minimum, your social media channels should act as a “social window”. Think of it like this, if your consumers were to browse by your business and look into your storefront window, what would you want them to know?

Use your digital presence to share your company culture, educate your buyer and tell your story. This is also a great time to build relationships with your buyer by sharing relatable, current content that humanizes your brand.

3. Addressing online reviews and inquiries is not a priority.

Online reviews and reputation have never been more critical, than now. In fact, 93% of consumers say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions. Furthermore, more than half of consumers won’t use a business if it has less than a 4-star rating.

So, how can you address this? Implementing an online reputation management strategy that monitors, responds, and addresses online reviews, comments, and other forms of inquiries will allow you to put customer service and buyer satisfaction at the top of your list.  Google is a great place to start given that this platform accounts for 57.5% of all reviews worldwide.

4. More social is better, right?

Wrong. So many companies think that they need to be on every social media platform and try to implement every tactic at once hoping something sticks. This does not work for two reasons. 1) When you are doing everything, it can become difficult to know what is effective and what is not. 2) Your presence becomes shallow and you end up with very little traction. It is recommended that companies pick 1-2 relevant platforms and focus on building relationships and sharing authentic content that resonates with their target market.

5. What works for one social media platform, can work for all.

When sharing on multiple platforms, it is important that companies tailor their content to their audience’s content consumption habits. Not every social media channel is used in the same way. For example, a video created for LinkedIn may be two to five minutes long. It should be direct and highlight the most important points. However, a good length for YouTube videos is typically 15-20 minutes. Further, hashtags and trending topics on Twitter may be different than what people are talking about on Facebook for example.

6. Social media does not drive bottom-line results.

Social media can be used for so much more than brand awareness in today’s market. For starters, shopping features have been integrated into Facebook and Instagram, allowing customers to make a transaction without ever leaving the social platform. Additionally, many companies have begun incorporating social media influencers into their marketing strategies which can often be tracked through to the bottom line. In fact, 79% of people say that user-generated content on social media significantly impacts their purchasing decisions. Lastly, social channels can be used to answer questions, communicate your product/service offering, and build relationships with your customers increasing their likelihood to buy.

If you are ready to realign your marketing strategy and grow your brand authentically, contact Promote On Purpose today.