Is Social Media Dead for Businesses ?
Jacqui Barhouch Blackbird
Strategic Consultant : Marketing , Brand , PR & Communications www . blackbirdfly . co . za
For a while now , there has been discussion in marketing circles on ‘ the death of Instagram ’. Twitter ’ s recent purchase by you-know-who has users leaving in droves . Facebook ’ s Groups are about the only useful function remaining on the platform . While social media ’ s audience size is undoubtedly massive , users are getting fed up with being bombarded with adverts rather than seeing their actual friends , as well as the questionable ethics of the platforms themselves .
And while most businesses are using some form of social media as a marketing tool , they ’ re finding it increasingly hard to keep up with the ever changing formats and algorithms that prioritise certain types of content , not to mention the budget required for never ending content creation and advertising . What used to be ‘ free marketing ’ is now pay-to-play . The days of organic reach are over and it ’ s getting harder and harder to get noticed .
While any business can learn how best to leverage any of these platforms , doing so takes a lot of time and money , especially if the expertise or inclination does not already exist in your organisation . As an architect , property developer or built environment professional , getting caught up in social media can take up valuable time , especially in an industry where the marketing team is generally under-resourced , if it exists at all .
Where to from here ? Take it back to first principles . Spend some time working on a marketing strategy for your consulting business , product or property development . What is your goal ? Who is your ideal client ? Where do they spend their time , and how best can you reach them ? Is it even social media ? Are there other places you could reach them ? There is no one-size-fits-all here ; the best return on investment will come from taking the time to understand who you are selling to , what their needs are and how you can best solve their problems .
What type of property are you selling ? Who can afford it ? What is their motivation to buy ? If you ’ re selling to investors , your messaging is totally different to first time homeowners or suburban families , or large corporates versus small independent retailers . Are you selling a dream , or are you selling ROI ? You can see how those communications would need to differ . It sounds obvious , but it ’ s so easy to lose focus on the customer when you ’ re in the thick of getting stuff done . If you ’ re selling a product or service - what is the benefit to the customer ? A list of features isn ’ t as compelling as a solution to a problem .
Then , make sure you don ’ t put all your eggs in one basket . Too many businesses rely on just one type of marketing , at the expense of all others . But it ’ s been shown that people need to encounter your brand or business several times before they become a customer . Make sure that your marketing strategy covers all bases relevant to your audience , so that potential customers encounter you - not just on social media - but perhaps in a magazine , on a signboard , at a networking event and in their email inbox . We ’ re exposed to thousands of adverts a day , both digitally and physically , and you cannot expect one ad in one place to stand out amongst the noise . Repetition builds familiarity .
So is social media dead ? As a marketing tool - not quite yet . It is still a great way to reach people and social media advertising can be very targeted , which makes it an ideal way to promote all sorts of businesses . It works brilliantly as part of a broader marketing campaign and can generate website traffic for service providers , sales leads for property developments , and grow the profile of any sort of business . But keep evaluating what you ’ re doing and what ’ s working best for your business . Don ’ t forget print media , PR and networking - we ’ re online a lot , but not every moment . Broaden your efforts .
With billions of users worldwide , social media isn ’ t going anywhere just yet , but it might not be the best choice for everyone , and it definitely shouldn ’ t be the only way you market your business .
10 Social Media