Oh, Social Media…Why I hate you, why I love you and how I do both

Okay, so social media… Love it? Hate it?

Do you hate social media but need it for business? If you’re reading this, it’s likely you feel like I do: resigned to the fact that social media is a part of our lives. And if you’re a business owner, you know that social media is a vital way to connect with your audience. In fact, just by not having a social media presence, many people might see your business as old school and totally out of touch. 

There are so many reasons I struggle with it.

First, there’s the whole anxiety factor. Monitoring Instagram accounts of acquaintances who seem to be perpetually on exotic vacations and aging backwards can lead me to an abyss of self-loathing.  Sometimes it’s despair, when all you read are steaming piles of toxicity full of ignorance and hate. And there’s the ugly time suck. You start scrolling; it can be so hard to stop.

Time consuming content creation.

Those things might not factor into your dislike of social media. We hear a lot from clients who are constantly frustrated by simply trying to keep up with the demand for new content. Also, you’re freaking busy! You have a full-time job just running your business! There is pressure, a lot of energy expenditure and a giant time commitment to do the minimum and keep your posts consistent, current and, hopefully, compelling.

Some days, you probably wish you didn’t have to use it… (believe me, I know how you feel). But, I’m also here to tell you: you have to use it. Social media is one of the most valuable tools you can use to build your brand and business. 
 

Ready for the twist?

In the midst of this pool of social media resentment, it turns out, I actually love it. I love what it does for our clients. I love what it can do for individuals who are looking for personal connections with brands and business owners. I love the interesting way creativity comes into writing content in ways that really lend themselves to the different platforms, their different audiences and learning about best practices – there really is a whole psychology behind it. It’s fascinating.

So, here’s the thing: try to think of social media as your really annoying neighbor. He’s a piece of work. He gets out his leaf blower at 6 a.m. Saturday morning, which surprises you because he was drinking beer in his backyard with his equally annoying buddies till 2 a.m. But this is also the guy who shovels your driveway after a heavy snow just to be nice. And he’s the only one you trust with your golden retriever when you have to go out of town. Yeah. There are some problems, but on the whole, if your option was having this neighbor or no neighbor, you’d definitely want this neighbor.

It’s true, there are times social media is hard to like… but you’ve got to appreciate it.

Social media requires a cohesive strategy and consistent engagement to be truly effective. Social marketing is unique marketing because it’s done in the now. It’s communicating and engaging with real people in real time who have big and real expectations for authentic interactions. And sorry, but I have to say it again. Social media is beyond essential to your business’s success – you’ve got to leverage its benefits and make peace with it. How? I’ll give you some tips:

Make Social Media Work FOR you… not the other way around.

The first step to making that happen is to realize that you need to see and understand what it is — a fairly annoying neighbor who also supports you and is there to help, despite his drawbacks. It is a tool for growing your business, building your brand and strengthening your relationships with your audience — and nothing more.

Next, try to keep these top two reasons of why having active social media accounts are tangibly beneficial for you in mind, at all times.

Don’t have time for social media but know you need it for business? Let us do the heavy lifting.

1. More Sales 

Alright, I got this from the Kinetic digital marketing department, but it’s true. They have convinced me that at least having a Facebook page, a Twitter and/or Instagram account with an updated bio can be invaluable. I really don’t think very many people care about what I made for dinner, the new sofa I bought, or the recent addition to my beauty regimen, but they do want new information and interesting stories that connect with them personally.

If a business has no social media accounts and no website, at best it tells me they don’t care about connecting with their customers in ways that most consumers prefer and have come to expect. At worst, I have to wonder how legitimate the business is, or whether they lack technological savvy. Either way, I’m going to look elsewhere.
 

2. Better Exposure

I got this from Pierce! And he would probably call this a tangent… but remember that when your posts get liked, more people see them and share them, and then more people see them and share them, and it becomes an organic, self-supporting system. This is one of the most cost-effective ways to grow your exposure and exposure leads to sales.   
 

Still not sold?

If you’d still rather shovel your driveway yourself and drop Rover off at the kennel… you have another option.

Invest in the experts

So, in today’s competitive landscape, every business – large and small – needs a social media presence. Still, I know that for many business owners, it can be daunting and miserable to run a business and be the social media manager, too. Delegating social media strategy, and execution to a marketing agency is a totally viable option. If social media is really just not your thing, consider finding someone who understands it and is excited about it, and bring them onto your team.

You’ll be happy you made the investment. And the social media and digital strategists here at Kinetic are also always here to support you!

So, it’s okay! You can hate social media! But now you know there are also ways to come to love it and make it work for you at the same time.

Want to commiserate, have questions? Reach out to me anytime at paula@kineticmc.com.

Originally published Feb 21, 2021 8:44:00 AM, updated March 08, 2022