WHY BRANDS SUCK @SOCIAL MEDIA

New Products and Small businesses are stuck in a hard place; stuck between paying a firm too much to maintain the brand or the taxing chore of learning the ropes. Too many brands face the same facts; 1. Social Media is difficult to understand, manage, or track their return. 2. Brands often miss the need for content. 3. Social Media and online marketing can be expensive. So what are you left to do, start to understand why most brands suck at Social Media.

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1. Most people today assume to be a creditable business, you have to be on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and any other social media that is popping up. The truth is; they don't; not every business has customers on all platforms nor is it efficient to manage all platforms if you're talking to an empty room and your customers are not on any of these given mediums. If you customers are ages 13-17, focus on Snapchat; if your demo is 46-54, focus on Facebook. The key take away is find your targeted demographic and where they spend their time and invest on that medium. Remember, your time is better served to engage at depth when you invest in one medium rather than only surface deep across multiple platforms.

2. Another quick short cut brands take that cost brand validity is posting personal content on a business page; or even worst mixing the two accounts. No matter how cute your kid is, customers do not know your kid and don't care; sorry. A business page should provide value and content to the followers lives no matter how funny your fifteen second clip of your dog chasing his tail is. Count this as lesson learned, post business on your business page and share through your personal; clean up your brand and get polished. The only exception is if the personality is the brand and is polished. Brands that have a face, please know they are just that a face not the raw unpolished personal post.

3. Not all content is worthy of your customers time. Just because it is crucial, interesting, or resourceful to you does not mean your customers care. The point of Social Media is to engage with your customers and provide value, if you do not provide value, customers may read or even "like" your post, but you really need a "share". Push content that gives value and not just pushing discounts and promotions. The point is to not just scream discounts, contest and promotions all over your platforms, which hurt your brand value more than get new customers using your product. Engage and you will find what your customers like to see; when you find it, create value and deep engagement with your customers. 4. Lets face it, not everyone can market on Social Media. Whether it is time, lack of interest, lack of knowledge, or simply misunderstood. We try to off load this to a marketing team to create, manage, and strategize our social media platforms but when we find out that cost average between $3,000- $7,000 per month and in some cases going up to $20,000 per month. This is insane for most start-ups and new brands as this cost is only Social Media and no other marketing. Consumers use these platforms because they heard your name elsewhere and want to see a more honest perspective than what your website says. So provide honest engagement and do not fall short of your customers expectations.

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At the end of the day, social media is a tool for you to engage with customers, provide value, and provide a reason for your followers to share your value with others. Many small business owners do not have value to add on social media. Many are spending time on Facebook when their customers are on Snapchat. The reality is; it is OK. Play to your strengths and win at those; stop loosing trying to improve your weakness. Understand the landscape and devote energy in areas that show your specific situation a high ROI. Social media is not for every brand and not for every business owner. Be self-aware and bet on your strengths.