Social Media: Does it Still Matter?

Social media has changed a great deal since 2010.  Not only has it evolved to function differently, but how people think about Facebook, Twitter and other sites is different today, as well.

Gone are the days when we were all giddy about making a post, or connecting with a long, lost friend.  In 2019, opinions have soured about social media for a number of reasons. 

Some are upset about the lack of security and the data breaches experienced by Facebook and Google+.  Others feel social sites censor certain viewpoints in favor of others.  Many don’t like the negative or argumentative behavior that some users show on these sites, either.

Taken as a whole, it’s no wonder that some business professionals are asking if social media sites really matter for their marketing anymore?  They do, and here are three reasons why.

Social Media: Business vs. Professional

While you may not like the attitudes or behavior of some in your personal newsfeed, that doesn’t mean social channels are bad for your business.  Social platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest still attract the key demo of women between 35-55.

In addition, the sheer size and volume of users on Facebook makes that site very attractive.  But since the social giant has cut the organic reach of your business page posts to near zero, how do you get in front of these people?  The answer: Advertising.

Targeted, Affordable Ads and Boosted Posts

The advertising and boosted post features on Facebook allow you to be very targeted.  That means the ads are much more efficient than those on traditional media.  How do you know? You can easily track their effectiveness. 

Ads and boosted posts are not as expensive as those on traditional media, either.  You can run ads on Facebook for as little as $5 per day and you can integrate them into wider marketing campaigns.

SEO and Traffic

One of the main reasons businesses had company pages on the social site Google+ was for the SEO benefit.  Being active on the platform gave you a bump in the search rankings.  But with Google+ shutting down in April, marketers will need to look to LinkedIn for SEO aid.

The business site is indexed by Google.  Being active there can help your ranking and provide your business with additional listings in the search results.

In addition to a positive impact on your search ranking, using social media to promote your blog content can also move social traffic back to your website.  More traffic is something all marketers want!

The Wrap

Despite what personal feelings you may have about social media companies, their platforms remain cost-effective marketing channels.  They help SEO and can also promote your content, while also moving traffic back to your website.

This may be a particularly difficult time for social media, but the marketing value for businesses still remains.

If you have questions about how to market your business using social media, contact me at 513-237-5530.

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Bob Turner is a Digital Marketing Consultant with RevLocal in Cincinnati, Ohio.