The myths of SMM, or why the importance of social networks is overrated
Recently, marketing in social networks or, excuse me, SMM does not speak only lazy. Everyone now knows that in order to promote your business and attract a loyal audience, you just need to be present on social networks. But few people actually have an idea of ​​what it is.
Our agency is also engaged in marketing in social networks, so we have to hear a lot of quite interesting requests from customers. Using their example, I decided to disassemble a few common myths that social networks are a great way to promote a business.
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Myth 1. Social networks are a cheap way to attract customers.
Typical customer dialogue:
- we need to go on social networks
- what are you doing?
- we sell XXX
- why do you need promotion in social networks?
- what do you mean why? To attract customers, of course, why else!
Simple math shows that attracting a client through Direct or Runner is cheaper than through a social network. I will not write specific conversion numbers, because Everything is individual, but with the help of contextual advertising you get a click of a warm customer who is ready to buy something. In social networks, you buy cold clicks, which must first become subscribers, and only then customers. Most often, this method is much more expensive in terms of a single customer.
Myth 2. Social networks are a viral effect.
The client says: we do not need targeted advertising, we want to create a group and let people come there and invite their friends!
Why should users suddenly start coming to the group? How do they know about her? Why would they call their friends there? And most importantly, even if they come there, why would they suddenly become your customers? Many thousands of people in a group (even if not bots, but real people), very rarely means a large number of potential customers. Most users will never enter this group again.
Myth 3. Business buyers are people too, and therefore they can be found on social networks.
The client says: we sell highly specialized products, our customers are professionals. But they still spend time on Facebook and LinkdIn, we want to find them there. Let them not be many, but they will be targeted.
Professional buyers really, like ordinary people, live in social networks, but why did you decide that it would be interesting for them to join the group of lubricants for sewing machines? It’s much easier to get to these same professionals in the same search engines when they are directly engaged in finding what they need. Nobody forbids keeping a Facebook page as a blog, but don’t hope that it will bring you customers.
Myth 4. A social networking application is a bunch of users and new customers.
The client says: we will move our website or online store to a social network, and a lot of new users will immediately come to us.
And why would they suddenly come if they did not come earlier? And most importantly, why they suddenly begin to buy, if they did not buy before? Applications in social networks are good because they have the ability to interact with friends, which with the right approach can give a viral effect. And they can not give it! If you want to make a simple copy of the site in the form of a social networking application, it is better to spend this money on advertising.
Myth 5. Social networks are a good way to sell the elusive Joe.
Know this joke, yes? “Why is the elusive Joe so elusive? Because nobody needs it. ” So, trying to sell goods to nobody (for example, tin soldiers with an amazing heat), people often go to social networks and try to find those who are interested in this product among millions of people.
The client says: the buyer does not yet know what he needs! We have an online store of unusual products, we will show ads to everyone, and someone will definitely be interested.
We have to send such customers back to the search engines and offer them to sell products to people who are willing to buy something (for example, an unusual gift).
Myth 6. Social networks will help us create a strong brand.
It is very a pity to upset small business owners and explain to them that publishing news, reacting to user complaints and collecting feedback is still not quite a brand. Lead the page - for God's sake, we only welcome, but again, do not expect that in this way you will win the hearts of your beautiful customers and make them love you.
I will not consider the options for selling fake clothes and copies of watches through VKontakte groups, with your permission, :)
There are still a lot of different interesting requests from customers, but they all rest on the overvalued importance of social networks. Everyone talks about it, but they get the real benefit of the unit.
Our agency is also engaged in marketing in social networks, so we have to hear a lot of quite interesting requests from customers. Using their example, I decided to disassemble a few common myths that social networks are a great way to promote a business.
')
Myth 1. Social networks are a cheap way to attract customers.
Typical customer dialogue:
- we need to go on social networks
- what are you doing?
- we sell XXX
- why do you need promotion in social networks?
- what do you mean why? To attract customers, of course, why else!
Simple math shows that attracting a client through Direct or Runner is cheaper than through a social network. I will not write specific conversion numbers, because Everything is individual, but with the help of contextual advertising you get a click of a warm customer who is ready to buy something. In social networks, you buy cold clicks, which must first become subscribers, and only then customers. Most often, this method is much more expensive in terms of a single customer.
Myth 2. Social networks are a viral effect.
The client says: we do not need targeted advertising, we want to create a group and let people come there and invite their friends!
Why should users suddenly start coming to the group? How do they know about her? Why would they call their friends there? And most importantly, even if they come there, why would they suddenly become your customers? Many thousands of people in a group (even if not bots, but real people), very rarely means a large number of potential customers. Most users will never enter this group again.
Myth 3. Business buyers are people too, and therefore they can be found on social networks.
The client says: we sell highly specialized products, our customers are professionals. But they still spend time on Facebook and LinkdIn, we want to find them there. Let them not be many, but they will be targeted.
Professional buyers really, like ordinary people, live in social networks, but why did you decide that it would be interesting for them to join the group of lubricants for sewing machines? It’s much easier to get to these same professionals in the same search engines when they are directly engaged in finding what they need. Nobody forbids keeping a Facebook page as a blog, but don’t hope that it will bring you customers.
Myth 4. A social networking application is a bunch of users and new customers.
The client says: we will move our website or online store to a social network, and a lot of new users will immediately come to us.
And why would they suddenly come if they did not come earlier? And most importantly, why they suddenly begin to buy, if they did not buy before? Applications in social networks are good because they have the ability to interact with friends, which with the right approach can give a viral effect. And they can not give it! If you want to make a simple copy of the site in the form of a social networking application, it is better to spend this money on advertising.
Myth 5. Social networks are a good way to sell the elusive Joe.
Know this joke, yes? “Why is the elusive Joe so elusive? Because nobody needs it. ” So, trying to sell goods to nobody (for example, tin soldiers with an amazing heat), people often go to social networks and try to find those who are interested in this product among millions of people.
The client says: the buyer does not yet know what he needs! We have an online store of unusual products, we will show ads to everyone, and someone will definitely be interested.
We have to send such customers back to the search engines and offer them to sell products to people who are willing to buy something (for example, an unusual gift).
Myth 6. Social networks will help us create a strong brand.
It is very a pity to upset small business owners and explain to them that publishing news, reacting to user complaints and collecting feedback is still not quite a brand. Lead the page - for God's sake, we only welcome, but again, do not expect that in this way you will win the hearts of your beautiful customers and make them love you.
I will not consider the options for selling fake clothes and copies of watches through VKontakte groups, with your permission, :)
There are still a lot of different interesting requests from customers, but they all rest on the overvalued importance of social networks. Everyone talks about it, but they get the real benefit of the unit.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/125653/
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