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Although social media has become an essential part of society, business owners still believe in several myths about how to harness the power of social media marketing.

Some companies have “cracked the code” to be successful in social media marketing and are frequently looked to as a model for success (think about GoPro, Wendy’s, and Nike).

Other companies are still trying to figure out the best way to use social media strategies.

Some business owners may even believe something about social media that is simply a myth, preventing them from achieving their full potential online. In this article, we’ve gathered some top myths that business owners believe about social media.

Social Media Myth #1: Your Audience Isn’t Online

If you think your target audience isn’t spending time on social media, you need to think again. While your audience may be small and niche, chances are that they are spending time being social online.

They may be old school and still send snail mail to the grandkids every birthday, but they likely are on social media somewhere. A 2021 study by Pew Research found that 72% of all American adults use at least one social networking website.

And if you think your target audience is too old to use social media, the same study also found that 45% of American adults over 65 are also on social media. This audience may still send birthday cards via snail mail, but they are also on Facebook to keep up with their grandkids.

Your audience is undoubtedly spending time on social media apps and sites – the challenge is finding them and creating impactful messaging to reach them.

Social Media Myth #2: Ignore Negative Comments & Reviews

Nobody likes to be told they are doing something wrong, whether it’s based on truth or not.

As a business, you need to respond directly to negative comments and reviews on social media. Don’t believe the myth that you should ignore the negativity.

When we say, “directly respond to negative comments,” that doesn’t mean being defensive, combative, or juvenile. Instead, address the negativity with poise, acknowledge that you hear them, and stress your values.

Why is it important to respond to your customers, even when it’s negative? Ignoring your customer’s complaints and negative feedback makes your business look like you don’t listen to them. Ignoring the negativity can erode your established customers’ trust and make new customers wary of doing business with you.

If possible, try to take the conversation into a direct or private message after responding publicly. There’s no need to get into a comment war with a customer on your Facebook post.

For more information on this myth and how to respond to negative comments, check out our article on overcoming negative reviews.

Social Media Myth #3: I Can Publish the Exact Same Post on Multiple Platforms

This myth can be tricky because it’s perfectly fine (most of the time) to post very similar content across social media platforms. However, it would be best if you remembered that all social media platforms vary – they have different audiences, different styles, and different expectations of how to reach your audience. While your posts may cover the same topic, it’s essential to cater your post copy to the particular platform.

For example, website links are not clickable in an Instagram caption. If you copy/paste your content from a Facebook post with a link into an Instagram post, your Instagram audience will be frustrated by the inability to click the link. They can tell you didn’t make an effort to add the link to your Instagram biography (the best way to share links on Instagram), and your audience may lose trust in your brand on that platform.

Be sure to take extra time to change your social media post’s tone and practical parts to ensure it fits the platform.

How M&R Marketing Can Help Your Business with Social Media Strategy

M&R Marketing has an entire team of digital strategists and social media experts ready to help your business!

Our team can assist you in:

  • Creating social media accounts
  • Managing social media accounts
  • Developing creative social media strategies
  • Implementing social media advertising strategies
  • Tracking social media marketing results

Get in touch with one of our account managers and get started! Call us at 478-621-4491 or send us an email at hey@mandr-group.com.

Dive Into More of Our Social Media Marketing Articles

This article continues our blog series on social media marketing. Be sure to catch up with these articles below: