You need something new to spice up your wardrobe. You head to the mall and fall in love with a gorgeous pair of shoes. They’re shoes, and you need shoes. They’re beautiful, shiny and new, and you’ve seen them in every magazine as the hot new trend. If everyone says they’re hot, you’ve got to have them.
But what if they don’t fit?
Social media marketing is like shoe shopping. If the platform doesn’t fit your business, it doesn’t matter how attractive, shiny and new it is.
For example, if your target demographic is male 55+, Pinterest might not be the best fit for your social media marketing strategy. It’s beautiful. It’s all the rage. It’s driving traffic and boosting e-commerce. But it doesn’t fit because the demographics don’t line up with the target demo of your business.
Don’t let the allure of a gorgeous new social platform distract you from your goal. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t matter how attractive the platform (shoe or social!) is.
Photo credit: Foeck
I’ve found that the most difficult part of developing an initial strategy and establishing digital properties for a client is explaining this very concept. They always hire someone on to make them shine, but rarely understand that not all platforms’ user demographic will match their business’ targeted demographic. Sometimes their enthusiasm, while infectious and awesome, is a little misdirected. Great post, Stephanie!
Thanks, Jess. I’m flattered!
It’s the “shiny new object” syndrome for all of us… We want to be part of the next hot thing; but if the next hot thing isn’t where our clients are, it’s not a match.
Great advice here Stephanie.
This is what we at Branching Out Europe tell our clients. Before we implement any strategy we ask two questions… What’s your objectives and who are your target audience. Then use the right platforms to meet your objectives and target that audience. Seems simple but often over-looked.
I take Vine for example, Twitters investment made it the ‘new shiny thing’ that everyone was talking about. I am yet to see Vine be used in a good way commercially for businesses – Yet so many flooded to the devise without thinking ‘Are my customers here?’
Completely agree, Stephen! And sometimes we are distracted by our personal excitement for a platform without realizing it isn’t a good fit for business.