Look. Social media may be a relatively inexpensive way to get exposure and promote your company. But it’s not free. There’s a tradeoff between dollars and time. You can spend much less than other types of media to reach your audience (even nothing). The trade-off is that social media requires time and effort and a commitment to making it work.
Money vs. Time
So you don’t have the time or patience to devote to social media? Then don’t expect miracles. You either need to pay someone else to do social media for you or use some other marketing tactic instead. Nothing is free. Decide on how much time you’re willing to spend on social media and then figure out what makes the most sense for reaching your target audience.
Doing it Yourself vs. Paying Someone
I think it’s best if businesses are the ones that are using social media, especially for small businesses where personality can be an important driver of sales. But large companies pay people to use social media — either internally or externally. Having someone else do social media for you can be successful as long as there is a clear understanding of guidelines and what your company stands for. If you do decide to pay someone, make sure you check on them occasionally to make sure they’re socializing in a way consistent with your company image.
Short Term vs. Long Term
Social media is definitely a long term tactic (long term meaning at least a year). There’s no way you can start using social media today and get any sort of traction. It will take probably at least 6 months to a year before you start to get any real benefit. If you need shorter term results, take a look at other promotional tactics (which will probably cost money).
What trade-offs have you found in using social media?
(photo by Taro Taylor)