Most businesses now realize that a full digital presence is crucial to be successful today. Social media is a significant part of that, but correctly managing it can be the tricky part. Most brands believe they need to be on a lot of different platforms, theorizing that it will increase their exposure. However, the reality can be somewhat different, and there are several reasons it’s not necessary to be on every platform.
1. It can be counterproductive to be on too many social media platforms
As mentioned, many businesses will sign up to many social media sites believing that is the right approach. However, the more platforms you try to develop a presence on, the harder it becomes, and the more time it takes. You will end up dividing your resources and only doing a mediocre job on each network.
2. Different sites suit different brands
Brands will often make the mistake of believing that all platforms are equal, and they share the same content on them all. There are a lot of issues with this, such as sizing images appropriately for each site and attracting the desired audiences. Using a Twitter strategy on Pinterest, for example, can make you appear unprofessional.
It’s important to understand all of the available platforms and then decide which ones suit you best. Brands that try to be on all of them don’t see the full benefits, or they soon end up with inactive social media accounts. You will see far better results by choosing the right platforms and updating them regularly.
3. Most companies have a standout social media site
If you do some research on different brands, you will find that their presence across various social media sites isn’t as vast as you might expect. Companies that have significant followings on multiple sites are likely to focus their attention on one of them. Here lies the argument for only having one social media platform and doing a fantastic job with it.
As mentioned, if you don’t have a solid strategy for multiple sites, the benefit will be minimal. However, having a robust plan for one of them can yield impressive results. It’s certainly something to consider if you are a small business and don’t have an army of people to run your social media.
4. Best practice social media advice may not be the answer for you
If you do some research, you will find all sorts of information on the best times to post, how often you should do it and which content works best. Of course, specific content works best on particular sites; every business is different, and the key is to measure what works for you. Don’t execute a social media strategy based on the advice of others.
This relatively brief look at social media shows why you don’t have to be on all platforms and how it can even be counterproductive to be on too many. While different sites are suitable for various brands, most companies have a standout social media site. However, their advice on best practices for social media may not work for you. It’s important to either have a solid strategy for each social media platform or merely focus on one or two.
