Sometimes a thought comes into my brain "What If Social Media Got Turned Off Tomorrow?" how would some people continue to market their businesses- how would all of our lives change?
In the scenario of social media disappearing tomorrow, how would you stay in contact with your community and customers? In case you forgot, there were a few days back in 2022 when Facebook didn't work for extended hours, and the masses went to Twitter to vent their frustrations. Then there was the time that one of my favorite influencers on Tik Tok got locked out of her account for an entire weekend!
We all understand how unlikely it is that one day we will wake up, and social media will not exist, but as your neighborhood social media consultant, here are some unique and unlikely suggestions that could help businesses reform their digital strategies to stop relying so much on social media for your marketing endeavors:
Prioritize Email Marketing:
Email marketing might seem old-fashioned compared to sexy social media platforms. Still, it remains an effective way of reaching targeted audiences directly without algorithmic limitations.
A person sharing their email address with you means that they want to hear from you. You are doing a disservice by not sending them email marketing materials to stay top of mind.
Business owners please focus on building robust email lists by providing valuable content incentives that encourage website visitors or customers to subscribe. Social media and email marketing work in collaboration, not competition.
Here are a few suggestions to begin building your email list:
Add an opt-in pop-up to your website.
Ensure you gather email addresses when people request to join your Facebook Group.
Keep your email spreadsheet updated regularly.
Sprinkle in Social Posts where the call to action is to sign up for your email list.
As we wrap up 2023 and think about 2024, I want to challenge you to become more conscious of building out your list.
I do not want to watch you have a complete mental crying breakdown on a Sunday morning on your Instagram Stories ever. :o)
2. Revive Traditional Advertising Channels:
With fewer options available in the digital realm post-social-media-apocalypse era, digital advertising channels should be remembered. Billboards, magazine ads, and radio commercials might not sound as glamorous as hashtags, filters, and likes, but they play a crucial role. Potential customers drive by billboards and stumble upon magazine ads in waiting rooms; these traditional advertising methods continue influencing consumer behaviors. I once had a client who I advised to create postcards with a unique coupon code to set in local hotel lobbies within walking distance of their shop. These marketing methods might seem like dinosaurs, but I assure you they are not extinct.
One big problem with relying solely on social media platforms to grow your business is that you don't actually own that account or your community.
If social media did disappear or change beyond recognition tomorrow, you would have no claim to that online following you had worked so hard to build.
Your business community could disappear overnight.
That is why you must diversify your marketing across multiple platforms to where the people are.
Multiple marketing methods protect your business from external influences outside your control and can help with brand awareness and relationship-building across platforms.
To put it simply, the more a potential customer interacts with your brand and keeping it top of mind (for example, by seeing an Instagram post, then stumbling across an ad for your website, and then receiving emails from your newsletter,) the more likely it is that you will get their attention and they will then become a customer.
Even though social media platforms aren't going anywhere, social media users are.
With people becoming more mental health conscious, the way we use social media is changing.
Many people prioritize their health and well-being by introducing prolonged detoxes or platform deletions to improve productivity and sleep cycles.
Other users are experiencing severe brand and advertising fatigue thanks to the rise in influencer marketing. Nowadays, it often feels like everyone wants to sell you something online, and issues surrounding lack of trust, privacy, and fake news are causing people to reject or be wary of influencers online.
Moving forward, people will continue to understand the value of their privacy, and as a result, the way they share content and updates online will likely change.
None of this means that social media marketing won't work anymore or that soon, no one will be on the platforms. It means that people are more conscious about how they spend their time online; therefore, how you approach promoting your business online must be intentional instead of just adding to the noise.
I see you working hard on your digital marketing; I am encouraging you to find a way to build your email list. Even if you don't send out a single email, you will always have somewhere to begin if you get locked out of one of your social accounts.
Because the truth is Tik Tok, Instagram, and Facebook, all platforms, don't owe you anything. They are businesses. They own your followers. If you go against the Terms and Conditions, that thing you've signed without reading, they can shut you down, and no amount of petitioning could get you turned back on. The only quick and direct way to own the right to communicate with anyone is to have them in your database and email list.
If you’ve now got the spark to diversify your digital marketing efforts but need help figuring out where to get started? I offer comprehensive copywriting services across all key digital marketing platforms, including email marketing blog/article creation and even social media post content to help your business get scroll stopped and noticed. Fill out the contact form and let’s get a conversation started.