Let's face it—social media is fantastical. If I felt otherwise, I wouldn't have been in this space since Blockbuster still existed.
Yeah, sure, there are some downsides, like misinformation and negativity, and most of it's fake. But you're here, and know that together, we pinky promised that with each and every post, we are going to change what we can.
Didn't know you pinky promised, it was implied the second you landed here. :)
With millions of active users across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, it's no wonder you, as a business owner, are drawn to these channels like a moth to a flame. The allure of instant reach, viral potential, and direct customer engagement is undeniable. But here's the truth: it's like shouting into a void and putting all your marketing eggs in the social media basket, which is a risky game to play.
I've run into a bunch of businesses who have inspired this post that they put their entire marketing budget into social. And I'm here to clarify that social media is NOT the only way to market your business; instead, it is part of a functioning marketing family of your business.
Is me writing this career suicide- my gut says no.
Social media deserves a place in your marketing mix because it offers unique advantages that other channels can't match:
Real-time engagement with your audience
Cost-effective reach compared to traditional advertising
Powerful targeting options
Instant feedback on your products and services
Ability to build community around your brand
But here's where things get tricky.
Imagine building your entire business on rented land. That's essentially what you're doing when you rely solely on social media. You do not own any of the stuff on social media —don't believe me; peruse the terms and conditions I know you didn't read. Also, at any time, CEOs of any of these platforms could decide to pull the plug on the servers running these digital worlds, and then what?
Consider these scenarios:
Instagram changes its algorithm, and your posts suddenly reach only 10% of your followers (Current situation)
Facebook updates its policies, restricting how you can advertise (Regulated Industries know)
Twitter (now X) implements new fees or limitations
Your account gets temporarily suspended due to a misunderstanding (Yikes)
These aren't hypothetical situations—they happen regularly to businesses of all sizes, and I've been a part of a few.
Here's the thing: diversity is always your friend, no matter what.
Smart businesses diversify their marketing across multiple channels. Here's where you could consider expanding outside of social:
Email Marketing Still the king of ROI, email marketing gives you direct access to your audience without algorithmic interference. You OWN your email list - no platform can take that away from you. Plus, email consistently outperforms social media in conversion rates when you use social to build your email list.
Content Marketing and SEO Creating valuable content for your website builds long-term organic traffic. Unlike social posts that disappear in the feed, good content can drive traffic for years. I back-linked a blog from two years ago because situations like that still happen.
Focus on:
Blog posts solving customer problems
How-to guides and tutorials
Industry insights and analysis
Case studies and success stories
Don't dismiss "old school" 1900 marketing methods - they still work:
Local advertising
Print materials
Direct mail
Industry events and trade shows
Speaking engagements
In-person networking groups
Some of them work better for your specific business than others so be aware of that.
Here's the thing: your marketing needs to work together like a functioning family. They need to work together, not in isolation. We might not live in a functioning family, but we've all seen one on TV.
Here's how to start:
Audit Your Current Mix
What percentage of your marketing effort goes to each channel?
Which channels drive the most valuable results?
Where are you most vulnerable to external changes?
Which channel do you even like hanging out on?
2. Set Channel-Specific Goals
Social media: Brand awareness and community building
Email: Nurturing leads and driving sales
Content: Establishing authority and driving organic traffic
Networking: Reaching local or industry-specific audiences
3. Create Cross-Channel Synergy
Use social media to grow your email list
Share blog content across all channels
Convert in-person connections to online followers by following them and commenting!
Repurpose content across platforms
4. Most importantly, track, adjust, and monitor the performance of each channel and be ready to adjust your strategy. What works today might not work tomorrow.
Social media is a powerful tool, but it's just one tool in your marketing toolbox. Building a sustainable business means creating a marketing strategy that doesn't depend on any single channel. Start diversifying today - your future self will thank you.
Remember: Marketing success isn't about being everywhere - it's about being in the right places with the right message for your community.
And if you need help determining where or how to show up for your community, let's chat.