How to beat your fear of social media

How to beat your fear of social media

There’s no doubt that social media has become an essential tool in the marketing toolkit.

Without mentioning all the statistics, it’s hard to argue with these numbers:

• Over 3.6 million people are using social media worldwide

• In the US, 90% of marketers name Instagram as the most important social media platform for influencer marketing

• There are more than 9 million advertisers on Facebook.

But when it comes to working out a social media strategy, many small business owners struggle. Why?

Here are 5 common issues for small businesses when it comes to social media marketing:

1. “I hate putting myself out there”

When you’re running your own business, often YOU are your product – or at least the face of it. Yet many small business owners are self-conscious about showing up.

Some think it’s about showing off. Or, they believe that creating a social media presence is only for bigger enterprises.

The truth is that thousands of small business owners have successfully used social media to grow their tribe.

It’s about starting and continuing a conversation and growing a community, building trust and an authentic brand.

It certainly takes planning and often a bit of help, but it can be done.

2. “How do I keep up the pace?”

It’s true. To be effective, you need to have a strategy and then put it into practice. Consistently.

The first job is to decide which social media platform you’ll use. It’s important not to feel like you should ‘do it all.

Look at your audience. Where do they hang out? It’s better to focus on one or two social media platforms than try to use the lot. Frankly, it’s a sure way to become overwhelmed.

And there’s also no use making a few posts and then taking a break for months. For one thing, assuming you have built connections, they’ll wonder where you’ve gone!

Like most things, it’s essential to have a plan that addresses the key messages/themes you want to communicate, plus a calendar for turning up on social media.

3. “How do I create enough content for social media?”

Having content that your audience will find interesting and valuable is a must. But how do you create all that content if you don’t employ a marketing team?

Social media posts are usually a mixture of original content. A combination of articles and photos you’ve created yourself and relevant, shared content made by others.

Many small business owners use free graphic design platforms like Canva to create social media posts. You can also employ a freelancer to write original articles.

Posted on your website and shared via your social media page, helpful and informative articles can engage your audience and build your reputation as an expert in your field.

To find related articles written by others, we recommend using Google Alerts.

If you’re organised, you could create your content months in advance.

4. “I don’t have a big budget for social media”

The big social media companies haven’t created their platforms for the love of it. They want to make money. And they are very good at making a lot of it!

In the early days, businesses were able to build up a social media audience organically. Getting traction on social media might make some dollars via social media ads or boosted posts.

Like any marketing activity, you must work out a budget first. Then, you’ll need to have a way of tracking your results to measure the success of your spending.

5. “I need help with my social media!”

Social media is only one avenue for growing your business. It's worth considering whether it’s a way to connect with your audience or a medium for selling products or services online.

But it can be overwhelming. Working alongside an experienced marketing professional can take the load off and increase the chances of social media success.

At Flash Marketing, that’s exactly what we do for many of our clients. Furthermore, we help you to beat the fear of social media.

We take the headache of social media planning and implementation so you can get on with what you do best.

From July 2022, we’re available to help a couple of new clients. If you’d like to know more about making your social media work, please get in touch. Just call Katarina on 0415 128 804.