When I go out and talk to business owners I often notice a sense of panic about Social Media. They are afraid they are being left behind. Often this panic leads to creating numerous accounts on various Social Media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, etc. That’s fine, no reason not to set up accounts in order to secure your company’s name on that site. But it’s ok if you don’t jump in and engage on every Social Media site and service that comes along.
I encourage business owners to be patient. The Web is moving quickly, more quickly than most of population, and your customers, can keep up with. Only 30-40% of all new users to Twitter actually use the service a month later. That means 60-70% of all Twitter users abandon the site/service almost immediately! Twitter is a great format for business conversations, creating leads, etc. but remember it is still a small player compared to search engines in terms of driving business growth.
So don’t panic, focus on what is working and only expand into the Social Media waters as you have the time and interest to make that investment. The reality is that the business on the Web is still being driven by Search Engines. Although Twitter is moving into the search arena, see its new home page, it is still a long ways off from competing with Google or even Yahoo and Bing in that arena.
The best way to grow your business is by using search engines to drive traffic to your website. It has the best ROI hands down. If you have a website that is easy to find (search engines), easy to use (usability/conversion) and easy to manage (content management system) then you will have the right foundation for growth. Once that is established you can start dabbling in the Social Media waters.
Jeb,
Like the post. You’re certainly correct that business on the web is still driven by search engines and SEO. I’m all about prioritization of marketing tactics – starting with those that have the highest ROI. However, I feel that there could/should still be room for businesses big and small to incorporate social media from the start – even if it is simple proactive tasks like snagging usernames/profiles and establishing a plan for the future!
Thanks John, I certainly agree that companies should have a social media presence but they don’t have to panic about every new thing that comes along. Thanks for the comment! Jeb
John, loved what you had to say about this. I think there are lots of folks out there that are somewhat dismissive of business people who’ve chosen (strategically) to sit on the sidelines. I wrote about this myself after attending Blog Indiana. http://leadingreads.blogspot.com/2009/08/invest-in-you-and-get-most-out-of-it.html
There was also an interesting article in the August 3 Indianapolis Business Journal : A Voice of Reason Amid the Craze over Social Media.
Don’t forget your towel! I foresee the future of social media being… They all buy each other out, so that you get a facetwitlinkrspace. Don’t Panic!