How Social Media Hijacks Your Business
Storytime. I was working with a prospective client who had a unique offering. She wanted a brand refresh. so naturally, I asked to see her current website. She said she doesn’t have one and exclusively does business over Instagram.
Let me tell you, I was aghast. Now, I’m not shocked that she uses Instagram. However, I was shocked that she exclusively advertises, shares her work, and communicates with clients on one platform. For a solo business owner just starting out, it might make sense to keep it simple. However, as you grow, you naturally run into some snags with that strategy.
Here are 5 reasons you shouldn’t rely on social media to run your business:
Outsourcing Control: Businesses could go bankrupt and disappear tomorrow. Or they could shut down your account if you make a mistake (like Instagram’s daily action limits). This outsources control to the platform, which is scary if your audience only follows you on that one app.
Unpredictable Changes: platforms change at lightspeed nowadays. And every tiny tweak to the algorithm could throw your social media strategy into chaos. If you answer to an almight algorithm, you will be stuck in reactive mode. Your strategy will shift at the mercy of the platform's arbitrary decisions—controlling what, when, and how you post, or even adding or removing features daily. In a sense, they're forcing you to run your business by their rules.
Technical Issues: Not all platforms are reliable. Outages, data leaks, and buggy algorithms are just a few of the problems you might run into. If a platform is experiencing technical issues, and that's the only way for customers to find you, you will be scrambling to get back online or find another method of communication.
Gatekeeping: Platforms often make features inaccessible behind paywalls or audience size. This limits your ability to make a sale, increase your visibility or reach, and see organic growth.
Hijacking Your Strategy: App designs can either guide or co-opt your content strategy. This is to your detriment. Just because Instagram wants you to post 10 stories a day doesn't mean it's the right cadence or format for your business. At the end of the day, the platform exists to serve its own needs. They are a business trying to get something from you. But instead of money, you're exchanging your time, attention, resources, followers, and content for the "free" use of their app. I liken it to a venue. The venue simply maintains the property and provides a temporary space for you to set up shop. However, if the venue owner started micromanaging transactions with your customers, you wouldn't listen to them. You're paying for the use of their space, not a business coach! While you do agree to follow the rules of using that venue, you wouldn't up-end your whole business strategy to please a temporary venue. Don't design your business around the apps, because they're always changing.
So that’s all well and good, you might say. But these apps are so convenient! How else am I supposed to reach people? Well, I’m not advocating for going silent on social. I just think it would behoove you to use it as a funnel to something that is truly yours: a ✨ website✨
I think of social media as those big arrow signs that people wave on street corners. It catches people's attention, tells them what you're selling, and how to get to your store. But you don't see CEOs standing on the corner waving those signs and then signing contracts. Because advertising (getting people's attention) and making a sale are two different parts of the process. The advertisement is just meant to direct people to your storefront—in this case, your website. Social media is just the sign, not the store itself.
The benefit of using social media as a funnel to your website:
Increase Your Legitimacy: this one is rather subjective, but I stand by the idea that having a "website" is kind of like renting a business space. A convincing sales page shows you provide value. A regularly scheduled blog can show you are dependable and knowledgeable. Offering free resources like e-books, worksheets or templates can show you are helpful and generous. And testimonials or a portfolio can show you have credibility and past success. Anyone can tweet, but maintaining a website is much more of a commitment and asset to your business.
Make Your Business Memorable: Providing a place for people to come back and find you. I see people deleting their social media accounts, changing their handle, switching their preferred platforms regularly. This lack of consistency confuses customers. If they never know where to find you, then they won't come back, even if they want to. The best advice I can give is to make it as easy as possible to remember and find you. Life is busy, and people don't have 30 seconds of attention to spare. So you need to make it as plain and simple as possible to understand what you do and how it provides value, to capitalize on those 5 seconds they linger on your home page.
Build a Community with Lasting Value: In the world of content marketing, social media is great for attracting an audience, but with one swipe, you're old news. Your website should have such great content that people keep returning for inspiration and advice. Be a one-stop-shop resource. If you provide free content (whether than be videos, blog posts, or free downloads) you will give your customers a reason to return and trust you as a credible source of information. And if that content is hosted on your site, there's less risk they will click away and more opportunities for you to make a sale. From your audience's perspective, it's like test-driving a car! You wouldn't make such a big purchase without trying it out first. It's not working for free, it is building an engaged audience of potential customers.
Start a Mailing List: Find out who your real fans are by offering an opt-in incentive like a free download in exchange for visitors’ emails. Starting a mailing list allows you to keep your own phonebook (remember those?) rather than relying on social media to house your audience. That way, you can contact them directly when you have a new post or product!
Replace Sales Pitches with Content: The days of shouting “Buy Buy Buy” are over. These days, pushy ads are so ineffective and annoying, they practically satirize themselves and actually drive people away from your business (immediate unfollow). Instead of begging people to like your page, creating content allows you to offer more value, send messages that resonate, attract ideal clients, and diversify your strategy. Your content is no longer just focused on convincing (i.e. the hard sell). Now you can mix it up with content that educates, entertains, and inspires. No need to be "pushy" when you naturally attract. Not only do you feel better, but also, your message will also resonate more deeply with more people.
So to recap, the message here is not to quit social media, but rather change how you view it. Followers, views, and likes are fleeting sources of validation—but they do not guarantee business success. Use social media as a funnel. Give your followers snippets but use the element of intrigue to encourage them to go to your website to find the real value.
