Is Social Media Marketing Worth It? (Or is it just another money pit?)

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If social media marketing works so well, wouldn’t everyone be doing it? One would think so. Then again, many of the “experts” touting it as the ultimate solution to your marketing dilemma just happen to sell their support as a service. So, what’s the real deal with marketing on social platforms?

As with so many things in life, the truth lies somewhere in between “it’s a waste of time and money” and “your design business won’t survive without it”.

Here are a few truths about social media marketing that you need to accept:

  • Social media marketing has limitations, based on the nature of your business

  • Facebook is a great Business-to-Consumer platform

  • LinkedIn is a great Business-to-Business platform

  • Neither is the perfect platform for both

  • YouTube and Instagram are great video marketing tools (by design)

  • Pinterest is “Meh” for marketing

  • Tweeting is for birds, not business

Also, while a platform with a billion or more subscribers can increase your reach, there is a ton of competition. Long and short of it – don’t expect overnight success with your social media marketing strategy.

Even more important to remember is that interior design is a local business and worldwide reach will mean little to a designer in Boise (for example).

OK… we have now destroyed the almost ubiquitous belief that your business will inevitably die without a heavy focus on social media. But hey, that sets us free to explore when, if, and where you should use it.

When is Social Media a Good Marketing Strategy?

There is a very popular saying in sports commentary that goes like this: the biggest ability is availability. Along the same lines: social media makes you available to your audience, while also making them accessible to you.

Availability and accessibility both have real value in the world of online marketing and, while there are limits, social media networks provide both of them in spades – potentially!

What do we mean by this? Based on statistics from Review42.com, the average time spent on social media was 142 minutes per day in 2018, and young people from 16-24 spend 3 hours a day on various social networks.

There simply is NO other marketing strategy that allows that kind of accessibility combined with such availability, enabling you to:

  • Build brand awareness

  • Increase engagement

  • Target your audience

  • Generate leads

  • Enhance your reputation as an expert

Even your designer website can’t offer you so much access to such a vast audience. (Although, one of the goals of your social media campaign should be to ask folks to visit your website “To Learn More!” or “Get Your FREE Gift!”.)

Choosing Your Social Media Platform

Of course, the ultimate question for you is, where should you focus your time, energy, and money in a social marketing campaign? Well, below are some insights that may help:

Ultimately, it’s true that marketing on social media can be a money pit for some but, for others, choosing the right platform can make it a powerful tool for marketing your design or furnishings business.

However, you must always remember that the makeup of your target audience must determine how you develop and where you use a social media marketing strategy.

Are you looking for more social media marketing tips, more design business tips, and trends, or business consulting? If so… Get in touch with TD Fall today.