There is very little profitable and good in business life that just happens. But, making stuff happen (like keeping your website current and your social media active) costs money – either directly, or through opportunity cost. So, you have to pay someone to do it well. If you can’t do it well, then you should preferably not be online at all.
Here are some positives and negatives of both choices:
Positives:
- If you’re not on the internet you don’t exist
- Your site must be mobile-friendly – over 50% of visitors will be using their phones
- NB: NEVER use flash on websites. It’s incompatible with iphone and ipad technology
- Social media (SM) platforms are not islands. They work together with, and enhance, current marketing strategies. They should point people back to your website.
- SM enhances website content and integrates with it. It drives traffic to your site where you can answer more in-depth questions that your clients might have
- ustomers find YOU using social media, you don’t have to seek them out
- SM might be your customers’ first introduction to your brand. You want it to be relevant, engaging, quality and up-to-date (which can’t always be achieved with website content)
- The more platforms you exist on, the more likely you are to appear in search results
- By using SM, websites together with ‘older’ technology such as email, telephone, face-to-face contact, you are offering clients the opportunity to engage with you in THEIR preferred medium. They are immediately more comfortable in your presence and more confident that you will be able to provide for their needs
- SM offers you a ‘free’ platform to promote your business’ values, products, causes, services etc… to a global audience
Negatives:
- Time and valuable human resources are used (solution: start small, scale upwards according to demand. SM is an investment NOW that will pay off in the future)
- Quality content might come at a slight cost, but it is worth the investment to ensure that your SM platforms and websites are SEO compliant as well as reaching your target audience (content needs to be relevant, engaging, quality)