Despite our enthusiasm and the amazing things it has already done, miracles don't happen in social media marketing. In the Philippines and the rest of the world, it's game changing for brands but it can't rewrite the game. To maximize your results, it's important to understand what social media can or can't do.
Social Media Can Aid Discovery
Facebook alone has almost 1.5 billion monthly active users with approximately 36 million users in the Philippines alone. Users spend about an hour on average on it. It's no wonder that they discover so many new things in their feed from the hotels that their relatives are staying to the latest sunglasses in their friend's selfies. If your brand suffers from inattention, social media can be the best way to bring the spotlight back.
Social Media Can Build Relationships
Relationships are built on constant interactions and dialogues. No other platforms provide more opportunity for these than social media. Posts can be uploaded and shared quickly. Customers or clients have the opportunity to comment or ask questions. Conversations between brand and people occur in real-time. All these little interplaying moments, performed every day, help in creating lasting relationships.
Social Media Can't Guarantee Sales
While social media can support sales goals, it's not a sales tool. It's a media for communications, marketing, and advertising. Hard selling a product or service is more likely to result in lost followers than increased sales. Social media is best used to open doors, not directly closing sales.
Social Media Can't Deliver Overnight Results
A social media page and a couple of posts, no matter how scintillating, will never be enough to achieve success. It takes long-term commitment to the social campaign and constant cultivation of your followers. Instead of a day or a week, try two to six months before you'll find results.
Social Media Can't Be Handled Alone
A single individual can't be expected to handle everything that's needed to succeed in social media. It's not just postings, sharings, and comments. Content must be written for the brand. Visuals need to be created. Sales and marketing pushes have to be coordinated. It takes a dedicated team with multiple skills to do everything that's needed to succeed in social media. If your in-house team is limited, find help from outside.
Need to learn more about social media marketing in the Philippines and its value? Download our primer here.