Starting anything new can be scary, and for some, social media marketing is no different. Whether it’s a brand new channel to you, or you’re testing new content, new paid strategies or going after a new audience, there’s an element of bravery needed.
At IF, we’re always aiming to be brave and break the social boring, but what do you do when you’re fearful of messing it up?
First, identify what you’re scared of… 👻
Knowledge
Without an understanding of social, even of marketing, you can come up against a wall of scary reasons why you shouldn’t do it. Arm yourself with info, read up on tactics, listen to inspiring and experienced marketers on podcasts, go to breakfast briefings, conferences and actually talk to people (go on, deep breath, you can do it!). With the fast pace of social, you won’t learn it all, well, ever probably! It’s why so many brands work with specialist agencies – collectively, we simply know more.
Privacy and data
Oh, this is a big scary goblin, right? Not necessarily. Make sure you engage a data protection expert, consult your legal team on terms and conditions, and read the policies on all the social platforms closely. More than anything, communicate clearly with your audience – the consumer community are the ones most worried about their data.
Return on investment
For businesses, the question many will need to answer is “is it worth the time and effort?” From the growth of social over the last 15 years, we’d say “yes!”. But to truly know, you must, must be measuring on the right metrics. Engagement is key – after all, consider the fact that large brands don’t simply rely on ads with pricing in, but invest in clever, funny branding ads, partnerships and opportunities which have a positive effect on the brand in the long term.
Feedback
Fear of negative feedback is very real among brands. Our advice is to be brave, but not fearless. In fact, a wise person mentioned to me recently that we should all be a little risk-centric – in other words, be aware of the risks, explore the “worst-case” scenarios in your planning meetings, consider what your really doing when you put out that post which your gut tells you is just a little to close to the mark. Ensure you have a robust community management system to respond to feedback constructively and in a way which helps your brand to shine, even if something has gone a little wonky for the customer.
If you’re feeling paralysed by fear and looking for ways to be brave, get in touch with us.
After all, you did not wake up today to be mediocre… you don’t grow when you’re comfortable.
