#1 It’s a Fad

Many people still think that social media is just a ‘phase’ and sees social media as secondary – especially businesses. The truth is, social media is here to stay and businesses without a presence will eventually lose a competitive edge against their competitors who are actively on social media. Why?

“Social marketing eliminates the middlemen, providing brands the unique opportunity to have a direct relationship with their customers. Bryan Weiner, CEO at Digital Agency 360i”

#2 It’s About Having Social Media Profiles Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn

Having a profile is just the beginning. It takes time, dedication and commitment to truly harness the benefits of social media. It’s all about building a network online just like how it is traditionally such as through networking events. Attending networking events alone won’t work – you need to communicate, build relationships and engage.

“Social media is like building muscles or running a marathon – results don’t come popping up, it’s long-term but all worth it.”

#3 It’s a Numbers Game

Somehow we tend to take numbers too seriously. The number of followers / fans / friends do matter but the question really is: how engaged are you with your followers? Are they paying attention to what you have to say? What is your true reach? In social media, it’s quality over quantity for followers.

“Please Repeat: Influence is NOT Popularity! Brian Solis, briansolis.com”

#4 It Takes Too Much Time

It takes time, yes. Too much time? It depends on you. It can take as short as 30 minutes a day or the entire day and you are in control of it. The best part about social media is that it is flexible and accessible anywhere as long you’re connected to the web. If you carry a smartphone with you, you can even update on-the-go! I spend about 1 – 1.5 hours daily and random updates throughout the day.

I don’t know about you but to spend only 1 hour daily to stay in touch with your prospects and loyal customers sure sounds like a killer deal to me!

“How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable? Seth Godin, sethgodin.typepad.com”

#5 It Takes an Expert to Do It

If you can handle the computer, surf the web and create a Facebook / Twitter account without much trouble, congratulations, you’re made to be on social media! Too easy to be true? Well, the secret ingredient is PASSION – if you are passionate of your business, all you need to do is to KEEP IT REAL with your followers and fans. By doing so you’ll be putting a human face to your brand, a strong connection to build brand loyalty.

“Don’t worry; skills are cheap, passion is priceless. If you’re passionate about your content and you know it and do it better than anyone else, even with few formal business skills you have the potential to create a million-dollar business. Gary Vaynerchuck, garyvaynerchuk.com”

#6 Guaranteed Results

Do you really believe in guaranteed results? I don’t. Being on social media won’t bring in immediate sales. The same applies to blogging: you won’t make money out of it immediately. Again you’ll need to flex those muscles before you can experience results. Keep your eyes focused on the goal and run (or jog) towards it – just don’t give up!

“Remember this: social media is NOT about profitability. It is about constantly engaging and creating loyal customers that will create revenue for you in the long run.”

#7 There is no ROI to Social Media

Does it ring a bell? Most businesses just don’t see how social media can be measured hence taking it very lightly. ROI can be quantitative, using various metrics tools such as Google Analytics to identify bounce rates, demographics, length of visits, page views, unique visitors, number of followers, impressions and etc.

You can even take it further by comparing these metrics with the number of conversions on your sales, subscriptions and more! It can also be qualitative by comparing responses gathered through surveys and behaviors and converting them into metrics that matters to your business.

“Ultimately, social media creates conversations and involves human interactions – that can build your brand. How can you quantify that? Traditional media takes you no where near that. It’s priceless.”

#8 It’s Not for Every Business

To date we’ve seen consultation firms, marketing agencies, F&B outlets, hospitals, lawyer firms, telecommunication companies and almost every other industry, both big and small, young and old, involved in social media. The social media is for everyone – including your business. Sure, the integration can be tricky for some but its definitely possible – it depends on how far you want it to go.

“You can’t tiptoe into social media. You have to jump into the pool. People have a natural fear of it. But the scary part is not being there. Your customer is already there. Dave Saunders, madisonmain.com”

Have you came across any other misconceptions on social media? I would love to hear them, too!