What Will Make You See You Need Social Media Today?
Editor’s Note: Our regular readers will, of course, be fully aware of why people need social media today. However, all will know a lot of hold outs. This article is for the people you know, who remain steadfastly against social media…
Why You Need Social Media Today
A few weeks ago, Debbie contacted me. She had lost her job in the newspaper field as a copywriter. She was also a writer. This woman could not find a new job as she had no social media experience. Debbie heard I was doing stuff on Twitter and remembered I had taught some of the newsrooms how to tweet. Recently Debbie asked if I could help her to learn social media.
We met the other day and she thought I worked in the newsroom. I said no, I’ve been in advertising for years but was on the social media committee and helped others to learn to tweet and about other social media sites like Pinterest, Google Plus and of course Facebook.
Some People Are Still Afraid of Social Media
Debbie explained that she was afraid to be on social media and of putting herself out there. “Out there”? I asked. She didn’t want all her personal info to be found online. For this reason, the only place she was online was on LinkedIn. Most of her previous writing was not online. I helped her to find 2 links from 2 stories she had written, and we included them on LinkedIn. Afterwards, I began to teach her about Twitter and got her set up with an account on Twitter.
The plan was once Debbie grasped Twitter we will go over to Facebook in another session. Debbie was afraid of being on Facebook the most. She read and heard stories of what can happen to people on Facebook.
Why Some Folks Are Still Not On Social Media Today
No doubt this got me thinking? What will it take for some people to get on social media today?
Many people are afraid – they are afraid of being “out there.” But in today’s world if you are not out there on social media you are not in the today world.
But in today’s world if you are not out there on social media you are not in the today world. Click To TweetHow will a prospective business look you up online to check out your social media skills that are needed today? Presently you will be quickly overlooked if you are not there on social media.
Some Current Social Media Stats
A few weeks ago at a digital marketing training session, I saw a great video that was an eye opener.
Everyone who does business really needs to be on a few social network channels. Did you know 96% of millennials are on at least one social network? Social media has even taken over pornography over on the web! Facebook has more traffic than Google on the web in the United States now. And you are still afraid of being on social media?
If you own a business how will people find you besides maybe Googling you? (of course, if you don’t fill out your Google+ profile your pin will not be on the map.) If you are active on social media, there will be many more ways folks can find your business. Isn’t that what you want today? This is why you need social media today!
People Don’t Have Time Today
People are busier today than ever. What happened to computers making out lives easier? We were supposed to be paperless and more efficient. I don’t think that has quite happened yet. People spend more time online than they did watching TV years ago. It’s taken over some of our lives today.
How will you reach your customers or prospective employer in just 7 seconds? Phone calls take longer; emails take longer. The answer is social media. A quick tweet, DM, FB message, LinkedIn message, etc., is much quicker today. People can find all about you and your business quickly. The millennials today are on social media often. If you are not, you are missing out on that demographic big time.
Have you ever tried to email your kids? Generation Y considers email passe.Click To TweetHow Technologies Have Changed
It took television 13 years to reach everyone. 19% of people skip TV ads now with DVR. It took Facebook much less time to reach everyone. They have not even been around 13 years yet. They just started back in 2004. Do you remember what life was like before Facebook? How did you ever see your family’s photographs? Technology has truly changed our lives today in many ways. Do you ever pick up the phone to call someone to see how they are doing or do you check their latest Facebook posts? I’ll admit I’m guilty of that one too ☹
Do you ever pick up the phone to call someone to see how they are doing or do you check their latest Facebook posts? Click To TweetLinkedIn Has Changed The Employment Sector
80% of companies today now use social media to recruit new employees. 95% of those companies do so via LinkedIn.
If you are looking for work, you need to be found. If you are not on LinkedIn and other social networks how will you be found today? You can try going to the place of business but is anyone at the front desk anymore? At some offices, you need to dial in and ask for a person. How do you know who to ask for? I use LinkedIn today for that. You need to have a network on LinkedIn to meet other folks and connect.
Salespeople now rely heavily on LinkedIn for lead generation. According to Forbes, 80% of B2B leads are generated through LinkedIn. I’ve been in sales over 30 years, and it’s changed completely. Gone are the days you can walk into a business and find the right person there. Ever try to call someone? They screen their calls and emails. It’s not easy unless you have a name and direct line and/or direct email address. That’s where LinkedIn comes to the rescue!
Facebook Continues To Make Lots Of Money From Their Advertising Revenues
Facebook, more than other social networks, collects so much data about its users. From everything you like, comment and post on, Facebook knows you better than you probably know yourself! They collect this data for advertisers to market their products and services via their Facebook ads. These ads now appear in streams and look like part of a user’s feed. Marketers can target very strategically now via this information.
Twitter – The Instant News
Everywhere you turn in old media, TV, newspapers and radio – they all mention what the latest tweets are from the President. Twitter has become a news source. Forbes wrote about how Twitter is the best place for breaking news still today. Of course, this is why Debbie needs to learn how to tweet now.
Celebrities use Twitter to build their brands and stay connected with their fans. They can tweet out what’s coming next, where they are going and give fans a glimpse of their personal lives.
Sports is another big news category that does well on Twitter. It’s easy to follow your favorite team and keep up with the scores via Twitter in real time. You can even see video replays!
Finally, weather is another great news category to follow on Twitter. You can tweet your local weatherman questions about an impending storm. It surely beats trying to call your local TV station.
Why We Will No Longer Need To Search
We will no longer have to search for products and services. They will find us via social media. They know what we like, what we talk about and even what we purchase. Cookies from the social sites follow us so they can better serve us targeted ads from their advertisers.
Social Media Today is No Longer A Choice
Ultimately being on social media today is no longer a choice – it’s how we use this tool today. Social media a must to connect with others in your life – for business and/or personal connections. It’s just not businesses that have been impacted, but also our personal lives.
What Do You Think?
Do you believe you need social media today? Or have you been ignoring social media?
Featured image: Copyright: ‘https://www.123rf.com/profile_sifotography‘ / 123RF Stock Photo
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