Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

This goes for a lot of things in life but I'm directly speaking about starting and managing social media marketing initiatives. I have seen far too many small companies leap into developing their brand via social media for the sake of it without taking a breath to stop and consider its impact. The golden question when it comes to raising brand awareness should always be "Does it make sense?" - for your client base, for the temperature of the market and also for your business. Twitter is instant and Instagram lingers - which will work for you?

The trouble with developing marketing strategies in this age of digital immediacy is just how simple it is to open up a social media platform and hope for the best. Without careful consideration of where you're going to take your platform, you may well find yourself mindlessly hash tagging your way through empty space, making no tangible effort to connect your business back to the most important stakeholder; your client.

And so, instead of frantically following old friends from high school, why not pause and plan it out? Think about the content, creative strategy and clientele you wish to attract. Take a look at other successful channels such as GoPro's Youtube channel and it's clear why they are effective; they know their market and they know the purpose of the channel. Once you have this marked out for your business, ask yourself 2 questions: Who do you want to connect with and how do you wish to connect with them.

Slow it down and understand your brand - people need a reason to follow you, so unless you want to go on a 'follow back' frenzy, you'll need to find a way to make them desire you. Give them a taste of what the brand is about without forcing it down their throats. Use your tone of voice and couple it with inspiring content - lazy attitudes will equal lack of interest. Find the right avenue for your brand and allow it to grow naturally, with direction.

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.