“Who cares about 1 Billion subscribers?”
As I sat and listened to Chris Brogan state these words about Facebook at a Cadre event in Bethesda Maryland last week, a smile came to my face.
No, it’s not because I’m a Facebook hater. Heck, neither is Chris.
His point wasn’t so much about the efficacy of Facebook for businesses, but rather about the efficacy of Facebook for his business, and the fact that the number of users and subscribers, often times, doesn’t mean a dang thing.
To extend his thoughts:
Who cares about Twitter’s 200 million+ users?
Or LinkedIn’s 100 million users?
Or Google+’s 100 million users?
Or Pinterest’s 15 million?
Well, apparently, lots of folks do. Especially big businesses, who often feel they need to jump on each one of these trains before they even take the time to see where their ticket stub is taking them.
Numbers Mean Nothing without Profits
Fact is, the phrase “number of users” or “number of subscribers” is a stupid way to judge how a business should spend their time, money, manpower, and resources.
Notwithstanding, you hear companies saying it all the time—
“We just can’t ignore 1 BILLION users!!”
Uhhm, yes you can. In fact, you should…until you have a plan to turn all those users into profits for your business.
Using the whacky marketing logic many are using with social media, apparently we should all…
- Be advertising at One Time Square due to millions of views a day (BTW, it only runs 10k an hour to advertise there).
- Be listed in every phone book possible considering it goes out to EVERY living person in our business’ reach location.
- Be aggressive with our TV advertising because there are only 2 billion people watching TV EVERY DAY.
$10k an hour for a whole lot of eyeballs....Any takers??
As you might imagine, the list goes on and on. Notwithstanding, millions of businesses have now moved on from the days of billboards, heavy phone-book advertising, and TV campaigns—all due to an ROI (return on investment) that simply can no longer be justified.
The thing that businesses have to understand with this age of digital and social media is that the goal is not to get in front of the most eyes but rather get in front of the most potential customers—and then convert them into a paying customer.
As most of you already know, with my swimming pool company I spend almost no time on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter. Sure, I have accounts, but they’re by no means a focus because I’m interested in my most targeted market—those folks researching online about swimming pools and needing answers. This is also why our entire marketing campaign is built upon content in the form of text and video. If I invested time in the “Big Three,” it would only mean less time on that which brings me the biggest bang for my buck.
But despite the fact that I’ve found tremendous success without really doing any social media with my pool company, that doesn’t mean I don’t need social media with The Sales Lion. In fact, without the help of Twitter and Facebook, this blog, business, and brand wouldn’t be nearly what it is today.
Again, every business is different, every target market is unique, and there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” plan when it comes to marketing.
Going Forward
As we move forward in an age where bright, new, and shiny social media objects appear every day for millions of users to jump on to, let us all remember what sustains our business in the first place—paying customers. Without them, we’re done—finished—doors closed.
So let that be your focus. Let that dictate your campaigns. And never fall trap to the allure of huge numbers that by no means guarantee success.
Your Turn:
So what’s your take on all these huge social media numbers? What do you feel should be the main dictator as to what a company’s marketing focus should be? And what exactly does One Billion FB users mean anyway??
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I filed in, took my seat,…
{ 89 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Marcus,
It was with some relief that I read “who cares about 1 billion subscribers”. Whew, that took some of the heat off.
I agree that social media isn’t the be-all, end-all without a PLAN, then implementation of said plan.
I also like that you said the goal of social media should not be to get in front of the most people, but it should be about getting in front of YOUR potential customers. Targeted eyeballs, not just any ole’ eyeballs.
Thanks, Marcus.
Peggy
Peggy Baron´s last [type] ..Going After Info Products Based On Need AND Desire
Peggy, the thing that you wrote that stood out to me the most is the word PLAN. And I don’t think it stood out just because it is in all caps.
It stood out because it is so true that is necessary, and yet many people spend time on social media without a plan.
That would be a great survey Rebecca– one that showed what percentages of businesses had a “plan” with each social platform they were using. Wow, I bet that’d be telling.
Like Rebecca said Peggy, everything we do with this social media stuff, if we’re a business, should be about the plan. Without it, we’re the chicken with no head.
Have a great weekend Peggy!
Marcus
Great post here, Mane man. I agree with both you and Chris.
It’s weird, because at some point in my life (a couple of months ago), I tried to brandish my Facebook fan page and was able to get close to 500 fans in about two weeks. That’s big, considering I’m fairly new. The problem is, I don’t get as much conversations or traffic from it. Heck, I get a whole lot more with my own email list.
Another testimonial that social media isn’t for every business, unless you have a major plan for it, and not just use it as a content/link dump for your blog posts.
Josh Sarz´s last [type] ..5 Blogging Mistakes That Make You Sound Like A Jerk
Hey Josh, great to hear from you buddy. The great thing about you is that you’re busy experimenting…and failing…and succeeding…and learning the whole time. Keep that up buddy, it’s going to get you far.
Have a great weekend,
Marcus
Dude,
It is so annoying to hear HACK social media speakers talk a group about 100 million users here and billion users there all while their talking to people with 15 facebook fans…
Seriously? What does an insurance agency in Upstate NY care about what is happening on the Internet anywhere other than Upstate NY? Tell how many Facebook searches there were for Auto insurance within 50 miles of where I’m sitting… Tell me how times the term Auto insurance was used on Twitter in the state of New York…
I know these stats are used to “Wow” the non-believer. But any small business cat worth a damn immediately says “So what” and shuts down.
But when I can look a room full of small business professionals in the face and tell them the most popular search term in your industry was typed into Google 33,000 in your geographic market last month… That’s holds weight. That’s powerful.
I think what we’re looking for is RELEVANT stats… not WOW stats…
Thanks bro
Ryan H.
Ryan Hanley´s last [type] ..5 Thoughts from Marcus Sheridan on Small Business Content Marketing
This comment is perfectly symbolic as to why I think so highly of your and your content Ryan–you actually have this thing called “perspective”. Too many social media folks don’t have it, and thus act like FB is awesome for everyone, or blogging is the end-all, or TV is the greatest, etc. A small biz in upstate NY certainly isn’t going to be following the same marketing approach of a massive brand that’s all over the world. In fact, the idea is laughable, yet we see it too much.
Keep fighting the good fight my man,
Marcus
This post/comments just inspired an impromptu rant post… Couldn’t help it.
Oh and non-fired-up Ryan is appreciative of your kind words dude!
Let me open for ya on your next speaking tour… There’s so much more crazy inside me trying to get out! ha!!!
have a good weekend.
Ryan Hanley´s last [type] ..Blog For You
Hey Marcus!
I am of two mindsets. On one hand, you could argue that with 1 billion users everyone has a market on FB. But will have to agree with you that you have to go where your consumers are and means different things for different businesses.
Cheers to a good weekend!
Rajka
Dr.Rajka @ExpatDoctorMom´s last [type] ..What I wish I knew the first year of Blogging: Part II
That’s the thing Rajka, there are many places with “1 billion users”. TV, radio, etc. And without question, there are potential prospects there for everyone. The thing is, are there better returns with another platform? I think that’s the question we’ve got to be able to answer.
Thanks bunches for stopping by Rajka, I hope you’re doing well!
Marcus
I never thought about it this way before, but you are absolutely right. There are millions/billions of people watching TV every day too but TV ads aren’t right for everyone. Good answer to that line of thinking!
Another mentor of mine, Jeff Herring, likes to say find where the traffic is and get in front of it. If your ideal prospects are on FB or Twitter, then by all means be there. If not, find them and figure out the best way to serve them. Then you’ll be relevant too like Ryan said and that will go a long way in winning them over.
Cheryl Pickett´s last [type] ..Blog Post Headline Tips You Can Learn from My Mistakes
Yep, great stuff Cheryl. There isn’t a single platform that’s “just right for everyone”, other than maybe face to face recommendations from those we know and trust.
Always appreciate your thoughts and additions here,
Marcus
Hi Marcus,
Gurus say traffic is the lifeblood of your website business. Uber-gurus say it’s all about conversion. Moderates would say you need both.
I think I’m a moderate. We can’t have conversions without a sufficient traffic.
If we believe that we can get enough conversions with a low traffic then we should go for it, but high traffic seems to make sense.
These are my ramblings.
Cheers
Derek Potocki´s last [type] ..You have a goal, but do you have a plan?
I like your ramblings Derek
And based on what you’ve said, I’d say I’m a moderate as well. To me, it all starts with traffic. Then, once they’re “in”, it all comes down to our ability to convert. The two clearly go hand in hand.
Thanks so much for dropping by Derek and have a great weekend bud,
Marcus
Marcus I’m going to share this article. The reason I’m going to share it is that I see a lot of local businesses around here jumping on what appears to be the latest and greatest “social marketing” thing without really considering whether it will reach their customers. Not just reach in terms of will a text get to their phone, or will a video get to their email in box but will it really help the customer make a buying decision or is it just a slick production with not much substance.
Sounds a bit snobby maybe when put that way but there’s so much CRAP out there under the umbrella of “social media marketing” or “social marketing” that really looks to me to be little more than advertising in disguise. NOT that advertising can’t still work (at times) or should not be used (that’s not what I’m saying) but the small business owners I see drawn to this stuff don’t seem to have an overall plan — they see a bright shiny object and go “I need that.”
Stef´s last [type] ..4 Reasons to NOT Have Stock Photos on Your Website Home Page
Stef, awesome sauce, I’m digging what you’re saying and it’s obvious your perspective come from being on the front lines and watching biz owners make mistake after mistake with all these shiny objects.
Thanks for all your support Stef and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Marcus
Toilet paper companies – that’s who can’t ignore a billion potential customers.
Which is just my way of agreeing w/ you Marcus – there is absolutely no ’1 size for all’ and for that matter, no two social media campaigns (heck, communications/business plans) are created equal. Some will be dominated by search, content marketing; others by branding; others by social interaction and engagement and so on. Many businesses still make or break the bank via good, old-fashioned WOM and referrals, on and offline.
I’ve written it before, with each new shiny object we develop numerical blindness. We forget that for everyone ON Facebook, there are many more NOT and those fish swim many other seas. If those that are on FB, Pinterest are your demo AND they’re the ones doing the buying, then by all means fish those waters; if not, time pull anchor and move the boat to where fish are biting. (Which ain’t as ‘easy’ as it sounds.. why it’s called work.) FWIW.
Davina K. Brewer´s last [type] ..Do you relate to your customers?
Some will be dominated by search, content marketing; others by branding; others by social interaction and engagement and so on…..Hmmmm,me likey that statement very much Davina
And I also think your analogy of finding the fish, and pulling up the anchor as needed, is spot-on. What good does it do to fish in a sport with hundreds of boats if you ain’t catching no fish???
Have a great weekend D’!
Marcus
Hello Marcus,
This is an insightful post. While the numbers of social media giant look terrific, I feel it does help business owners to get the attention of new visitors. Converting visitors into customer can vary depending upon niche, brand and conversion approach.
Since, setting up a fan page and syncing it with updates takes just a little time, I give Facebook a +1.
Not to forget the new Facebook fan pages where you get to showcase your brand in more bigger way (the cover photo).
Naveen Kulkarni´s last [type] ..Journey Of Life And The Real Purpose Of Your Existence
There is no question all of these mediums can be effective Naveen. But I also think we need to understand where our focus needs to be, where we get the most returns, etc.
Without question though, I like the new FB set up…and I’m sure it’s not the last one considering they seem to be evolving quicker than you can snap your fingers.
Thanks for the comment man,
Marcus
Marcus,
I think you’re absolutely right about focusing more on targeted traffic rather than getting in front of everyone using social media. Here’s an example from my own experience:
On day 11 after my blog went live, I got 266 unique visitors. Without trying to come off as tooting my own horn, I’d say that’s pretty impressive given it’s my one and only blog. So how did I do?
Through Pinterest. It’s incredibly hot right now, but here’s the thing: the traffic was really terrible. The bounce rates were incredibly high and the people I got from there just weren’t interested in browsing more than the page they landed on. Compared to the other sources of traffic I was getting at the time, Pinterest was giving me by far the most traffic, but it really wasn’t worth anything.
Just like content, with traffic quality is better than quantity.
Robert King´s last [type] ..90-Day Case Study: Day 6 Update
GREAT point Robert about quality vs. quantity. It’s interesting what you point out about Pinterest, because it appears for some it’s becoming the next Stumble Upon—tons of potential traffic without anything to show for it.
Thanks for stopping by bud and hope you have a great weekend,
Marcus
Yes, who cares? If your business is local, serving local people then advertise, market, promote locally.
Online isn’t everything. Traditional channels can’t be ignored – and well, facebook? twitter? Yes, very interesting and there are interesting results to prove that is can work. Yes, I said CAN.
At the end of the day if you are online your social media activities should aim for one thing – and one thing ONLY – to send people to YOUR store front – even if your store front happens to be a blog or a website.
Hours of curating cool content is time taken away from working on your business. It’s NOT work.
On that note, good job my friend – I agree 110% on this. *shock horror*
Back to work!
Ameena Falchetto´s last [type] ..Who is your target market and what is your niche?
Re: “Hours of curating cool content is time taken away from working on your business. It’s NOT work.”
Agreed!
I’m all for networking and engaging with others. But there’s a point between being there to answer potential customers questions, and then talking into the social media chamber. The latter isn’t very constructive.
Ricardo Bueno´s last [type] ..One BIG Secret To Making A Business Blog Work
Ahhh yes Ricardo, that’s a question worthy of an entire blog post– knowing when we are working with a plan versus when we’re in the chamber but not getting a dang thing done. There have been many times when I’ve walked the line between the two, and when I was done, I thought–What the heck did I get accomplished this last 90 minutes???
Thanks bud,
Marcus
Well I’ll be darned…Ameena and I agree on something for the first time in weeks!!
Good stuff lady, thank ya for stopping by!
Marcus
Funny, I know dozens of real estate agents who jumped to setup a Facebook Page because of the potential in the numbers. Few if at all any can attribute any business generated directly as a result.
The questions you need to ask yourself are:
- What are my goals? (What’s the desired outcome here?)
- How is this tool going to help me achieve those goals?
- What am I going to measure? (Number of “Fans” isn’t very helpful, if revenue is the ultimate goal).
All to often people chase shiny and measure the wrong things.
Ricardo Bueno´s last [type] ..Repeat Timer Pro App Review
Ricardo, you mean to tell me we are supposed to have goals and measurement with all this stuff?? What????
Well said my man,
Marcus
Fabulous post Marcus! I completely agree numbers alone aren’t enough. We need to avoid “squirrel” syndrome, chasing numbers and focus on being profitable and the clients who are paying. It’s not profitable to chase every squirrel or shiny object that comes along.
Regarding the numbers, I think one of the most important takeaways for business I work with is they need to understand how central these tools have become in people’s lives. However, instead of jumping onto the various platforms and blasting their messages to the masses because of “numbers”, they should start on social with strategic listening programs to see if their customers are 1. using the various platforms, 2. understand how they are using them and 3. understand why they are using them before developing plans for engaging with them.
As always, appreciate the practical, actionable info!
“Squirrel Syndrome”…Hmmm, I like that Don, heck, I might just steal it and claim it for my own.
But let me ask you a question though Don, because you’ve brought up something I think a lot of readers here are pretty unfamiliar with, myself included, and that is “strategic listening programs”….Could you delve into a few examples of that type of tool and what you’ve worked with?
Thanks,
Marcus
Rhinos are happy to share with Lions so use the “Squirrel Syndrome’ all you want … though I might have to tease you if you use it at Social Slam Knoxville
I’m on the road right now, headed to a presentation in Milwaukee (where I’ll actually be using you as a case study of using social and inbound in the right way) but I’d be happy to share examples with you. I don’t do anything that’s sophisticated (I think we’re all learning as we go along). But I’m very happy to share my experiences.
When it comes to listening, I think what’s most critical is we listen consistently, with purpose and then act on what we hear. As I like to remind myself and my clients we have 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason … we should listen twice as much as we talk
Can’t wait to meet you IRL in Nashville next month!
Don Stanley´s last [type] ..Getting Focused Tip: Take on a 30-Day Challenge
I’m thinking I’ll write a blog post on this for you and the gang this week. How does that sound?
Don Stanley´s last [type] ..Getting Focused Tip: Take on a 30-Day Challenge
Are you referring to a guest post Don? If so, I don’t currently do those here on TSL but if you write the article on your site, I’d love to promote it for you, just let me know man.
Sorry for the delay responding Marcus, had to travel and one of my kiddos had to have surgery. I’m finally getting back into the swing of things. I was referring to a post on my site. I don’t think you need guest posts with all the awesome content you pump out (not sure how you do it!).
And I meant to say can’t wait to meet you in KNOXVILLE not Nashville
I think we should not hate Facebook(Though it is your personal matter). But we should hate some fake user of Facebook who make it only a business place. What is your opinion about the present situation of twitter???
Thanks,
Emily
Emily´s last [type] ..online dating tips
Couldn’t agree with you – and Chris- more on this one. Millions, heck billions, of fans, followers and advocates is one thing but the even cooler thing is what happens after they like you, after they follow you, after they give your brand the thumbs up. So many people fall victim to the notion of actually setting up KPIs based on # of followers. What does that even mean when you have 100 more this month than last month? Isnt is way cooler to see how your inbound referrals to your site changed as a result of your social activity? What channels are performing? And are people coming to your site from those channels converting or bouncing? So many of us fall victim to the numbers game but what we really should focus on is what is the impact of that number going up or down – and the impact I am talking about should probably have something to do with your corporate goals and vision. Right?
Christina Pappas´s last [type] ..Lead Scoring ‘Out of the Box’ Is a Bunch of Bullsh*t
You dang right girl
I know you’ve personally seen this wayyyy too much Christina, and the results of such focus for businesses is incredibly unhealthy.
Thanks for your perspective, as always, Christina!
Have a great weekend,
Marcus
Happy weekend to you too!!
Christina Pappas´s last [type] ..Lead Scoring ‘Out of the Box’ Is a Bunch of Bullsh*t
With huge Facebook numbers I think that they’re a bit pointless, a page can have a billion followers but those followers may not necessarily be reading all the updates from the page and therefore are useless. With the new feature to hide peoples posts on Facebook its easier to ignore whats being said so having a Billion followers probably means you only have a few thousand reading what you say!
Harriet´s last [type] ..Sony Ericsson Xperia X8
Marcus, I would make one qualification.
Unlike conventional advertising (television, billboard, telemarketing, print), social media platforms allow you to pitch your message to a huge group of people in a fairly affordable way. Heck, even you pointed out the ridiculously prohibitive expense of a Times Square advertisement. You can target 10x as many people for a fraction of the fee by leveraging Facebook strategically. And I think THAT is what has people so excited!
But how you target the market is really what matters. If those billion Facebook (or Twitter or LinkedIn or Google+ or Pinterest) users aren’t interested in your widget, it’s a waste of time pitching them (as you pointed out). But perhaps 100,000 of those Facebook folks might be interested?
And it’s arguably more affordable to target a marketing strategy on Facebook than it is at halftime during the Superbowl. I think it’s the accessibility and affordability of these fast emerging platforms that has everyone so excited.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can slap up an update or a profile and expect the dollars to flow. Far from it. But I really do think that most business need to consider the prospective value of social media as a driver of business.
Everyone is on Facebook, but Facebook isn’t useful, or effective, for everyone. Also, how much time do you have to spend on FB for it to be effective? Days? Months? Years? And what could you do with that time which could be more productive? Like writing articles or commenting, or even learning something?
You can make money with Facebook if you teach how to make money with Facebook, just like Adsense more or less. Now making money with Adsense is a dead horse and almost everyone jumps on FB. Next year they will jump on something else.
I just hope they won’t jump on Google+ as it’s already a kind of zombie.
Social media are effective for customers relations, but a good chat service is just as good, and maybe for networking but given the time needed to have a decent ROI it’s better to focus on something else to make business and new friends. Not always but most of the times.
Twitter is slightly better but I think in the future we’ll go just the opposite direction with specialized networks not cluttered by “Play at Farmville with me” things. Imho.
Clearly though everyone has to do what works better for him, I focus on writing evergreen content which has to be found with search engines so thinking long term I don’t really need to be so active on social media, but that’s me. Someone else can have another focus and be successful using social media, like news or technilogy focused blogs. But what really matters is the ROI and outside celebrities I guess considering ROI every social network could close.
But I’m a kind of caveman who doesn’t even own a smartphone so these are just my two cents.
Last thing I’d like to read in the future an article on Social Media vs Email List which is the other player if I’m right. Have a great weekend!
Andrea Hypno´s last [type] ..Overcoming Fear of Clowns
Marcus,
You know this is one of my favorite topics. Thank you for starting the dialog. I have an upcoming post about this very topic.
Marketing to the masses is dangerous, and potentially costly. Businesses are often fearful that their marketing message will miss ONE potential client. So, they get to a point where their message is so generic that it starts to sound like “we do stuff for people.” In an effort to not miss anyone, they cast such a wide net that two things happen: 1) Their message to too generic to capture the attention of their BEST potential client; and 2) Their broad message appeals to people with general curiosity and not necessarily a specific, important need for what you do. Next, after casting that wide net, the organization has to expend significant resources to determine which targets within the huge list of suspects has some sort of fit for what you are selling. And, you play a game of awful statistics that result in single-digit potential – something that we had to accept in the days of blindfolded direct mail.
Today, with content marketing, we can target the right audience who has a need for what we do. People with an interest in inbound marketing visit this site. When you sign up for Marcus’ book or blog, you have a specific interest. So, his message is hitting the right potential audience.
The gap that most people miss is that their site and content focuses on WHAT they do, not WHY people need it. Using a medical metaphor, they are pitching treatments, rather than describing symptoms they treat. Our clients can usually recognize quite well their symptoms, but may not know the proper treatment. If you craft a message that says “our clients come to us for help in the following areas,” then you are seen as a resource to solve the client’s needs, not someone selling stuff.
If you target the masses, recognize that unless you have a mass market product or service, at some point you need to weed out the garbage to get to the gems. You might just find it better to carefully target the gems.
(I’m getting down off the soapbox, now)
Ian Altman´s last [type] ..Of Course I am NOT Interested
That was a dang good soapbox my man. I know for me, the day I realized as a pool guy, and then as a marketing guy, that I didn’t need to worry about making eveyrone happy, then stuff start to really get fun. In fact, it seems the more specific I am with folks, the better my leads and the quicker the sales cycle…and the better the margins.
So today I weed and weed….and then reap the bigger harvest because of it.
Appreciate your wisdom Ian, hope your weekend was a great one my man.
Marcus
For most businesses (outside of the movie, entertainment, recreation, special interest and food industries). Yet what’s the first question I get when I tell people I have a blog? Usually it’s either “How many Facebook fans do you have” or “Why Don’t You Twitter?” If I had the choice I’d trade 100 of my Facebook fans (most of which are my personal acquaintances!) in exchange for appearing on the first page of Google with just one of my top 50 keywords. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Mr. Zuckerberg
Matthew Stock´s last [type] ..Cracks in Basement Walls – Why a Foundation Cracks
Oops. Typo. Meant to say:
For most businesses (outside of the movie, entertainment, recreation, special interest and food industries), Facebook is way overrated. I’ve learned that first hand. Yet what’s the first question I get when I tell people I have a blog? Usually it’s either “How many Facebook fans do you have” or “Why Don’t You Twitter?” If I had the choice I’d trade 100 of my Facebook fans (most of which are my personal acquaintances!) in exchange for appearing on the first page of Google with just one of my top 50 keywords. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Mr. Zuckerberg
Matthew Stock´s last [type] ..How to Find Basement Wall Cracks in a Finished Basement
Hahahaha, loved that last line Stock…..I’m sure you’ll be getting a call from Zuckerberg
Stay well brother,
Marcus
Marcus, I love it
Punchy and impactful, I love the breath of fresh air.
In particular…
“I spend almost no time on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter”
This is something I talk about
In my studies of the world’s successful achievers, they all chose a ‘Main Channel.’
Maybe they did it deliberately, maybe by default, but either way they had one.
Maybe it was TV, maybe magazines, maybe Facebook, maybe Twitter.
The point is, they used their main channel for their early success, and after building a foundation with that — they branched out.
Jason, love where you’re going with this bud. With the folks that are killing it online, it’s typically the same deal. The book “Good to Great” calls it our “hedgehog concept” but maybe we should be talking about our “hedgehog platform”…hmmmm
Good seeing you man,
Marcus
I’m not surprised, it makes total sense. Focus is powerful, and they focused
Collins’ books have been recommended to me before — “hedgehog platform” is exactly what I’m talking about (though I’d probably use a sexier metaphor, hmm…
)
If you like where I’m going, I’ll go further
To me choosing a primary channel is one piece of a larger puzzle.
The puzzle of Who We Are.
The reason most people jump from platform to platform is because they aren’t clear on Who They Are.
The reason most people don’t make an impact with others is because they don’t know What They Stand For.
That means being expressive and upfront about ‘quirks’
That means confidently stating controversial views (everybody has at least 1)
That means having a main hangout, and primary platform (I don’t think anyone spends the exact same amount of time on all platforms, 1 takes the lead).
It’s important to know these things to reap larger scale success.
Totally diggin that my man. You’ve always got the green light around here to go and go Jason, I honestly love the way your mind thinks.
lol — awesome Marcus, that kind of trust and creative freedom really brings out the best in me.
And also, can I take that comment and use it as a testimonial for myself? I’d appreciate it and be honored to have your name to drop
Jason Fonceca´s last [type] ..Painful Withdrawal From A Different Kind Of Addiction
What does 1 million visitors mean to you?
What does 1 million page views mean to you?
What does 1 million twitter followers mean to you?
Nothing.
But what does 1 million dollars mean to you? Everything!
The point you stated , Marcus, about focusing on profits rather than metrics is very sound. I guess most people want to just WOW other people with metrics and that’s what they care about. Some people have the idea that bigger number means bigger social proof. While it can be true to an extend, what good is the number if you cant pay your bills or provide for your family?
Sometimes I feel that in this digital world the basic laws of economics are missing or at least people are ignorant about it. Too much people talk about value and such stuff while they forget the fact that they are running a business.
Unless you have millions of dollars in your bank account handed over to you by your sugar daddy, you need to approach business as a business itself. Same goes for social media or whatever!
Have a good weekend Marcus.
I’m so with you Adarsh. I know very successful bloggers with huge social proof that can’t even pay their bills.
I’d don’t know about you, but I’ll trade all the social proof in the world away for financial peace and proserity.
Good stuff bud, always appreciate you stopping by,
Marcus
Marcus I guess I am from the old school? I like to treat social media as my favorite shopping mall? Remember those? The mall owner charged for space by foot traffic.
I am glad all the social media outlets has so many eyeballs. Why?
When I run a full page ad in the newspaper I am not able to zone it into a zip code. I can with FB. For me this means I can get into my local community plus it’s reasonable to test markets with my products and services. No more $8000 full page ad cost upfront.
So for me fill it up with eyeballs and lets go shopping!
Thanks Glen
Glen Kohlenberg´s last [type] ..Siesta Key
Trust me Glen, I’m all for low cost. But here is the question– What have you sold off of it so far and how much time and money have you spent to achieve those numbers? I ask this in all serious because I’d love to know.
Marcus
You’ve got a point there; “number means nothing without profit”. Likes and follows can only increase popularity and probably search engine presence.
Appreciate it Cleakstar…as for the search engine presence, I’m sure we’ll see it that one, especially as “auto like” machines come out and mess everything up.
Thanks for stopping by,
Marcus
Thanks mate for your appreciation. I can’t believe this topic sparked lots of comments. Thats good. I started something new on cleakstar today. its a means of allowing people create a business or professional profile which gets featured on the Home page. I getting thousands of visitors daily.
1 billion users of facebook..but some of them don’t have profits..and they are just visiting there sites reading there comments but there are no profits 1 billion users are just busy posting and liking there post…nowadays more persons are subscribing facebook than watching t.v….hope that the subscribers are not just always focus on social media..we should know how to have a good lifestyle…
Hi Marcus,
You’re making an interesting point and a great headline. I believe that most businesses, at least the ones I’ve been talking to care. They probably shouldn’t, but they do care. They are spending more time and more money on Facebook than before. And it seems that they believe that being on Facebook will help them get a lot more customers and turn their business into a profitable one… and it’s all beacuse soon the entire population will be using Facebook.
I’m like you, and I want to create high quality content that’s relevant to our business and to our customers, and I’m not that focused on where it should be published. But, blogging is by far the best way to add the content, and social media is a great way to drive traffic to the content and engage in discussions. But the content should be on a blog, at least, that’s what I think
I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend Marcus.
Jens P. Berget´s last [type] ..Long Tail Pro – A Video Review
Jens, always great to see you stop by bud, and I certainly appreciate it.
You know, I think it’s great if a business wants to be on FB, but if they’re spending money there, yet don’t have a goal nor the ability to quantify success or not, then I feel it’s a bad move. But without question I think the medium can work wonders for those that understand how to work it.
Thanks again and keep up the great work bud,
Marcus
Never knew it was 10k an hour. That doesn’t sound bad if it will work for what I’m selling. If companies would spend more time researching where their customers visit than worrying about every new social media startup and creating a presence on them, they would indeed be more successful. As for hating facebook, I’m not much of a fan, but I feel it is a tool I need for a few of my blogging efforts.
Brian´s last [type] ..Top Ten Pizza Jokes and Stories
Hi Brian, good to see you man.
When it comes to any marketing, if there is a positive ROI, it deserves a look…but that’s the question, and sadly most can’t even track the ROI of many of their campaigns. My feeling is, if we can’t track it, then we shouldn’t be doing it.
Thanks for stopping by Brian,
Marcus
From a recent interview with Guy Kawasaki:
Let’s say an entrepreneur is new to the whole social media thing. There’s a tendency to hire a consultant and formulate a plan. Is that the right approach?
No. Just dive in. Dive in to Facebook or Google+ or Twitter. Create a personal account and test the water. See what those sensibilities are, and just have at it. This is very different than the typical expert telling you that you first have to set your strategy and your goals and have this massive document and a working plan. I think that’s a mistake. It’s very difficult to create goals and strategies for something like Google+ or Facebook or Twitter if you’re not familiar with Google+, Facebook, and Twitter.
Not saying you are completely wrong (nor Brogan) just that not always should we be so strategic… it it “social” media after all…. why not just try being social and stop tracking it all the time.
I saw a post on Google Plus the other day by a well respected member of the community, he said “When you can tell me the ROI on your stapler, I will tell you the ROI on being social”
I think the bigger problem here is companies get on these social networks and only think “profits” and forget about being “social”. Social media is not a sales platform, it is a networking platform.
Anyway, as always, thought provoking post.
Keith´s last [type] ..What the Experts Are Telling Builders
Interesting addition, Keith, and I do respect Mr. Kawasaki
Re: This “I think the bigger problem here is companies get on these social networks and only think “profits” and forget about being “social”. Social media is not a sales platform, it is a networking platform. ”
I suggest that ‘labeling too firmly’ such clearly versatile platforms, limits the results one can achieve from them.
When a platform stops being ‘social’, ‘commercial’, ‘strategic’, ‘tactical’, etc… and instead becomes: “something I experimented and chose because it works for me” — there is huge power in that.
It’s how game-changers are made.
E-bay did not start as a viable business model for people, but now having an e-bay store can be extremely lucrative.
Has anyone started a Pinterest-based business yet? Will they? Will people tell them they can’t? Will it be labeled?
More thought-provoking?
Jason Fonceca´s last [type] ..Painful Withdrawal From A Different Kind Of Addiction
Hmmm, now I have all these Pinterest based business ideas in my head! Thanks Jason!
Keith´s last [type] ..Introducing Upgrade Renegade: Unit 51
There we go! I love it. Breaking the mold and changing the game … s’how we roll
Jason Fonceca´s last [type] ..Painful Withdrawal From A Different Kind Of Addiction
Hey Keith, good to see you man.
I’m in agreement that there are times when experimentation is very necessary. All this stuff is so new it’s not like there are a ton of case studies out there showing the successes and failures of companies on these platforms. At the same time though, I think there are some obvious signs in with certain platforms that they will not mix as well with certain industries.
Great comment man,
Marcus
Absolutely, but still I know I built my fence contracting business off Twitter and a blog so you just never know. Most people said I was wasting my time on Twitter as a fence guy, but I ended up laughing all the way to the bank (to the tune of $50k per month in sales for a one man show)…. Can I pinpoint exact ROI from Twitter, nope. I never really measured it, but I do know I made sales because of referrals I got off Twitter.
Of course, Twitter has changed tremendously since then (2008-2009) so I am not sure it would work the same….
Keith´s last [type] ..Raise Your Prices For More Business
Keith, I bet you’re the only person in the world who can say they leveraged Twitter well for a fence company. Seriously man, that was some wayyyy outside the box thinking back then.
I couldn’t agree more it is all about the profits, unless you are a huge business and just need brand recognition. If you are a small buisness, you need to experiment with lower costs and see which works best for you.
Gilbert´s last [type] ..Top 5 Best Values Gilbert Waterfront Homes
Indeed you bring up some great points here Marcus. My favorite two points are the analogies: needing to take the time to look at the ticket stub to see where it will take them , and that there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” approach in marketing.
We could extend the conversation a bit further to say, is it more important to build a community and following in the right community, or is it better in the long run to leverage a plethora of communities to have small but weak community but driving a larger long tail stream of traffic.
I think you know my thought behind this, but it is important to clarify that in some cases I think both could apply.
Some businesses might not be able to find their real community, until they try several out!
Mark Mathson´s last [type] ..Google Leveling The Playing Field In New Update, Rewards Quality Content
No question about that Mark, you’re spot on bud. A certain level of experimentation is sometimes necessary. Then again, there are signs in each industry that point certain platforms having success while others might lead to failure.
But it’s great to see you man and I hope your new job is going well.
Marcus
Thank you brother, it is going well.
If we didn’t experiment, there would be no results, right?!
Have a great week and keep on keeping on.
Mark Mathson´s last [type] ..Want to know where the future of marketing is going? Look to the youth.
Well clearly Chris cares about the numbers as the G+ numbers are trotted out when he’s pushing his G+ book, so let’s not buy too much into that statement.
It’s true, numbers mean squat without strategy. But they’re a damn good starting place, especially something as culturally adapted as Facebook, and anyone who bypasses that for a speaking soundbite might want to keep that in mind.
Danny Brown´s last [type] ..Evolutions and Revolutions
Heheh, good point about Chri’s g+ book, Danny
Still, is using numbers an indication of ‘care’? When someone says they don’t ‘care’ about the numbers what do they actually mean?
Do they mean they don’t pursue higher #s for no reason? Do they mean they absolutely will not use them, should they be available? Do they mean they don’t pay any attention to them during any discussion?
Jason Fonceca´s last [type] ..Painful Withdrawal From A Different Kind Of Addiction
Hey DB, how are ya bud? Honestly, it really didn’t come across as a soundbite when he said it, really more a “call to focus” if you will on what’s ultimately most important as we try to find platforms that will help our business the most.
Have a great week and hope your littles are well,
Marcus
Hey there mate,
Maybe it sounded that way out of context – damn text instead of audio.
Completely agree, focus is key as is the strategy to back it. Sadly, seeing more folks focus on the wrong things and not the conversation we should be having. And that can be confusing/misguiding dependent on the audience.
Cheers again!
Danny Brown´s last [type] ..Evolutions and Revolutions
Hi Marcus,
Great blog post. “Especially big businesses, who often feel they need to jump on each one of these trains before they even take the time to see where their ticket stub is taking them,” this is a great point! Many people in businesses big or small see the high numbers and want to use social media to power their business.
However it it is not done correctly then no matter if there are 1 billion or 3 billion people on Facebook they still will not see sales. The phone book example was a great example of this. Who even uses those anymore when our computers and phones can look up numbers for us?
I think the main dictator of deciding a company’s marketing focus should be their target market and their commitment to the media channel for example the Social Media Examiner did a story on the Natural Running Store and how they successfully use social media http://bit.ly/y5jacG . They post personalized videos to customer Clearly this company is committed to social media and they are seeing results. If a company can’t commit to social media then it will not be effective in increasing sales.
What do you think about companies committing to doing social media – is it any good if they are only partially involved in social media?
Hi Marcus,
I think we dont need to hate facebook.Facebook is a good way to promote your business but social media isn’t for every business, unless you have a major plan for it and the most important thing is profit or paying customer.
Pete Goumas´s last [type] ..Ed Hardy Coupon & Review
Yep, I agree Pete. The key isn’t to “hate” but to rather seek to understand and find the value of a platform.
Thanks a bunch for dropping by,
Marcus
I totally agree! Who really cares about the numbers, if the connections you have in the social media are not really converting to customers. I received a lot of emails from people who told me could get me 100 Facebook connections for certain amount. I never replied to them because having more connections in social media doesn’t automatically follows an increase in your sales too. Who knows these fellow just made 100 accounts with different names?
I guess the principle of quality over quantity best applies here.
Spatch Merlin
More Web Site Traffic Guide
Spatch Merlin´s last [type] ..Drive Qualified Traffic to Web Site with These Social Media Marketing Tools
Yep, with you all the way Spatch….and good for you for understanding what does and does NOT hold true value online.
Have a great weekend,
Marcus
These thought of who really cares about the social networking site users would have never cross my mind. I’m amazed to know the amazing subscriber strength of facebook, twitter, linkedin, google+, and pinterest.
Profit surely is the foremost criteria here, but the bonding that these social networking sites help maintain is also recommendable.
You have got a point clear here, “no.s mean nothing without profit.”
Thanks.
-Patrick
Patrick Swann´s last [type] ..how to get a girlfriend
Excellent post! I struggle with this question myself — I’ve been lessening and lessening my involvement with large sections of my company’s social media campaign because I just can’t see my time being better spent asking inane questions on Twitter and convincing people to Like us than it is writing a substantive article for our blog or creating good content that will help attract people to our website and help answer their questions once they’re there. And I couldn’t help shaking my head at this most recent Pinterest craze, as if Pinterest will ALWAYS help ALL businesses. Not mine — we’re a service-based company. We have nothing Pinterestable, and it would only waste our time trying, time we could have spent on much more important and profitable activities.
Sarah Kolb´s last [type] ..Friday Favorites: Great Business Advice
Sarah, LOVE how you’re finding your focus. Seriously. If only more companies were able to take a step back like that and say, “Are we really getting any ROI here?”
I would rather have 100 people that are interested in my product following me on facebook than 100,000 people that are not interested in my product
Jason´s last [type] ..Coupon: $3.00 off on any K-Y Brand Product
Exactly Jason, action is the only measurement that matters man.
Thanks for dropping by,
Marcus
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