Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1481164
graphics-pro.com 73 S T A R T H E R E 2 0 2 2 MYTH 6 I can set up a new profile on Monday, and see results by Tuesday – OK, so this is an exaggerated version of what some people think, which is that they can set up a social media profile and see results in a month or two, three at the most. e reality is that social media is a marathon, not a sprint. Once a profile goes up, you still have to populate it with content, make connections with people on that platform, build trust, and create a community. All those things take time. You have to be consistent in posting, responding and engaging. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule but, in general, it will mostly likely take between six months and a year before you see sub- stantial results. MYTH 3 My business needs to be on all the platforms – is is a myth that wastes a lot of time and causes businesses to expend a lot of effort. It isn't about being on all the platforms, it's about being on the right platforms. And yes, there is a difference. If you've done your homework, studied your mar- ket and know who your target customers are, you'll also most likely know what social media platforms they're likely to use. ose are the platforms your business needs to be on. It doesn't matter if Facebook is for fuddy-duddies or Tik Tok is trendy, if your prospective customers aren't there, it won't do you any good to be there. Remember, your goal in using social media for your business is to make connections with your customers, and you can't do that if you are where they aren't. MYTH 4 Quality over quantity when it comes to followers or fans – I have to admit, this was a myth I perpetu- ated myself for a number of years, and I still think there's some truth to it. You need to have a core group of people following your profiles who are in your target market and are statistically likely to become customers. at doesn't mean, however, that you also shouldn't concentrate on expanding your social reach. A larger reach means you gain more access to the fans and fol- lowers of those who follow you. Your social proof and social media clout improves, and if even those people who aren't nec- essarily your target customers share your content, your SEO improves too. So, in this case, finding a good balance is key. You want to have enough followers or fans so that your reach contin- ues to grow, but you also want to have a core group who are likely to buy. MYTH 5 I can publish the exact same post across all my social media accounts – No, you can't. And you shouldn't. Here's why: Each platform designs posts to work in a slightly different way. Some have character limits (Twitter). Others (Pinterest and Instagram) are centered around pictures and don't use words nearly as much. Some platforms (YouTube and Tik Tok) are about video. While you can cover the same subject on each of these platforms, the post will have to be struc- tured differently to meet the requirements of each platform. Yes, it's more work. Yes, it's more hassle. And, yes, it's also the way to ensure that your post does its job on each platform and ultimately drives sales for your business. The number of social media users in the United States in 2021 was 233 million with a penetration of 90%. America also has the third largest social media audience after India and China.