Web Marketing through Social Media: Why it’s Important to Focus on the Basics

Posted: Aug 05, 2012
Author: WordJack Media

Web marketing through social media has become a big mess—or at least that’s one way to look at it. Check out this picture for a visual example of how ludicrously complicated social media marketing has become: 

Phew! That’s a lot to take in. Seeing an infographic like this can make social media seem very overwhelming. As a small business owner, how are you supposed to balance and make regular, relevant posts to your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +, and Pinterest accounts, let alone all the others that this graphic implies you should be using? What are Plaxo, Orkut, and Zuberance? You’d better find out soon because your web marketing success depends on it! Or at least that’s what the owners of these sites want you to believe.

But don’t panic yet—take a deep breath and focus on the basics. Suppose you tried to make an infographic similar to this social media display but replaced all the social media categories and companies with automobile types and manufacturers. How would it look? You’d probably have to include sections for all the local and foreign car makes and models—from Ferraris and Lamborghinis to Hondas and Toyotas. Then add all the local companies, like Ford, Chrysler, and GM. Next, you’d have to get more specific and add in all the different models—the Accord, Avenger, CTS, Focus, Jetta, Optima, Malibu, Maxima, Regal, Sonata, Yaris, and many, many more. What about parts manufacturers? Or dealers that sell more than one brand of car? Fuel options and body repair shops? Where do they fit in? This infographic is already getting out of control.

Now think about the last time you purchased a car. Did you feel super overwhelmed with all the choices you had? Did you conclude in the end that there were dozens of cars you just HAD to have in order to meet all your needs? Did you succumb to the pressure and buy one of each? Probably not. (And if you did, you are definitely looking in the wrong place for marketing advice). Instead, the odds are that you narrowed it down to a few options and then chose the best one to meet your immediate needs. If you soon discovered that you needed an extra car for your spouse or your newly licensed teenage daughter, then you dealt with that situation separately and at a later time.

Now let’s say you’re a small startup company that is looking to expand its reach in web marketing. Do you need to dive in and sign up for all the social media networks in cyberspace immediately because you just can’t live without them? No. The reality is that small business owners can be highly successful even if spending just a few hours per week on social media web marketing. Don’t get discouraged by all the options out there. Just start with the basics (perhaps Facebook and Twitter), and then maybe you can do some simple research and see if one of the smaller social media sites would be a good fit for your business and add it at a later date. Don’t let the huge influx of social media sites get you down—just start a little at a time, and you’ll be surprised at how much progress you can make in your overall web marketing strategy.