Don’t Have Time For Social Media In Your Digital Marketing Plan?

Entrepreneurs should understand that social media is an integral part of their digital marketing plan. It is the new “word of mouth” for most of us, and it requires much time and attention, with relevant, interesting posts every day (if not several times a day).

That amount of time required to effectively monitor and update several social media platforms is not available to most of us in Entrepreneur Land – we’ve got products and services to develop, financial and business strategies to build, and meetings to attend. Frankly, many of us find it rather boring. However, you know who doesn’t? Teenagers.

Teenagers understand the social technologies as well as most entrepreneurs do, and most of them would prefer to sit in front of a computer and promote a company all day than to deep-fry French fries at the local burger joint.

One entrepreneur hired her sixteen year-old niece to monitor her Twitter, Tumblr, Google, and Facebook accounts at $2.00 less per hour than the niece was making as a bagger at a grocery store.  She gave simple instructions: (1) stay positive in all posts at all times, (2) make all posts relevant to [the company’s product], and (3) do not use any hashtags that are not on this pre-approved list. The entrepreneur’s online friends and followers now get relevant information, product photos, and links to her website several times per day.

Entrepreneurs, however, understand that a slip-up on social media can cause serious damage to a company’s reputation, so choosing a social media promoter is a decision that should not be taken lightly. Someone who has a vested interested in the company, aside from a paycheck, is preferable. Family members are not the only ones. Long–term, brand-loyal customers work well too.

Social media marketing is as critical to an entrepreneur’s digital marketing strategy as are their SEO and SEM efforts, and if a budget for it does not exist, it should be considered.