Is this the end for social media?

Facebook’s recent bad press in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica/personal data scandal has really called the integrity of social media into question. Moreover, the revolutionary decision of Tim Martin, chairman of pub chain JD Wetherspoon’s, to disband the brand’s social media has done little to dispel these insecurities.

So, is this the end for Facebook and friends?

Social media can certainly be used as a force for good. Here are 5 tips from Boxed Off for making the most of social media to enhance your brand and business:

  1. Building brand identity – by posting relevant and interesting content, you can set the tone of your brand on social media. Your Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn page is probably the first place someone will visit to find out more about your company, so make sure the tone of your posts reflects the tone of the company.
  2. Raising brand awareness and self-promotion – social media is a quick and efficient way to get your brand out there. It is most people’s go-to for all things ‘news’. By having an effective social media strategy, you have a custom-made platform for shouting about your brand. What’s more, you have complete control over what is said!
  3. Measuring success – most company’s primary concern is the success of their business, which can be a difficult thing to gauge. Social media can be a key indicator of success, as there is often a correlation between social media success and business success. Most platforms also have tools for helping to analyse your interaction rate, which is a useful (and free!) way to monitor how well you’re doing at getting your brand out there.
  4. Accessing a target audience – social media is a really easy way to attract your target audience. Be it through paid advertising (often known as ‘boosting’), or organic outreach to target a specific demographic, social media opens up a wealth of opportunity when it comes to accessing your customer. What’s more, it is also a really easy way to get in touch with influencers/bloggers/vloggers who can help to promote your product.
  5. Identifying your preferred platform – someone once said that variety is the spice of life, and social media is no different. With an array of different platforms to choose from, businesses should experiment to find out which is the most effective at reaching their target audience.

So, while the future of Facebook may well hang in the balance, it is far from the end of social media in general. Social media has rapidly become an important tool in our business arsenal and its ability to help grow and enhance your brand should not be underestimated.