What 2022 can teach us for 2023.

OK, so Twitter and the big giant players in the social media sphere are not going away any time soon, but the recent drama with Elon Musk’s new toy, gives us a little glimpse into how large and dominating these key social platforms really are. It is hard to imagine a time before these big players were vital to our businesses.

Whilst the majority of us will never reach the dizzying heights of the Zuckerberg's of the world, we do rely heavily on their generally free social media platforms. And why not? Its cost effective, easy to use, and gets us in front of our audience immediately, and while you may hear some business owners complain about the algorithm being out to get them, or the frustration that the platform has advertisements, the plain truth is, you can grow your business organically on social media with little investment.

As a social media strategist and manager, organic growth on platforms like Facebook and Instagram are my bread and butter, and the fact you can reach your audience in their own home, in their own space, makes it mostly an essential part of your marketing strategy. Even if you would rather not use social and want to focus your efforts off the platforms, they can still play an evergreen role in your marketing funnel.

However, the ease of putting posts up on these dominating platforms, is a complacency and a reliance on large companies that dominate the landscape, and when they suffer, so do we. But perhaps the craziness that came with the drama this year can be a blessing in disguise?

For entrepreneurs building their own empire, it stands as a reminder not to put all your proverbial eggs in one basket. Even if that basket is free, easy to access at home, and simple to use on your smart phone, with a bow on top!

The sphere for your business is wider than the Twitter’s of this world. E-mail marketing, a more traditional marketing approach in your local area, networking events, a solid website, SEO blogs and articles, nurturing referral schemes, can all combine with social media across a few varieties of platforms, and can really provide you with a solid social media strategy to build your business with.

Thinking bigger with your marketing strategy, and spreading your focus a little wider, means that your business isn't linked to the success or failure of one big company, but linked to our own business planning and the strategies that we can develop, own, and put into place, regardless of whether the Facebook’s of the world crumbles, or soars around us.