Social Media Marketing is a Waste of Time

True. It's a waste of time if you're doing dumb stuff such as buying "fans", trying to salvage a bad situation on social media, become a publisher when your brand clearly isn't into publishing, and not focusing on making awesome products and services. To be quite honest, the company would be better met by hiring a social media agency so that they can work on the business and the agency can work on the social media aspect.

Hopefully if you build a web presence, social media can just be used as a way to interact with fans and use the leverage to spread your message across.

It definitely depends how you use it. I just view it as a tool for leverage. I don't get obsessed with it. In fact I don't focus on it at all. I just focus on connecting with real people.

@Rollmdl great article!!
My favorite sentence in the article is
"Just like in real life or in screwball comedies, you can't trick someone into liking you. They'll always figure it out later."


So many people set up Facebook pages for clients and buy a bunch of likes but later are stuck when they have to explain to their client why their page got so many likes in the beginning and then suddenly no more activity! Hmmmm confusing isn't it? :confused:

For Facebook people go there to join groups and socialize - but if some one you have been connecting with .... a friend???? .... recommends this great restaurant or beauty cream (sorry guys - I like the girly stuff!!!!) you might just go over and buy it. But earlier this year when a major car company (was it General Motors?) pulled it's advertising off of Facebook - they made it sound like the world was coming to an end! I was surprised that they even tried to use Facebook advertising

And about a year ago (Sorry that I don't have my facts exact) apparently Madonna promoted one of her albums only using Facebook - no other media - it was a flop!

It's not just because it is new technology that it is a good fit!

However, I DO think there are niches that can really take advantage of social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Some ideas that come to mind is anything that has to do with emotional purchases like anything related to your kids, your pets or romantic gifts and getaways.

I have a client who is specialized in enforcing that construction sites provide a safe working environment, very government regulated here in France. He asked me if I planned on putting him on Facebook, I told him flat-out "NON" (that is "no" in French) there just aren't enough people trying to get information about government regulations for construction sites on Facebook.
But there ARE other networks .....

It seems that just because it is on the internet people don't see the need to research the market like they do in anything else "offline". This is still a business.

Curious behavoir.

Have a great day,

Sandra Walsh

quick question.

If you needed a rat catcher, would you search for one on facebook?

If you need a new iphone, would you search for one on twitter?

Why would you buy fake "likes", when you can give something of value for free to people who want to request it and be added to your list/network?

How do you share what you know and engage with others who want (or need) to know what you know?

...and for those who want to do what you do or want you to do what you do for them, which social media channel, strategy or tactic will best help you find these people, and enable you to present the best possible business case to convince them to part with their cash to you?

food for thought.

Social media marketing, like any other type of marketing is a complete waste of time, money and effort if you're doing it wrong. Stop buying likes, fans and views... Show the value of your company/product with results not hype... Engage with your fans and provide them with reason to stay with you.

Social media sites are great for people with cat photos.

hmmm that is true..but not completely true!!

People are different and I can atestify to that
A body oil brand was running a competition but you had to like their fanpage to participate in the competition...
I finally ended buying their product

It's really a good article @Rollmodl.

may be.... thinking on your mind i think it is useful.

I think it's better to use social media for:
1. next approach after they know you in your website
2. to communicate with the prospects
3. to show the prospects that you're real

and not buying fans , etc...

Really good article! thank you for sharing

If you are buying fans then yew are doing wrong but if they are real than yew can achieve your goals easily.

"buying" fans never works only "gaining" them works

Rubbish!!!

They are just trying to make it look like they know what they are talking about so that you think they do and signup/register/subscribe to their site.

Rubbish rubbish rubbish!!

It completely depends what site you are wanting them for, what niche you are in, and whether you have something that attracts all types of people.

Take Pinterest for example. DO NOT tell me that buying Pinterest followers, likes, repins is not helpful! I've been doing it since they went live and it's brought me hundreds/thousands of visitors.

Would I have been able to "earn" those same followers/likes? Maybe but it would have taken me a very long time.

So I cut a few corners. All you other mugs can carry on trying to "earn" followers but I'll still be buying them and earning back 100x my cost for them.

I think social media can be a complete time suck, or a great marketing IF used effectively. You need to know your audience, know their language, know where they are, and communicate information they want to hear in order to make social marketing work ;-)

It works for some and doesn't work for some. The main thing you need to do is to build viral campaigns.

I can see buying likes etc.. being ok to start, kinda like starting a line outside a club/bar when its only 1/3 full inside. People hate being the first. However it should be followed up with organic efforts for social legitimacy.

People primarily use social media sites for fun, and if you can find a way to make buying from you entertaining, they'll be much more likely to purchase something. For example, offer a discount on your products to anyone who follows your page, but make the discount they get a mystery. Some followers might save only 5%, while others get a huge discount. People will encourage their friends to see what results they get, and you'll build up followers in no time.

Buying Likes and Fans wont always help. It might help for sometime, but in the long run, it will do more harm than good. It is important to use social media rightly so that you can get positive results out of it.

Social media marketing hardly convert visitor to buyer.
If you looking for exposure of your website, yes you can go for it.