Written By:
Carly Bell
#FacebookDown and #InstagramDown
Both of these hashtags have been trending on Twitter today, March 13, 2019. Yes, folks, you read that right. Twitter, which is commonly considered the least popular social media platform of the three, is live and well. Facebook and Instagram users have flocked to the social media platform expressing their concern about Facebook and Instagram.
I have to admit, like many others, I thought I was just having an issue posting to my Instagram accounts, and later my Facebook pages. When I turned to Twitter I realized that we were all in this together.
During this Facebook and InstagramBlackout2019, I had some time to consider the impact it would have if these social media powerhouses were to go away overnight. No doubt it would impact how we connect with our friends, family, and acquaintances, but how would it impact your business? How would you maintain the marketing momentum and reach the same amount of people that you are able to reach on social media each day?
The truth is, this could happen. Is it likely? Probably not. But wouldn’t you rather feel confident in your marketing strategy and plan, should that ever occur? Let’s pretend for a minute that Instagram & Facebook are down…dare I say it…for good. And the next social media powerhouse platform hasn’t been launched yet. Let’s talk about the impact this would have on your business and how you can navigate around it.
Additional Social Media Platforms
This one seems the most obvious, so we’ll start here. While most companies (depending on the industry you’re in and your target market, of course) primarily focus their marketing efforts on Facebook & Instagram, you still have some large platforms to use and reach your target market.
Consider the following for the other social media platforms:
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Is your Pinterest page up-to-date with your own pinned blogs and other relevant content for your target audience? Pinterest is often overlooked, but if you have a beautiful design portfolio or engaging blog posts, don’t skip over it!
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What about YouTube? Have you been uploading videos there to house some regular video content? Facebook & Instagram have trained us to consume video content daily, so this would be a good platform to double down on.
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LinkedIn is still a great resource for business to business opportunities. You can use the platform to share business updates and connect with potential clients.
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And don’t forget about Twitter, which would be at the top of the list if IG and Facebook were to never return. While it’s not as pretty, you can still reach many people using the right strategy and hashtags.
Email Marketing
If Facebook & Instagram were to never come back, you will truly regret not taking the opportunity to build your email list. It could be the next best thing to reaching a large audience. Some of you have been growing an email list for many years and you have 10,000+ emails that you regularly engage with – and that is awesome. You will be thanking yourself should social media ever actually take a nose dive.
Remember though, that it’s so very important to be putting out good content. Your emails will be ignored and people will unsubscribe if you aren’t adding value to their lives.
Before social media businesses used their websites to share relevant information and provide updates. What is now a secondary way for people to engage your business, was once the only ‘platform’ people could use.
Ask yourself:
Is my website up-to-date?
Does it reflect my brand or have I been relying on social media a little too much to showcase who I am and what I do?
Have I been blogging regularly to share updates and add value? I should make sure my website, blog and Google listing are all in great condition.
Referrals & Repeat Customers
Let’s take it offline altogether. How are you rewarding those who refer you or do business with you again and again?
Making sure that you have a good referral program in place is a great way to incentivize your customers to continue to refer you new business. If your referral program is that good and your customer base is truly engaged, this marketing initiative would continue on without a scratch.
A Good Marketing Strategy & Digital Marketing Approach
The good news is that if this does ever happen, we will be here to help your company continue on without Facebook and Instagram. While social media allows us to get our message out to the masses, if you have a solid marketing strategy and marketing plan, you will continue marching onwards and upwards.
The chances of Instagram and Facebook going away for good are slim, but it’s important to remember the other marketing opportunities that exist outside of those platforms.
We offer a variety of marketing services at Fishpond Media, including, digital campaign management, email marketing, blogging, customized marketing strategy development and marketing plans. We love creating custom marketing strategies and plans that are unique to you and your business goals. Our marketing plans include digital marketing, as well as other important initiatives like creating a referral program.
If you’re ready to thrive and invest in your business, let’s talk about your business goals and how we can get you there.