You know that age-old question about the tree that falls in a forest? Does it really make a sound if no one is around to hear it?
Itโs kind of likeโฆ when a local, service-based business goes viral, are the people in their town really going to see it and come in? Are they going to suddenly start spending all their money at this local business just because they had a popular video on the gram? So, back to the age old questionโฆ
Does Going Viral REALLY Matter for Small Businesses?
I once had a client hit 20k plays on a reel. Now, donโt get me wrong, our analytics for that month were amazing. 20k plays? Suh-weet!
But as I dove deep into the analytics, I realized that it actually didnโt matter. Seriously, not one bit!
Want to know why?
Because for small, local businesses, going viral is simply a vanity metric. It means that a bunch of people, who will never buy or use my client’s service, saw the content. Honestly, it kind of hurts more than it helps.
There is a huge misconception about what going viral will do for your business. Going viral does not necessarily equate toโฆ
- More sales
- Booked appointment
- Increased revenue
As a business owner, you must learn to combat the daunting pressure of โgoing viral. The question is, how?
Stick around and find out!
Going Viral isn’t a Social Media Strategy
A social media strategy is more than just posting a few images with quippy captions. Social media is more than being โconsistentโ Believe it or not, a social strategy is more than just posting a bunch of reels and hoping the followers pour in.
Yeahโฆ I went there.
A social media strategy is the implementation of who, when, where, and what your customers need to see to draw them closer to your business and make you the obvious choice when they arrive at that phase of the buying cycle.
When we talk about consistency, it means showing up with a plan. Trusting that plan is how you achieve results on social media.
If you need to chat with a social strategist, you can schedule a strategy call with me.
Does Going Viral Help Attract More Customers?
This probably goes against all the advice youโve heard from the social media โgurusโ out there, but you do not need to be on every single platform social media. It is not necessary, or beneficial, to spread yourself out over 10 platforms and only be able to give a tiny bit of yourself to each.
I recommend starting with one or two, and working your way up to more IF it makes sense for your marketing strategy and business.
Showing up where your customers are means giving yourself to the platforms that are going to reach them, and modifying your message depending on where you are. The good people of Instagram like to consume content differently than the people who prefer Facebook. You donโt have to reinvent the wheel every time, but make sure your content is appropriate and created for the platform it is on.
When you focus on showing up where your people are, you worry less about a viral video being the solution to your problems
Going Viral Doesn’t Mean You’re Authentic
In the age of digital marketing, people are used to being sold to 24/7, but if theyโre not ready to buy, then they are going to scroll past your post speedier than a Cheetah chasing their lunch.
Thatโs why social mediaโs primary focus should be on being social. Let your customers in on who you are, what you stand for, and take the opportunity to know them on a more personal level.
I mean, think about it. For the first time in the history of forever, you have access to your client’s LIFE. Do you think that following your clients on Instagram is a privilege that every marketer has ever had before? Hint: it’s not!
Never before have you had access to pictures of their family. To their internal woes and struggles. You have a literal gold mine of information to help get them to the end goal of purchasing your product or using your service. One fail-proof way to do this? Let them know what you are about.
To be honest with you, letting people in on what you really believe is going to turn some people away. Itโs not going to bring you everyone in the world, and it shouldnโt. Your ideal customer is not everybody that walks the earth. Use your values and your mission to show your ideal customer that you are ALIGNED. That you understand them. That they can relate to you. That you can be the solution to their internal problem.
To wrap this up, I want to reiterate that going viral doesnโt mean much if youโre a service-based business that stays local. It shouldnโt be one of of your goals, or the primary foundation of your social strategy. Focus on your local market, get to know your customers, and walk with them through the buying cycle, until they are ready at your door!
Schedule a social media strategy call today with our Springfield, MO social media agency!
