The relationship is no longer going both ways and really, they’re just dragging you down. How do you know it’s time for your brand to cut ties with a certain social platform? Here are a few signs:
1. Your page has been receiving low engagement
Social media is supposed to be a fun way for brands to engage and connect with their followers. If your strategies are no longer working and engagement is continually low, it might be not be any fault of yours. Certain social platforms rise and fall in popularity over their lifetime. For instance, Instagram currently holds first place for engagement, while Facebook has the most daily users. Statistics like these change from year to year in favor of different social channels.
It’s also important to understand the difference between a temporary decrease in followers or likes and the true end of a social channel’s influence. For example, many point to Facebook as the reason for MySpace’s decline. New predictions say Facebook may be the next channel to dramatically drop in popularity.
2. You and your staff aren’t inspired
If your team is becoming discouraged with the platform, even when you employ new strategies or work to refresh your business’ profile, it might be time to call it quits. Social media is supposed to be a fun way for brands to engage and connect with their followers. If your strategies are no longer working and your social media gurus on your team are disinterested in the platform, it’s probably time to concentrate their efforts on a different channel.
3. You budget is stretched thin
It can be expensive to put effort into increasing your page’s reach. Whether it be advertising dollars or budget for promoted posts, if you aren’t seeing adequate results, it may be time to quit paying money in an attempt to increase your page’s success on a given platform. Instead, focus your budget on boosting the profiles of the social pages you know can meet your goals of exposing your brand and connecting well with your audience.
4. The statistics are behind you
If you suspect that a certain platform may not be working for your business any longer, check the numbers first. Use the social channel’s analytics to compare your page’s recent statistics to the ones from six months ago and to ones from a year ago. Be sure it’s not just a fluke month, but truly a pattern of decreased engagement. If the numbers do prove you right, then it’s time to move on from the platform.
Not all social channels are right for every business. That being said, as your business evolves, certain channels that were right for you at first may no longer fit your new goals. Putting your time and money into the correct social channels is essential as your business continues to grow and change.
Have you deleted any social channels from your business’ social strategy? We’d love to hear your story of the impact it made!
