Why you should stop counting ‘likes’

As we’ve covered in previous posts, there is no doubt that having a social media presence is important for your business. However, if your business strategy involves counting the number of likes you’re getting on your posts, now is the time to stop. There is no relation between likes and profits made by a business. Your followers may like posts that they can relate to, whether that be a pretty photo or a funny caption. Does this mean that they’re ready to do business with you? Probably not. 

You might be thinking, “well then, what’s the point?”

Your social media pages should be used to promote brand awareness, show your expertise in the industry, and strengthen existing relationships you have already made with your current following. So instead of focusing on metrics, focus on building trust in your brand with your current audience. It’s important to show support to other local and/or small businesses that you follow, as the engagement you make, will mirror the engagement you receive.

You can’t control the algorithm

Another important point to keep in mind is that social media algorithms are ever-changing and are different on every platform. This makes it even harder for organic traffic to randomly land on your social media pages unless you have paid-for/sponsored content. Even if you are producing amazing content, it’s unlikely that it’s being put in front of the eyes of those who you believe may be potential clients. 

Instead, potential clients are more likely to discover your brand via a google search and having a social media presence plays a big part in improving your website’s SEO. Once discovered via a search engine, they may click on your social media channels to learn more about the people behind your brand and what you stand for. People are more likely to trust the people behind the brand rather than a business, and social media is where you can spotlight these people – again, building trust which is more likely to transfer into potential business. What these people probably won’t do, is click on your social pages and go on a ‘liking spree’ on all your posts. 

Think about it…

If you think about a time you saw a post promoting a product or service that you were interested in buying or using, did you like the post? Or did you act directly to make your purchase?

Remember, the intention of having a social media presence should be to promote traffic to your business’s website, resulting in revenue. Don’t let your actual business goals be distorted by the number of social media likes your posts are receiving. 

Learn how Social Media analytics can help your business strategy.