Diversify your communications strategy; don’t rely on just social media

In early October 2021, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp were down, globally, for upwards of six hours. While billions of people use the platforms for connecting with family and friends, sharing photos and more, they are also actively used by small business owners and entrepreneurs around the world. 

More than 3.5 billion people use these social platforms regularly. On top of that, according to Hootsuite, 130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts every month and 81 per cent of users use Instagram to research products and services. So when the platforms go down, the impact is monumental. Many small business owners have built their entire business around a third-party social media platform they have no control or ownership over. For those who rely on Instagram or Facebook to make sales, that outage was potentially a costly lesson. 

It’s a good reminder to everyone that you don’t have any control over these channels. 

Your communications and marketing strategy needs to be diverse and integrated, crossing multiple platforms and working together in alignment. And it should all start from your website.

Elevate your other digital communications tools

A website is your digital storefront — a space you have control over. You paid for the product and you own the space. From the look and feel, to the content you share, your website is your primary landing page to demonstrate who you are as a company.

Too often (guilty 🙋‍♀️) we get lost creating reams of social media content and forget to update our websites with fresh content. In reality, it should go in reverse. Write the blog, share a news update, update your storefront, etc. And then share on social media with a link to the web.

The more traffic you drive to your website, the more opportunities there are for your community to see all that you do. They can read about your other services, connect through a powerful story and reach out for more information. Added bonus? The more traffic that visits your website, the easier to find you in a Google search.

If you have a social storefront on Instagram, Facebook or another platform, that’s awesome! Keep using it, but don’t neglect your website. 

The other area to explore is email marketing. Commonly referred to as newsletters or eblasts, this is a direct method of communication that allows you to connect with your community. And you know they are your audience because they have opted in to hear from you. (The opt in is vital - here’s the link to Canada’ Anti-Spam Legislation).

Build an impactful branded template that you can use consistently and then ensure it’s easy for your community to join you. Add an opt in on your website and your social media platforms. Ask people to connect with you! 

Similar to the website, you own your newsletter list and the ability to reach out to your community through that channel. If a third-party social platform removes your communication link, you have an already-established means to connect with your customers.

If you have one take-away from the global Facebook outage, it’s to take stock of your communication channels and how you are using them for the most impact and most importantly…the next time there’s a social media outage, how will you reach your community?

Looking for support with content marketing? Check out the MLC Content Marketing Essentials package that provides support for social media, blog writing and a newsletter every month.