Why It's OK To Not Know Everything About Social Media

It's easy to get overwhelmed by all of the options when it comes to Social Media. There are dozens of platforms drawing the attention of your prospects. There are many different formats your content could take. The prospect of trying to understand all of this can be daunting at least.

The good news is, you don't have to. Here's why:

1. Your customers and prospects probably aren't on all of them.

This is probably the most important reason. The point is social media is to reach your customers where they are. If they're not on a particular platform, then mastering that platform is a waste of time.

2. There are a LOT of platforms.

There are literally dozens of social media platforms. There's no way one person can keep up with all of them. And if you know your customers are on one or two, focus on those first. Get a system in place that works. Then maybe start exploring other platforms... if you need them.

3. The social media landscape shifts often... but not all of it.

Facebook. Instagram. TikTok. Linked. YouTube. These are still the Power 5 of social media. There are lots of other platforms making a run around the periphery.

Your audience is likely on one or two of these major platforms. Focus on those. If they're on another platform and it plays to your strengths... go for it. SoundCloud or Clubhouse for audio. Twitter and WhatsApp if you’re highly conversational and engaging. Medium if you like to write. Pick the ones you will enjoy using the most.

4. Your probably not going to be great at all of it.

If you like to write long blog posts and essays but don't like being on camera, then TikTok and Instagram Reels aren't the format for you. If you like talking or being in camera but don't enjoy writing, don't go all-in on Medium or LinkedIn Articles.

5. Situational awareness is more important than encyclopedic knowledge.

Knowing what's out there is good. Dabbling to see how they work so you can determine if your audience is likely to migrate there is also good.

Going all in before that happens, however, doesn't make much sense.

You can bet that the Big 5 are also keeping an eye out and dabbling. They've shown they're willing to invest and evolve to stay ahead of (or at least compete with) newcomers.

Be strategic about how you evaluate and participate in new platforms. If you focus on a few and build a community of loyal followers and fans, they'll invite you along when they find new spaces to hang out.