Why social media likes don’t always mean good business

“Likes are not profit” said professional entrepreneur Keith Harrington to Forbes. We second this. Likes are not dollars, but relationships are important to your success, and social media will help you grow and maximize your relationships. We encourage you to look beyond the like and take the birds eye view on your socials. A like may send a rush of endorphins but regular engagement from your customers and other audience will actually keep you growing steady.

Don’t forget: likes (like Twitter follows) may very well come from Russian bots. Do you know who’s liking you? Do you care? Will your page ever show up in their feed again when you need it to? Picture this instead: a person who likes your page, AND writes a review, comments on a photo, shares a status post, checks-in when they visit the store, and appears so happy with your work online that their network picks up on it and checks you out every once in a while too. Now that is the power of a positive online relationship: they quickly birth more relationships.

If your social media strategy is to chase likes, you may have been misinformed somewhere along the way. While “virality” is still a thing so many of us fantasize about, it is not likely to happen, nor do you need it to. What you need is a trusting, loyal audience that’s sized to fit your business. Instead of fishing for likes, become a hunter-gatherer. Hunt for the customers on social who will engage consistently. Gather together a community of such customers and other industry affiliates. Your socials outreach will keep the tribe together, keep it happy & active, and keep inviting more folks in.

Likes and clicks are fast food, audience engagement and relationship management are leafy greens and proteins. What will you choose to eat over the long haul?

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