Facebook – the Field of Dreams?

I was talking to a business owner about digital media marketing and the different avenues in that space.  As we were talking, it seemed that the general feeling was that as soon as you put up a Facebook page or any social media site, whether it be Twitter, Pinterest, or what-have-you, that the people will just be there.  It would be so easy if social media was a Field of Dreams.  If you build it, people still might not come.

You are not going to be an overnight success in social media.  The start of your page is not going to be heralded with trumpets or an announcement.  Tom isn’t even going to be there for you.

Social media is a hard spot to break into.  There are a lot of people fighting for a limited number of views and limited amount of attention.  Making the decision to get into the social media world is a good decision.  The numbers show that Facebook is where the people are.  Google is where the people are.  The number of people in the United States with active Facebook accounts is over 70%.  The number of people who use Google for their search is over 74%.  Google and Facebook at the #1 and #2 most visited websites in the country.  But it takes work and it takes perseverance.  It takes a commitment and it takes patience.

The thing is, like with most things, that just because it is not easy doesn’t mean it is not the right decision.  Facebook isn’t for everyone or every business, but if you think it is right for you, then it could very well be the most significant tool in your toolbox, but it will not happen overnight.