The DRVN Social Podcast · Episode 2 · · 41 min
The commonmisconceptions ofsocial marketing
Think you need millions of followers to succeed? Or that organic reach is dead? Episode 2 separates fact from fiction and debunks the myths holding businesses back online.
Co-founders, DRVN Social
In episode 2, Alex and Aron work through the social media myths they hear on almost every call, and what's actually true.
"You have to be on every platform"
Unless you've got the team and budget to do them all justice, you're better off building a properly engaged audience on two or three. Spread yourself too thin and every channel gets diluted. But don't go down to one: Aron's rule is a minimum of two, so you're never completely reliant on a single platform. Look at what happened to people whose whole business lived on TikTok when a ban looked possible.
And don't overlook YouTube. People give up because the results aren't instant, but it's a searchable library that lives forever. A video you post today can still be getting views in five years, and YouTube content now appears in Google search too.
"If you invest time in now, in a couple of years you're laughing."
"More followers equals more success"
A huge follower count with a handful of likes per post actually breaks trust, because it looks bought. What matters is engagement and the quality of the audience. A thousand followers who all engage is worth more than ten thousand who don't.
"Organic reach is dead"
Ads are everywhere, which is exactly why organic content builds trust. The jackpot is combining the two: an ad that doesn't feel like an ad, because it's informative and provides value rather than shouting "buy me now". The order matters. Build trust with organic content over weeks or months, then serve paid ads to people who already know you. Doing it the other way round is, in Aron's words, a waste of time. It's the same as business in real life: you build rapport before anyone hands over money.
"AI can do everything for you"
It's a useful tool for ideas and speeding things up, but it should assist, not replace. As soon as either of them spots an obviously AI-generated ad, they lose trust in the brand. Authenticity always wins, and it's only getting more valuable.
"Going viral equals long-term growth"
Viral can be great for brand awareness, but nobody can guarantee it, and for a local business a few hundred of the right people locally beats hundreds of thousands worldwide. Consistency is what builds the rapport, trust and connection that leads to a sale. Stay consistent and you increase your chances of something popping off anyway.
The rest, quickly
- Posting more equals better results: one valuable post a week beats three that say nothing. Post too much and you'll lose engagement.
- Hashtags are the key to success: they help platforms categorise your content, but better captions and hooks matter more now.
- Trends are everything: useful, especially on TikTok, and use new features the platforms are pushing. But put your own spin on them, and don't let them derail your strategy.
- You need professional equipment: it's the right tool for the job. Phones are more capable than ever; good sound and an understanding of light matter more. A gym looks more believable on a small handheld camera; a Porsche needs the cinema camera.
- Social media is free marketing: it can be, but it takes two or three years to really work, and you should budget for it in line with the size of your business.