Social media changes are inevitable. Vine, the popular video short-form video streaming service, announced last week that it would soon be shutting down for good. The app’s millions of users, many of whom use Vine to promote themselves or their brand, are now either left scratching their heads trying to figure out how much the loss of this platform will harm their business, or shrugging and moving on to one of the many other social media sites they use. The loss of Vine serves as a grim reminder of the reality of the internet—at any time, a popular website with a strong user base can shut down, for any reason. Diversifying the types of social media sites where you promote your business is important for this reason, but ultimately, the one online platform that matters the most for your business is the one you create for yourself.
All Roads Lead to Rome
Having a presence on social media is crucial to the success of your brand. Promoting yourself or your business on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram allows for boosted interactivity and generates interest. When using social media, avoid making it the cornerstone of your enterprise. Instead, use it as a tool to drive traffic to your own website, space which you have full control over. By doing this you will minimize the negative effect of turbulent social media changes.
Even Giants Fall
Vine’s shutdown serves as a reminder of the mortality of the web and its indifference to the individual user. Companies that run social media websites are, after all, companies, and can be acquired, altered, or even shut down at any time for a variety of reasons beyond your control. Inherently, social media’s aim is to improve communication and interaction among its users, but the site itself isn’t responsible for meeting your personal needs. Understanding this when working with social media will allow for balance and stability when it comes to creating an online presence for your brand.
Own Your Space
Think of social media as a series of rented spaces and auditoriums from which you promote your original content. These places allow you to reach potential customers with important information, but can only be molded to your needs so much; you can build a set to put on a stage, but you can’t tear the space down and rebuild it. For the best, most customizable online experience, a personally-managed website is the best option. Own a space that can be organized, changed and molded at any time to suit your personal needs making it immune to social media changes.
Social media can, and should, be an important aspect of your brand’s online presence. However, these platforms should be used as roads to your castle, not pieces of the foundation that if removed would bring down the whole structure. An owned space like a website, with a presentation and content you control, should be the focus of your brand. Social media platforms can be used to promote your website, having these elements work in conjunction with one another will ensure a healthy online presence for your brand.