Social media marketing is a great way to get your company’s name out to a large group of people. It is also a great way to appeal to targeted publics using marketing messages specifically designed to address their unique needs.

But, as with every type of communications media there are some potential drawbacks of using social media to market your company. If you aren’t careful, your organization can be negatively affected by marketing on the wrong social media website or by targeting messages toward the wrong audience.

Cindy Krum of Blue Moon Works gave the good advice to “watch for the woahs of social media marketing,” warning marketers to beware that their brand may be judged by the people affiliated with it. She used the example of Westwood College having friends on MySpace that seemed to be less than desirable applicants.

MySpace is one place where some companies can see real benefits and others see real damage to their reputations. MySpace is great for companies looking to target a younger demographic. It is also great if your organization doesn’t have a particular brand image you are trying to maintain. Still, MySpace may not be the ideal social media website for your company.

MySpace may not be useful for specific kinds of brands. For example, a surgical equipment manufacturer would probably not benefit from MySpace because the site does not cater to the company’s target demographic, doctors. Perhaps WebMD would be a better choice. Also, MySpace may make the company seem less professional if the company attracts friends who are constantly pictured drinking alcohol. On the other hand, MySpace is a great place for microbreweries to market to a large audience. The type of social networks a company should use depend entirely on the company’s goals.

When considering the best social media websites for your organization, you should ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What goals am I trying to accomplish? Are you trying to boost traffic, increase sales or generate sign-ups?
  2. What demographic do I want to appeal to?
  3. What social media websites is this demographic using?

After you determine which social media websites best target the demographic you want to reach, you should create a profile that will resonate with your particular market. Use pictures, give-aways, or unique content customized for this audience to generate interest.  If you do your homework and select the right social media websites, your organization can avoid the potential drawbacks of social media.