By Moses Leos III.
No matter where you go, social media seems to have invaded nearly every aspect of our lives. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp – just to name a few of the many social networking programs.
Many small businesses use those platforms, which are essentially free, to their advantage. But is it an effective form of marketing?
According to emarketer.com, an estimated 163 million people use some form of social media across the United States. Local business owners want to reach those customers, and do so at the lowest cost.
But Buda Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) Managing Director J.R. Gonzales cautioned that social media shouldn’t be a small businesses’ sole advertising base.
He said small businesses should focus on having a website. In addition, they should use more traditional forms of advertising to reach all audiences.
Ultimately, he feels business owners should use all forms of advertising.
“Businesses would do better to get additional media [advertising] to use,” Gonzales said. “Social media shouldn’t be their main source.”
Jeff Brown, owner of Old Town Buda Antique Mall on Main Street, uses Yelp to supplement traffic to his store. He understands social media’s significance in society. It also reduces advertising costs.
“Everyone is using social media, because it’s more convenient [for business advertising],” Brown said. “You have to plug in the free stuff when you can as a small business.”
It helps his business, which deals with eclectic merchandise. He claims social media has brought customers from as far away as Houston and San Antonio.
Further down Main Street, Remy Alcala, co-owner of Helen’s Casa Alde, helps manage the businesses’ Facebook page. She said the assistance of Yelp and Facebook expanded the restaurant’s name.
With the help of the BAC), she said the restaurant’s visibility rose from 600 “likes” to more than 1,000.
Alcala enjoys the ease of advertising maintenance.
“Social media (advertising) is easier for me to [manage],” Alcala said.
In Kyle, Railroad Bar-B-Que regularly posts specials and promotions on its Facebook page. Manager Karina Haba said the company started using social media a few years ago.
The restaurant used print advertising, but social media helped cut costs and broadened visibility. Recently, the company extended its advertising to Instagram, posting pictures of menu items to draw customers.
The restaurant’s unusual advertising with a street person holding a sign at the four-way intersection in Kyle is also another form of advertising.
For Casa Alde, utilizing Yelp has led to all sorts of reviews, a few of them negative. In addition, it is a hit or miss prospect when it comes to consistently drawing in customers.
“When people come in from Yelp, I’m surprised,” Alcala said. “It’s not often, but it does happen.”
Haba and Railroad Bar-B-Que have noticed a decline in Facebook use. It has the restaurant looking to other avenues of social media to replace it.
Some business owners use social media, but don’t regularly use it.
Hal Skaggs, owner of Guys, Girls and Guns in Kyle, says the shop has a Facebook page that is somewhat effective, due it’s limited cost. He was reluctant to extend beyond that, citing it is too intensive, and diverts attention away from selling firearms.
Overall, he feels businesses that cater to a specific audience, such as firearm owners, struggle with traditional and social media advertising.
“Advertising is tough. It’s hard to get focused results, especially for a specific item,” Skaggs said.
For almost all of the businesses, word of mouth remains the strongest form of advertising. Alcala said Casa Alde relied on that even before using print media.
Brown also has seen word of mouth aid his business.
“Business is good without social media,” he said. “With the nature of (my) business, word of mouth is still best advertising. People come back and tell their friends.”
It especially holds true for Center Street Salon in Kyle, which relies on word of mouth to bring in clients.
While the company uses Facebook to promote seasonal and holiday specials, owner Courtney Campbell says she would have to invest time to make any advertising worthwhile.
“It’s more of getting the word out,” Campbell said. “To show what we’re doing.”
