Yesterday we talked about how, according to Rival IQ’s 2021 Social Media Industry Benchmark Report, Facebook’s organic reach across all business sectors is just 8%. What this tells me, above all, is that focusing on Facebook for major marketing campaigns just isn’t viable for most small businesses.

Of course, the caveat would be the total campaign budget and strategy. If your campaign is well-funded and has a clear strategy of reaching a well-defined audience, Facebook can be a great platform for advertising-based campaigns. However, for most small businesses on a budget, Facebook isn’t the viable option it was just a few years ago.

We’ve talked about how storytelling-based marketing is an important approach from an overall strategy and brand identity perspective. However, why should you view social media as less of a marketing and paid advertising platform and more of a public relations platform? Here are three big reasons.

Number one, public relations is cost-effective. One of the most common questions I get from small businesses and non-profit organizations is how to keep marketing costs low. Seeing social media as a tool to build genuine brand relationships doesn’t take a massive budget. What it does take is time. Spending just a few hours per week on posting interesting content, responding to messages from customers, and interacting with comments can go a long way in building trust between consumers and businesses.

Number two, public relations brings credibility. The easiest way to tell the difference between advertising and public relations is that advertising is paid and public relations is earned. Earned media, specifically, coverage that stems from outside sources such as genuine customer reviews, comments, and likes interactions, combined with press-released coverage from publications, influencers, or media organizations, has the credible, third-party validation built-in. When potential customers see positive reviews highlighted from current customers, third-party validation is strong. On top of this, when potential customers see coverage from respected publications, this same third-party validation and credibility is front-and-center.

Number three, public relations is relationship-based. Advertising is great at building exposure and overall reach. Where public relations shines, is in building genuine relationships and trust and between customers and a brand. Facebook products such as groups and CTAs (call-to-actions) are effective tools that businesses can use to build strong, more personal relationships, on the platform. Encouraging customers to not only connect with your organization but with other customers who are passionate about your organization, builds stronger brand-focused relationships.

Tomorrow we’ll uncover how public relations has changed over time, how it has become more accessible for small businesses, and how you can use it on other social media platforms to take your brand to the next level.