More people are increasingly feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information as well as lots of noise that comes their way through social networks.  This is in addition to the information they continue receiving through TV, billboards, magazines and other forms of traditional media.

Is it any wonder then that there’s a growing sense of fatigue?

Has social media reached the tipping point?

Sitting with a client recently, he put me on the spot quoting from a research report published in a local newspaper about how people do not want to be bombarded with brand messages in their social networks.  The report indicated that the reason individuals get on to social networks is to connect with their friends and “meet” new people; not to receive corporate messaging about some new offer or product discount.

While I am sure majority of the people reading this were not around in the 1920s when TV signals were first transmitted, I am certain there was hue and cry when advertising began appearing to interrupt important news about the great recession.  Social media is still relatively new and as such the discomfort of having commercial messages is an expected response.  The key difference and benefit of Web 2.0 is that individuals now have a say on which brands they want to hear from.  Social media is permission-based, which is a big win for the consumer and can be a big headache for the brand.  Customers will give you permission to engage with them if you offer them value through the content you have on social networks.

The excitement of all the available social networks has resulted in the overload that is causing some users fatigue.  Over time, one realizes the need to scale down once they have identified the most relevant channels for their requirements.  When you walk into the gym, hopping onto the cycle machine and then onto the treadmill followed by lifting all the weights and trying out every other piece of equipment is likely to land you in hospital with multiple injuries not to mention extreme fatigue.  Trying to be on all social networks with equal levels of engagement and participation can feel a little like the gym situation I have described above.

For any brand, investing in research to establish where the majority of your customers and prospects hang out on social media will help you narrow down to the channels where you need to feature most prominently.  Failing to do this exposes you to the risk of having social media assets that go unattended for long periods of time.  I cannot overemphasize how detrimental this is to any brand.  Research has shown that 49.5% of customers are far less likely to buy anything from you if they find a bunch of unanswered questions or complaints from other customers on your social media site.  A social media policy will greatly help to address some of these issues before the crop up, and failure to have one is among the key risks companies faces when engaging in social media marketing.  Read this article for details on other risks to avoid.

To avoid the fatigue, establish the right and relevant number of social networks and dedicate sufficient resources to keep them lively.  The many complaints and alarmist reports are just growing pains. Social media is only in its infancy.