In the past few weeks, Google and Facebook users were disappointed as the respective network of apps of the two sites, including Gmail, Drive, YouTube, Play Music, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram were rendered useless.
So, what happened?
The outage was unusually long, lasting about 14 hours. Downdetector, a site that provides a real-time overview of outages on online services, reports that it was the largest scale of disruption – and probably the costliest, too – it has ever witnessed since its launch in 2012.
Amidst initial conspiracy theories that hackers are behind the issue, Facebook later released a statement saying the outage is a result of problems arising from a change in its servers.
The fiasco on Facebook came just after the day Google also experienced major issues with its services, causing downtime to many workplaces that rely on its networks particularly Google Drive and Gmail.
Temporary outages are inevitable. But, these interruptions that caused us great inconveniences serve as a reminder of how much we depend on the tech giants of Silicon Valley. As a business, these issues can result in greater costs and decreased productivity.
It raises the question about how we should handle the problem and how we can minimise its impact on our ROI.
How to Handle Social Media Outages
The number of active Facebook users in Singapore is expected to hit the 4.5 million mark in 2023, which is up from four million in 2017. With such number, it’s no wonder the social media giant continues to dominate the list of the most preferred platforms amongst small business owners.
But, what happens when an outage occurs on Facebook or any other site and prevent your market from accessing the platform? As a business, you should know that just because social is down, doesn’t mean there’s no way you can connect to your audience. Here are some of the ways how:
Email Marketing
In the advent of social media marketing, you’re probably wondering, is sending emails still worth it? In contrast to what others say, email marketing isn’t dead. In fact, it’s here to stay and remains to be an essential tool for engaging and retaining your target audience.
Research reveals that consumers who purchase products through newsletters are likely to spend 138% more than those who don’t receive email offers. So, those who fail to acknowledge the effectiveness of email marketing are missing out on the engagement opportunities outside social media.
Either a limited time offer or an announcement regarding the situation can go a long way in keeping in touch with your subscribers. What other offers can you deliver to your email list? Draft a few options and when the situation calls for it, you can keep your marketing efforts running.
Telemarketing
Like email marketing, many thought telemarketing is dead. The truth is, while cold calling is a tactic that has become more difficult – with over-solicited prospects no longer responding to calls – it is by no means outdated.
The strategy only needs to be done in the right way for it to be effective. You’ll never know, it will probably leave you wondering when was the last time you actually connected with your customers? While we assume that we can get all the information we need online, the odds are, you’ll be surprised to learn more details when we connect with your audience in new ways.
In times of outage, telemarketing proves to be valuable in terms of reaching out to your audience when social media is inaccessible.
Ad Placements on Local News
Have you been noticing news lately that features businesses promoting their products or services on TV? Such stories are likely paid for by businesses for placement and while your local news broadcast may not have millions of viewers as international news programmes have, it still has a significant number of viewers that watch the news of the day.
Although it may be costly, there are other ways you can get your brand on TV. For instance, TV producers are always looking for industry experts who can provide well-informed commentary about the trending topics on their niche – and you can be that authority who earns a placement if you can tie your business with the issue.
With your experience in social media marketing, you have probably accumulated valuable data you could use to determine other ways you can reach out with your audience. In an unfavourable event of social media outage, take advantage of the otherwise inconvenient downtime by devising ways on how you can minimise its impact on your business.
It may sound complicated and nearly impossible with social media marketing out of the list. But, you can always get help from an SEO agency in Singapore that besides improving your rankings on search engines, are knowledgeable on the strategies that will keep your business up and running amidst social media downtime.
In case you’re that business, get in touch with OOm today!
