Feeling Stuck with Social Media

My last blog post was written at a desk in a hotel room as my family and I traveled from Ontario to New Brunswick. We moved here to start a new adventure as small business owners operating a quaint bed and breakfast, Country Lane Inn, in the scenic Maritimes. Today I am writing this blog not from a hotel room desk, but from a desk in a room of my very own bed and breakfast.

We are not yet open for business. The room around me is unkept and many of my treasures are still stowed in boxes stacked high.

It has been an overwhelming couple of weeks. There is so much to be done. I enrolled in this course with the optimism of a woman whose life is in transformation. I know that social media is ever growing with new platforms popping up all the time. Since I’ve recently moved away from the life that I know and my friends and family, I know that I will be relying heavily on social media to maintain my relationships. I also know that in order to be successful I will be relying on social media to reach potential customers and to promote our inn. I know this. But I feel stuck. I feel like the only platform that is comfortable for me to use is Facebook. I came here to COM0011 to broaden my social media horizons and to learn about other platforms and how to use them. This course most certainly does that. Here I am blogging on WordPress. But it doesn’t feel natural. I almost feel like an imposter. Why do I feel stuck?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Why is Facebook the only social media platform that I log onto when not directly related to this course? Am I doomed to be one of those people who refuses to embrace technology as they age? I still have several years ahead of me before I am considered a senior. But learning new technology and interfaces can be stressful. PR Newswire claims that 53% of seniors admit they have fear and anxiety related to learning a new technology and that the process is more stressful than going to the dentist (PRNewswire, 2020)! I am 42 years old and admittedly my computer skills have diminished over the years since completing my post secondary education. I am a former auto-worker and my responsibilities did not involve use of a PC. I do not lack a desire to learn new platforms. But I seem to be unable to create the new habit of engaging on other social media sites. Is it the overwhelm of a big move and life change? Or is it my age? Can you relate? Do you feel stuck with one particular social media platform? Do you ever feel too old to learn and embrace something new?

For more information about Country Lane Bed and Breakfast check us out on Facebook

and follow us on Twitter

References

PRNewswire (2020) Older adults admit high anxiety and fear about new technology, https://seniorsnewswire.com/press-release/older-adults-admit-high-anxiety-and-fear-about-new-technology-candoo-tech-surveys-shows-53-of-seniors-say-learning-a-new-device-is-more-stressful-than-going-to-the-the-dentist/

Social Media as a Tool for Small Business

I write this first blog post from a hotel room in New Brunswick. I am nearing the end of a four day road trip with my family en-route to our new home and new business in the Maritimes. Until now, I have only ever considered social media as a tool for social interaction, especially with old highschool friends with whom I have little other contact. Now social media means something more to me. I will need to develop skills to promote my business (a lovely bed and breakfast in Lakeville Corner, New Brunswick). Social media will also be my primary means of staying current and maintaining my relationships with the friends and family that I left behind.

There is no question that social media provides businesses of all sizes an inexpensive platform for advertising and interacting with existing and potential customers. There are so many social media platforms available and each offers a different benefit. It will be interesting to learn how to use the various platforms to my advantage and to discover which ones will have the greatest impact on my business.

To date, my go to social media site is Facebook. I understand that to some, this is considered a dated site and is mainly used by a certain demographic. The majority of Facebook users are over the age of 34 (Statista, 2021).

Distribution of Facebook users in Canada as of July 2021, by age group

While I am anxious to familiarize myself with tweeting, blogging, Instagram and so on, Facebook will most certainly have a place in the promotion of my bed and breakfast. It is likely the best platform for reaching my target clientele. Country Lane Inn currently has a Facebook page but I’d like to improve its aesthetic and build its following. The current page can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

https://www.facebook.com/countrylanebbinn5star

Our bed and breakfast will also need a presence on Instagram. This is a social media site that I am very unfamiliar with. I recognize that it is the go to site for sharing photos and is popular amongst a variety of age groups. The best way to promote our bed and breakfast is to showcase through photos the natural beauty of the landscape on which it sits.

My concern is that maintaining all these social media platforms will be too time consuming. I appreciate the cost-saving form of advertising, but to be effective I imagine they all must be regularly updated and kept current. Given that our business will be run by just my husband and I, I worry that I will not have time to maintain too many accounts.

Country Lane Inn, Lakeville Corner, New Brunswick

What social media outlets would you suggest for promoting a bed and breakfast? Do you think maintaining a Facebook page is the best use of time for a small business owner?

References,

Statista, (2021) Distribution of Facebook users in Canada as of July 2021, by age group, https://www.statista.com/statistics/863754/facebook-user-share-in-canada-by-age/