The myths of social media revealed

To tweet or not to tweet: One of the most vexing questions for resource-strapped small businesses is whether or not to invest in social media.

According to a recent New York Times blog post, many small businesses leap into social media before looking, a situation that often results in a limited return on their investment.

To help SMEs decide on the best approach a series of myths about social media are 'busted'. In summary, these include:

Myth 1: Social media is free - unfortunately SM campaigns require considerable strategy, manpower and advertising to work.

Myth 2: Social media for every SME - it depends on your customers and how your SM presence can value you can add to their lives.

Myth 3: Everyone will 'like' you - most clients and customers are time poor, they will only 'like' or follow brands that make them look good.