Constantly stressed trying to keep up with all your social networks? Overwhelmed by what to post and feeling like a fish out of water?
Don’t fret – it’s time to turn chaos into cohesion with the 24 fingers guide to mastering the art of social media management…..
Like a champ.
Quality Over Quantity
Social media has seen all sorts of enormous changes since its inception. What started out as a way for us to connect and communicate is now a powerful tool that every business, small and large, should be taking advantage of to cultivate an audience.
And while social media has grown into an incredible opportunity for business owners, it has also grown ten times more complicated, now with more platform options than EVER to choose from. So, should you have Facebook and Twitter? Does your brand need an Instagram profile? A LinkedIn page? Snapchat? YouTube?
The answer: select a medium that offers the best potential for reaching your ideal audience and broadcast the type of media best suited for your business, but, most importantly, select a medium that YOU feel comfortable with. If Facebook is what you know and navigate best, start off there. The beauty of social media is you can pivot at any time and experiment to find out what works best.
Be Trendy
Less in the flared jeans kind of way, more in the industry news and updates kind of way. Keeping up with trending hashtags will not only make sure you’re on top of your social media game, but will also keep your business relevant in this ever-changing digital world.
The best part? Both Twitter and Facebook actually keep track of what people are talking about, saving you from the hard work. Trends are shown on your Twitter and Facebook homepage, and are a great way to suss out whether you want to be part of any conversations. Additionally, knowing what people are talking about on social media can help you hone your message – a savvy marketer keeps their finger on the pulse of potential customers, and trends are a GREAT way to monitor that pulse.
That being said, just because something is trending doesn’t mean you need to jump on the bandwagon. For example, yesterday was #OnionRingDay… relevant to some, but not to all. Ultimately, it’s about understanding what’s happening in real-time and how you can successfully incorporate and seamlessly craft these trends into your brand message.
If you like it then you better put a ring on it. Onion ring, that is. Celebrate official #OnionRingDay at Johnny Rockets! pic.twitter.com/rEVajzX6B1
— Johnny Rockets (@JohnnyRockets) June 22, 2017
(Those onion rings do look good though).
Get Your Calendar On
So you’ve got the gist of your social media strategy, but how do you develop and implement it? Two words: content calendar.
Easily made on an Excel spreadsheet, a content calendar helps you to organise all the amazing content you are curating, and ensures you’re consistently sharing high-quality, engaging content with your audience. They allow you to visualise your social media strategy months ahead. They are indispensable for maintaining a high volume of social media content without losing your marbles. They are the bee’s knees.
If you’re not taking the time to plan your social media calendar in advance, DO IT. You could find yourself scrambling to find something to share otherwise. Also, a content calendar can also be useful to give your wider team an easy-to-digest overview of your social channels, making organising resources THAT much easier. It’s a win-win!
Size Matters
Image sizes, that is. This might sound like an obvious one, but hear us out.
Social media profiles are often your first opportunity to make a dazzling impression on new prospects or customers. And the pictures on these profiles are the first thing people notice. They are a visual representation of your brand online, after all.
With this in mind, you should always strive to have images fall within the optimal dimensions of each social network, to ensure nothing gets cut out and ends up looking unprofessional.
Courtesy of Constant Contact, these specs right here are all you need:
#HASHTAG
Never underestimate the power of the #.
They can be used to manage your social media in a variety of ways, the first being brand value. Are people using a specific # to post content about your company? Follow and monitor any of these hashtags on the social media channels you manage. It’s a great way to keep track of any UGC (User Generated Content) you could repurpose on your own channels.
Another benefit is monitoring campaign performance. Adding a specific hashtag to whichever social media campaign you decide to run will help you track its reach.
Lastly, hashtags are a great (and free!) tool to find and connect with influencers who can help strengthen your image and reach. Simply search any # and find the top influencers for that specific hashtag, contact them via direct message, et voilà. An endorsement from even just one social media influencer can work wonders for your brand.
Sound good, or like a whole lotta work? If the latter, we’ve got an extra pair of hands with your name on them.
