It seems like we’re always jumping on the next new thing, trying to figure it out, and trying to master it.
If you’ve ever asked yourself how you are ever going to have enough time to share your content on all of the available social media platforms, let me be blunt:
You will never have enough time for all of them.
So how can you get the most bang for your buck from social media?
It truly depends on your business, your brand. Don’t follow the crowd “because everyone else is doing it”.
The general rule of thumb is to figure out where your customers/clients are.
Facebook is a great way to post photos on your company page and talk about exciting new things that are happening. It’s great for promoting new products or services. I’ve seen food trucks post their current locations to draw a crowd. Businesses can share photos of their latest works.
Check out my free download, “Optimizing Your Business Facebook Page“.
Twitter can be chaotic but if that’s where your customers are, then you need to be there too. Tweet regularly (a few times a day), and follow the 80/20 rule. Tweet 80% of other people’s content, and 20% of your own. Definitely, promote your work, but be generous with other people’s work as well. And always engage with others, especially if they ask questions or comment.
I have a handy, free hashtag list download that can help with both Twitter and Instagram.
Instagram is a wonderful platform for visual brands. If your company sells products or services, this platform is terrific for sharing photos showcasing them. Do some hashtag research, use emoticons and post regularly. Look for, and participate in an Instagram challenge. It can help you get those creative juices flowing, and help build new habits, which is great for posting consistency!
Snapchat… I’m not gonna lie to you.. I don’t know enough about this platform to say it’s good or bad. Make sure to do your research ahead of time, if that’s a platform you want to be on.
YouTube is an amazing platform for sharing tutorials, how-to videos, along with tips and tricks. You don’t even need to record yourself, you can use screen-recording applications. A few tips to keep in mind: make sure you reduce distractions and outside noise. Make sure people in your household know you’re recording. Lastly, don’t assume your audience knows the backstory of what you’re showing. Explain everything in as much detail as you can, and show them. I’ve seen some ghastly videos… be professional!
LinkedIn is a great professional platform to be using and doesn’t require a lot of time. A few minutes a day is truly all you need because it doesn’t move as quickly as other platforms do. It’s a useful platform to connect with colleagues, research potential employees, share blog posts and stay in touch with past colleagues. Make sure to set up your company page, too. While people will want to connect with YOU, and not your company page, it’s still an important addition.
Choosing which platforms to use can be tricky, but it all comes down to doing your research and figuring out who your ideal customer is. When you have an idea of what this person is like, you can base your social media around them. Knowing things like how old they are, if the majority of them are male or female and what some of their interests are will help. Once you know this, you can figure out where they are on social media. Then you can focus on those particular platforms, sharing your content.
What works for other businesses (even if they’re like yours), might not necessarily work for your business. Don’t stress, find and focus on what works for you. If that means only using 2 or 3 platforms, then stick with those.
Use a scheduler to plan your social media posts a week or two in advance. Planning this in advance frees up your time to focus on the next big thing for your business.
Book a free consultation call with me and we can discuss your options when it comes to social media platforms.
