Get better results this summer without breaking a sweat
Everyone wants to hit the new year with fresh resolve and lots of energy. But not everyone wants to use up all of that lovely energy on trying to maintain a social media presence. If you’ve been a bit ‘all or nothing’ in the past, or if your socials have left you feeling a bit un-social, it’s time to reconsider your approach… So here’s our simple cheat sheet of how you can get more from your socials, for less.
20 ways to leverage your current social media:
1. Map out your week (or month!) so content is a no-brainer:
Sick of wasting time thinking about what to post? Create a weekly plan so your brain can take a little holiday when it comes to thinking up things to post. Whether it’s #MeatballMonday or #TableTennisTuesday (maybe not, but you get the picture)...have a list of general categories for each day and your busy future self will thank you for it. Use Trello for transparency and ease! Follow our easy-use guide here.
2. Get on board with user-generated content:
Sick of creating all the content? Get your followers to do it! User-generated content simply refers to using and promoting content from your followers. You could get them to ask or answer questions, share lessons learned, or share ideas or perspectives. Whatever takes your fancy, repost and promote it. Done!
3. Post Links:
Paste a link into your post and a thumbnail automatically appears - easy. No rummaging about trying to find the perfect image only coming up empty, and no waiting time editing the one you did finally come up with.
4. Engage!
This one is easy and takes a few minutes a day: pay attention to your page or account! Invite people to like your page as they interact with it, respond to comments and likes. Tag those who have interacted with your page.
5. Follow other influencers and share content:
Keep an eye out for the influencers in your industry. Follow them for starters, but don’t forget to interact with their content from time to time. Even build up a relationship. You never know when an opportunity to collaborate or be featured might come by, and this will gain you a lot of credibility for little outlay.
6. Network:
Spend a few minutes daily, commenting, liking and sharing relevant posts. It’s not all about your page! As with no.5, look around and connect with others in your industry and your target market. Cultivating meaningful relationships will reap big rewards in the long term.
7. Get some ‘insights’:
Check out the ‘insights’ tab on your facebook page and get to know your current audience. The reason your posts aren’t gaining traction could be as simple as the time of day you’re posting. Under the ‘insights’ tab you can find tons of information about your audience, including which posts they engaged with better, and what time of day most people are on facebook. For instagram, simply click ‘view insights’ underneath each post.
8. Stop pushing product:
Social media is not your virtual noticeboard. If all your posts are pushing products or services, then they are likely falling on deaf ears. People want meaningful content. Consider framing your pitch is in the context of a story, or an inspirational thought piece, and it will be much more engaging - and shareable!
9. Create a community:
Consider whether creating a group could be appropriate for your followers. People value the recommendations and shared experiences of others, so facilitating a group offers lots of value with not too much energy.
10. Post to multiple platforms at once:
Instagram gives you the option to send your post to other social networks at the time of posting, which increases your reach and saves you time as well. There are also online tools such as Later and Hootsuite that allow you to schedule posts in advance to multiple platforms, so the brain energy required is even less.
11. Use ‘Stories’:
The Stories function on both Instagram and Facebook gives you a chance to upload video on the go, which creates a rolling 24 hour log of your story. You might think it’s boring, but raw and unedited content is often very attractive to followers (it’s like getting an ‘inside look’). If you’re going about your day with a phone in your pocket anyway, why not whip it out and film a few moments? Posting takes seconds and shows people a genuine look inside your world.
12. Understand who you’re connecting with:
Take time to create a User Persona. We have a whole Training Guide just for this right here. The point is, the more you understand exactly who you’re trying to connect with, their pain points, their wants and needs, their habits and behaviours, the more you’ll be able to target your content accordingly. It’s all about working smarter, not harder. Download the User Persona Template here - it’ll save you time later.
13. Quality not quantity:
The old adage is still true today - well-targeted and on-point messaging beats post volume any day. Winning at socials is about quality interactions, not just numbers. Give yourself a break!
14. Think value:
As you’re planning your posts, be intentional about the value your followers are getting. Consider the ‘inspiration : information’ ratio. What do they need or want right now?
15. Pin a post:
Have a post that performed really well? Pin it to the top of your facebook page so new visitors see your best stuff first.
16. Repurpose content:
News and blogs turn into electronic newsletters, which turn into breakout images and social media posts. Or give the same content a different spin to highlight a different point for another social platform. Don’t overcook it - enjoy the gift of content that keeps on giving!
17. Add hashtags:
#easy #effective #community #connection.
18. Slow and steady wins the race:
Building genuine trust takes time - there’s no real shortcuts with building your following organically. If you want to leverage your existing social platforms, play the long game.
19. Reply and respond:
Don’t let messages go dormant! Spend a few moments checking your page’s inbox and comment notifications so that you can create an environment that’s energetic and engaged. If you find yourself falling into the black hole of the newsfeed, get the Pages app for business, and do all of your business-related socials without the distractions of personal notifications.
20. Don’t reinvent the wheel:
Share resources or other helpful content. You don’t have to spend the time developing it, but this will also help to build links with other credible players in your industry - and you don’t lift a finger.If you’re feeling defeated by the land of social media, just breathe. With these quick tips and tricks you’ll be saving time and working smarter this summer - not harder.
Remember, focussing on meaningful, quality interactions and content is key, so be intentional about where your energy goes. With this approach, you’ll be leveraging social media for all its worth with the same time investment - but with a better, more strategic approach.
For more tips and tricks, check out all of Blue Clay’s great training topics right here.
