Creating good social media can be a tedious task. It’s tricky enough to keep posts consistently unique and interesting, not to mention the pressure to post frequently enough for things to gain traction. The suggestions below can make it quicker and easier for small businesses to effectively manage their social media.
Create an Editorial Calendar
There’s a mixed verdict among marketing experts when it comes to the ideal frequency of posting. Some say multiple posts per day is best in order to reach different time zones, but others say doing so can be irksome to followers.
Either way, content needs to be created regularly. These days, social media feeds are incredibly saturated, and algorithms seem to reward users who frequently add new posts. An editorial or content calendar can help businesses plan content ahead of time to save time and resources.
Some of the benefits of utilizing a content calendar:
- Businesses can account for holidays, promotions and other events, and build momentum as they approach.
- Cohesion across content is more easily achieved with a broader overview of what’s planned.
- Strategies and design elements for upcoming campaigns can be created and scheduled in advance.
Use Social Media Management Tools
Businesses can save a ton of time by utilizing social media management tools. There are several free and paid tools available that make it possible to manage content across multiple platforms at once.
When choosing a management tool, be sure to consider the following:
- Social media integrations: Check that the platform you pick connects with networks that are important for your business, as some only connect to a select few.
- Network-specific features: Some management tools work better than others for specific platforms. Make sure the tool you choose has all the features you need.
- Scheduling: Many tools will allow a fixed number of scheduled posts for free, beyond which you’ll need to pay for a premium membership. Be sure to look into the tool’s scheduling features and see if they’ll work for your business.
- Social listening: Social listening tools save time by automatically populating a feed with posts around a specific topic. Look for tools that pick up brand mentions, hashtags, industry topics and related information that you can leverage.
- Pricing: Consider your budget and whether you can justify a premium subscription to a management tool.
- Multiple tools: If it makes sense to do so, businesses can utilize multiple social media management tools to reap the best from each one.
- Analytics and reporting: It’s crucial to understand who your audience is, how they respond to your content and which posts you should scale up. Check out which insight tools the management tool provides. Tracking content performance using management tools can save time and resources by telling you which platforms are worth focusing on and maintaining a basic presence in the other networks.
To view this article in its original format, click here.
