Get Social - Part 2
In a previous post we talked about setting up social media accounts, and branding them. If you missed that post, you might want to go back and read that first. Or, if you've already got all your accounts set up, and they're professionally branded, but you're stuck on the "what to post" question... read on!
POST IT - your social media marketing content
What to post? There's no easy answer. That question has been the topic of books, conferences, articles, YouTube videos, and more. It's certainly a science as well as an art. For small businesses just starting out, my advice is: If it doesn't hurt, it helps. Just be sure to have another pair (or more) of eyes on it to ensure it is typo-free and the spelling is correct.
More advanced strategies include the 60/30/10 rule:
- 60% of content should get people engaged (talking)
- 30% of content should be sharing things from other sources that will be interesting to your audience
- 10% should be self-promotional
Another strategy is the 80/20 rule:
- 80% should inform, educate, and entertain
- 20% should be self-promo
Experiment to see what works best with your followers and yields the most engagement.
SYSTEMATIZE IT - your social media planning
You can imagine how easy it could be to set up your accounts, post a few times, then forget about it entirely for weeks or even months. Things get busy, I get it. Here are some great tips to keep things going:
- Get it on the calendar
Make a weekly reminder for yourself to check in. Posting a little something is better than posting nothing. - Ask everyone to pitch in
Don't put the entire responsibility on one person. You might be surprised to learn Ashley in accounting really likes writing. A fun idea is to add a monthly blog topic brainstorming session to a staff meeting. Ideas are literally everywhere; put a sticky note on your desk that says, "Could this be a post?" - Automate as much as possible
Tools like HootSuite are great for scheduling posts. This way you can create content when you have time, and then schedule those posts to go live over the next few weeks, or even months. Wouldn't it be nice to have six months of social posts all scheduled out?
adjust accordingly - pay attention to analytics
Make sure to keep an eye on the numbers, so you don't end up wasting time or money on something that's not working. If you see that the video clips you're posting to Facebook are getting more engagement than the motivational quotes you're posting to Instagram, you might consider posting the videos to Instagram, too - but if you're not paying attention to the metrics, you might not see that opportunity.
how can we HELP?
If you need strategy or analysis help, give us a shout. Or if you prefer, we can even write posts, schedule them, and create graphics if you prefer. The talented people here at Avenue 25 are happy to discuss your needs and budget, and come up with a plan of attack that works for you. We're a full-service advertising, marketing, and website design agency, and we want to help you accomplish your online marketing and social media goals.