Creating Your Self-Management Social Strategy in 4 Easy Steps
As a business owner, we know all too well the challenges or wearing multiple hats and winging it. Especially when it comes to marketing. In a digital landscape that seems to be ever changing, and buzz words full of “authentic,” “genuine,” “connecting,” and our favorite “conversion rate” or “return on investment,” it can be challenging to get an online strategy that feels like it’s actually working and selling the way you want it to. Today I’m going to give you a sneak peak at how large agencies who handle many accounts make growing a platform look so easy. I’ll also share with you how you and your team, (even if you’re a team of 1) can do the same for your platforms.
There’s only one big secret. Consistency. Whether you choose Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, your website blog, TiK Tok, email campaigns, or any other type of channel to reach potential and returning customers, the most successful platforms are those with quality, real value, and most of all consistency. Why is this so important? Think of your own brand likes, shopping habits, profile follows. Why do you resonate with these?
“ I don’t have time to be creating content and posting it all the time! I have a business to run!” I hear you. There is a way to make sure that you have consistency in your digital space without spending all of your time focused directly on it. Social Media Agencies use strategic content calendars to organize their clients and create cohesive, consistent content and messaging to their customers. They do this by planning out the content in large chunks at a time and using online tools to help the schedule the content in advance. This does two things:
Strategic messaging throughout the year helps you plan out what you want to communicate to your customer, and can help you align and organize sales, events, and any other happenings you feel valuable. You can use the content scheduler I mentioned in Free Digital Tools for Small Businesses to schedule items out in advance.
Scheduling the material in advance allows you to “set and forget” the content. You can use the downloadable calendar below as a reference guide to keep you on track. Once you have your content strategy in place, you can focus on what the data from the content is telling you, instead of panicking about making sure to post that day. This helps you better understand your audience and provide them with content they resonate with, building the bond between them and your brand.
So how can you do this yourself? Here is a step by step
Step 1. Select your Topics
Selecting a few categories to rotate though, or creating “series” type content. When you have just a few options of topics to choose from, creating content becomes much easier because you’re not always having to think of a unique topic and fit it into you strategy. I always tell people to pick 5 topics, with one being personal and another being promotional. So really you just need to pick 3 and stick with it! Be sure not to exclude the personal topic from your list. People connect with both YOU and your business, so let them get to know a little bit about you.
My Five Topics are:
- Personal tidbit about myself
- Inspirational Quote I find that help me smile
- Books that I’ve read that ACTUALLY helped my business
- A quick tip or insider look into my industry
- A promotional pitch about my business
Step 2. Select Your Time
Block out a time dedicated specifically to getting all of your content created a scheduled at one time that you can keep up with. Whether it’s a whole week, or a couple of days, this is what really makes your digital strategy come together flawlessly. I typically recommend scheduling content 3 months at a time, and taking at least 2 days to brainstorm, create images and copy, and schedule everything out. Then for the next three months, all you have to worry about is replying to comments and keeping track of leads coming in from your content. This part takes practice, but makes all the difference once it’s a part of your regular routine.
Step 3. Select Your Scheduler
Pick out a scheduler that works best for your times and budget. Many schedulers have free trials or “freemium” versions that you can try out with limited analytics. A pro-tip here is that MOST schedulers are easier to use from your desktop, and most should have the ability to post to multiple platforms. For your email campaigns, check to see if you email will post to Facebook or Instagram for “bonus” content, and to let people know you have an email list they can sign up for!
Step 4. Select Your Days
Pick out the days and time of the week or month that your content will go out on. Don’t forget to schedule your blog/vlog/articles in here too, as well as any email or newsletter. I always recommend having at least 4 days a month to start if you’re struggling to get into the habit, and then bumping it up to 2 days a week when you feel comfortable. You can play around with this in the beginning to see when your audience is on .Once you get the right rhythm make sure that you’re posting on the EXACT same day at the EXACT same time, so your audience knowns when they can expect to look for you.
Now you’re on your way to having an easier time creating and scheduling a self-managed social strategy in 4 easy steps that communicates clearly to your audience!
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If you’re reading this and know you want help with your digital systems but have no idea where to start, I’ve got your back. Feel free to schedule an intro call with me, and I can help point you in the right direction!