But you don’t really need me to tell you that do you.
From ordering new product to filling in your inventory spreadsheets to preparing 1099s to taking down the holiday decor to getting back into the swing of things to keeping up to date on the news to writing down your goals for the new year to trying to learn the newest social media platform while creating posts and responding to DMs…
Phew!
Something’s gotta give.
So to make it simple for you, I’ve compiled a list of “Do this, NOT Thats” to help you keep your social media strategy S-I-M-P-L-E this month.
Let’s give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020.
Do This: Pick a topic of focus
Select one thing you’re going to talk about all month. Maybe you want to share who your business is or feature a specific service you offer or launch a new offer. But pick just one BIG topic. As you go through the month, make sure all your social posts tie into that BIG topic. This will create consistency for your followers, and it will help you organize and plan what to share.
NOT That: Go in without a plan
Don’t get me wrong, it’s happened to me more than once, particularly in busy seasons. But I know that when I don’t have one grounding idea to get me through the month, I’m haphazard, half-assed, and I usually don’t drive sales. Plus I’m feeling the immense pressure of “what do I share today?”
Let’s give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020.
Do This: Look at the number of comments, saves, shares and video views to determine success
These are those “engagements” you’ve been hearing all about. It means people stop scrolling and pay attention to what you’re sharing. This means you’ve connected with them on something on a higher level. These are harder to get, but more worthwhile in the algorithm.
NOT That: Focus only on likes
Likes are great, and they are low-hanging fruit, but don’t equate your success with like counts. I’ve known small pages to have mighty loyal followers and large pages whose metrics are inflated by bots from fake accounts. If people are interacting and starting discussions with you, you are doing something right.
Let’s give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020.
Do This: Post at specific times and at a frequency that works for you
Everyone has a different “high-traffic” time on social. Check your insights on your platform of times to see when your audience is most likely to be logged in. You can find popular days of the week and even times of day that will give you the most bang for your social media buck!
NOT That: Go in posting streaks or post back-to-back
Did you know that if you post multiple times in a span of minutes, you are actually doing yourself a great disservice? Each new post your share out from your social feeds effectively “kills” the post prior because social networks want to prioritize fresh, new content. So if you post at 8:30 AM, 8:35 AM, and 8:37 AM to get all your updates to your followers, you’ve essentially wasted two posts (8:30 & 8:35) because the algorithm will promote the newest post. So do yourself a favor and spread out and schedule new posts rather than posting back-to-back.
Let’s give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020.
Do This: Help your followers by providing real tips and education
Provide value. Especially if you are new to social media and growing your business, the more you can share, the more trust you will build with followers. It takes time and consistency, but it will prove you are reputable and driven to provide exceptional customer service. These videos, photos, testimonials, and blogs can also be valuable sales tools to demonstrate your competence and skill in your field.
NOT That: Worry that you’re giving up too much for free
“Shouldn’t you be charging for that?” It’s a question I get a lot and it’s honestly something I ask of myself. But I know that there are more people out there who need my services than I can help one-on-one. So if they can reference my video library or IG highlights for more info, I’m happy to send them there.
Let’s give you some best practices that you can DIY and some social media urban legends you can leave behind for 2020.
Do This: Show your Face
Do me a favor and look at your most popular posts from the past year. I’m willing to bet that in your top 10 posts, 50% or more feature people. And if you have been showing your own face, that number increases. Think about it like a small business on Main Street. If you know the person, you are more likely to make it a point to stop into THAT <salon, boutique, bar, restaurant> to support him/her. Your social media presence is your digital storefront. By getting your audience to know and recognize you, you are helping them create a personal connection which increases engagements and sales.
NOT That: Make your business faceless
It’s hard to grow a page that doesn’t feature people. Because people do business with people. When a business isn’t associated with a person, it’s easy to switch allegiance to a product or service. It’s uncomfortable, it’s hard at first, but trust me when I say that showing your face is your best growth hack for 2021.
So whether you’re new to social in 2021 or if you’ve been in the social media marketing game for a few years, save this link as you go through your year. And remember to “DO THIS, NOT THAT!”
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