Do you feel like all the social media rules, tips, tricks, blogs, articles, do's and dont's are just too much and so confusing, so you decide that posting on social media is similar to cleaning your bathroom? You have to do it, but it's not a task you're excited to tackle. Has social media become a chore?
Well, this is the blog post for you.
We all know social media is alive and well, and businesses need to tap into social media's reach and power. From my many conversations with entrepreneurs, the plethora of platforms, the constant talks of algorithms and hashtags, and seemingly neverending notifications can prove too overwhelming.
If you can't hire a social media manager right now and need to handle everything on you're own, I have good news for you.
>> You don't have to be on the platform at all times to make an impact.
>> You don't have to have a response time of 5 seconds for every comment or DM.
>> You don't have to post 5 times a day, 7 days a week.
>> You don't have to be on social media so much that you are the recipient of countless eye rolls from your significant other.
>> Posting on a business page doesn't have to equate to more pressure and second-guessing.
>> Social media CAN be your friend.
>> You can have a life and still have a killer social media profile.
Remember, your content needs to be creative, engaging, and on-brand. If you dread planning your content, creating graphics and writing captions, because you're "so over social media," and you always put it last on your list, chances are you're not "in the zone" ripe with creative ideas.
Here are three tips to help you avoid Social Media Overwhelm, so you can have a healthy relationship with social media, set the appropriate boundaries and prevent it from taking over your life (or feeling like it has).
Don't Compare Yourself To Others
When you're doing the whole social media thing on your own, it's only natural to look at other businesses' accounts and compare your content and cadence with theirs. While it's great to be aware of your competitors' positioning in the marketplace, look at their accounts to analyze, not replicate.
Social media marketing needs to fit within YOUR LIFE, not the other way around. If you don't have it within your budget to hire a social media strategist, and you currently have a lot on your plate, don't automatically feel like you're not doing enough, because the other account you follow is posting several times a day. It's better to post several times throughout the week and at the same cadence, than (1) not posting at all or (2) sporadically fitting in social media posts when you can throughout the month, or scheduling content late at night, because you decided you need to post 5x per day, 7 days a week. The latter will lead to social media burnout and lackluster content.
Additionally, the other accounts you follow might have a full marketing team working on social, or the owner has all the time in the world. You need to find a cadence that WORKS FOR YOU and YOUR LIFE and stick with it.
Set Aside Specific Pockets Of Time During The Day To Engage
Don't make social media management a 24/7 job, because trust me, you will start to resent it. Manage expectations with your customers. Tell them they will receive a detailed response within a reasonable timeframe of your choosing and allocate some time during the day to check your feed, engage, comment, and answer DMs.
If you feel like you're attached to your phone and you never have time off from social media, then you will 100% feel overwhelmed and frustrated with managing your account and it will not result in compelling content that will rouse engagement.
Have A Plan
Tip #3 is probably the most helpful one of the bunch. Dedicate specific times during the day, week ,or month to work on your social media posts, AND STICK TO IT. If Monday mornings are for social, then make sure you have zero distractions during this time, and work on the task at hand.
Create a schedule that works for you and your lifestyle. If you have a social media strategy with content buckets, it's EVEN BETTER!
With a clear strategy, structure and schedule, planning, and creating social media content will be easier and less time consuming, and you may even learn to enjoy it!
With Gratitude,
Most businesses lack the budget to hire an in-house marketing team or the time and expertise to execute marketing campaigns. HALCON makes impactful brand storytelling and stunning design accessible for all businesses and budgets. Learn more at www.halconmarketing.com.
