The Social Media Marketing Series

The Ins & Outs of Getting (and Staying) Online. (BONUS: Free Download!)

 

Many business owners assume that posting on Social Media gets the job done. They’ll try to do it on their own, or bring in their daughter/son/niece/newphew/etc. to handle it for them because “they know how,” then end up abandoning it or getting frustrated when they see no results.

There is a lot more that goes into embarking on a Social Media campaign than just throwing posts on a Facebook page and hoping they’ll land feet first. That’s the equivalent to throwing a ‘Hail Mary’ in the last quarter of the game., so let’s talk strategy.

  • Use a Social Media Calendar. I recommend that you put together your calendar a maximum of two weeks in the future, but if you have the time, can do one week at a time. (Some people do a month or even more in advance – it all depends on the campaign you’ve put together with your Social Media Manager). The reason I recommend two weeks is that you want to be able to stay on top of Social Trends as they surface.**Download your own Social Calendar here, and see an example of how we use this here. **You can use this calendar to track all your social posts for one week, OR, you can download and print one sheet for each platform, so that you have more space and can get more detailed in what you plan to do on each platform every day. ((PRO TIP: at the bottom of each day, track your page likes/followers/etc. so you can visually see your growth as time goes on))
  • Engage with your audience. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Social Media is *SOCIAL*! So you’ve narrowed down the content you’ll be posting, and now you’re waiting for the people to show up. My favorite way to put it is, “if you build it, they won’t” You must be social to effectively market on Social Media. Comment or like other people’s posts, follow back anyone who follows you (provided they’re an appropriate account and not spam-related), respond to any and ALL comments coming in, and invite your current Facebook friends to like your page! Don’t be shy about letting people know you’re online to stay.
  • Be consistent. When it comes to executing an effective Social Media strategy, it’s not just about paid advertisements and lead generation. Your posts must provide value, be engaging, and be CONSISTENT! Daily posts is the best recommendation I can give you. If your page is inconsistent, your followers or prospective clients will not know if they can get an answer or response from you in a timely matter. You’re posting to keep your audience engaged and to obtain top of mind awareness; each missed post is a step backward in your efforts.

If you have any questions at all, please leave them in the comments below or ask one of our social media marketing consultants in Orange County by sending an email to info@hashtaghostess.com.

**Download your own Social Calendar here, and see an example of how we use this here. **

Also, let us know (pics welcome!) how you found the best use for your new Hashtag Hostess provided Social Calendar!