The Internet world is overrun with social media opportunities – Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and all the new ones that seem to pop-up monthly. Yes, social media is a powerful marketing tool IF you use it effectively. The key to using social media effectively is staying organized and knowing how to use your time and energy wisely.
Here are 3 of my favorite social media organizational tips:
1. You can keep organized by using something as simple as a spreadsheet, or even just a Google Doc with all your information located in one spot. If you have not looked at what Google Docs has to offer, here is a screen shot to give you an idea of what you can do with Google Docs.
I also have simple forms so I can easily keep track of my Tweets, Facebook posts, Pinterest pins and even my blog post schedule. I keep track of what I’ve done and what needs to be done. With so many social media accounts, I have to stay organized or I’d lose control of my time.
2. Create a calendar. Keeping up with your social media marketing will be made a lot easier if you schedule your activities. Start doing things on a schedule daily, weekly, or monthly depending upon your established marketing strategy and goals. You can keep track with a Google calendar, or on an Outlook calendar so that each day you know exactly what you’re supposed to be doing.
3. Automate your social media tasks. Find ways to automate your activities. You can automate by using apps, widgets, dashboards or Virtual Assistants. If you are using a self-hosted WordPress blog platform, there are many ways to add “plugins” which are simply applications or programs that expand the use of your blog or website and automate tasks such as sending your friends, followers, or connections a notice that you just published a new post.
I’m still a big believer in TweetDeck, Hootsuite, Buffer and Social Oomph for planning and programming my social media ahead of time. If I’m going on a trip or know I’ll be extremely busy during the week, I’ll schedule my Facebook, Tweets and even my blog posts ahead of time. For me, automation makes my social media life a lot easier and manageable.
Here’s the bottom line:
1. Plan your social media strategy. Write out your goals and know what you want to achieve using social media.
2. Be consistent. Day-by-day your social media reach will begin to expand and you’ll make your marketing presence known to your target market.
3. Measure your results. Know what your return on investment is when it comes to time, effort and money. Is there one social media avenue that seems to be paying off better than others?
If you’re using social media to grow your business, then decide to take the power of social media seriously and treat it as the business-building tool it can become.
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I’m Sharon Michaels and I teach you how to do business successfully. http://SharonMichaels.com
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is really helpful. With all the social media options out there, organization is a must!
I understood that having a strategy for using social media is essential along with consistency. Thanks for the information about the tools that are available to help with organization which should make the process easier.