*GUEST POST*
I have been a computer nerd since I was 10 years old. At this age, I learned how to code, write stories, work a video camera, and edit videos. Kids were playing Zoo Tycoon and Neopets, while I already found my passion.
I realized that the internet wasn’t just some fun thing (I mean, yes, cat videos are great), but an actual promotion and creativity tool. As social media grew, so did my skills.
Now, besides being a blogger over at The Carly Collective, I work as a multi-media journalist for The CW22. For my career, I write articles and create segments for Raleigh, NC’s news station. I also am in charge of our social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, etc.
The goal of a social media strategist is to know how to control and utilize social media for the best possible engagement. We must also display a professional image of the brand across channels even if we’re hot messes in real life.
From working in media, I’ve been able to learn some tips and tricks that I can use as a blogger as well. Today, I’m sharing some of my best tips and tricks with you!
6 TIPS FROM A SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST:
Shoot Multiple Batches Of Photos In 1 Day // Want to plan out your Instagram feed or Twitter posts for the next month, but don’t have any exciting events to take photos at? No worries, you can easily make or find content elsewhere. Grab a camera and spend a couple hours taking photos of your office, home, flowers, etc. This way you can have hundreds of photos to choose from and spread out throughout the month for your social media platforms. Your photos should always be of high-quality, bright, and visually pleasing for best results.
Pro Tip: When you have no new photos to post, scroll through your camera roll and you’ll find some goodies. No one has to know the cute shot of you at the beach from two months ago wasn’t this past weekend.
Fake It Till You Make It // Being perfect all of the time is impossible, and sadly, many people expect influencers to be! People look to influencers for stability and motivation. Even if we may not have it all together, it should look like we do. So, how can you portray a certain image? Fake it till you make it. As a multimedia journalist, I typically only schedule on-camera shoots or events for Monday, Wednesday, or Fridays so I can dress down for the rest of the week. This gives my face a rest from makeup, as well as plenty of time to unwind. I may look put together all of the time because that’s part of the job.
Focus On 2 Channels At A Time // There are TONS of different social media channels you can promote your content on: Google Plus, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest are a few of them. Instead of trying to keep up with all of them, really focus on the two channels you believe will benefit your brand most. There’s only so much you can do. Focusing on two channels at a time keeps you from going crazy. Quality over quantity.
This doesn’t need to be forever. Say, you focus on Instagram and Facebook for four months and then switch it up to Pinterest and Twitter for the next four. It’s important to change up the social media channels over time and give other ones attention. You can create the game plan that works best for you.
Schedule At The Beginning Of The Week // Every Monday, I sit down and schedule out my pins and Facebook posts for the week. Tailwind and Hootsuite are my saviors! By getting everything scheduled early, you can work on other projects during the weekdays. This is a great way to not have to be by your phone or computer 24/7. Sometimes there is a need for automation.
Promotion Is Vital // Self-promotion can be a bit awkward, but it is vital for your brand to succeed! Get over your fear of what others may think – be proud of your work! Each time content is published, make sure to push it on your social media accounts. You should share a new post at least three times within the month. You can also use #throwbackthursday to showcase old content.
Related Reading: How To Overcome Your Fear Of Self-Promotion
Cultivate Authentic Engagement // If you want to work with other brands and build a following, you’ll need to have authentic engagement. Your goal is to get users to comment, like, and click. You can get audiences to engage by using a call-to-action in your post. A call-to-action (or CTA) is a way to engage and induce the reader to do something more. I often end my posts with a question, while others have also utilized commands such as, “learn more” or “like this post if you agree”.
All of these tricks are super useful and successful, but nonetheless, building an authentic, engaged community takes time. Good things don’t happen overnight. Stay focused, keep learning, and figure out what strategies are best for you and your brand.
What social media tip is your favorite? Do you have any tricks that help you manage your social media better?
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