I just read a great blog post by Mack Collier called “Suck it Up Buttercup The World Does Not Owe You a Like or a Retweet!” Collier explains that he made a conscious decision to cut back on Facebook and Twitter time and saw a significant drop off in client referrals and speaking opportunities. This article articulates that yes, you do need to take the time to blog and blog often. Twitter is a fickle mistress–if you're not engaged in the conversation, all those followers may quickly leave you behind.
So what's a business owner to do? Dealing with all this social media can feeling like trying to untie a Gordian knot. You've got to prioritize what's important for you, your sanity, and your business. You can't do it all–nor should you. I suggest employing an ancient device over 400 years old–a calendar. Yeah, I know. That's not very innovative. That's kind of the point. If you keep things simple you're more likely to stick to it. I personally use my Google calendar. It gives me nice happy reminders to get my social media groove on.
You can configure your social blogging/media calendar any which way that works for you. The point is to prioritize what makes sense for you. Here's a suggested daily/weekly calendar. If you are a business that banks on related holiday gift guides, then you may want to do a yearly calendar and include your PR strategies since most publications do there holiday gift guides in June or July.
Two to Three Times a Day
Twitter feed–reply to any @mentions, join conversations by searching #yoursubject or engage on a trending topic that interests you.
Facebook–Check and answer any questions, list any happenings going on related to your business (save the dates, product/service sneak peeks, ask for feedback on your business.
LinkedIn – answer emails or browse LinkedIn's Answers area for your business topic to see if you can help someone out by answering a question. This is great as it helps your build your authority.
Three to Five Times a Week
Blog posts–segment them out by general topics such as Monday's what's in production, Wednesday's partnerships or an educational post, Friday's a video find, and Sunday's a helpful links day related to your industry (yes, Sunday–never underestimate the day of rest to get things done). Make your posts categories fun, relevant, and applicable to your business.
Once you set up your general calendar, stick to it. Your consistency is key as your readers will come to expect it!
Once you post, make sure to setup a tweet schedule for your blog post in a application like HootSuite and post through to your Facebook page and LinkedIn.
At Least Once A Week
Check your analytics for your website, your blog, your Facebook Insights and Twitter feed. What blog posts are getting good traction?
You can ride the wave of what hot topics are trending in your industry by using this on-target method.
Every 3-6 Months
Tweak your Google Alerts for your company, competitors, or industry related topics.
Lastly, don't be afraid to go back and rewrite a post–no matter how old. If you can make it better with more relevant information or add in additional links, do it. Your blog posts live on in infamy–so tweaking them is a great practice to maximize your organic SEO.
Social engagement can feel like an overwhelming chore. Remember–it's social. It should bring a smile to your face! Getting organized and prioritizing is the key to making this part of marketing fit into your overall life.
