I spent my hot girl summer brushing up on my social media skills through the online course ‘Social Media Management’ offered by Facebook on Coursera. With a mojito in one hand and a pen in another, I jotted down the ways I could tweak a social media profile along with improving the brand voice.
The first thing is, what exactly are we trying to sell to our audience? Business is about selling the product or service, but a brand is a feeling – how people perceive your product or your influence. Whether you’re establishing your business or thinking of becoming an influencer, here are some tactics to make your media presence shine.
Post Categories
A post is typically divided into three categories: educational, inspirational or entertaining; whenever you decide to post, make sure to choose the right platform to publish your content based on its type.
Share Curated Content
Sharing curated content has its benefits. It shows that you are in conversation, positions you as an authority and facilitates partnership. Another plus is that you don’t need to create more content!
Listed below are some apps which can help you find what’s trending-
Ideas for a Post
The main aim is to humanize your business or influence; the social media platforms are designed to help you connect closely with your audience. Here are some ways to create more content:
- Behind the scenes
- Upcoming events
- Throw new #challenges or, perhaps, invent a new #trend!
- Takeovers are always refreshing
- Ask questions – this is a great way to get in conversation with your following
Storyboarding
This is similar to creating a comic strip for your content. It helps you practice the 3R’s: reorganize, recreate and rewrite. Storyboarding is fitting for media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram.
Making Viral Content
- Create ‘Social Currency:’ Ask your trusted customers to post about your product or service (don’t forget to tell them to tag you). This gets your content viral for free.
- Evoke Emotion: Always try to evoke emotions through your brand and influence, because trust me when I say that emotions sell!
- Tell a Story: This is an extremely powerful way to connect with your followers because it influences people to share their own experiences.
- Always try to use relevant hashtags with your posts.
Consistency Matters
As per popular analytics, there is a specific number of times you need to post on a specific social media platform:
- Facebook: once a day
- Twitter: 15 times a day
- Pinterest: 11 times a day
- Instagram: 1-2 times a day
(Tip: You don’t need to post these many times a day, just try to stay consistent)
Deciding on Which Content to Post?
Contemplating what to post is stressful (it had me losing a lot of hair – stress is a big oof!). So whenever you post something, always ask yourself these questions and you’ll come through:
- What are your goals?
- Who is your audience?
- What do you want your customers’/ followers’ journeys to look like?
Don’t Hold Back!
Trying new things when posting something new on your social media seems daunting. You might be worried about how people will react to your content, and whether it will be neglected or taken well. Don’t worry! There is no perfect algorithm to get “famous” on social media. It’s all about patience and taking risks. The best way to come through is to adopt the trial and error method and be original. You are unique, and so is the way you think and your story. Showcase your originality!
“Be yourself!”- This is seen as an overrated phrase, but it still stands!
How to Deal With Critics 101
Whenever dealing with such a situation, never react in public – be the bigger person. It’s been said, “Ignorance is bliss.” This phrase should be your mantra to deal with social media trolls. If Taylor Swift were to worry about her haters or ‘critics,’ she’d probably still be a Country Music Princess.
Acknowledge Your Success
Last but definitely not least, don’t forget to pat yourself on the back for the progress you have made. It takes a lot of hard work to reach where you want to! Reward yourself!