In an age where we encounter a barrage of “important” news alongside blinking and buzzing screens before breakfast, digital overwhelm is at an all time high. And when social media gets added to your already full plate, it might feel like you’re one mouse click away from a meltdown.
But before you tweet, post, pin, or digg yourself into an early grave, check out these five time, money, and sanity-saving tips (you’re welcome):
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Stay organized with Twitter lists.
Twitter overwhelm can be debilitating and tempt you into avoiding the social network altogether. But to avoid becoming a social media pariah (or drowning in a sea of news feed updates), segment the people you follow into private Twitter “lists” (e.g., one for customers, personal friends, competitors, industry leaders, journalists, and relevant media outlets). Then create specific goals around these lists (e.g., to engage with one person from each list per day) in order to make the most of your time.
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Repeat after me: Facebook Groups > Facebook Pages.
As Digiday writer John McDermott explains, “After weathering months of criticism at the hands of brands and their agencies, Facebook finally replied on Thursday to the stream of complaints about decreased organic reach. Organic reach on Facebook — the number of Facebook users who see any given post from a Facebook page — has fallen off for brands in recent months due to an internal tweak, causing some to call Facebook a “bully” that hoodwinked marketers.”
Ever since Facebook began favoring sponsored posts over company page updates in its news feed algorithm last fall, it has been significantly harder for companies to get consumer eyeballs on their content without paying for it. The solution? Post in Facebook Groups to drastically increase the chances your content will show up in group members’ news feeds without spending a dime for exposure. As an added bonus, Facebook Groups are great for networking and creating a sense of community around your brand.
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Don’t leave Google+ out in the cold.
Though Google doesn’t say so in any official capacity, the search behemoth absolutely prioritizes Google+ posts in search engine results, especially when they are recent and contain highly relevant keywords to a particular search query. The takeaway? Don’t ignore Google+ in your social media strategy and make an effort to include relevant brand keywords in your updates to this often-undervalued and overlooked social network.
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Create and share branded images.
When it comes to social media, an image is worth a thousand words. Creating captivating and highly sharable images that include information relevant to your brand (e.g., attention-grabbing quotes or statistics) is social media gold. Be sure to incorporate your logo, URL and branded hashtag into each image and post to visually oriented social networks like Pinterest and Instagram. While having a professional designer create the images is ideal, you can also go the DIY route with decent results by using image-editing tools like PicMonkey and Canva.
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Get listed.
Though they can be a hassle to keep up with, business listing sites are a highly effective way to get your products and services in front of people who are actively looking for what you have to offer. They also tend to be highly ranked in search engines and are a great way to drive traffic to your website. For small to medium-sized local businesses, Yelp, Google Places, Foursquare, Thumbtack and Angie’s List are a must but it’s also smart to look into industry specific listing sites as well.
And that’s a wrap! Hopefully, after reading + implementing these strategies you (in the words of her highness Olivia Pope) have social media “handled”. But if you still feel overwhelmed, would rather work “in” than “on” your business, or want to spend your days lounging on a tropical beach (while your social media channels drive major dollars to your business without you having to lift a finger), outsourcing is your best bet.
Do you have any tips for making the most of your social media efforts? Would love to hear about them in the comments below!
This article has been edited and condensed.
Rebecca Rubin is a life coach and digital marketing strategist. Her company, The Pursuit of Fabulous, helps lifestyle entrepreneurs discover and express their fabulosity – so that their lives flow with ease and their message spreads like wildfire online. Connect with @RebeccalRubin on Twitter.
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