Social media trends can easily become the bane of your existence in your business. In fact, it’s not uncommon to hear business owners complaining about needing to use social media at all for their business.
Business owners usually hate the changing social media trends for a few reasons:
- Social media channels are always changing the rules
- There are always new social media platforms popping up
- It’s extremely time consuming
- It’s overwhelming to try and be everywhere at the same time
Unfortunately for them, the reality is that businesses need some sort of a social media presence. It would be unwise to avoid tapping into places like Facebook and YouTube which already have insane amounts of users and traffic. Additionally, more people are learning about brands and companies online.
Accept the constant changes of social media trends
Take a deep breath and accept what cannot be controlled. Social media is a form of technology, and technology is always changing. So the first step in dealing with the frustration is to just accept the fact that nothing ever stays the same. If you need to use social media then constant changes are just a part of the game. That means you need to learn to embrace it instead of fighting it. Fighting it won’t help.
Streamline the social media process
First and foremost, you need to establish your goals and pin down your audience. Are you using social media to drive sales? For recruitment? Working out exactly what it is you’re looking to do and who you’re talking to will determine your audience’s main challenges and what they want to hear.
Keeping a content calendar with a consistent posting schedule is essential. It might sound like a lot of work, but if you plan out monthly themes and messaging in advance, you’ll save time down the line as you’ll know who needs to write what and when.
You need to know your channels and what works where. Not all social media channels are created equal, so customize and target content to each platform.
Outsource it to someone else
You have the option of outsourcing social media management to people who are dedicated to keeping up with changes, algorithms, ads and more. It’s a full-time job trying to keep up with social media, and if you really don’t have the time or the skill set then you may just be better off hiring someone to do it for you like us! We can read reports, measure ROI and make adjustments based on new terms. We can also help build your audience.
Be strategic
Along the same lines of working smarter and not harder, be strategic with what social media channels you use. For example, don’t use Facebook if you know your market isn’t there. If on the other hand, you know your market is on Instagram, then start to leverage Instagram. This is far more effective than having your hand in too many pots.
Don’t listen to the hype
Every time Facebook decides to change an algorithm the social media world goes nuts. This typically causes people to act in very irrational ways, like completely deleting a Facebook fan page instead of keeping it so they can run targeted ads. The moral of the story here is not to listen to the hype. Just continue doing the best you can, adapting your process, and seeking advice from professionals who know more than you do.
Continue building your email list
Perhaps the best way to make sure you never fall prey to changing social media trends is to continue building your email list. If Twitter decides to close its doors tomorrow you would lose all of your followers, but no one can take your email list from you. That’s why although social media is important, it’s equally as important to build your own contact list. Social media trends change and media channels can cease operations or simply change the rules whenever they please, but you have complete control over your contacts. While changes in social media trends can be frustrating, it doesn’t need to be. By accepting the nature of social media and acting strategically, you can leverage these tools for your marketing without driving yourself completely insane.
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