Social media used to be so much fun. Or at least, I think it was. Now, for brands all over the world, social media represents a massive pain in their daily operations.
Regardless of who I talk to, social media is one of the more pressing and confusing topics that people want to learn more about. So, we are going to take a look.
Have you or your team ever asked these questions?
- Who is responsible for social media?
- What platforms are we supposed to be on?
- Does our audience even care about our social media?
- What type of content do they care about?
- How much time should we spend on social media?
If you have asked any of these questions, fear not because you are not alone. And read on for tips on how to mitigate the pain of social media. We are going to start by looking at social media platforms, with future blogs coming your way about scheduling, how to create quality content and much more.
Let’s start with this simple, yet not-so-obvious statement: Social media should be whatever you need it to be and nothing more.
Though it’s easy to do, we shouldn’t overcomplicate social media by trying to be on 10 platforms and posting every day. In fact, we should do just the opposite.
When it comes to platforms, most nonprofits and small businesses truly need a presence on two-to-three social media platforms. Larger businesses or niche entities can spend more time on a plethora of platforms if it makes sense.
But for this blog, we are going to focus on small- to medium-sized businesses and nonprofits. For you, choosing two-to-three platforms and creating quality content will prove more effective than creating batched content for four or five platforms.
For instance, if you are a local nonprofit that is trying to spread awareness about fun, educational opportunities for youth in your community, there’s no need for a massive presence on social media. You can have just as much success on Facebook and Instagram alone, rather than wasting precious time and resources on Twitter or even LinkedIn.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. That sounds great, Alec. But, how do we know what platforms to be on?
It’s simple.
Wherever your audience is! If your audience is millennials ages 25-30, then Instagram and TikTok might be the very best way to reach them. If you’re looking for parents ages 35-50, then it’s likely going to be Facebook and potentially LinkedIn, as well as Instagram.
It should not come down to where you think you should be. Rather, it should come down to where your audience spends their time online.
A fantastic way to find this out is to just ask your audience. Conduct an online survey or include a survey on the back of an appeal letter that asks your donors, volunteers or customers what platforms they use and what platforms they like seeing your content on.
From there, you can build a social media calendar around these platforms with quality content. Now we’re having fun. On a future blog, we will dive through the types of content that you can create that will drive engagement and value to your audience.
Still feel overwhelmed by the wild world of social media? Schedule a 30-minute strategy session with one of Firespring’s strategists, and we will get you on the right path.