I balance on the edge of loving social media and also really, really hating it. I'm not alone, I know a lot of people have a similar relationship with it. So how do you use social media to market your business when it gives you that icky feeling?
After 12 years in marketing and 5 years of running my own consultancy, I've fine-tuned a way to get the most from social media whilst enjoying it at the same time.
1. Ditch the excess
Something I notice with a lot of clients is that they're on Every. Single. Platform. They almost certainly don't need to be. There are two things to consider when choosing which platforms to join:
1. What do you enjoy using the most?
2. Where are your ideal customers going to be spending their time?
Choose the ones that best fit these two criteria and you'll cut out shouting into the abyss and using platforms that drain you. Do keep the usernames of these platforms though - just so no one else can pinch them!
2. Keep a content list
If you struggle for things to say on social media, in newsletters or in blog posts then it could help to create a master list of content ideas that you can refer back to. This list could be on your phone, in a notebook or a document, but it works best if it's somewhere you can always access and update when inspiration hits. Then, on days that creativity has left you, have a look through your list for some ideas on what to talk about.
3. Repurpose content
Written a blog post? Great! Get it out there on social media. Take bite-sized chunks; snippets of the post and pop them in a graphic to share across social media. Create a newsletter around the post theme and share a link back to the post. I also like to keep a blog list so I can easily share blog posts that I've already written when I don't have new content to share.
4. Don't post for the sake of it
Sometimes we post because we think we need to. It's not true. In fact, posting any-old-thing can actually damage the engagement you build up with your ideal customers or your audience. Whenever I feel like I should be posting and quickly put together a post, that's always when I feel the most disingenuous. Like I'm playing the game, rather than engaging when I have something of value to share.
5. Share content that aligns with your brand
I keep a list (at this point, you'll have noticed a theme!) of other websites/channels/profiles that align with my brand and values so that I can share from them too. This always feels great, knowing I am sharing other sources of information (and not just my own) with my community.
6. Set boundaries
If you've followed us for a while, you'll know I love a boundary! I won't answer DMs outside of office hours if I'm not in a great headspace, I unfollowed all the accounts that I just wasn't enjoying. I've even banned certain hashtags or words on TikTok. Creating boundaries in social media ensures you're developing an environment that won't negatively impact you.
So, there we have it. Bye-bye ickiness!
Emma Downey | Founder, Women Who Do
Emma can be found glued to her laptop/kindle or embarking on her next favourite hobby. Avid cake-eater, Disney-superfan and passionate about female empowerment, Emma founded WWD in 2017.
She works full-time as a marketing consultant for small businesses, running WWD alongside her client work.
