All small business owners have heard it. “Oh, you can’t have a business these days without social media.”
So you set up all of the accounts. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tic Toc! Now, what!?
“Post at least once a day!” “Every third day, make a video of you dancing!” “Just be your authentic self!” Oh boy, you are going to need to set aside a few hours a day for this!
So you go at it for a couple of weeks, you don’t make six-figures selling on IG, and your motivation fizzles out and dies.
As a personal branding strategist who helps business owners show up in a digital world, I hear this story ALL THE TIME. And I’m here to tell you, showing up on social media doesn’t have to be all-consuming, painful, or (the one I hate the most) “authentic.”
Let’s go through some social media tips that your great aunt who doesn’t understand the internet gave you and change them up to make social media manageable.
1. Post at least once a day.
Just reading that makes me instantly exhausted. If you take nothing else from this article, take this. You do not have to post every single day. It is more important to post consistently than to post frequently. Most of my clients post once a week! Pick a timeframe that works for you, something that you can commit to and stick to long-term.
2. If you want new customers, you have to make dance Tic Tocs.
Although posting videos through Instagram Reels can bring new eyeballs to your account, it is unnecessary for you to be dancing in them (unless you want to be, in which case, go girl!). Video is proving to be super helpful for audience building, so get creative and show your potential clients what working with you is like!
3. Just be yourself, be authentic!
Can you tell that this one bugs me the most? I know you are going to nod your head when you read this: There is such a thing as being too authentic. If you are selling home cleaning services, no one on social media needs to know about your boyfriend drama from this morning! Yes, show up as yourself. And yes, give customers a peek into your daily life. This gives customers a chance to get to know and like you, but oversharing lakes professionalism and will hurt your business going forward.
4. Post in ALL THE PLACES!
Participating in every social media platform is a good way to burn yourself out and it’s completely unnecessary. Choose one or two platforms that your targeted customers like to be on and post there only. Delete old, unused accounts. If a customer finds an old Facebook account for your business and the last post is from 2016, they might think that you are out of business.
5. If you don’t know what to post, just post cute cat photos and inspirational quotes.
Ok, ok, we all like cute cat memes. But posting without a strategy will get you exactly nowhere. If you are on Instagram to make your business “better”, you need to get more specific. Social media can be used to sell, increase brand awareness, and more, but without a plan, you will get exactly what you ask for: nothing.
Showing up online is so much more than getting up to 10,000 followers, but doing it intentionally as part of your marketing plan can help to grow your business!
Lindsey Oaks is an equestrian, author, and consultant who creates strategies for small business owners to communicate with the world. Her clients describe her as a coffee-addicted, high-energy smartypants, who tells stories to teach lessons.
Wondering if your online presence is working for or against you? Set up a free branding strategy session with Lindsey to find out. Calendly – Lindsey Oaks