If you're self-employed, you may have to spend part of your workday creating content on social media to promote your business. But in today's world, where everything is online, creating constant content can become tiring and a full-time job. We spend hours editing videos and communicating with clients or customers. So how can we effectively, rather than mindlessly, use social media to promote our business?
ContentWhat are the pros and cons of using social media for work?ProsConsHow to effectively use social media to promote your business: be consistentTip 2: be purposefulHow to effectively use social media to promote your business: analyze statisticsTip 4: be yourselfHow to effectively use social media to promote your business: check yourself regularlyTip 6: use time-blocking techniquesHow to effectively use social media to promote your business: set time limits
WomanEL will share tips from successful women who have managed to find balance. Maybe they will help you too.
What are the pros and cons of using social media for work?
There is no doubt that the digital world has opened up a whole range of opportunities for entrepreneurs and not only. It has allowed us to create and promote our own brands for free. But this also has its pitfalls.
Pros
“For me, there are two huge benefits of using social media,” shares Jen Brown, founder of Meet You At The Barre. “The first is that they are free. And the second is that my business is largely based on my personality. Social media allows people to see much more than traditional forms of advertising. It works great if you're a personality-based brand, which is quite a new phenomenon in itself.”
There’s no doubt that using social media to drive traffic to your business is fast and effective. Not to mention, it’s exciting, as Kate Roche, owner and founder of Blossom and Roar, has found.
“Social media is a really easy way to connect with customers quickly,” she says. “It can be a fun way to showcase products in videos, use music, and teach people how to wear or style my products.
It's also a great way for people to contact me, ask questions about products, leave feedback, etc. Not to mention, when someone with a large account purchases from me and shares with their audience, it can have a huge positive impact and really drive sales.”
Cons
“We’re under a lot of pressure. The algorithm is demanding more and more content of better and better quality,” says Brown. “As content creators improve, we, mere mortals, are also forced to produce more and more professional and polished content to at least somehow stay relevant. What used to be part of my job now requires as much effort as the work I get paid for. I split my time about 50:50 between my real job and content creation.”
How to Use Social Media Effectively to Promote Your Business: Be Consistent
“I try to post on Instagram every day,” says Roche. “I schedule them the night before to post at 7am the next day. After all, I believe that early morning is the best time for viewing and attracting my subscribers.”
Tip 2: Be Purposeful
“I do social media as part of my main job. And it’s very easy to get caught up in scrolling and then forget why you opened the app in the first place,” says Jules Brim, a social media and marketing consultant.
“To keep scrolling to a minimum and results to a high level, I always try to use my social media purposefully and advise others to do the same. Otherwise, your day will be over before you know it.”
How to use social media effectively for business: analyze the statistics
It’s important to try to determine what works for you and what doesn’t. “Look at your statistics – if something isn’t working, don’t keep doing it,” says Natalie Owen, head of social media at Zurich UK.
Do your followers always like certain types of posts? Do they go online at the same time every day? Pay attention to any patterns that emerge and use them to your advantage.”
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Tip 4: Be yourself
“You have to be your authentic self online,” says Brown. “Being someone else is absolutely exhausting.” And that can mean leaving mistakes as they are. “I try not to edit or filter my content,” says Roche. “It works best for me when I'm sincere and genuine – people can tell you're faking it.”
How to Use Social Media Effectively to promote your business: check yourself regularly
Make sure you’re sticking to your goals and content drivers, and not just posting to keep up with others who you think are doing better than you.
“Set a goal for your social media use. And check it in every now and then to make sure you’re staying true to your goal,” says Roche. “While it can be tempting to follow social media trends, I’ve found that they don’t really work for me.”
Tip 6: Use Time Blocking Techniques
It’s all too easy to suddenly lose hours of your day scrolling through content online. If you’re struggling to control your consumption, try blocking out time. “I suggest setting aside specific blocks of time to create content and engage in the process (no sneaky scrolling outside of those windows),” says Brim.
“You should stick to the main goals you want to achieve this week. Whether it’s building your brand, connecting with your audience, or increasing sales.” Be organized about your screen time.
How to effectively use social media to promote your business: set time limits
“I also set time limits on apps,” says Brim. “While some days I’ll hit the ‘ignore limit for today’ button, overall it forces me to be more mindful of how much time I’m spending on an app and think about whether I’m accomplishing what I need to. It really helps rewire my mind.”
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