SMB Social Media Strategy in 15 Minutes A Day

social media strategies

marketing planIn 15 minutes a day, you can create a social media presence for your small business that’s active, helpful, professional, and engaging

Some businesses allow their social media feeds to languish unused, or unfold in a chaotic, haphazard manner. But like it or not, social media posts can be the first thing a potential customer sees. Social media feeds that are poorly curated are just as bad as signs on the roadway that have missing letters. When companies can’t foster a professional public image, customers begin to suspect that the lack of attention is also given to more crucial aspects of that business.

That’s why a social media strategy is important for most businesses, and doesn’t require hiring an extra employee. Every time the word “strategy” is used, images of drawn out meetings and elaborate drawings creep into focus. In reality, a social media strategy will actually save time, increase efficiency, and convey a welcoming image to new and existing customers.

Here’s how you can implement an effective social media strategy in 15 minutes a day.



Schedule Posts in Advance

By using a social media manager, such as Hootsuite or HubSpot, you can schedule posts in advance. This is easiest to do the day before you want the posts to go live. That way, you won’t have to worry about posting tweets in the middle of the day. This also gives you some time to make changes if necessary, and increases efficiency by centralizing the method of delivery.

Post 2 – 3 Times Per Day

Try to publish posts to your social media accounts 2 -3 times per day. One Facebook post per day, paired with two Twitter posts, is more than enough for a business to appear active and engaged. You can branch out into other social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Instagram, and SnapChat, if they are relevant to your audience. However, if you’re a busy small business owner, taking care of just Facebook and Twitter is reasonable.

Remember, quality trumps quantity. If you’re posting just to fill space, your feed might become populated with unhelpful articles. Instead of trying to meet a quota, only post when you feel you have something of value to offer your audience.

Vary Your Posting Times

It’s best to spread out social media posts so they don’t all happen at the same time. Generally, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:30 PM are ideal times for posting. That’s when most people are checking their social media feeds. Try to spread out your posts within these time frames. This will make your social media feeds appear more active and balanced.

Use Your Own Content (Wisely)

You should definitely post your own content to your social media feed, but be careful not to overdo it. Posting the same article or blog for three days straight will make your feed appear fake. This can actually be worse than not posting at all. Customers might think you’re a spambot or a scam.

In order to avoid repetition, mix up the content that you post. You’re obviously going to share that new blog that you just wrote, but space it out with older content that’s still relevant. This adds variety to your feed and helps drive traffic to your site. It also creates connective tissue between your old content and your social media feed that builds an image of your business’s longevity and authority.

If your business doesn’t have much original content to share, you’ll still want to post about sales, discounts, new products, and any other announcements that you want to publicize. Your social media feeds are a form of free advertising, and can serve as the official bulletin board for the newsworthy aspects of your business.

Use Keywords and Tags

Using hashtags and other keywords in your posts can increase your visibility. The more tags you use, the more likely it is that someone will find your post through search and other methods. But you don’t have to piggyback off of existing hashtags. Inventing your own hashtags can distinguish your post and potentially catch on with other users, spurring organic growth. At the very least, hashtags serve as effective messaging tools, acting as a sort of summation or bolding of important aspects of your post.

There’s also a benefit in tagging other companies in your posts, so long as they’re not direct competitors. Starting a conversation with another company can increase your visibility and expand your audience beyond your immediate followers. This also makes those companies more likely to loop you in on future conversations.

Curate Relevant Outside Content

You’ll want to supplement your own content with posts from knowledgeable outside sources that pertain to your domain. This helps build your image as a trusted source of information in your industry. By curating outside material, you’re saving your audience the time and effort of having to search for the material.

Post helpful and interesting articles and information to keep customers coming back to your social media feeds. At some point, they may click on one of your own posts, and sign up or order something from your site. The more the audience trusts you, the easier it is for them to give your business a chance. Third party articles also save you from having to write more content yourself.

Engage With Your Followers

Try to respond to followers at least once or twice a week. If your followers haven’t posted at you, then respond to something they’ve said, a question they’ve asked, or a link that they’ve posted. This broadens the reach of your feed and conveys to observers that you’re willing to engage with people who mention you.

When prospects visit your social media feed, they’re impressed if you’re taking the questions and concerns of customers seriously. This conveys an image that you’re available, communicative, and concerned.

SMB Social Media Strategy: 15 Minutes a Day

Most SMB owners are too busy to worry about social media strategy. But the steps for building a basic social media strategy are actually quite simple to carry out. In 15 minutes a day, you can create a social media presence that’s active, helpful, professional, and engaging.

By following these tips, any small business can automate and compartmentalize the process of developing a respectable social media operation. In the end, this will save you time and allow you to focus on more critical aspects of your business.



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Kevin Bartley

Senior Contributor at The Business Voice
Kevin Bartley is a senior contributor at The Business Voice, a thrice weekly publication on business strategy and communications. He has written on topics as diverse as leadership, team management, marketing best practices, and cloud phone system optimization for small and medium sized businesses.