Creating a social media post is simple. Whether it is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or any other platform, you can do it quickly with the convenience of a smartphone app. With the evolution of cellphones and technology, you never actually need to be at a computer or laptop to create content.
However, there is a major difference between thumbing a quick “Happy Holidays! 🎄” post and creating a strategic social media content calendar. Incorporating elements such as copyedited text, relevant hashtags, quality graphic design and proper strategies for each platform on which you are posting exposes the planners to the under prepared. Baer Performance Marketing wants you and your business to stand out from your competition online! Below, we’ve compiled some reasons why planning your social media calendar makes a difference.
Time Savings
Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, it’s easy to be pulled in many directions throughout the work day. To-do lists often grow longer as the work hours seem to fly by. Tasks that seemed important end up getting leapfrogged by unexpected requests and distractions. Don’t let your social media content be one of them.
By creating a social media calendar ahead of time, you are spending a little more time on the front end to save yourself more time in the long run. At BPM, we create social media calendars one month at a time. Not only does this streamline the process, but it allows us to plan for the future. Depending on the particular business, we are able to forecast special holidays, sales, promotions or employee birthdays/anniversaries. Feel free to adjust your planning strategy to fit your business. Perhaps it makes sense for you to develop content one week in advance. Maybe it makes more sense to split up the month in two-week segments. Whatever you decide on, make sure it is saving you time.
Formatting & Copyediting
All social platforms have different criteria to follow. Twitter has a 280-character limit. Instagram doesn’t allow links in the text. Facebook’s algorithm is constantly changing. By creating your content ahead of time, you are able to keep these features in mind. You are able to consciously format the content to adhere to the rules of the specific social media platforms you use. When you plan ahead, you will avoid common mistakes that can be made while trying to develop posts on the fly. Also, if you are creating content ahead of time, it will allow you and your company to create a system to proofread content. Making sure your written content is copyedited and accurate develops your brand’s credibility.
Consistency & Frequency
Putting out consistent content on your social media pages is essential, but major gaps or breaks in your content is a problem that can be avoided. By planning ahead and keeping a schedule, you never need to worry about not having consistent social media content. As previously stated, situations happen where you aren’t able to post at a particular time. One day is fine. Two days, sure. But going a week or more without posting on your pages can’t happen. Make sure you are creating these posts and spreading them out over the week. Find the days and times your followers are most active so your posts can get the most interaction and engagement.
Even after implementing these tactics into your strategy, your social media content still isn’t complete. You will need to produce engaging written content, high-quality graphics, respond to comments, interact with followers, all while trying to excel at other areas of your business. If you are struggling with producing social media content, contact us at BaerPM.com. Let’s solve your problem together.
