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Social media isn’t new but may be part of a branding strategy that has grown stale for you over time. As an entrepreneur, you are the face and voice of your business. And the first thing someone often wants to know after learning a little about it is, “What’s your (social) handle?”
To some degree, you must always be in the public eye. But there are ways to do this without becoming overwhelmed with every new social media platform and trend there is. Whether launching your brand or wanting to refresh your strategy in the first quarter, here are six ways to make it work for you.
1. Establish a unique voice
Posting on social media can feel like you’re shouting into the abyss, with the average daily time spent on social media continuing to steadily increase. Currently, over 151 million people worldwide use it per day. Therefore, it’s up to you to stand out from the crowd to be seen and heard.
Identify your message and brainstorm multiple ways to deliver it. Craft your content to reflect your brand. For example, authors don’t only promote their books on social media. They also talk about their writing process, highlight book events (not just their own), and share their personal reading lists.
Consider which aspects of social media you will use to grow an audience and which parts you will use to promote/sell your product or service solely.
Related: 6 Ways to Ace Social Media Branding for Your Startup
2. Pick a channel
TikTok may be the latest social media star, and with the number of users, the instinct is to join the crowd. First, consider if that’s where your audience is. Typically, it draws a younger audience, which may be the target place for retail brands, but it may not have the exact audience for you.
Though LinkedIn is considered the “less fun” platform, it is a place to talk about business, especially if it’s tips or success stories. It can be a starting place to grow your authority. The goal is to pick one channel to focus on rather than trying to master all areas.
That doesn’t mean you can’t cross-post to other channels or switch up how you post depending on the platform. However, don’t get too caught up in the next big thing if it doesn’t resonate with you or your brand. Because as popular as TikTok is now, there’s always a newer, flashier social media platform right behind it.
3. Develop a social calendar
Get more social online by outlining a monthly or bi-monthly calendar. It focuses your time and energy on strategy without having to come up with engaging captions and edited content on the fly during your general work day.
Setting aside time to schedule posts establishes a sense of consistency while also giving you the freedom to post real-time content if and when the moment strikes. Alternate between posting different types of content and always asking yourself what kind of value your post is giving rather than just posting for the sake of new content.
Many argue that the more you post, the better you can beat the algorithms. However, if you have an audience that’s truly engaged, they’ll be looking and responding to your posts no matter what.
Related: How Technology Influences Social Media
4. Decide which trends to follow
Just as you shouldn’t jump on the bandwagon of every new social platform that debuts, so is the same with online trends. So many new gifs, memes, and slang are being introduced all the time; it can be hard to keep up. When using their popularity to your advantage, ensure it reflects your brand. Otherwise, your messaging will fall flat.
Trends come and go, but having a strong position is what will attract and retain your audience. Don’t be as concerned with having a viral moment or attracting hundreds of followers who are not engaged with your brand. Instead, be patient and slowly ramp up your audience of people who actually want to hear what you have to say and will eventually buy into what you’re selling.
5. Get creative with video
One “trend” that has had staying power is video. TikTok and Instagram Reels have proven to be famous in sharing short snippets of information entertainingly. However, there are still over 2.7 billion monthly active YouTube users, allowing you to post longer videos complete with captions.
Whichever avenue you’d like to take with video, scripted or live, short or long, it’s a good way to share your brand personality engagingly. Not comfortable on camera? Put together a reel of business highlights or still images that showcase your offering(s); it doesn’t have to be your face front and center for every video.
Related: The Rise Of Vertical Video And Its Impact On Social Media
6. Keep it real
Spotting a phony is so easy, and online users today aren’t afraid to call you out. Also, creating dry social media captions can trigger spam warnings and make it harder for you to get in front of your audience at all.
If you’re having trouble crafting the perfect message, tools like ChatGPT can be helpful. While AI shouldn’t be relied on to create your content word for word, it can serve as a guiding point when conveying what you want. Also, social media tools like Buffer have built-in AI features to help make captions easier and more convenient.
Overall, don’t let using social media overwhelm you. Rather, stay curious about what you can do with it. Pick and choose the platforms and features that speak most to you and your audience, and grow it from there.
