Social media management - have you got it down?

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One of the things that we learn in affiliates' training is about the value and use of social media for our businesses. The platform/s we use are also dependent on the niche and the target audience. We risk spreading ourselves too thin and getting little result if we utilise too many platforms or a social media platform that is not appropriate for our niche or our audience.. However, this blog is already assuming that you've got your social media platform/s up and running. Now what?

Like any other kinds of media that brands employ towards the achievement of its goals, social media also has to be managed. However, because social media is fundamentally different from other forms of traditional media e.g. print, radio or tv, simply in terms of its structure and its unrestricted nature, its management framework will not be the same as other forms of media.

What is social media management?

Firstly, let’s understand what social media management entails. As affiliates, using these platforms for our businesses, it is critical to understand that simply creating content and posting to Facebook or Instagram is not all there is to it.

This management process requires:

  1. Analysing social media audiences and developing a strategy that’s tailored to them,
  2. Creating and distributing content for social media profiles,
  3. Monitoring and managing online conversations,
  4. Collaborating with influencers (if they are part of your strategy),
  5. Providing service to the community of followers/leads, and
  6. Monitoring, measuring, and reporting on social media performance and ROI.

Sounds like a lot of work doesn’t it? That’s because it is.

Why is an efficient social media management process important? It’s a no-brainer right? But let’s be clear – the business potential of social media is immense. Understandably, as small business owners, we do the management of social media ourselves. We don't 'yet' have the luxury of having that job outsourced or managing a team of people whose main job is to manage our social media platforms. Therefore, it might be beneficial to focus on one platform at a time so that you can commit to effectively managing it.

It makes no sense trying to manage 2 and 3 social media platforms and unable to give 100% to your goals. At the end of the day, your aim should be to build an efficient social media management process - even if it's for just one platform or channel. So, you might be asking yourself, “Where do I begin in the social media management process?” You might consider three simple steps:

Conduct a social media audit – I know the word ‘audit’ might probably freak you out because of the reputation of the word. However, in this context, it will improve how you manage social media giving you a granular picture of the effectiveness of your strategy. How do you do a social media health check?

Step 1: List all of your social media profiles – Facebook, IG, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn etc.

Step 2: Use social media analytics to review your key performance metrics, such as follower growth, engagement, posting frequency, most engaging content format e.g. video.

By the way, free social media audit templates can be found online, so you don't have to try creating one from scratch.

Decide on the right social media platforms – after you conduct a social media audit, you might very well discover that one or more platforms simply don’t work well for your niche or brand. Which is why it is so important to take the time to understand the effort it will take to get the results you need.

Here’s a snapshot of a little cheat sheet from socialbakers that can guide you in selecting the appropriate social channel for your niche.

Analyse your target audience - Analysing your social media community is paramount when it comes to managing social media efficiently. Benefits to analysing your followers include building stronger customer relationships, creating more relevant content, and boosting social media conversions. Remember at the end of the day, you’re looking at sales and your bottom line.

Completing these steps will provide you with fundamental information that will steer your social media marketing efforts in the right direction. As a result, you’ll be able to concentrate your resources, time and energy on strategies that work and cut down on those that don’t. Many of us affiliates are beginners and haven't yet delved deeply into the realm of social media marketing for our businesses. However, consider the above before taking the deep dive.

I hope you've found this information valuable. It would be interesting to hear from our more seasoned affiliates who have active social media platforms and how best they manage the process. Please feel free to comment below.

Cheers!

Maria

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Recent Comments

19

Great read as always Maria, thanks for taking the time to share this informative post with us.

I'm with Jeff on this though! I know in the future that using social media will be a huge benefit for us with our online businesses, but I am managing to stay clear of it too, for the time being!!😉😉

I hear you on that. I mean if your current business model works, then why try to fix what's not broken. Eventually, you may need to step out into the social media realm. Time will tell. Cheers!

Maria

You're not wrong Maria! Time will definitely tell, and when the time is right 'social media here we come'!

Have a fantastic Frisatsu my friend!😁

Thanks Nick! Hope you're having a great Frisatsu!

Any Frisatsu poolside with the Bbq going next to the beach is going to be a great one in my book Maria!!

I hope that yours is equally wonderful my friend!!

Great info here, Maria! Unfortunately right now, my answer is NO, although I DO "manage" to stay way from it. Does that count? 😳

Hey Jeff...I'll accept that answer for now. You can't stay away from it forever!!😂

I know, Maria! I know!😳

😁

😳

Awesome!

Brongsugah, nice one , for me I only used Twitter because even though social media is good , it can be a distraction with very little result also it's better for some niche , nice one Brongsugah, keep it up

Thanks a lot for reading. Social media has its benefits, particularly due to its relatively low cost (free in most instances). But it all depends on your niche and how you are hoping to market to your target audience. Best wishes.

Maria

Keep going my sister , your reward is real

Super valuable article information, Maria
Didn't know that there was a template for social media audit
Now I do and I will be using it.

Hello Simone. It's amazing the things you learn in this business. I had no clue either and doing a social media audit is definitely the way to go in order to ascertain the success or not of your platform/s. Glad you found it useful.

Maria

So useful, Maria.
Thank you!

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