Why Every Social Media Manager Secretly Needs Therapy!

(Title image by DALL-E 3)

Hi WA Friends!

Now that Google has taken a quality nosedive, building our social brand is more important than ever for traffic acquisition.

Social media management might seem fun to beginners, but sometimes, it can feel more like riding a rollercoaster of stress! You have to chase trends, deal with trolls, and hope the algorithm works in your favor. No wonder social media managers secretly need therapy! Lol 😂

Here's a bit of a humorous look at some of the things we are up against, written with the help of Chat GPT. 😎

The Never-Ending Trend Chase

If you're a social media manager, you’re always trying to keep up with trends that change every day. One day it's sea shanties, the next it's a raccoon dance, and who knows what's next. Missing a trend feels like missing the last way out of a sinking ship. You’re not just following trends; you’re living them. It’s like taking a pop quiz on pop culture every day, and no matter how hard you try, you’re never really ready!

Oh, and you can't just follow trends - you have to make them fit your brand!

It’s not enough to jump on a TikTok trend; you need to figure out how to make it work for something like a dental floss company or a retirement home. That kind of creative pressure could even push Picasso to his limits - and he didn’t have to worry about metrics! But that’s where AI can be your best friend.

"Troll Patrol": The Emotional Rollercoaster

Imagine spending hours making the perfect post, only to put it out there and instantly get comments like “Who cares?” or “This brand is trash.” Congrats, you’ve just stepped onto the emotional rollercoaster that is the comments section. A social media manager has to be part diplomat and part punching bag!

You have to respond calmly to all kinds of mean comments while trying not to let it ruin your day. Plus, there’s always that fear that one wrong response could make things even worse, although controversial topics and comments can be a great way of getting traffic to your post.

Of course, there's always the "delete" button for those comments that are just insane.

Algorithm Anxiety

There’s nothing scarier for a social media manager than hearing, “The algorithm has changed.” Algorithms are these mysterious, all-powerful systems that decide if people see your posts or not. Just when you think you understand them, they change, and suddenly your reach can go from amazing to almost nothing!

The algorithm is like that friend who always cancels plans at the last second, leaving you to wonder what you did wrong. Only, instead of one friend, it’s an invisible system that controls your success. Therapy? Yeah, it’s sounding pretty good right about now. Lol

Juggling A Million Hats - And Not Dropping Any

Managing social media can mean wearing about a dozen hats, and you’re supposed to do it all while handling multiple brand voices, dealing with crises, and thinking ahead for the next viral post. It can be like acting as a content creator, customer service rep, trend expert, data analyst, and crisis manager - all rolled into one job.

When post traffic is low, you can end up wondering if you should have used a different emoji, or maybe if it’s time to just run off into the woods and live off the grid. It's all part of the challenges that go with the job.

The Perpetual State of "On"

Most jobs have weekends or time off, but social media never stops. The internet is always awake, and so are some social media managers. You always need to be ready, whether it's for a new trend or a crisis. One minute you're having brunch, and the next, you're writing an apology because a post went bad and got the wrong kind of attention.

That constant state of alertness can be exhausting. It makes the idea of relaxing seem impossible, but don't ever let it get the better of you! Always remember to take that "me time."

Maintaining The Illusion Of Perfection

On top of everything else, social media managers try to make sure the brand always looks perfect. You’re like a digital artist, making sure everything is flawless, engaging, and perfectly timed.

You need to be cool and confident, showing a polished and engaging image to everyone. You have to deal with every tiny detail, all while pretending it's super easy.

The thing to remember is that trying to achieve "perfection" can be a bit of a show stopper, so just strive for your best at all times, but make it sound and look great.

How I Deal With Social Channels (Seriously)

I think the main strategy is not to spread ourselves out too thin. If you're going to try to handle all the major social channels, it's best not to do it alone. Use an AI app that cross-publishes content to a variety of platforms, or hire someone to work with you.

Here are some of the more well-known social media schedulers that can help with cross-posting. There are a zillion of them, with more appearing each day.

• Hootsuite
• Buffer
• Later
• Sprout Social
• Loomly

Right now, I only use Pinterest to send traffic to my website. With AI, I can create five Pinterest pins with text in about fifteen minutes, usually on my phone using the OpenAI app when I'm not at home. I post them to Pinterest when I get a chance, later in the day.

I'm not trying to use online marketing to replace a full-time income, so I have the luxury of keeping it simple. I typically spend two hours a day, not including all the content I create on my iPhone. It can be substantial, so don't underestimate using mobile devices as a time-saving resource!

Tell Me What You Think!

What strategies do you use to manage your social brand?

What are the main challenges?

How many social platforms are you on?

Let me know in the comments, AND ...

Keep On Rockin' It! 🤘

(Pin by DALL-E 3)

Frank 🎸

~70% Human-written content.