Building a Social Media Engagement Schedule
I just took my daughters little dog on her first walk. She had trouble keeping up since her little legs are still developing and need 15 steps for every one of mine. A caw from a Crow, the sounds of shoes scuffing the ground, a bark from a squirrel, the whirr of a bicycle and the passing of a noisy sportscar all caused her to zig and zag in surprise. Eventually she settled down and found her stride.
When it comes to keeping up with all of the social media options available, I can find myself zig-zagging through the options. Trying to keep up an endless tide of new applications alone can be overwhelming. I’ve decided that the only way I can keep up with the new technology is to add some time to my day to spend on learning and engaging in social media activities. This is where discipline fits in.
I believe I need to be disciplined about social media because if I don’t it can either be forgotten for a period of time or I can get so immersed that I spend too much time navigating my way around this apparently vast universe.
However, the most important aspect of social media and social media marketing has to do with the bottom line - what is the purpose of social media and social media marketing and how does it engage my target audience. I’ve decided to look at integrating social media activities into my daily activities.
First – I’ve decided to take the first hour in the morning right after checking email and spend time on engaging. Then I will spend some time in the evenings on learning. I’m creating a timeline that I will post on my desk that indicates where in my day I will integrate my social media activities.
Second – I’m creating a poster that highlights the problems and challenges faced by my target audience with my mission on how I plan to help them.
Third – I will refer to the poster each time I engage so that I am focused on what is relevant and helpful to my target audience. This may sound obvious or simplistic, but I talked to too many people who give up because they are overwhelmed or forget the purpose altogether and give up.
How do you keep up and what tips can you share?