social media

4 Ways To Use Social Media Without Losing Control

Published

12 years ago

March 22, 2011

Patricia Redsicker

Last Friday, this question came to me from a member of my Facebook Page community:

“What can you tell me about social media strategy for companies. How do you play yet not lose control?”

4 Ways To Use Social Media Without Losing Control

Most organizations understand the value of social media marketing, but either don’t have the time to implement it, or fear that they will lose control of the conversation, or the brand perception.

Here are some suggestions on how to use social media without losing control:

1. Prepare a Strategy

Just as you wouldn’t go fishing without planning adequately for your adventure, make sure you prepare diligently for your social media adventure. Ask yourself the following questions:

Who do I want to reach (audience)? – be specific and jot down as many details about your ideal reader as you possibly can – gender, age, profession, income bracket, education, lifestyle, what social media profiles they use, etc.
Do I have something interesting to say to them (message)? Understand that social media is a crowded space. You must have something compelling to say in order to attract attention. If you offer a common service and aren’t quite sure how to present yourself in a unique way, try these tips.
What is my goal for my social media efforts? Is it to generate brand awareness, to create conversation, to generate quality leads or to increase sales? It’s important to be very clear about what you want before you start because you will use this criteria later on, to measure your success (or lack thereof).

2. Prepare An Editorial Calendar

A calendar may be as simple or as complex as you want it to be. It might be just a list of dates and topics that you wish to discuss on your blog or social media channel. At the very least your editorial calendar should illustrate:

how often to post content on your social media channels (according to Facebook expert Mari Smith for example, there is a direct relationship between the number of fans on your Facebook page and the frequency of your posts – but one should still use wisdom to decided how much is too much).
what type of content you will post i.e. a link to your blog article, an engaging question, a video, pictures, contests, freebies and giveaways etc.

3. Use social media aggregator tools to simplify your social media campaign

Even with a carefully planned strategy, the dizzying speed of communication on social media can be overwhelming and may quickly lead to burnout. Fortunately there are online tools that can help manage and simplify your life. Tools such as Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, Ping and others, help condense your live updates and shares by providing a single location to broadcast multiple updates to.

4. Invite others to contribute to your social media campaign

If you’re a manager in your organization, try to identify employees who have a passion and the skills for social media. Ask them where they would be most comfortable contributing their efforts and then give them simple guidelines to adhere to. If you run a smaller organization and don’t have the human resources to work your campaign, consider outsourcing parts or all of your social media function to an expert.

Tweets, diggs, updates, feeds, comments, etc – for sure this social media stuff can challenge your sanity. But it can also be enjoyable and profitable if you take control of the situation. If you have felt overwhelmed in the past, don’t worry – you’re not alone. There are many people who feel the same way but have made a decision to understand and take control of their social media environment. What about you – are you ready to take control?

Related Topics:social media control social media overload

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social media

The 8 Best Free Social Media Management Tools For Bloggers

Published

3 months ago

November 10, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The 8 Best Free Social Media Management Tools For Bloggers

1. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that lets you manage all your social media accounts in one place. With Hootsuite, you can help you save time by scheduling your posts in advance, track who’s talking about your brand, and measure your success over time. Hootsuite also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

2. CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a social media management tool that helps you stay organized and on schedule. With CoSchedule, you can schedule your posts in advance, save time with bulk scheduling, and measure your success with detailed analytics. CoSchedule also has a free plan that lets you manage up to two social media accounts.

3. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a social media management platform that helps you grow your social media following. With Sprout Social, you can track your progress, engage with your audience, and measure your success. Sprout Social also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

4. Sendible

Sendible is a social media management tool that helps you save time and stay organized. With Sendible, you can schedule your posts in advance, track your brand’s social media mentions, and measure your success with detailed analytics. Sendible also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

5. IFTTT

IFTTT is a social media management tool that helps you automate your social media tasks. With IFTTT, you can create recipes that automate your social media tasks, such as posting your blog content to your social media accounts. IFTTT also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

6. Tailwind

Tailwind is a social media management tool that helps you optimize your social media schedules. With Tailwind, you can schedule your posts in advance, find the best times to post, and measure your success with detailed analytics. Tailwind also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

7. SocialBee

SocialBee is a social media management tool that helps you save time and stay organized. With SocialBee, you can schedule your posts in advance, track your social media metrics, and measure your success with detailed analytics. SocialBee also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

8. MeetEdgar

MeetEdgar is a social media management tool that helps you automate your social media tasks. With MeetEdgar, you can schedule your posts in advance, recycle your content, and measure your success with detailed analytics. MeetEdgar also has a free plan that lets you manage up to three social media accounts.

social media

The 10 Best Free Social Media Management Tools

Published

3 months ago

November 10, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The 10 Best Free Social Media Management Tools

1. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that offers users a suite of tools for managing their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great platform for businesses and individuals who want to boost their social media presence and engagement.

2. Buffer

Buffer is a social media management platform that helps users schedule and publish content across their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media content strategy.

3. TweetDeck

TweetDeck is a social media management platform focused on Twitter. It offers users a variety of tools for managing their Twitter account, such as scheduling tweets, creating lists, and monitoring Twitter activity.

4. SocialOomph

SocialOomph is a social media management platform that offers users a suite of tools for managing their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great platform for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media presence.

5. Edgar

Edgar is a social media management platform that helps users schedule and publish content across their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media content strategy.

6. CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a social media management platform that helps users schedule and publish content across their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media content strategy.

7. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a social media management platform that offers users a suite of tools for managing their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great platform for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media presence.

8. IFTTT

IFTTT is a social media management platform that helps users automate their social media tasks. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to save time on their social media management.

9. Crowdfire

Crowdfire is a social media management platform that helps users manage their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media presence.

10. MeetEdgar

MeetEdgar is a social media management platform that helps users schedule and publish content across their social media accounts. Itâ€™s a great tool for businesses and individuals who want to better manage their social media content strategy.

social media

The 7 Best Free Social Media Management Tools For Businesses

Published

3 months ago

November 10, 2022

Patricia Redsicker

The 7 Best Free Social Media Management Tools For Businesses

1. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is a social media management platform that gives businesses of all sizes the ability to track all their social media channels in one place. With Hootsuite, businesses can track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

2. Buffer

Buffer is a social media management platform that helps businesses of all sizes to better manage their social media accounts. With Buffer, businesses can schedule and publish content, track their social media analytics, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

3. Sprout Social

Sprout Social is a social media management platform that gives businesses of all sizes the ability to better track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

4. SocialOomph

SocialOomph is a social media management platform that helps businesses of all sizes to better manage their social media accounts. With SocialOomph, businesses can track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

5. CoSchedule

CoSchedule is a social media management platform that helps businesses of all sizes to better manage their social media accounts. With CoSchedule, businesses can track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

6. Sendible

Sendible is a social media management platform that helps businesses of all sizes to better manage their social media accounts. With Sendible, businesses can track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.

7. AgoraPulse

AgoraPulse is a social media management platform that helps businesses of all sizes to better manage their social media accounts. With AgoraPulse, businesses can track their social media analytics, publish and schedule content, and engage with their audience â€“ all in one place.