In this episode of Rogue Creators, Bryan Fittin and Loren Lewis walk you through everything you need to know to create a magnificent social media strategy for your brand. They’re talking about which platforms are suitable for you, planning ahead, choosing a scheduling tool, and much more. You don’t want to miss out on this episode; it might just change your brand’s content strategy!
Shownotes
(1:26) What are you obsessed with?
(5:02) Choosing the right platform for your brand
(8:41) Understanding your platforms of choice
(9:39) Planning ahead
(13:31) Picking the scheduling tool that’s best for you
(18:23) Social monitoring and social listening
(20:36) Rapid Fire
Links
Quotes
“A lot of people kind of bristle at [choosing a social media platform to focus on] because they’re like ‘I’m going to be on everything.’ That’s honestly a great way to shoot yourself in the foot because trying to do it all, you typically burn out within a week or two.” (6:01)
“If you have two [social media platforms] that you’re mainly focusing on, when something changes in the algorithm you can adapt really easily, but it can be very difficult if you’re on all platforms.” (9:04)
“Instagram has really been pushing Reels lately, and so it would be really wise to make a couple of Reels so that you definitely can increase your engagement on Instagram.” (9:29)
“We really advise against [planning your content more than a month in advance] because things change so quickly that you could basically do all that work for nothing.” (9:48)
“A couple tips [for planning out content] is to not forget to pay attention to what’s going on in the news. Pay attention to what holidays are coming up. If those are relevant to your brand, make sure to address those within your social media plan.” (11:52)
“If you’re not scheduling your content, you need to. It really helps you be thoughtful about it, as well as to post at optimal times. Look into the insights on your platforms and see when is my audience actually active, and schedule your posts in those times.” (16:45)
So often, we see brands that focus all of their attention on following the hottest social media trends, but they’ve forgotten the fundamentals of an effective social media strategy. One of the things we work on with our clients is creating a content strategy that works for them, and Bryan and Loren discussed this topic in a recent episode of Rogue Creators.
Let’s take a look at our blueprint for curating a successful social media strategy for your brand!
Choose 2 Social Media Platforms
One of the biggest mistakes we see with brands’ social media strategies is trying to do everything. They want to be active on every social media platform, but they can’t keep up. The truth is, it’s better to have a killer presence on two platforms than an ineffective presence on every platform.
“A lot of people kind of bristle at [choosing a social media platform to focus on] because they’re like ‘I’m going to be on everything.’ That’s honestly a great way to shoot yourself in the foot because trying to do it all, you typically burn out within a week or two.” (6:01)
We recommend choosing two platforms to focus on, as it can be challenging to keep up with the ever-changing trends across all platforms. Posting the same content across all platforms does not drive engagement, and crafting unique content for more than two platforms is an easy way to burn out.
“If you have two [social media platforms] that you’re mainly focusing on, when something changes in the algorithm you can adapt really easily, but it can be very difficult if you’re on all platforms.” (9:04)
Understanding Your Platforms
Now that you’ve chosen your two platforms, it’s time to do your research and understand their patterns. How do you stand out in their algorithms? When are users most active on each platform?
One example of this is Instagram pushing their Reels function. In an effort to drive users to their short-video content, they are emphasizing their promotion of Reels. Creating Reels is a great way to get your brand in front of a new audience!
“Instagram has really been pushing Reels lately, and so it would be really wise to make a couple of Reels so that you definitely can increase your engagement on Instagram.” (9:29)
Planning Ahead
Once you understand your platforms of choice, you should consider planning ahead. Look at the calendar, consider what holidays and events are coming quickly, and plan your posts accordingly.
“A couple tips [for planning out content] is to not forget to pay attention to what’s going on in the news. Pay attention to what holidays are coming up. If those are relevant to your brand, make sure to address those within your social media plan.” (11:52)
We recommend that you consider yearly goals for your social media presence, but we do not endorse significant planning for anything that is more than 4-6 weeks out. Our world changes so quickly and unexpectedly that planning for anything more than a month away might be futile.
“We really advise against [planning your content more than a month in advance] because things change so quickly that you could basically do all that work for nothing.” (9:48)
Picking Your Scheduling Tool
Lastly, we want to address choosing the scheduling tool that is right for you. Using a schedular is often the key that unlocks a successful strategy. You can schedule your content weeks in advance, post at the highest traffic times, and get the most out of your content.
“If you’re not scheduling your content, you need to. It really helps you be thoughtful about it, as well as to post at optimal times. Look into the insights on your platforms and see when is my audience actually active, and schedule your posts in those times.” (16:45)
Not sure which scheduling tool is right for you? Here are a few recommendations:
- Later: This is a perfect tool for brands that prioritize Instagram, as it seamlessly integrates with the platform and allows you to visualize your future grid. If you want to schedule for more platforms than Instagram, we do not recommend Later for your brand.
- Hootsuite: This is one of the most popular scheduling tools, and we know many brands that love using Hootsuite. It’s relatively affordable and has an easy-to-use interface. The analytics are fantastic, and they keep you up-to-date with the latest trends for your platforms.
- Sendible: We use Sendible at Go Rogue X, and we love it. We chose this tool specifically because of its ability to schedule for several platforms. We handle social media management for many of our clients, so we needed a tool that could schedule for 40+ accounts across many platforms.
Creating and sticking to an effective social media strategy can be difficult, but this blueprint makes it easy. Do you want to super-charge your social media presence? Schedule a call with us today!
