Do you ever feel stuck in a puddle of mud trying to handle all your assigned social platforms? I’m going to start this article by saying WE’VE BEEN THERE TOO.

Managing and “keeping up” with all channels of your client or brand’s social media is time consuming and exhausting to try and perfect. I can’t even begin to think of the wasted minutes I’ve spent scrolling through databases of unexbiroating pictures I didn’t even consider using for content, WORTHLESS. This doesn’t include the minutes distracted by Kylie Jenner’s absurd Instagram page. Only, the worst feeling of them all is failing to do your number one job, engaging your targeted audiences and voicing a brand featuring their best light. SO, if you’re trying to stay focused, on task, and on target to better your social platforms, keep reading to discover five trends that will help you better your social platforms in no time!

say hello to the most effective process, the digital spectrum 👋

Don’t get too excited, but we do have a process for you to follow that our team has greatly benefited from. I’d like to introduce you to our three letter worded best friend, the “ Digital Spectrum Process.” Steve Lee, one of my favorite professors at SMU, is the creator of this marvelous process. Hold the applause, please. His plan educates, manages expectations, such as measurable objectives and clearly defined roles, maintains focus, and involves discipline.

You need to know that the Digital Spectrum Process doesn’t mean you can just follow an easy step-by-step guide, blah, blah, blah. No. In order for the process to execute most success, we suggest you get your feet wet and truly tackle each element. Your social platforms will improve and look so much better in no time! Let us begin, ay?

#1 preparation: embracing the art of research 🙌

The first step of the process is “preparation,” which means it’s time to get technical. By applying your management’s goals, you can then begin researching your key publics, attitude, behaviors, and overall engagement on media platforms. If that doesn’t do much for you, cut the informal sh*$ and move onto profiling your audience by defining their demographics and psychographics. This should give you better insights as to who you’re working with.

Now knowing more of your audience than you did before, you may move on to defining messages proposed on media channels. Easier said than done. It’s in your hands to truly grasp the attention of your publics by demonstrating your ability to understand their language style (tone and voice). Even more so, you must make sure you highlight what is most relevant to that public. It’s like matching 21 year-olds to drinking, of course they’re interested! Except, I hate tequila, ew.

#2 planning: the basics (boring step)

So, you did the research, now we can begin planning by conducting five primarily tasks.

1. Situation Analysis – ask yourself what’s changed in the market and competition? What tactics of yours are now working? Whichever don’t, MOVE ON.
2. Goals and Objectives – draw upon your platform’s main goals, then perform them by creating objectives (self explanatory).
3. Publics – since we already defined the key publics, add new ones if possible.
4. Activites – ask yourself what tactics must be done to achieve objectives? I prefer placing a detailed timeline on these — it’ll help in the long run.
5. Monitoring – wait until you see the next step, but obviously you need help in this.
6. Budget – costs matter. Estimate them accurately.

#3 content management: tips and techniques for curating

We have the organization’s messages from step #1, right? Keep them close, don’t let them go. Next, we have to understand when to specifically use them in regards to channels and timing. Determine which channels will be used and prioritize them meaningful. This means, matching the tone of each channel with its publics and determining the appropriate time of that post.

You may also be interested in blog writing as well. Constructing a blog illustrates a more personal relationship to your publics. Blogs can generate a funny, serious or even informing, story. You may even want to bring in interesting speakers, authors, or other bloggers you think will be most relevant and appealing. OR, perhaps bring selective stories to life and use interviews to create interaction with your audience. I mean why not interview the chef of your client’s restaurant to go behind the scenes? They’re interesting and can really help improve the intimacy between the audience’s relationships with the specific brand. Don’t be afraid to be creative with it! It’s more fun to step out of your comfort zone here.

Choosing your content may be challenging. Remember use RELEVANT information and capitalize on this. If one of your social media platforms is Instagram, use more appealing, high quality and professional pictures to attract your publics. Generating a flow may help! Besides, nobody likes lurking on boring Insta pages, boo. Also, be consistent throughout various platforms. It’s a let down when platforms distributie different kinds of information over the place. My brain can’t take in that info all at once, in plus it’s highly distracting.

#4 & 5 monitoring & responding: see ya LATER.COM

These steps go hand in hand. As social media directors or specialists (whatever you like to call yourselves), we know how important monitoring our social media platforms is. Recognizing feedback, followers, measuring evaluations, and tracking analytics is a real science. While it is important to really take on these duties in appropriate matters, I have a tool you may want to consider using. It’s called Later, the #1 Marketing Platform for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Victory is for once in our hands.

Talk about platform consistency? This software allows you to create the same posts that can automatically be posted to each individual platform, AT THE SAME TIME. It also allows us to visualize our content calendar in advance and provides the feature to track the analysis of each platform.

Thanks to technology, we don’t have to do the hard work. Interpreting these measurements allows us communicators to discover meaningful answers and then incorporating that change to better our platforms. Really dig deep here, if you can find tremendous amounts of new knowledge for your platform.

the, end.

There you have it folks — the 5 key trends to better your social platforms. I advise you to really take action and put this plan to use. It’s faster, more efficient, and WORKS. In no time, you will see better engagement, consistency, and content. Use them and thank me later.