Using social automation wisely means saving time, increasing your visibility and reach, promoting your products—and having people think you are present more than you’ve ever actually been before.
It feels personal, and is well-timed.
Here are seven tips for making the most out of social automation …
- Don’t Sound Like a Robot
Our first tip is our most important: Just because you are automating a post, or sharing a link to your latest blog post, you don’t have to sound like an impersonal robot. Add a “you”-based sentence that speaks directly to your ideal audience member. Be warm. Use your authentic voice!
(They shouldn’t be able to tell your post is automated!)
- Customize Your Automated Posts for Each Social Network
Don’t send the exact same message, worded the exact same way, to every network. For one thing, most networks have different requirements. You have to condense your message to fewer than 140 characters on Twitter, whereas a Facebook post can be longer.
Make the most of each network’s unique sharing guidelines! Take the time to customize for each network … then automate!
- Schedule Your Posts Before You Go on Vacation
Just as you prepare in many otherwise, you also need to prepare your social sharing before you go on vacation. Yes, mobiles make it easy to keep up with social media no matter where you are … but ten to one that consistent schedule you’ve built up will go out the window (or prove to be a pain) if you rely on keeping it while taking a vacation from your daily routine.
Pre-scheduling regular social posts will ensure that you keep your visibility prominent. And you won’t be left in the lurch in case you encounter disasters like no mobile coverage in your vacation spot … or dropping your laptop in the ocean!
- Pre-Post About Your Vacation
If you’re planning a vacation, be sure share images and posts about your preparation, if you think your audience would enjoy it. Doing this makes your followers feel included in your plans (disasters as well as triumphs). Including them makes it feel as if you are taking them along (not leaving them behind).
And you can create a whole bunch of posts as you shop and pack—and pre-schedule them at designated intervals for maximum engagement.
- Automate Post Content Creation—but Don’t Automate Interaction
The fact is … you can’t automate interaction. Better to have someone write posts for you—but ALWAYS go over them to add your personal “voice”. And monitor responses, and respond!
- Use Content Creation Wisely
It’s a great idea to find and curate highly useful, interesting content for your audience: But even if you pre-schedule pieces, do go into your schedule and add a sentence introducing the curated content, or putting your own twist on why you are sharing it.
- Fill the Gaps!
Use social media apps and tools to automate posts and fill the gaps between your posts—and make sure you anticipate all the “lows” in the month when you won’t be available in person to post. (E.g. you’re busy at a three-day conference or in hospital for a minor operation or off the grid at your parents’ cottage.)
Automating your social media should be seen as an aide, rather than a substitute, when it comes to social interaction and growing your reach. (Think of social automation as leading a party of schoolchildren to the zoo … and having three extra teachers along to make sure each child is properly monitored and cared for.) You’re still present … but you’re making sure you’re everywhere, even when you’re not.
Social media is the fastest way to connect with your audience. Be sure to make the most of it, every opportunity you get.