Social media for dummies: 8 tips every beginner should keep in mind

• Date: 12 July 2020
• reading time: 5 Minutes
• Blogger: Francisca Zimmermann
• E-mail: [email protected]

So far, our blogs have been focused on entrepreneurs and marketers with a bit of background knowledge in the field of marketing and social media. However, we realize that some of you need some help with the basics too.

In this blog, we therefore take a step back and focus on the very beginning of starting a social media strategy. Are you an entrepreneur, startup, or aspiring influencer who feels lost in the world of social media channels?

Then the 8 tips below are there to help you out.

1. Don’t start without a strategy

We’ve seen many new entrepreneurs start social media channels and share content, without actually knowing why. They feel the pressure to be present on all possible social media channels, start sharing content, and often lose consistency very quickly.

This is not the way to go. It costs a lot of time, and you most probably shoot in the wrong direction.

Before doing anything, always start with a social media strategy. By doing so, you make sure you share the right content on the right platforms with the right people.

Are you interested in learning how to write a social media strategy? Take a look at our Social Marketing Masterclass. Here, you will learn everything you need to know about all the social media channels, the necessary components of your strategy, and the best ways to include advertising in your social media plan.

2. Know your target audience

Possibly the most important part of your strategy is your audience research.

To post the right content on the right channels at the right time, you need to know who your potential customers are, what they like, and where you can find them.

Before choosing your channels and sharing your content, make sure that you have a clear image of your ideal customer. You can find the information you need by:

• Looking at your current customers, if you have any;
• looking at your current social media followers, if you have any;
• studying their online behavior, or simply asking what they would like to read and watch online;
• studying the social media followers of your competition. Who are they, and what kind of content do they engage with?

3. Be realistic

You can’t be everywhere and do everything. Based on your strategy, time, budget, and goals, choose your focus wisely.

As a startup, focusing on 2 or 3 social media channels is often way more than enough. It’s better to do less and do it well than to do everything half.

4. Follow your branding

Have you decided on your branding yet? While reaching new people on social media, you want those people to recognize you. This will help you make an impression and get remembered.

To make sure you get recognized, follow a clear branding style. This includes a logo, your branded colors, a font, and even a tone of voice.

The more consistent you are in your style, the more professional your channels will look, and the more you will be remembered.

5. Make a content plan

To keep your content in line with your strategy and goals, it is advisable to make a content plan. This is a pre-planned set of posts that helps you to keep track of your content over time.

Pre-planning your posts helps you to:

• Find a nice mix between different types of posts;

• set up campaigns that consist of several posts (think of a weekly tip or a question that needs an answer after a few days);

• pre-plan posts on important days, like holidays or days that are significant to your business.

Most importantly, pre-planning your content saves tons of time. By using a scheduling tool like Hootsuite, you can simply plan all your content for the month in one go - and Hootsuite shares the content for you.

Source: https://blog.hootsuite.com/how-to-create-a-social-media-content-calendar/

6. Mix your content

Have you thought about the type of content you share? Many businesses are inclined to only post about themselves. They share news, promote their product or service, or share offers and discounts.

This might interest people who are considering becoming a customer but won’t attract too many new people. People won’t follow your page for only offers and updates if they have never heard your name before. What they would follow you for, is more general articles in their niche: relevant blogs, tips, or engaging video content.

Many experts have been speaking about the 80/20 rule before. This rule suggests that the perfect mix of content would be 20% of content promoting your business and 80% general content that is of interest to your target market.

Do we agree? Not really. This might be a general rule, but we think it depends on a lot of factors. For some industries, promotional posts might be okay, while for other industries, promotion is not appreciated at all.

We advise you to test what works best for you or even ask your followers directly what kind of content they prefer. They will most likely appreciate your openness and engage with you even more after you asked for their advice.

7. Be consistent in your posting schedule

Once you start posting, keep posting. Nothing is as annoying as following an account after seeing a few nice posts, and never hearing from them again. Or following an account and suddenly being bombarded with way too much content.

Consistency is key here. Make sure you post (roughly) the same number of posts each week, so your followers know what to expect. This will help you grow and keep your community.

8. Engage

Last but absolutely not least: engage. Do you want your followers to interact with your content? Then you have to interact with their content too.

This doesn’t only help you build real connections, but also shows the algorithm that you are active on social media. The more you engage, the higher your posts will be placed on the timeline of your followers.

Need help?

Feeling overwhelmed? We can imagine. Making the most of a social media strategy is not easy.

Luckily, we are here to help!

Feel free to us for a FREE strategy call so we can discuss your social media potential together.

Would you like to learn more about social media marketing, sales funnels, and marketing in general? Then our Social Media Gids Community might be worth checking out. On this platform, you can access all our training material and discuss your progress with like-minded entrepreneurs. Contact us for more info, so we can tell you precisely what you can expect from your subscription.

Want to post a comment? Join the conversation in our community.

• Blogger: Francisca Zimmermann
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Social media manager & content creator at Social Media Gids
• Francisca Zimmermann is a social media expert with a background in research and a love for learning new things. She travels the world looking for beautiful places and interesting cultures, while she dives into the world of her clients to be able to write about them and their interests as a real 'insider'.
• Other blog articles of Francisca Zimmermann