Social media is hard. There's no sugar-coating it!

Starting a regular posting schedule on social media can seem nearly impossible if you're managing your business’s social media on your own.

However, with the right planning and tools, you can effectively engage your audience and grow your brand’s presence online.

Here’s a simple guide to help you get started, along with insights on why considering a social media content creation and management service like Kuva Media could be beneficial in the long run.

Step 1 ✦ Create a Content Calendar

Plan Ahead

We recommend setting aside time for batching your content. Not just because it saves time, but it also saves your sanity.

Begin by planning your posts for the month. Use a content calendar tool or a simple spreadsheet. Outline key dates that are important for your business and your audience such as product launches, events, or important announcements.

Content Themes

Decide on themes or topics for different days of the week. For example, “Motivation Monday” for inspirational quotes or “Feature Friday” to showcase products or services. This keeps your content diversified and engaging.

Sometimes, it can be hard to decide on what content to post. You'll want to keep three basic things in mind:

1. What format(s) do I want, and have the time and resources to create and post? Video? Static posts? Animated image or GIFs? Carousels? Which formats are best for each channel and audience? What sizes?
   
   

2. What themes should I consider? Most often, businesses will want to post what appeals to them, and what they are passionate about. However, that doesn't necessarily mean your audience is interested in the same thing. If you're a public adjuster or attorney, you may be interested in the intricacies of insurance policies and contracts, or as a contractor, . But, that's not necessarily what your audience wants or needs to see, to affect conversion.
   
   

3. Why are you posting? Not all all of your posts should have the purpose of cold lead generation. There are many deep strategies to be utilized, and cold lead generation is not always the right purpose for every business' marketing strategy.

Social media design for the American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters, by Kuva Media

Step 2 ✦ Use Tools to Stay Organized

Platforms like Hootsuite, or Later are basic tools that can help you schedule posts in advance. At Kuva Media, we use an advanced scheduling tool, or a combination of scheduling tool and posting directly. This allows you to batch your content creation tasks and have posts go live at the best times for engagement.

This is more advanced, but where you post (via API in a scheduling tool, scheduling direct in the tool, or on the spot), can affect when and to how many people each platform's algorithm decides to show content to your audience. Because of algorithms, a social media platform will never show your posts to all of your followers (well, Mastadon does, but that has a niche audience). But, for now, focus on just making and getting the content out there! You can worry about algorithms later.

Social media video content for VL Builders, by Kuva Media

Step 3 ✦ Genuinely Interact With Your Audience

Active Interaction

Make sure to check in daily to respond to comments and messages. Engagement is crucial for building relationships with your audience and boosting your social media performance.

And: don't fake it! People want to connect with people and businesses that truly care about them, and their needs. Fake engagement shows, and can repel potential clients.

Monitor Performance

Use the analytics tools provided by social platforms to see which types of content perform best. This will help you refine your strategy and post more of what your audience likes.

Monthly Checklist for Social Media Posting

1. Review Your Content Calendar for the month's posts.

2. Prepare Posts to ensure that all graphics, captions, and links are ready.

3. Schedule or Post Directly, depending on your strategy, either post directly or schedule for optimal times.

4. Engage, and dedicate time to interact with followers, answer comments, and participate in conversations on other, related channels and profiles.

5. Monitor and Adjust. Keep an eye on post performance throughout the weeks and adjust upcoming posts as necessary.

Social media design for Roof Panther, by Kuva Media

Understanding ROI ✦ Time Investment vs. Outsourcing

While managing social media in-house can be cost-effective initially, it requires a significant time investment. As your business grows, the time spent on creating content, scheduling, engaging with followers, and optimizing your strategy could likely be better used elsewhere.

Outsourcing Benefits:

• Expertise and Efficiency: Teams like Kuva Media are experts in social media management, bringing efficiency and strategic insight that can greatly enhance your online presence.

• Cost-Effective: Outsourcing can be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee when considering benefits, training, and other overhead.

• Scalability: A professional team can scale your social media efforts up or down based on your current business needs and goals.

Social media GIF for Atlas Forensic Meteorology, by Kuva Media

You've Got This!

Starting with a structured approach to social media can set you up for long-term success. If you have the discipline and time to plan, create, post, and monitor your content, you can boost visibility of your brand.

As your business expands, partnering with a professional service like Kuva Media can maximize your social media ROI, freeing up your time to focus on core business activities. If you’re ready to take your social media to the next level, consider reaching out to us at Kuva Media for a consultation.