Well, folks, we made it!
It’s officially back-to-school time — the season of getting the kids out the door, getting back on schedule and getting things done.
(Boom!)
And while it’s always hard to transition from the slow days of summer back to the grind of a daily routine, it feels good to get organized and refocus on your business.
One way I do this is by creating a weekly checklist. Not exactly rocket science, I know, but sometimes a good old-fashioned to-do list is just the thing you need to lay out exactly what you want to get done and accomplish those tasks efficiently.
(Double boom!)
As a small business owner, social media should be on that list. And coming up with a master plan for all your social media tasks will help keep you on track, so you can spend your time more wisely and grow your business online without spinning your wheels every week.
So, if you’re ready to reprioritize your social media this fall, I’ve got you covered.
Check out my easy weekly social media checklist below.
- Write and schedule posts.
Without educational and engaging content, the rest of your social media strategy will fall flat. My suggestion: Pick one day each week to plan content and, on that day, spend just ONE hour planning content for the following week. Write whatever comes to mind; don’t overthink it. You can always go back and edit before posting.(To streamline the posting process even further, check out 6 Steps to Planning Your Social Media Content.)
- Create graphics and videos.
Often a graphic, photo, or video serves as the inspiration for a post, so it makes sense to prepare those items when you’re working on your content. Just remember to share a mix of lifestyle photos, branded images, and graphics to mix up your digital grid.Also take some time to create at least one video or Reel per week. Video content is king on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, so trust me, you’ll see an uptick in engagement if you make this investment.
- Reply to all comments, messages, and mentions.
FACT: On social media, less than 20% of messages receive a response. But as a small business owner, you’d never let a call or email go unanswered, right? Your social media interactions should be treated the same way — as a golden opportunity to provide information, build a rapport, and, ultimately, gain a new customer.Even during the busiest weeks, set aside a few minutes daily to reply to everyone who comments on your posts, mentions you on their social media platforms, or sends you a DM. Just a short, authentic response can go a long way!
- Engage with your audience (and new accounts).
Engagement is the fun part of social media, and it only takes a little bit of time each day! It’s as easy as re-sharing content that speaks to you or your business, following new accounts and liking or commenting to start new conversations and build connections.
For our Brand Social Marketing clients, we recommend spending:
- 10 minutes each day engaging with your social media feeds
- 10 minutes each day engaging with Stories (Instagram and Facebook)
- 10 minutes each day engaging with hashtags
Do this consistently over the course of the week and watch your numbers start to grow.
- Check your analytics.
Social media analytics is a critical tool for accurately monitoring the number of people who view and engage with your social media pages.While it’s not necessary to track your analytics weekly, we do recommend checking them on the last day of every month for consistency. Be sure to look for:
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- Engagement (views, likes, comments, shares)
- Reach (the size of the content spread and the audience)
- Saves (how many people saved your post — a huge indication of how valuable the content is to your audience)
- Hashtags (which hashtags bring in the most traffic)
Completing these five simple steps will not only help you stay on schedule but hone in on what’s resonating with your audience — an invaluable tool for building a business that delivers results.
So, take all that inspiration, feedback, and data and fine-tune your content and future social media strategy to best serve your brand and your followers.
To make your weekly posting even easier, we’ve put together our Small Business Social Media Tip Sheet — your easy, printable guide to posting on Facebook and Instagram!
This invaluable resource includes information on how, when, and what to post, as well as a content calendar, complete with a suggested list of rotating post topics.
