Table of Contents
So you’ve found yourself with some downtime? Whether it’s life in a pandemic or life on summer holidays, there are lots of things you could be doing during a slow period to improve your social media for when things pick back up. I’m talking about doing all the stuff you usually say you don’t have time for. Here’s a list of 10 things you can be doing right now to improve your social media presence when the economy picks up again.
Blog
There’s no question, blogging takes time. Not only do you need to research a topic to write about, but you need to plan out the blog, graphics or photos, links, quotes, sources, stories, etc. Really good blogging takes a bit of work, but it will reap rewards for your business:
- New content to promote on your social media
- Google will find new content on your website, thereby improving your search ranking (if done properly)
- Resources that answer client questions
- A library of articles that build you up as an expert in your field.
Now is a great time to stack up your saved blogs for leaking out on a regular publishing schedule.
Recycle Your Best Content
If you’re already a regular blogger and you have a few years’ worth of articles on your website, maybe it’s time to take the next step and find ways to repurpose your content! Take a little bit of time to dive into your Google analytics and figure out which of your posts are your big traffic magnets and then take that content and piece it out into quotes, tips, lead magnets, videos or live sessions.
Another alternative would be to simply set up a content recycling system. Have you been regularly reposting your content to your social media accounts, or has it only been posted when it was originally published? If you’ve only really promoted your content once, check out some scheduling programs and start getting fresh eyes on your already created, awesome content. These systems can take some serious time if you’re inputting years’ worth of articles, so a slow period is a great time to tackle this project.
Work on your SEO
When was the last time you checked where you rank in a Google search? If you’re not appearing on Page 1 for your preferred keyword phrases, there is definitely some work to be done on Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is a process of making your website rise to the top of a Google search (or any search engine really). It’s important that you realize this is an ongoing process, not something that is simply done when your website is built, never to be touched again.
Every page, and every blog post on your website should be optimized for a unique keyword phrase. If your website was built more than a few years ago, the SEO expert of the day may have optimized every page for the same keyword and that’s simply not kosher with Google anymore. Here are my best resources for you if you want to work on your SEO during a slow period:
Create Videos for Social Media
If you’re not already creating some kind of videos for your social media, you’re already behind on this trend. Whether you decide to do live streaming or go the edited, more produced type of video now is a great time to practice how to best use all the programs you might have been looking at.
- Start by making an outline of the video you’d like to create.
- Choose whether it will be you on camera, stock video, slides, or photos. Gather that content.
- Plan your script. If this is a voiceover-type video, write the script and practice. If it’s going to be you on camera, fill out your outline with bullet points, but don’t make a script to be read.
- Test your lighting and sound.
- Record.
- Add any bells and whistles in your favourite video editing program.
Honestly, with the tools we have at our disposal these days, the hardest part of making a video is deciding on a topic and writing the outline. If you can’t handle the video editing part, there are lots of freelance editors out there to work with.
Conduct Website & Social Media Audits
Things break. Platforms change. And honestly, it’s hard for a dedicated social media consultant to keep up with everything! Now might be a good time to spend an hour just checking things out on your website or on your best (or worst) social media platform. Here are some checklists you can follow:
- Alison K Consulting, 5 Things Everyone Forgets To Do For Their Website (sign up to receive)
- Daley Progress, Audit your enewsletter
Practice Taking Your Own Photos
I am the first to admit I did NOT inherit the photography eye that both my mother and my sister seem to have. I take OK photos, but they’re not spectacular. Whether you need to improve your social media selfies or your flat lays, there are tons of tutorials out there to help. Here are a couple of my faves:
- Some nice basics from Buzzfeed (I can’t believe I’m linking to Buzzfeed)
- Tips for using a tripod and camera to take your own photos (not “selfies”)
- Tips for improving flat lay photos to show off products
Conduct Hashtag Research
If you’ve been using the same hashtags for a year or more, it’s time to do some research to find out what’s new in your space! Check out the hashtags for some of the experts in your field, or your competitors, to see if you spy anything new you could adopt to improve your social media reach. If you need help finding hashtags try these programs:
Update Your LinkedIn Profile
Beyond an audit of your LinkedIn profile, perhaps it’s time for a major overhaul. Consider updating your summary with new keyword information, or adding new media links to the featured media section. When was the last time you received a recommendation or added a new project on your profile? This is a good time to fill in the missing pieces or update the verbiage to be consistent with other marketing materials.
Comment on Other People’s Content
Next to providing your own good content, taking the time to engage with other people’s content is the best thing you can do to build relationships. Search out your ideal customers on Instagram and start engaging with their content. Find those accounts who’s articles you love to read and tell them why you enjoy their content. Congratulate people on their wins. Commiserate on losses. Build relationships. This part isn’t rocket science, but it is time-consuming. Lucky for you, you have a little extra time right now.
Work on Your Social Media Plan
If you’ve been winging your social media, this is a great time to start putting a real social media plan in place. Think about your goals, the types of content you can actually make, and what your audience actually wants from you. Put it all down on paper and start following it. Having a plan is half the battle and once you have a plan you’ll spend much less time on your social media.
Anita, this is a great read! Thank you for sharing. Many of the tips you mentioned above I have seen a lot of the bloggers I follow and respect employing in their strategies during Covid-19. In particular, I’m interested in the tip “recycle your best content.” I have seen a lot of bloggers doing this on Twitter as of late and as a reader, I have appreciated revisiting these posts. I’ll definitely employ your tip on hashtag research. This seems like a great use of time when things are slower than usual. Thank you, again, for all of these ideas!
Thank you very much Anita Kirkbride for this very interesting article. I really appreciate to learn thanks to all your advises.
Hope to read your again soon.