There is a myth that we need to debunk right away - social media scheduling tools DO NOT affect the algorithm. Planning in advance actually works in your favour and builds more valuable content - which is what the algorithm is searching for. Yes, social media needs to be reactive, but if you plan out valuable content and check in once or twice a day to reply to comments that should be enough to build on engagement.
I'm not just saying this based on numerous articles and news reports but also my personal experience. I currently manage six full social media accounts. Each of them has posts that are planned and automatically posted. Every month I run analytics on these pages and guess what? The engagement, followers and reach are always up. Some months more than others but again - it has nothing to do with the scheduling tools but rather the content we are working with.
We have this image that social media is out to get small businesses when it's really not - just like us, they are running a business too. If your content isn't engaging and pushing people off their platform they are going to skip over you. That's why I would rather you post valuable content twice a week than posting not-so-great content once or twice a day.
How did this myth get started?
Back in 2011, Facebook did announce that their algorithm would be favouring content that was posted natively. To give you some perspective, the number one song of 2011 was Party Rock by LMFAO - so it's been quite some time. Since then, Facebook has gone through several updates and more recently has been open about the algorithm being focused on content-based marketing. Valuable content is king and this was proven the day our feeds were no longer chronological.
The key to choosing the right tool...
There are so many tools out there and they all bring their own uniqueness to the table. My personal favourite is Later, I love this platform because it addresses my needs and strategy (not an ad). When choosing your platform you want to ensure it addresses your needs as well. Outside of checking their offer, there is one little trick to choosing the best platform - ask yourself:
Does the social media scheduler have a relationship with the social media platforms I'm using?
When tools have relationships with platforms they generally know of algorithm changes early on and can adjust their platforms to help you perform - just be sure to learn how to use the functions! Research them, take free classes (most tools provide this) and read their blogs.
Some tools will even show you the best time to interact with those interested in your industry and more. Use all the features that help you grow, like hashtag suggestions and analytics which are generally built into these systems. I check analytics on a weekly basis and make adjustments accordingly. Sometimes I even experiment to see how things could work.
Although you're planning your content ahead of time, the way to win on social media is to keep it interactive. Remind users that there is a person on the other side of this post. Vary your content based on your strategy, and set aside a half-hour every day to respond to comments.
___
There you have it - another myth debunked. Want to learn more on how to level up your social media game? Book a complimentary consultation to discuss all our digital marketing services.
#SocialMedia #SocialMediaMarketing #HowToChooseaSocialMediaSchedulingTool #instagramHack #InstagramTips #Facebook #GrowingYourBusiness #BusinessToolsYouNeed #SmallBusinessTools
Comments