You’re #1, make it your own.
There are some slight variations on this theme you may consider, depending on your business and your own personality. I’ve often said something similar to the above formula but with a little twist: 70% on your brand/business (news/updates/features, etc.), 20% industry (sharing content/trends/insights/articles) and 10% self-promotional - but I add “personal” to that mix. Small businesses can do this easily and it makes your business, yup, more personal. Did you go on a trip? Did you visit a museum? Have a great meal? Whatever floats your boat - post about it but try to also tie it back to your business organically somehow. “We just went to New England for a break. Check out these beach scenes! And now keep an eye out for lobster rolls on our summer menu.” Or simply “We’re at the beach for the next week. This well deserved R+R gives us a lift!”
Be social, multiply your hits
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Honestly, there is always something to post about. Sometimes it is a very specific piece of information about your business (“Our new supply of wool blankets are in!”) and sometimes it can be looser, yet still relevant (“There’s nothing like cozying up with warm wool blanket by the fire!”) — both these posts can feature your blankets, by the way.
Your brilliance adds up.
The key to a vibrant social media presence starts with being there in the first place, and being consistent. It’s easier for some to create a quarterly/monthly/weekly schedule - and map out content ahead of time. Others just go with automatic reminders and create the content as they go. And finally, if you’re pretty good at it, you may just know when it’s time to post and what to say. Whatever works for you, it is cumulative - you start to build your voice, your messaging and, above all, your brand.
Re-frame, re-calculate.
If you’re stuck or just need a refresh on those social media plans, start thinking in the 70/20/10 framework. You can, of course, deviate from this formula or change the emphasis from time to time. The point is to have a majority of your posts be engaging about your business, convey your interest/insights in the industry, and add a splash of promotion - even personal notes - in the mix. If you’re doing all of one and none of the other, re-jiggle.
Your vision + good action = success!
Start thinking visually as well. You don’t have to be an award-winning photographer, but nowadays there is really no excuse to not have some great imagery in your feeds. Whether you capture these pics yourself, hire someone to do it or pepper in stock photos now and then (I do! See above!) - or a combination of all three - you will start to create an album and flow that tells your story visually. Multiple that times frequency (daily, weekly) = your exposure just increased. That’s totally rad.
(published 2022)
