What are you doing on social media?
Does that question make you feel like you’ve just been discovered hiding in a kitchen cabinet?
Embarrassed? Confused? At a loss to explain what you are really doing in there?
Stalking exes? Watching what happens when a homeless man is given $100? Love/hating what a seemingly influential frenemy is posting?
Or is that just me?
It’s time to use your efforts on social media for good. To support your brand, even your personal brand. But, hopefully you’re reading this because you have a purpose-driven business to promote and you need to know what to post on social media so it feels authentic but is also in concert with your message and methodologies.
Remember, your insight and presence is worthwhile, so stop dickering around and show up for the contribution you know you’re meant to make in this world, online and off. (I’m really just yelling at myself, here, not you. But maybe you, as I, can benefit from some much-needed social media structure.)
This is the third piece in a series wherein we’re covering three types of dynamic content you probably generate, or wish you could generate, on a regular basis to support your business. Over the last two weeks, we talked about what to write in your newsletter, what to write about on your blog, which leads us to this week: a quick no-frills guide to what to post on social media.
Before diving into regular posting, determine your social media “intention.” Perhaps it’s to entertain. Perhaps it’s to inspire. Perhaps it’s to be of-service. Perhaps it’s all these. Use the following suggestions as a guide and align your specific posts with what you hope to do with your online presence.
Here are five ideas for content — a formula for a post a [week]day — so you can get in, get something useful up there, and get out without getting sucked into the evils of the social media black hole.
Post about an upcoming piece of thought leadership you’ve generated.
Tease your latest blog article or a guest post you’ve recently contributed
Post a link to something you wrote a long time ago
What’s old is new again. Use a cute phrase like “from the archives” and dig up an old post. It will find a new audience
Post a favorite piece of advice or reflection you give to your clients
Think about some of the FAQs your audience throws at you. If you recently dropped a gem on a client, or they dropped a gem on you, post it!
Post a favorite piece of advice, insight or reflection you’ve received from someone else.
Pinterest, people! Find and credit a cool image or graphic, or just a quote that really speaks to you.
Share what you’ve recently read
It’s called “curating content” for your audience and it’s as simple as sharing an article you read that speaks to your audience, your philosophies or something you teach.
Put these steps into practice, THEN watch the video of what a homeless man does with $100. If was lovely and affecting. Seriously.
So let me know what your social media intention is in the comments below. My is to be positive, insightful and of-service to my communities. How about you?
