Continuing on….when looking at your social media and actually your business, there is a tremendous amount of planning to be done. You can approach this with a formal “business plan” approach, receive help from a coach, or do a ton of reading on your own. Whichever way fits with you is great…just make sure marketing is inevitably going to be a significant part. And remember, you are not only working on a strategy, you need the daily and relentless execution to ensure your products and area of expertise are positioned correctly.
Many small business owners and personalities ask me “when” they should post on social media. They have read an abundance of research for their industry with specific times during the day they ‘should’ be posting to each social platform.
First and foremost, if your accounts are not set-up and/or optimized, knowing what time of day to post is not going to help you at all. If you do not have many connections there is no one on the other side of your looking glass to even see the information you are trying to communicate. Add to that if your profiles are not completely filled out or are not clearly written around your core business areas, then whatever you have to say is going to look confusing.
If you are set-up and connected…then do not worry about time of day. Your potential customers and clients are on social media all-day-long. I have posted information to all social media platforms at all different times of day. The posts that have been most successful (those which have made my phone ring) are those that hit when a potential client was on and there is no way to know.
Also, timing does not matter – what really matters is that you have a great post that speaks to your potential client and their needs. Just like trying to rank on the first page of Google search results requires good content so does success on social media.
So, here are some ideas related to the timing or “when” of your social media posts:
Time of Day
The actual time of day can be an important factor if your post is specifically related to an event happening during the day. For instance, if you are running a lunch special it would be advantageous to be posting and tweeting during the morning (often!). Other than those types of specials you really do not need to get too worked up about “what time.”
During a certain period of time in their lives
I mention this as a way to guide you when you create your marketing plans. You really have no idea if someone needs your goods or services at any specific time. However, keep in mind that you look to push content that reaches your core audiences you will hit some who need you right now and others who will remember you when the time comes. For instance, if you are a divorce attorney you really have no idea if a particular connection needs you on a certain day. However, by regularly posting content about your firm, you will stay on their minds when the time comes.
At a certain time of the week
I like to post “sharpening the saw” type of information on Friday morning when my target audience is winding down their week and could use a little business inspiration. Your business may be geared towards families so posting “what to do this weekend in Princeton” would be great to post around Thursday when you know plans are being made.
Crisis Management – when it happens
If you are a public adjuster, you have a unique opportunity to post just after a snow storm…why? Because individuals may be dealing with damage to their homes and need your services. Watch for happenings and how your business can help. This can include crisis points related to your small business expertise, the lives of your potential clients and also just general situations.
Watch the calendar for specific times of year
You can be sharing content related to any seasonal event and all important dates on the calendar. This can include the arrival of spring, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season or back-to-school. Even though your business may not be directly related to your business providing information is always a great idea.
All of these “when” issues should have very clear place in your editorial calendar. While your content plan should be flexible to accommodate events that arise the editorial calendar is in place to keep you on track.
