But, it can be tricky to balance the day job with this new level of activity, so here are six practical tips on how can you manage your social media.
Six tips to manage your social media
1. NARROW YOUR FOCUS
Just because there are many social media platforms available to you doesn't mean that you should be on all of them. Only select the channels which are relevant to your target audience and stick to doing one or two well rather than several badly.
2. PLAN YOUR CONTENT
Think about what content you will share on your social media platforms and plan when's best to post it for maximum engagement. Some platforms require several posts a day, e.g. whereas others, e.g. LinkedIn can be less frequent.
Use a notebook or an app on your phone to jot down content ideas when they pop into your head.
Planning makes it easier to deliver good content consistently.
3. REPURPOSE YOUR CONTENT
Coming up with fresh content is time consuming so maximise what you produce by repurposing it. For example, you could split a "10 tips" blog into 10 individual LinkedIn posts each one focusing on one tip. Or, you could turn a blog post into a short video and share it across multiple platforms.
4. SCHEDULE YOUR POSTS
Use a social media management platform such as Hootsuite to schedule your posts. Scheduling means you can select the optimum time for the content to go live and saves you having to remember to post.
5. SET SOCIAL MEDIA TIME
Set aside one or two time slots during your day to spend time on your social media platforms. You'll find it easier to manage if you have a consistent routine. You might find a specific time of day works best, e.g. when you first log on in the morning, or a particular activity could be your trigger such as commuting on the train or even sitting on the toilet!
Use this time to engage on your platforms - respond to feedback on your posts, join in with conversations, connect with new people and comment on other people's content.
6. MUTE NOTIFICATIONS
If like me, you're easily distracted, you might find it helpful to turn off notifications. The urge to respond immediately can mean that you're constantly switching between tasks and not getting anything done!
If you're too easily distracted, switch off notifications and check in a couple of times a day.
Being active on social media can provide a real boost to your business, but like everything that brings results, you need to manage it. Get into good habits and reap the rewards!