Social Media Marketing used to be something we’d just consider in a marketing plan. It used to be a few posts here and there just to keep up with the whole “fad”. Today, establishing a presence on Social Media is a huge chunk of a marketing plan and it requires its own strategy. Huge brands spend millions on campaigns, gaining hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of followers. However, for the average entrepreneur or startup, you don’t have to empty your pockets on software and content stylists to garner your spot in the world of social media. You can start scheduling posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to become your very own one-man social media marketing team.
Why Should You Start Scheduling Posts on Social Media?
Many brands use multiple social media platforms to reach their customers but this all depends on which platforms best suit or are most used by your target audience. For example, as a photographer, you’d probably use Instagram and Facebook over Twitter because Twitter is more focused on text status updates versus images.
How to Schedule Posts on Facebook
If you’re managing a Facebook Page, use the built-in Facebook Post scheduler located on the text box when you update your status. You can upload photos, videos, add links and text just like you’d normally do when creating a post. The only difference is that instead of clicking Post, click Schedule. It will them prompt you to select a time and date for your post to be published. Since the post scheduler is already a part of your Facebook Page tools, it’s available for every and completely free to use.
How to Schedule Posts on Twitter
Like the Facebook Page, Tweetdeck is completely free for all but it’s not available on Twitter itself. Tweetdeck has its own page with a different UI. The left-most column on the page is where you upload and schedule your posts. It’s complete with a calendar and character counter to ensure you don’t go over the 140 limit.
How to Schedule Posts on Instagram
Scheduling posts on Instagram is a little more work than Facebook and Twitter. Instagram is supposed to be all about sharing photos instantly so scheduling defeats the purpose. However, there is a way to prepare your posts in advance. Later is a great app for it. You can schedule photos, captions and hashtags on their website and it then syncs to the mobile app. When it’s time to post, you receive a notification on your phone that reminds you. Then, when you open the app, you can download the image scheduled for posting, open it in Instagram and copy across its caption and hashtags. It still requires you to personally post the image but at least your content is prepared and accessible.
Great Tools for Scheduling Posts on Social Media
If your brand or company is present on more than one social media platform (which it probably is), you’re probably going to find it easier to schedule the same content across Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. This, of course, depends on your target audience per social media platform and the type of content you wish to post. Buffer and Hootsuite are great tools that have both websites and apps which help you organize, synchronize and post content on multiple platforms. Aside from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, you can also integrate Google+, Linkedin and Pinterest.
