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Social Media Tips and Tricks for Strapped Entrepreneurs

June 3, 2023

Here at Venture X, our coworking members often share their challenges to keep up with social media trends and assume automation tools are for larger companies due to cost.

Yet as an entrepreneur, social media can be a powerful tool for building your brand, engaging with your audience, and driving sales. However, with the demands of running a business, finding time to effectively manage your social media presence can be a challenge. 

That’s why our Venture X marketing team wanted to provide tips and tricks for time-strapped entrepreneurs to make the most of their social media presence.

We'll cover everything from setting goals and creating a content plan to leveraging automation tools and delegating tasks. By implementing these strategies, you can streamline your social media efforts and achieve online success in less time.

The importance of social media for entrepreneurs 

Social media has become an essential element of marketing and branding for entrepreneurs. It provides a platform for businesses to reach a new, large and diverse audience, build brand recognition, and engage with customers in real time. Social media also offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to promote their products or services, drive traffic to their website, and ultimately increase sales. 

Check out a few fun statistics sourced by The Manifest on business owners who leverage social media:

1. 60% of small business owners say social media helps them increase website traffic

2. 52% of small business owners say social media helps them increase sales

3. 83% of small business owners say they have received positive feedback from customers on their social media presence

By using social media correctly, entrepreneurs not only enhance their online presence but gain a competitive advantage in their market.

The problem of time scarcity faced by entrepreneurs 

One of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs when it comes to social media is time scarcity. In fact, according to a survey by Nerd Wallet, 89% of entrepreneurs reported working on weekends.

Entrepreneurs are typically stretched thin with numerous responsibilities, and finding the time to manage a successful social media presence can be daunting. From creating content to engaging with followers and analyzing metrics, social media management can easily become a full-time job. However, neglecting social media altogether can be detrimental to a business's success in today's digital age. Therefore, finding ways to maximize the impact of social media while minimizing the time investment is crucial for entrepreneurs who want to succeed in the competitive landscape.

In this article, the Venture X marketing team provides easy to adapt social media tips and tricks for entrepreneurs who struggle with never having enough time in their day.

Ready to get social? Let's dive in! 

Set Clear Goals 

The first step in using social media effectively as an entrepreneur is to set clear goals. By identifying your objectives, you can determine which social media platforms are most relevant to your business and tailor your approach accordingly. It's important to set specific and measurable goals that align with your business objectives. 

Determine the platforms that align with your goals 

Once you have identified your social media objectives, the next step is to determine which platforms are best suited to achieving those goals. Each social media platform has its own strengths, weaknesses, and algorithms, so certain platforms may be better suited to your business than others. 

For example, Instagram may be a great platform to showcase products or services visually, while Twitter may be better suited for sharing industry news and insights. Facebook is ideal for building a community of followers and providing customer service, while LinkedIn is great for networking and establishing thought leadership in your industry. 

By understanding the unique features of each platform and determining which aligns with your business goals, you can focus your efforts on the platforms that will have the greatest impact on your target audience.

Set specific and measurable goals for chosen platforms

Specific goals might include increasing your number of followers, improving engagement rates, or driving more website traffic. Measurable goals allow you to track your progress and adjust your strategy as needed. For example, if your goal is to increase your number of followers, you may set a target of gaining 100 new followers per month. By measuring your success against this goal, you can determine what tactics are working and what needs to be adjusted. 

Create a Content Plan 

Creating a content plan is essential to keeping your social media accounts active and engaging. The first step in creating a content plan is to identify the type of content that resonates with your target audience. This could include anything from industry news and insights to behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business operations. 

Once you have identified the types of content your audience is most likely to engage with, you can plan out a content calendar. This calendar will help you ensure that you are posting regularly and will allow you to plan ahead for special events, holidays, and other key dates. We recommend creating a plan that includes four different content pillars: education, inspiration, entertainment, and promotion. 

Decide on the frequency of your posts 

Deciding on the frequency of your posts is an important part of creating a successful social media content plan as an entrepreneur. Posting too frequently can overwhelm your followers and cause them to tune out while posting too infrequently can cause them to forget about your business altogether or lose touch with the platform's algorithm. The key is to find a posting frequency that strikes the right balance between staying top-of-mind and providing value to your followers. This will vary depending on your business and your audience, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for at least one post per day on each platform. However, you may find that your audience engages more with less frequent but higher-quality posts, or that certain platforms require more or less frequent posting than others. 

Use a content calendar to plan your posts in advance

A content calendar allows you to plan your posts in advance, ensuring that you have a steady stream of content to share with your followers. This not only saves time but also helps to ensure that your content is consistently high-quality and aligned with your business goals. To create a content calendar, start by identifying the types of content you want to share and how often you want to post. Then, map out your posts on a calendar, taking into account any special events, holidays, or promotions you want to highlight. By planning your content at least one month in advance, you can ensure that you are providing value to your followers and keeping your social media presence fresh and engaging. 

Leverage Automation Tools 

Schedule your posts using social media management tools 

Social media management tools allow you to plan and schedule your posts in advance, ensuring that you always have fresh content to share with your followers. This means that you can batch your content creation process and schedule your posts for the week or month ahead, freeing up time for other tasks. Scheduling your posts also allows you to post at times when your audience is most likely to be active, even if you're not available to post in real time. This ensures that your posts are seen by the maximum number of people possible. 

Here are a few of our favorite social media scheduling tools: Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Later

There are many more, of course, so we encourage you to research options based on your specific circumstances and needs.

Use automation to engage with your followers 

Social media management tools allow you to set up automatic responses to common queries or comments, such as thanking someone for their comment or directing them to the appropriate resource. This helps to ensure that your followers receive a timely response, even if you're not available to respond in real time. Additionally, automation can help you keep up with the volume of comments and messages you receive, ensuring that no query goes unanswered. However, it's important to strike the right balance between automation and personalization, as you don't want to come across as robotic or impersonal. 

Consider outsourcing your social media management 

Outsourcing your social media management can be a great way to ensure that your social media presence is consistently high-quality and aligned with your business goals. Social media management freelancers or agencies can help you create a social media strategy, plan and create content, manage your social media accounts, and analyze your results. This can be especially useful for entrepreneurs who don't have the time or expertise to manage their social media presence in-house. Additionally, outsourcing your social media management can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices, ensuring that your social media presence remains competitive in your industry. While outsourcing your social media management does come with a cost, the time and energy saved can often be worth the investment in the long run. 

Gain Insights from Analytics 

Monitor your social media metrics 

By analyzing your metrics, you can determine what's working and what's not, and make adjustments to your strategy accordingly. Key metrics to monitor include engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic, and conversion rates. By tracking these metrics over time, you can identify patterns and trends and make data-driven decisions about how to optimize your social media presence. Additionally, monitoring your metrics allows you to track the success of specific campaigns or posts, helping you to refine your content and approach over time. 

In today's digital age, social media is an essential tool for entrepreneurs looking to build their brand, engage with their audience, and drive sales. However, time-strapped entrepreneurs often struggle to find the time to manage their social media presence effectively. By following the tips and tricks outlined in this article, including setting clear goals, creating a content plan, leveraging automation tools, and analyzing their metrics, entrepreneurs can optimize their social media presence and achieve the best possible results from their efforts.