This is an archived blog from when I ran Conscious Public Relations Inc. from 2008-2018. Excuse the potential outdated-ness!
I had a busy morning today so wasn’t able to blog during my regular time (anywhere between 8:30-9:30am weekdays) so while on transit I asked my networks: What do you think I should blog about today?
My friend Christine asked me on Twitter how I keep social media organized. Here are my tips:
1) Schedule times to be “on” it
Ever since Google+ came into the world and I began using it (followed by Pinterest not long after) I thought, well this is going to get crazy. I have no staff that work with me, and I already invest quite a bit of time on Facebook and Twitter, where I have the most engagers. So I had to start somewhat of a schedule for myself. This is what it looks like:
8:30-9:30am
- Browse Google+ network headlines (this requires you to follow a few people… or else you will have nothing to read)
- Browse Pinterest (again, you will have to follow some other boards… but that won’t be too hard; Pinterest is quite intuitive when it comes to suggesting people to follow that are already in your Facebook or Twitter network).
- Weekday blogging on ConsciousPR.com
9am-12pm and 1-5pm
- If a client gets a media mention, I will tweet it on their networks (if given access) and possibly even on my own. I like to post the TV coverage I get on my YouTube channel, and if it’s a news article I post the .jpg on my Facebook page.
- Since I am on the networks already I might glance to see if someone sent me something important. But I usually reserve this time to do client work so I generally don’t browse news feeds during this time.
12pm
- During lunch hour, I check into Twitter. I check if anyone mentioned or messaged me (the obvious) and then also browse certain lists that I have created to categorize the people I follow on Twitter: Media, Social Media/Bloggers. Then I check my Home feed. This usually takes no more than 15 minutes, as I have no time to check all 2,000 tweets from the last few hours. I use Hootsuite to check in (see #2).
5pm
- I try to wrap up my work around this time, then go to Facebook to check out what friends and family are up to as well as the feeds of the Pages I follow.
- I check all my blog feeds at this time too, even though I’d actually like to reserve this for the morning when I am also checking the regular news headlines.
- If my night isn’t busy, I might check Facebook again later before bed, as people will usually respond to my messages, comments, etc. from earlier.
All of this combined is about 1.5-2 hours of my day, depending on how long it took me to blog in the morning.
You may notice I left out Linkedin; I must admit I underutilize this network and should probably be on it for longer time than some of the others. They are adding more features each year like the Endorsements just recently, and I haven’t endorsed as many skills for others as much as they have for me.
I usually get headlines, connection updates, group discussion feeds, and connection requests via e-mail from Linkedin though, which helps me keep in the loop.
The secret to managing the multiple networks is also using idle time (ie. sitting on transit, waiting in lines, etc.) to check in via my iPhone. Apps I use daily are: Hootsuite, Facebook + Facebook Pages, Pinterest, and Instagram, Foursquare and Yelp just for fun when there are photo opps and I’m at restaurants, etc. So staying mobile helps to keep me “checked in” even though I’m engaging outside my scheduled times.
As for YouTube, I only use it if I get clients on TV and have something to post, or if I am doing the very infrequent video blog. However I plan on segmenting more of my personal blogs from my business account later on.
2) Use Hootsuite
We as Vancouverites should be proud of our homegrown Hootsuite. I haven’t used Tweetdeck, but Hootsuite is a godsend not just for managing your Twitter lists (you have three basic feeds already: Mentions, Direct Messages, and Home Feed), but also feeds from other networks like Facebook.
I usually don’t use Hootsuite to check other network feeds because I like to go into the actual interface of the network. Hootsuite is AMAZING for scheduling tweets for different times of the day (or month!), shortening links, and posting on multiple networks. They also have tracking features which I haven’t explored that much yet.
I generally don’t advise to use Hootsuite or the cross-network post option to post the same message on EVERY network, because you have to keep in mind the different audiences… and for me, business vs. personal networks are quite different. However I will sometimes post where I think the message applies across the board. Like my blog link, for example.
Like I said, I was unable to blog in the morning but knew I wanted to do it eventually, so I used the Hootsuite app to send a message across the board and ask what I should blog about today.
3) Completing profiles + consistent messaging
Another way to keep organized is to fully update your profile as much as you can when you first create an account. There’s nothing worse than having an awesome Twitter or Facebook presence and then adding someone on Instagram and seeing no photos, or a black bubble graphic on a Google+ profile. So I would suggest if you are not ready to get activated on one network, just get your profile photo(s) and bio messages together (which you can even just copy and paste from some of the other networks) first so that when you are ready, that info is at arm’s reach. After that, then it’s just engage, engage, engage!
4) Staying up to date on trends
I gotta admit, I am a follower no matter how much people may think I’m an expert at social media. I follow several blogs to keep in the loop on what’s going on in the social media world: 6S Marketing (a digital marketing firm that always stays on top of things), Keynote Social Media (Shane Gibson’s company blog… not updated recently), MarketingProfs‘ Social Media feed, Rebecca Coleman, Six Pixels of Separation (podcast by Mitch Joel of Twist Image), Mashable‘s Social Media feed, and Tod Maffin.
Hope that helps you – thanks Christine for the inspiration!
