Social media is constantly changing. It’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the sheer thought of trying to keep up with the never-ending updates, announcements and shifts as they occur. While there’s no arguing that it can be daunting, it doesn’t have to be a burden. Putting the right plan in place can keep you up-to-date with minimal hassle.
We’ve found three great ways to help navigate the ever-changing waters of social media and stay in the know.
If you’ve been trying to keep up with the latest trends and information surrounding the world of social media, then you’ve likely taken notice of several key publications that you can rely on. That’s a great first step in staying up-to-date. But, let’s be honest, you probably aren’t checking those sources as often as you’d like.
It can be tough to carve out a few hours each week to gather research on each social media platform. Instead, make your life easier by subscribing to the publications you find the most reputable and informative. This way, the information will find its way into your inbox and you can skim over it when you find an extra minute in your day. A few recommendations? Facebook Business Blog , Jon Loomer , TechCrunch , and Social Media Today .
It seems so simple!
The easiest way to understand how social media is changing is to see and experience it first-hand when you log into your accounts. However, if you’re using a social media scheduling and monitoring tool, you might be surprised to find how easy it is to go extended periods of time without actually logging into any of your platforms.
Make it a point to log in and look through each of your social media platforms at least a few times each week. Other than simply being the best way to make sure everything has posted correctly and is free of typos, this will allow you to discover any new changes. Something major - like a layout change will stick out immediately. But for smaller changes you’ll need to dive further. Consider some native posting just to see if everything is still the way you’d expect.
Additionally, scoping out your competitors’ social media channels will give you a heads up on any new trends that have hit or popular industry topics that are circulating.
It can be so enticing to jump on board with the latest social media platform or feature when it launches, but it might be in your best interest to wait until the hype wears down to determine when, if ever, it’s worth pursuing.
If you fall prey to ‘shiny objects syndrome’ you could end up taking on more social media accounts than you can handle. This can lead to shotty posts and ultimately leave platforms forgotten altogether-making a way worse impression than having no presence on a particular channel.
It is imperative that you always keep your audience and your goals top-of-mind. If the new feature or platform doesn’t add anything to your current strategy or help you meet your goals, then it’s probably best to walk away.
Plus, you never know if the ‘latest and greatest’ will last. There’s been more than one social media platform that started big and quickly fizzled out. However, if you want to jump in, just limit the time and resources until you better understand how it will pan out. Then, by monitoring social media news, you can also see if a trend is here to stay and adopt accordingly.
Dealing with social media changes doesn’t have to lead to stress or rash decisions. Keep these three tips in mind and you’ll be prepared for whatever social media throws your way.