Maximize Social Media Presence with Minimal Time
Social Media is a powerful tool, but it can also be a harsh mistress. Because of the instant nature of social media, we can fool ourselves into spending too much time tending to it. We get a Tweet from someone, we think we need to return it right away. If we aren’t careful, we can spend a disproportionate amount of time on various social media sites.
There is probably an optimum amount of time to spend on social media every day. And it’s probably a lot less than most of us spend.
Today at #crafterminds, we chatted about maximizing your social media presence with minimal time. As always, our chatters shared tons of wisdom, and we all left the chat thinking a little harder about WHY we spend so much time engaging in social media.
Join us every Monday at 4pm & 8pm for #crafterminds Twitter chat
Maximize Social Media Presence with Minimal Time — Chat Highlights:
- One key trick is to realize that YOU are in charge, not Social Media. It’s okay if a parade passes you by.
- Use 3rd party social media management apps like Hootsuite
- You can use Hootsuite to schedule tweets & FB fan page updates
- With scheduled SM updates, you can relax & unplug for a period of time and still “be” there
- RT @taunitweets: Concentrate on the tools that are right for your audience, rather than EVERY tool.
- Auto-posting can be a way to help you maximize your time, but needs to be paired with manual updating, too.
- RT @taunitweets: Use analytics to track effectiveness so you can spend your time at right place & right time.
- Using analytics: check site referrals & see what top 2 or 3 social media sites are & what % traffic they send
- And, beware of social media metrics, like @klout. You DON’T need to spend a lot of time getting a better klout score.
- A lot of social media is game-ified. They want to trick you into spending more time doing it.
- Increasing your klout score is just a game. You can spend time on it… but why?
- Just because a social media platform exists, doesn’t mean you need to engage with it.
- Know WHY you are engaging. Have a purpose when you turn on social media.
- Use your time as you intend to. Decide in advance how much time you will spend on FB, Twitter & set a timer.
- RT @taunitweets: constantly reminding myself to spend less time focusing upon the tools and more time focusing upon my goals.
- Make sure you know what your LIFE priorities are so your fake social media obligations don’t overshadow them.
- By “fake social media obligations” I mean… SM will go on w/out you. Your life won’t.
- More about StumbleUpon at CM: http://t.co/wDJOLCBB and http://t.co/QPMsqIAL
- Things I do to save time: 1. auto-tweet when new post goes up, 2. use hootsuite, 3. admit when i’m wasting time
- Ask yourself: would you rather [insert “i would love to” here] or sit on your butt & do SM for an extra hour?
- RT @iLoveToCreate: Establish routine you follow to knock out your social media promotions. Follow it and avoid time wasters.
- Just bc it is easy to sit at your computer and putz on social media, doesn’t mean it is a good idea
- RT @skullsandponies: Spot on! The “perfect” blogger is just that. Perfect online, but probably not living life to the full!
- Turn off SM notifications on your phone.
- I am a huge believer in owning my time. I don’t answer the door or the phone if I don’t want to. Same for SM.
- RT @iLoveToCreate: If you dont have time/forget to tweet/share online one day, life goes on and theres always the next day!
- If you are productive in the morning, DON’T do social media until later when you need a break
- Spend your prime productivity time PRODUCING. Don’t check email, social media, etc.
- Everyone is selfish. Even if they are nice/innocent motives, they will use up your time. Up to you to plan your day.
- Turn email notifications to less frequent – once an hour, etc. So they don’t distract you.
- RT @iLoveToCreate: Dont forget to appreciate the “likes” & comments from from ur real friends & family.
- Make a Top 3 list – top 3 things you’d like to get done today. Is social media on there (answer: NO! haha!)
- RT @SewCatSew: Thanks all – Happy Thanksgiving and remember No Tweeting while youre eating!
Image: Dandelion (Time Flies) by Neal on Twitter, licensed via creative commons
Image: No Tweeting While You’re Eating by me – feel free to pin! I made a free printable here. 🙂
Full transcript for the chat is below:
11 21 2011 Crafterminds Transcript
