Everybody wants to know how much time is the best amount to spend on social media. And there are plenty of people out there working away trying to figure out the perfect answer. Well how about I let you in on a little secret?
There is no catch all perfect answer
The is only the perfect answer for you. If you like constantly having your favourite social media feed open while you work and flicking backwards and forward to see what’s going on then that’s what is perfect for you. If however you like to spend the odd five minutes here and there just flicking through the most recent items, that’s great too. And even if you only want to look at it once a day, that’s fine because that’s what you’re comfortable with.
Limits and minimums are not a good idea
There is no point in saying ‘I should be spending two hours a day looking at this stuff’ or ‘I mustn’t spend more than an hour on it’. It’s just going to cause you anguish. And so as long as it doesn’t interfere with whatever else you’re doing then do as you please. Be social to your heart’s content, because it’s the best thing for you.
Keep to a comfortable routine
You should fit social media to you and not let it dictate to you. The best content on social media is always the natural and honest content that hasn't been forced. Forced content not only gives you a headache but often isn't as enjoyable to read. If you only have a small amount of social media in you then that's all you can give. Be content with it because it's the best that you can do. However, if you're really not happy then you can always ask someone else in your office to help to contribute.
Having several contributors does help
Having more than one person in the office contributing to the social media accounts can be very beneficial. It can help to give a rounded view of the business and let readers feel included in office goings on. You should however tell readers that more than one person is tweeting on the account and sign each tweet with a name or initials. This lets people know that tweets that might not sound quite the same are in fact from different authors.
But remember don’t let someone else tell you the perfect answer, you already know.
Lara-Jane Kokolski - Social media professional specialising in content creation for a range of platforms and sectors.
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