Have you ever wondered, should you automate your social media? It does make sense, especially if you’re trying to save time and batch your posts. There are, however, benefits to posting “live” in some instances.
Does your audience need to know or feel that you’re there 24/7? Not really. Do they like to believe they’re being heard and their posts read even if you’re not posting live? Of course, they do. Social media, is by its very name “social.” It’s a place to build relationships, make connections and have conversations.
Should You Automate Your Social Media?
You can schedule and automate your social media posts. Be aware, though that some platforms, Facebook especially, will not rank your content as high as if you posted live or as if you used its own scheduler. This is something to keep in mind, just as you want to keep in mind what your followers will think if they see that every one of your posts is “scheduled by (Hootsuite, Tweetdeck, etc.)”
We know, you just can’t always “be there” live and nor should you be. Here are some reasons you might want to consider scheduling and automating your social media posts.
- Make your to-do list easier. If you have a few moments and can sit down and batch post social media content, then you should. If there is a choice of not posting or to using a scheduler, it’s better to be in front of your followers than to not have them hear from you.
- Consistency is important to social media visibility. If your followers wait to see your posts, then give the people what they want! Be there, front and center for them. Provide them valuable information throughout the day and stay in touch.
- Raise your brand awareness by the simple act of showing up. Today’s savvy customers want to do business with brands they feel they know, like and can trust. If you are sharing quality content, you are building that relationship and sharing your brand message.
Even on those days when you use a scheduler to post your social media comments and updates, you still need to make time to respond to individuals who have responded to you.