Vasudha VeerannaSocial media automation is a boon, particularly when you’re strapped for time, and having trouble juggling all your social accounts. Despite the many advantages of automation, some people may warn you against using it to boost your social media marketing efforts on the following grounds. But let me tell you just why each of those reasons don’t hold water.
Myth 1: Scheduling content ahead of time may make your posts irrelevant
With the amount of content being published on social platforms, vetting for your audience’s attention is no mean task. If you want to make sure that you stay on top of their stream of notifications, and do so consistently, you will have to share posts more and more frequently. The only way you can achieve both volume and consistency in your social media activities is by scheduling content in advance. The trick is to make sure that you share evergreen content, which limits time sensitivity. But also bear in mind that your posting schedule need not be set in stone. Keep your schedule flexible, and leave room for the occasional impromptu posts.
Myth 2: It leaves you with little control over the content you share
Scheduling social content means you’ll be able to determine exactly what your social accounts will look like days, or even months in advance. If anything, automating your content schedule will only increase the control you exercise over it. You can filter the content you post based on the message you’d like to share with your audience. Review each piece of content before it goes live to ensure that it resonates with your audience.
Myth 3: Automating social media makes it less personal
One of the primary objectives of social media marketing is to build a following for your brand, and establish a relationship with your followers. Social media automation does nothing to interfere with how your followers interact with your brand, or how you choose to interact with them. On the contrary, it helps you streamline your social media activities and save time on recurring tasks such as posting content to your social accounts. In effect, it gives you more time on your hands to participate in conversations with your followers and engage with them.
Myth 4: Automation tools could burn a hole in your pocket
While popular enterprise tools could prove to be heavy on your budget, there are several social media automation tools that are available for free. Since each of these tools offer a unique value proposition, choose your social media arsenal with care. The tools you should use will depend on the social media platforms you choose to optimize. Considering that the focus of your social media efforts will lie in a few specific social platforms, you should use tools that are built specifically for them.
Myth 5: Using automation will leave you behind on live conversations
A dangerous assumption that some managers and business owners make is that automation can completely replace the human element to social media marketing. There are a bunch of automation tools available today that let you achieve different levels of efficiency. Some help you find and share great content, some give you greater insight into your audience’s behavior, others help you measure the success of your efforts. There are also tools that can track live conversations relevant to your niche. All you need to do is listen.
Automation can not only help leverage your social presence across multiple platforms but can also help you save a significant amount of time and manpower, which you can then invest in growing your business.
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