As I write this, summer 2024 is in full swing, many people enjoying time off, relaxing or just adopting slower summer hours. This is a great time to review your current social media programs and make plans for the final 6 months of the year. With summer in full bloom for the western hemisphere folks and the landscapes green and lush like to photo above, this is also an excellent time to update photos for your social media, website or digital marketing programs. For those of us in the north, photos with snow and cold attached to them never leaving you feeling great, so be sure to audit your photos as well and make any updates that are needed.

Don’t let your social media presence be barren.

This is a reminder that it is important to post to your social channels even if you have not posted in some time. It is never too late to start, and it is never too late to connect with someone new. Remember that a profile that has not posted for weeks or months does not reflect well on the audience. It leaves the audience with the impression that:

• Business may not be good.
• The business may be closed.
• You are no longer interested in posting (thus no need to continue to follow you).
• Your paid social media program ended or the employee you had placed in charge of social media is no longer employed.
• Any combination of the above.

Be useful.

There has never been this many social media users EVER – meaning your potential audience has never been bigger. At the same time, you are facing the LARGEST number of competitors ever on social media. They are directly competing with your posts and your audiences time, which is where a shift is happening.

Many accounts are now posting less frequently but what they are posting is higher quality content. Be sure that your content will help the audience in some way.

Make yourself felt. Shine forth with the torch of your passion and your love.

Let your guard down and let the audience in. They want to see you, know you and connect with you on a deeper level. You need to connect with them on a deeper level. You can’t do this if the audience doesn’t understand you or feels your passion. Passion for your company, product, service, organization, cause or whatever it may be. The audience needs to know what motivates you and the motivation must come from the heart out of love. Giving a thank you to someone on social media can go a long way.

How do you do this? Tell a story that demonstrates your passion, knowledge, compassion or leadership. Educate them. Motivate them. Help them. 

You need to remember that the persona that you are developing on social media must be true to your identity in person. If there is a disconnect between what you communicate on social media and how you act and carry yourself in person than the audience will quickly recognize the disconnect and you run the risk of losing them forever. Sometimes you only get 1 chance to make a first impression!

With your social media campaign, wipe out the trail of filth and slime left by your haters.

Let’s face it haters are everywhere. If you haven’t come across any consider yourself lucky as they will likely arrive at some point. You need to remember that if you have not posted in some time, not very frequently or you have not posted anything of value to help the audience, then it will be more difficult to overcome the haters. With a social media profile full of positive, high quality and value-added posts, when a hater comes along they are seen as an outcast/outlier as it directly contradicts the tone of what has been conveyed on the channel. Regularly posting positive comments or testimonials is another way to wipe out the trail of filth left by those haters, drowning out their hatred with the love others have for you, your company, your work or just your post.

Make a commitment now to set time aside in your calendar to create a post to thank someone on social media (and be sure to tag them).