It's no secret that managing social media is overwhelming. From platform changes to updated features, even the most seasoned social media manager can feel the pressure to keep up.

So how can you navigate the anxiety and manage social media without losing your mind?

The answers aren't as hard as you think.

In this episode of the Brand Authority Podcast, I share how to grow your social media presence in a focused, effective, and productive way.

Tune in!

Subscribe to Brand Authority Podcast on iTunes

Highlights from episode 27

Be strategic

If you've ever hopped onto social media and found that you've wasted an hour on Instagram, Twitter or YouTube, you need a strategy.

Not only will a social media strategy guard your time, but will also help bring clarity and focus to the reason behind your why...

Why you're using social media
Why it supports the growth of your company
Why it's the best place to find and connect with your audience

With it you can act on purpose, stay clear of time-wasting activities, and instead - focus on the money-making tasks pushing you towards your goals.

Source: Blurbpoint

To create your strategy, answer the following questions:

How does social media work in harmony with each of your offline and online efforts?
What does social media success within your business look like?
What social networks support your business growth?
Where are your customers spending their time?
What are your customers talking about and how can you become a valuable resource for them?

Once you're clear about social media's purpose in your business, it's time to put your plan in place.

Daily social media plan

To create your daily social media plan, write down the what, where, when, and how.

WHAT action are you taking (e.g. posting, commenting, sharing)?
WHERE is this action taking place - on what social channels?
WHEN are you performing this action and how long will it take?
HOW are you going to manage this and how will you track your results?

Begin by identifying the most important aspects of your social media plan.

A well-built plan should include:

A clear list of goals and objectives
An audit of your existing social media presence
Competitive analysis
A basic social media content strategy
A social media calendar
Established methods for measurement and analysis

Not sure where to start? Go here to grab my social media planner.

Social media checklist

Your checklist will allow you to be consistent and strategic while doing the same things day in and day out.

Think about what social networks you use, and what actions you need to take every day.

Now write those down.

If you're not sure what these actions are, download my daily social media checklist.

Delegate

Finding the right people and delegating tasks to them may be a struggle at first, but it will free you up to focus on the more important things.

To get the most out of delegation, surround yourself with people who have a gift in areas that complement your strengths.

Sit down and think about what you can delegate to free up a few hours of your time.

Now write down your 3 areas of genius - the three things only you can do, and the ones that brought you to where you are.

These should be tasks that when you focus more time on them, they'll radically transform your business.

Final thoughts

It's possible to manage your social media presence without getting overwhelmed. All you need is a strategy and plan that supports your mission, vision, and values.

Once you have your strategy in place, commit to working on it every day. With that, you'll begin to build momentum and that gives you the freedom to track, measure, revise, and review.

Never stop learning!