Resources
Part of telling your digital story is knowing the tools available to you. This is not a comprehensive list, it's just a few of the tools I regularly use:
- Feedly -- my RSS feeder of choice, great for finding content across numerous blogs and websites
- Canva -- a great free tool for simple photo editing and graphic creation
- IFTTT -- "If This, Then That." You can build simple automation between your different platforms (BUT never autopost content!)
- TweetDeck -- a great tool to manage your Twitter lists
- Hootsuite/Buffer -- both great for scheduling tweets, Hootsuite is also a great social listening tool (BUT schedule Facebook content natively within Facebook -- here's an explainer post that walks you through the process)
- bit.ly -- let's you create shortened links. Primarily useful with an account (still free), where you can customize your links
- GetEmoji -- let's you access emoji's on your desktop
- Facebook Pages to Watch -- gives you insight into what your partners and competitors are doing well on Facebook. Here is an explainer post I wrote on why they are important and how to set yours up.
- Google Alerts -- Google will send you an email whenever one of your key terms is mentioned on the internet
- MailChimp -- a free tool to manage your email program
- Facebook Insights -- your analytics won't give you any answers, but they'll give you great questions! Find your by going to your brand page and navigating from "page" to "insights"
Tips and Concepts
Follow the 80/20 Rule (of Thumb)
20% of your content should be about your brand and your offerings.
80% of your content should be helpful for your audience.
Created Content vs. Curated Content
Created content is anything you create.
Curated content is anything you find in the world and repurpose for your audience. This can include articles, memes and the like.
Ideal Post Length
Facebook posts with 40 characters or less receive 86% more engagement compared to longer posts.
Here is a more thorough breakdown.
Posting Frequency
As a rule of thumb, I recommend you post a minimum of 3-5x per week and a maximum of 3-5x per day.
Native Video on Facebook
If you have the video (meaning you created it yourself or hired someone to make it for you), always upload it directly to Facebook, as opposed to sharing as a link. You will see significantly higher views and reach.
Blogging
The three primary reasons for blogging:
It's always better to blog on your own site (because of reasons 1 and 2 laid out above). But if you can't, consider one of these alternatives:
20% of your content should be about your brand and your offerings.
80% of your content should be helpful for your audience.
Created Content vs. Curated Content
Created content is anything you create.
Curated content is anything you find in the world and repurpose for your audience. This can include articles, memes and the like.
Ideal Post Length
Facebook posts with 40 characters or less receive 86% more engagement compared to longer posts.
Here is a more thorough breakdown.
Posting Frequency
As a rule of thumb, I recommend you post a minimum of 3-5x per week and a maximum of 3-5x per day.
Native Video on Facebook
If you have the video (meaning you created it yourself or hired someone to make it for you), always upload it directly to Facebook, as opposed to sharing as a link. You will see significantly higher views and reach.
Blogging
The three primary reasons for blogging:
- Great for your website's SEO (search engine optimization)
- A good blog can serve as a bridge between your social media and your website
- It makes you an expert in your field!
It's always better to blog on your own site (because of reasons 1 and 2 laid out above). But if you can't, consider one of these alternatives:
- Facebook notes
- LinkedIn Pulse
- Tumblr
- Medium
Connecting
If you haven't already, connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and/or Instagram. And consider signing up for my mailing list, which I use to promote events and share helpful tips and tricks to help you master your social media.
And of course if you are looking for a training, a consultation, a digital audit, a personalized comprehensive digital strategy or anything else to help you better tell your digital story, drop me a line:
And of course if you are looking for a training, a consultation, a digital audit, a personalized comprehensive digital strategy or anything else to help you better tell your digital story, drop me a line: