Social media management isn’t easy. From all the different platforms out there to interacting with fans and followers, it can seem like an overwhelming task, especially in light of your other duties at work. But have no fear, because Salesforce has created an infographic to help you keep your head from spinning when you think about your daily social media duties.
The infographic goes platform-by-platform and details how much time to spend on each so that your posting and engaging for the day is done in just 30 minutes. That’s right, just half an hour each day can create an engaged and active presence for your company on social media. Some key points from the infographic include:
- Schedule social media updates (Tweets, Facebook posts, etc.) ahead of time to save precious minutes later in the week.
- Automate as much as possible without sacrificing personal engagement so that your time is better spent.
- Different platforms beg different kinds of content; check out Salesforce’s recommendations below.
About the Author: Samantha Gale is a social media and content marketing specialist working for 60 Second Communications, a full-service marketing agency working with brands around the globe.
View Comments (17)
Great infographics. I never thought that using social media could only take 30 minutes of our time. Thanks a lot!
Hi Barbara. Glad you liked it! Good to see you again.
Jamie, are you really getting it done in 30 minutes yourself? I'm still in research mode on all things social and I must admit it's pretty daunting. I'm leaning toward gravitating to one tool at a time, trying to master it, handing it off to a sales team member with instructions and then integrating the next tool. Does The 60 Second Marketer use a team to get their social done?
Great question, David, and I'm glad you asked it. Hopefully, some of our other readers will check this comment because it gives an accurate representation of how much time/effort it takes to run a campaign.
The bottom line is that we're always, always, always trying to find ways to be more efficient, which is why we read, digest and post infographics like the one above.
That said, I spend at least 1 hour a day writing a blog post, about 20 minutes a day sending out that blog post via our daily e-newsletter, and about another hour a day stirring things up via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. So, I spend 2 to 3 hours a day on social media.
The trick (for me, anyway) hasn't been about devoting huge blocks of time as much as it's been about a slow and steady efforts amounting to about 30% of my time.
A CFO might say that the hours I've spent getting the 60 Second Marketer where it is today don't show a positive ROI, but I would say that the visibility and prestige it brings to my marketing agency (60 Second Communications) is immeasurable.
Long story short -- I spend 30% of my time on social media for 60 Second Marketer (including writing blogs, which is critical). A CFO would say "show me the ROI" and I'd say "I can knock on just about any door and get my target to answer my emails or respond to my calls." That's where the value comes in for me.
Thanks for a great question!
Thanks for such a great response to that question. Love the "I can knock on just about any door and get my target to answer my emails or respond to my calls."
Thanks for being so transparent, Jamie. Transparency is the most intriguing and appealing portion of Social Media for me and I believe it has the equivalent impact of Gutenberg's Press if we're willing to embrace it--at least in marketing/sales, if not in a larger application..
I'm testing the various levels of social media in four iteratives right now: a mid-sized retail/specialty supply house (B2B; customers are utility workers); an incubator setting including an audience-based business (B2C), a landscape retail store (B2B, B2C), and a specialty construction application (B2B, B2C). Three of the four set on the very fringes of "ideal social contacts", so I believe if I can prove social value in these settings (especially the B2Bs), I think I can develop a winning combination for just about every application of social we come across next.
You're absolutely right in regards to selling the social-marketing concept up the ladder and I fear that a lot of good potential social programs will fall by the wayside in larger companies because of the desire for immediate ROI. It could open the door for corporate landscape change further down the road as these smaller companies reach critical mass with their content.
Working in Social is very similar to the first book I published. Everyone asked me, "How many copies have you sold?" And I'd smile and reply, "Not many, really," Knowing full well that the book was a major contributing factor in the way people accepted me when I'd make a sales call. Lay a book down on someone's desk along with your business card and they'll consider you an expert--even if the book is published on a totally irrelevant subject to the business you have going on with them. I might have only made thousands with sales of that book, but it garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales in my primary businesses.
Make the investment in social, folks. I really believe it's going to pay off big for you in the end.
Great thoughts, David. I didn't know you were an author. Me, too, and I've had the same exact experience -- it's not about the number of books sold as much as it is about having a book published that counts.
Great stuff. See you again soon.
Terrific, practical information as always, Jamie! As far as automation goes, which services have you found to be the most efficient and reliable? Hoot Suite and Buffer seem to be top of the mind for most of us, but I wonder if you have another preference. Thanks again for all you do. :-)
Hi John -- A few months ago, I did an in-depth analysis of the social media management tools that are out there. The net net for me was SproutSocial, which is a really great tool. Give it a try -- but keep in mind that it's not about the tool as much as it's about the person using the tool.
Good luck! And thanks for the kind words.
Cheers,
Jamie
". . . keep in mind that it's not about the tool as much as it's about the person using the tool." Good point, Jamie. Just because I own a hammer, doesn't make me a carpenter. :-)
I'll check out SproutSocial.
Good luck with SproutSocial, John. It's a great tool.
Thanks for sharing this, Jamie. I don't know how realistic Salesforce's time allocations are, but it really helps break down the seemingly overwhelming task of consistent SM engagement into bite-size portions. It's easily adaptable based on individual businesses. Cheers!
Glad it was helpful, Adam! Thanks.
Hey Jamie, one of the most-oft asked questions I get from potential clients is: "How much time do I have to spend on social media?" It looks / sounds / feels overwhelming before they even start, and I try to help by suggesting they just try one account at a time until they feel comfortable, then add another. This infographic from Pardot is beautiful, it sings to me :-) And I can share it with my clients to help ease their fears. Thanks a zillion, love it!
Thanks for the input, Teena. That's a great way to explain things to your clients!
Great info graphic and guidelines to how much time to spend on social media. Sometimes people just need to hear it is okay to not spend hours and hours on social media, you can be successful with a defined approach.
The key is what you said, Lisa -- a "defined approach." Thanks!