Success On .Social

Category: Content Creation

  • Stop Hacking, Start Creating

    Stop Hacking, Start Creating

    Hacks Are Not The Answer

    Stop Chasing Social Media Hacks: When What Actually Works in Content Creation

    If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “best Instagram strategies for 2025” or scrolling endlessly through videos promising “the one secret to growing your audience overnight,” this post is for you. Also, this post may hurt, because the magic isn’t in hacks, trends, or quick fixes. It’s in the work you do day after day, showing up for your audience and improving over time. One step, one post, one lesson at a time.

    Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what actually works when it comes to content creation—and no, it doesn’t involve buying yet another course or following the latest viral trend.

    Why Hacks and Trends Won’t Build a Sustainable Strategy

    Hacks and trends promise quick results, but they rarely deliver long-term growth. Why? Because they’re often built around gaming a system that’s constantly changing. Just a heads up the algorithm and those people that work at places like Instagram, they know what you are doing before you know what you are doing. So a successful hack one day is a failed account the next. Then add in all the variables that exist on your account and nobody elses. Stop trying to beat the system and do the work needed to work with the system.

    Content creation isn’t about outsmarting Instagram or TikTok—it’s about connecting with your audience, building trust, and providing value. That takes time and consistency, not shortcuts. So, what should you focus on instead? Four key aspects that will lead to success with your content creation.

    Four Key Aspects of Content Creation

    Create Content Regularly (Even If It’s Not Perfect)

    Consistency beats perfection every time. Why? Because every piece of content you create is a chance to learn, connect, and grow your audience. Every piece of content should have a goal and no matter how it performs it reveals something about your audience.

    Here’s how to make consistency manageable:

    • Choose What You Want to Create Start with 2-3 one should be the content that you love to create the most (think of it as a reward for actually doing the thing) and the other needs to be the type of content that your audience loves to consume
    • Set a realistic schedule. You don’t need to post daily—3 times a week is enough to build momentum. Commit to your consistency and have your audience hold you accountable.
    • Repurpose like a pro. Turn a blog post into a carousel. Chop up a live session into Reels. A single idea can fuel multiple posts.

    Remember: Your audience isn’t looking for perfect—they’re looking for helpful, relatable, and consistent.

    Experiment With Formats, Styles, and Messaging

    The best way to figure out what works for your audience? Test, test, and test some more. Think of yourself as a content scientist, running experiments to see what resonates. If you haven’t tested it for yourself you have no idea if it is a good strategy for you. I recommend up to 20% of your content at any given time should be experimental.

    Inside my Signature Membership I teach the Rule of 3 when it comes to experimenting with content creation, and it is a bit more complex than it sounds but what you want to remember is that you want to always iterate off a proven success. Here are some things you can do when experimenting

    • Mix up your formats. Post a mix of videos, text-based posts, carousels, and infographics to see what grabs attention. Try to always post one video a week at least.
    • Try different tones. Alternate between storytelling, educational, and conversational posts.
    • Play with CTAs. Ask for comments, saves, shares—see what drives engagement.

    And don’t forget to review the results! Your analytics will tell you what’s working, so you can do more of that and less of what’s not.

    Learn From Experience (Not Just Data)

    Data is a powerful tool, but it’s not the only teacher. Your own experience and intuition are just as valuable.

    Here’s how to reflect on your content:

    • Ask yourself questions. After each post, think:
      • Did this feel aligned with my signature style?
      • Did it spark engagement or conversation?
      • What would I tweak next time?
    • Embrace the “flops.” A post that doesn’t perform isn’t a failure—it’s feedback. Use it to refine your approach.

    Over time, you’ll develop a better sense of what works for your unique audience.

    Focus on Building Trust, Not Just Followers

    Followers are nice, but trust is what actually builds a loyal community. And trust comes from showing up as your real (yeah, I said it) self. Show up on your profile, in lives, in the comments, on other peoples pages. The more you show up the more relationships you build. And relationships are the foundation of a successful business.

    Here’s how to create connection:

    • Show your face. People connect with people, not logos. Don’t be afraid to hop on Stories or share a behind-the-scenes moment.
    • Share your “why.” Let your audience in on your mission, your struggles, and what drives you.
    • Engage meaningfully. Respond to comments, answer DMs, and create content that feels like a conversation.

    The more consistent and genuine you are, the more trust you’ll earn—and that’s what leads to lasting growth.

    Why Consistency Beats Hacks Every Time

    At the end of the day, content creation is a long game. Hacks might give you a quick spike, but consistency is what builds a foundation for sustainable success. Here’s why this approach works:

    • You build a deeper connection with your audience over time.
    • You get better at creating content simply by doing it.
    • You develop a clear understanding of what works for your brand.

    Ready to Get to Work?

    The next time you’re tempted to chase the latest trend or hack, remember this: the magic isn’t in a secret strategy or a perfect post. It’s in the work you do, day after day, to show up, create, and connect. Remember Posted is better than PERFECT!

    So, what’s one thing you can commit to this week to level up your content game? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on.

  • Social Media 2025: Content Changes Keep On Coming

    Social Media 2025: Content Changes Keep On Coming

    Ready for a wild ride? Because social media is evolving faster than my four-year old nephew on a sugar high, and trust me—2025 is set to be the year you’ll want to remember.

    Right now, the platforms you’ve come to know and love (or love to hate) are changing, and so are your audiences. The good news? This new era is loaded with opportunities to stand out, connect deeply, and scale your coaching biz like never before.

    Ready to get ahead of the curve? Let’s dive into the specifics, tools, and tactics that’ll help you dominate 2025.

    Edutainment: Teach Them Something and Make It Fun

    Data Speaks:

    • 66% of users prefer “edutainment” as the most engaging form of brand content.
    • Nearly half of social users (48%) have increased their interactions with brands over the last six months.

    Why It Works:
    What do you use social media for when you get home at night? Many use it to find something to take their mind off their day, something that makes them laugh, something you can send to all the girls and say, “look thats us.” That is the content that is working.

    But if your content screams “boredom,” they’ll swipe away faster than you can say, “Next!” Enter edutainment, your golden ticket to feed their brains and make ’em smile. Think of it as a masterclass that’s also a stand-up comedy routine. Give them the goods, but keep it light.

    How to Adapt:

    • Be Relatable: Offer quick, practical tips that fit into their everyday chaos. Try a 30-second Character Reel on beating imposter syndrome where you play the coach and the client or a carousel with mindset hacks for Monday mornings.
    • Did I Mention Day in the Life: This type of content is always a win and always entertaining because people want that peek behind the curtain.
    • Show Your Personality: Sprinkle humor and show those behind-the-scenes bloopers. Authenticity is a buzzword; But your real weapon is being yourself.
    • Get Creative: Turn FAQs into fun skits, add animated text overlays, or experiment with illustrated storytelling. Don’t be afraid to go off-script—it’s the unexpected that hooks ’em.

    Short-Form Video: MVP Again in 2025

    Data Speaks:

    • Reels are still driving growth on Instagram, and speaking to the camera can help you connect with your audience.
    • TikTok continues to win hearts, especially among Gen Z and Millennials, with 54% engaging daily. However, the ban is looming so its future is unknown.

    Why It Works:
    Newsflash: attention spans are as short as a goldfish on espresso. 8-seconds is (sort of) out the window unless you capture them with something curious, unexpected, or completely odd! Short-form videos meet your audience’s need for speed. In under 30 seconds, you can intrigue, teach, and entertain. And remember from above, education is important.

    How to Adapt (and Shine):

    • Keep It Snappy: Aim for 8–20 seconds. Show a dramatic before-and-after transformation or drop a one-liner that makes them say, “Damn, I needed that.”
    • Try Speaking to Camera: This allows you to connect directly with your audience, make eye contact with your camera lens, and speak to them like you are at brunch… don’t talk down to them (they hate that).
    • Stay Consistent: One or two short-form videos a week can work wonders. Whether it’s a mini-client success story or a mindset hack, regular appearances build trust.

    Storytelling on LinkedIn: Your Professional Playground

    Data Speaks:

    • LinkedIn users crave personal stories mixed with professional advice. It is time to share your journey.
    • 67% of businesses now have a presence on LinkedIn, making it an active place for coaches to land clients.

    Why It Works:
    LinkedIn is no longer all polished résumés and corporate jargon. Your audience wants the backstory—why you do what you do, what you’ve learned, and how you’ve grown. Vulnerability shows you’re human, and humans trust humans.

    How to Adapt (and Connect):

    • Share Your Journey: Was it a career crisis or a personal “aha” moment that led you into coaching? Spill the details, showing both the struggles and the breakthroughs.
    • Celebrate Milestones: Hit 1,000 clients or launch a new program? Tell us why it matters. Give the backstory so your audience feels the victory with you. It is not about bragging so don’t post those big dollar days post the stories behind them.
    • Educate with Purpose: Whenever educating on social media, do so to get your audience to that next step. Post with a purpose.

    Micro-Virality: Big Wins in Small Circles

    Data Speaks:

    • 27% of social marketers now hop on cultural trends and memes that resonate with their niche.
    • Social listening helps pinpoint the micro-trends your specific audience is buzzing about.

    Why It Works (and what I have been saying)
    I love these moments because I have been saying this for years, and now the rest of the world is seeing what I mean! Forget virality, reach your people it is much more powerful. Gone are the days of trying to break the internet. Micro-virality means winning over a smaller, passionate segment—your people. Remember, a tight-knit crew that buys from you beats 100,000 random likes daily.

    How to Adapt (and Make Waves):

    • Stay Niche: Focus on 2–3 main themes your audience cares about—like mindset, self-care, or scaling to six figures. Don’t water yourself down by trying to be everything to everyone. That never works.
    • Trend with Intent: Hop on memes and challenges that fit your brand. Don’t force it—no one wants to see you dancing awkwardly if that’s not your thing… but if it is, well get down with yo bad self.
    • Invite Engagement: End posts with a question, like “What’s your biggest mindset hurdle this week?” Simple and direct, it sparks real conversation.

    Outbound Engagement: Another One I Have Harped On For A While Now

    Data Speaks:

    • 41% of brands are proactively commenting on others’ content.
    • Short, punchy comments (10–99 characters) drive the most engagement.

    Why It Works:
    If you’ve been lurking quietly, it’s time to step out of the shadows. Thoughtful comments on the right posts put you in front of the people who need your coaching. Think of it as networking without the awkward handshakes and stale appetizers. That is exactly what it is. Successful businesses are built on relationships, and those relationships begin by talking to people in comments on social media.

    How to Adapt (and Slay the Comment Game):

    • Follow the Right Accounts: Influencers, industry leaders, and niche hashtags are your playground. Hang out where your dream clients gather.
    • Add Value: Instead of “🔥🔥🔥” try “This tip is gold! I’d also add .” Show ’em you’re more than a pretty profile pic.
    • Be Consistent: Commit to 10 minutes a day for meaningful engagement. Your future clients will notice.

    Capturing Gen Z: Being Real is Your Key

    Data Speaks:

    • 68% of Gen Z uses TikTok for discovery, and 72% rely on Instagram for customer care.
    • Gen Z cares about you being a real ass human and values-driven brands.

    Why It Works:
    Gen Z is a no-BS crowd. They’ve grown up online, spotting fakes like a hawk spots a mouse. To win them over, show your real face, values, and humor. The realness is what it takes, so stop hiding behind branding and templates… yes I am talking to you!

    How to Adapt:

    • Show Your Values: Are you big on mental health, diversity, or sustainability? Let ’em know.
    • Use Humor: Memes, stories, or self-aware jokes—just keep it real and relevant.
    • Keep It Snappy: Stick to their go-to platforms (TikTok, Instagram) and serve up fast-paced content that respects their time.

    AI: Your New Best Friend (and here I admit I was wrong but also right)

    Data Speaks:

    • 77% of social marketers now use AI for content creation.
    • Teams using AI saw a 95% productivity boost last year.

    Why It Works:

    I have said that AI is the worst thing to ever happen to social media content in this podcast. I admit that may have been an over-exaggeration, but it’s important to remember that you need to be visible in your content. If it’s all AI, it won’t connect. Don’t let AI write your content; use it to make the process smoother. I write my posts, feed them to AI for revision, and then add my spin back in if it was stripped in the revision process. AI isn’t here to steal your thunder but to help you shine brighter. It saves time, sparks creativity, and helps you analyze what’s working. Think of AI as your digital sidekick—minus the cape.

    How to Adapt (and Make It Work for You):

    • Brainstorm Faster: Use AI to come up with some ideas, or additional ideas based on what you put in
    • Revise Better: You can use tools like ChatGPT to revise blog posts for you, and clean up your Instagram posts. Just make sure to add your personality back in.
    • Analyze Smarter: AI-powered insights show you which posts hit home and where to pivot for even better engagement.

    Build a Community That Loves You Back

    Data Speaks:

    • Facebook groups remain a powerful tool for fostering engagement.
    • LinkedIn is quickly becoming a hub for authentic professional communities.

    Why It Works:
    People crave belonging. A tight-knit community means you’re not just a “content creator” but a leader of your own mini-universe. Members become your advocates, cheerleaders, and yes—paying clients.

    How to Adapt (and Create Your Tribe):

    • Start a Group: Launch a niche Facebook or LinkedIn group. “Mindset Mastery for Coaches,” anyone?
    • Host Live Events: Hold Q&As, challenges, or coffee chats. When people feel heard and involved, they stick around.
    • Celebrate Wins: Highlight community success stories. Shoutouts and high-fives create a positive feedback loop.

    Social Listening: Your Secret Weapon

    This is a whole blog by itself, coming soon!

    Data Speaks:

    • 62% of marketers use social listening tools, making it a top strategy priority.
    • Real-time insights can boost web traffic by a whopping 35%.

    Why It Works:
    Instead of guessing what your audience wants, how about just, you know, listening? Social listening lets you be a digital detective, uncovering hot topics, pain points, and must-have insights you can use in your content.

    How to Adapt (and Eavesdrop Like a Pro):

    • Use the Right Tools: Sprout Social, Hootsuite, or Brandwatch—find your weapon of choice.
    • Spot Trends Early: If everyone’s stressing about a particular challenge, address it before they even ask.
    • Get Feedback: Poll your audience, survey them, or just ask, “What do you need help with this month?” Their answers guide your next moves.

    2025 is Your Year to Shine

    Social media in 2025 isn’t about doing all the things. It’s about doing the right things. From edutainment and storytelling to building communities and leveraging AI, the future of social is all about being human, value, and real human connection. You’ve got the strategies, you’ve got the tools—now go out there and make some magic happen. And hey, if you need a co-pilot on this journey, I’ve got your back. Together, we’ll craft a killer strategy to turn your social media presence into a revenue-driving, audience-loving powerhouse.

    So go on, superstar coach—2025 is waiting. Let’s seize it and make it our best year yet.

  • Write Social Media Captions that Add Value

    Write Social Media Captions that Add Value

    Mastering the Art of Captions

    A value-packed caption can be as impactful as a photo that tells a story. Captions aren’t just a nice-to-have anymore—unless you’re a celebrity or influencer like Kim Kardashian. The right caption can transform a good post into a great one and make a great post blow up! If you’re still stuck in the past, thinking captions don’t matter, here’s the reality check: Captions Matter!

    A great caption speaks directly to your audience. It’s easy to read, easy to understand, and it grabs attention while adding value. Does that sound like a lot for just a few words? Maybe, but leaving the caption blank and hoping for the best won’t cut it. Social media marketing isn’t a walk in the park anymore. The prettiest picture doesn’t automatically win, even on Instagram. Social Media Marketing is a full-contact sport, so gear up and get writing! Crafting the perfect caption can add value for your followers and turn them into clients, making all the effort worthwhile.

    So, how do you write great captions for your posts? Check out some of the tips below.

    The Structure of Captions That Add Value

    There are many different ways to structure your caption, and the best structure for your niche and the kind of content you are delivering can vary. However, here are some overarching tips on the best structure to utilize for captions.

    Valuable Captions Have the Important Words First

    Having the most important words first seems obvious. But many of us lose sight of this. We forget how short attention spans are (8 seconds) and that we are scrolling social media feeds at breakneck speeds. If you have any chance of capturing your audience’s attention, you better do it fast. Include your keywords of the caption in the first couple of lines. Just like with any writing, I recommend the Say What You Are Going to Say, Say It, and Say That You Said It Strategy. Don’t be afraid to be bold, funny, or a bit controversial in your first statement. Make sure it captures the attention of your audience and is brand-appropriate. It is your hook, and if you don’t hook them in the first few words, they are out!

    Crafting the Body of Your Valuable Caption

    The body of your caption is where you deliver on the promise you made in the first few lines. This is the “say it” part. You’ve hooked your audience with a teaser; now it’s time to provide valuable information. This can be answers to questions, helpful tools and tricks, a compelling story, or a Q&A session. In most cases you want to make sure your caption connects directly to the image or video you’re using.

    After this you will quickly recap what you said, for the said that you said it portion of the caption and then its time for your call to action.

    Include Calls to Action (CTAs) and questions in the final paragraph. CTAs and questions are important for encouraging engagement. They prompt your audience to interact with you, turning passive viewers into active participants. Be creative with your questions and CTAs, but remember—simple, easy-to-answer prompts often generate the most engagement.

    Hashtags and @Mentions: Keep Them at the End

    Hashtags and @mentions are important for reaching a wider audience, but they shouldn’t clutter your main message. Place them at the end of your caption to keep your main content clear and readable. Write a valuable, engaging caption first, then add relevant hashtags and mentions to boost your post’s visibility.

    Give Your Captions Room to Breath

    A big text block can be intimidating, and your audience is less likely to engage with something that feels overwhelming. Break up your captions with emojis, paragraph breaks, and lists to create space and make them more inviting. Aim for one to three-sentence paragraphs to be the perfect length.

    Use Visual Elements

    Emojis can add personality and break up text, making it more engaging. Use them to highlight key points or add a touch of fun to your message.

    Paragraph Breaks and Lists

    Utilize paragraph breaks to keep your text manageable. Lists are also a great way to present information clearly and concisely.

    Keep It Simple

    Short paragraphs make your content more digestible and engaging. Remember, the easier it is to read, the more likely your audience will interact with your post.

    General Tips for Creating Captions that Add Value

    Always Know What You Want the Post to Accomplish

    Every social media post should have a clear purpose, goal, or reason for being there. When creating captions, keep that purpose in mind. What action do you want your audience to take after reading your caption? Determine the desired response and put yourself in your audience’s shoes. Ask yourself these questions while crafting your caption:

    • Does my audience care about this post topic?
    • If I saw this in my feed, how would I react?
    • Am I encouraging conversation or just preaching?
    • Is this interesting, thought-provoking, solving a problem, inspiring or entertaining?
    • What impact will this have on my brand?

    Write a caption to make you react how you want your audience to react. Create content your audience cares about, encourage engagement, and spark conversation. Ensure it’s exciting or thought-provoking and positively impacts your brand.

    Remember, it’s okay to experiment with different strategies until you find what resonates with your audience.

    Always Encourage Engagement

    Let’s get back to basics: social media is all about being social. It’s about having conversations, not just broadcasting at people. You want to engage your followers and get them involved in a dialogue. Encourage your audience to respond by asking open-ended questions in your captions. These types of questions drive better engagement, so get creative. Another effective strategy is to include a call to action in your caption.

    Tell a Story in Your Caption

    Your caption is the perfect place to tell a story. Stories are naturally engaging and have been a fundamental part of human communication since the days of cave paintings. They help build a connection between you and your audience, bringing emotion and personality into your social media presence.

    Share stories and anecdotes of success, positive experiences, and how you’ve created success in your business. Don’t shy away from sharing struggles, moments when failure seemed imminent, and days when you felt down and out. These stories of struggle can be even more powerful than success stories because they show you’re human and can encourage and inspire those who are currently facing challenges.

    By weaving stories into your captions, you highlight your personality and build deeper, more authentic relationships with your audience.

    Add Value to Your Caption By Being the Best Version of Yourself

    If you’ve built your brand on a solid foundation, it should already reflect what YOU do best, not what others do. Your brand should showcase what you want your business to be known for and mirror your personality. So, don’t hesitate to be yourself in your captions. Being a real ass human is engaging because there’s no one else out there like you.

    Branding is all about differentiation, so use what makes you unique. It’s fine to be quirky, funny, unique, or even weird. These qualities help you stand out and engage people. You’ll build a loyal audience that supports your brand because they appreciate what only you can offer.

    Keep the Value Simple

    Ensure your value is easy to see and digestible for your audience. This can vary by industry but aim to keep it straightforward and accessible. Avoid overstimulating your readers or talking down to them. Instead, offer bite-sized, valuable content that resonates and engages effectively.

    Final Check: Does Your Caption Add Value?

    You’ve written your captions, proofread them, ensured they make sense, and confirmed they align with your brand and the story you’re telling with your photo or video. Great! You’re ready to schedule them, right?

    Hold on a second!

    Before you post anything on social media, ask yourself these two crucial questions:

    1. Does this post have value?
    2. Is it valuable, or will it resonate with my audience

    Confirming Value: A Crucial Step

    If the answer to both questions is yes, you’re good to go. Consider these questions during social media planning, especially when crafting your captions. Reflect on how your post will serve your audience. Ask yourself and your team:

    • How will this serve my audience?
    • What value will my intended audience take away from this caption?
    • Is it teaching them a lesson they want to learn?
    • Is it answering a question they’ve asked?
    • Is it expanding on a story they’re interested in?

    When Your Caption Doesn’t Add Value

    If the answer to either question is no—if the post doesn’t add value, or it doesn’t add value for your intended audience—it shouldn’t make it onto your calendar. This final check ensures you always deliver content that benefits your audience, ultimately boosting engagement.

    Tips to Level Up Your Caption Game

    If you’ve mastered creating valuable captions and consistently adding value to your audience, it’s time to take your skills to the next level! As you explore advanced techniques, remember that the fundamentals still apply. Here are a few favorite ways to level up your caption writing skills:

    Pay Close Attention to Your Brand Voice

    One advanced move is to ensure your brand voice is consistent across all your captions and posts. Start writing all your social media content in a way that aligns with your brand language. Here’s how:

    1. Define Your Brand Voice: Clearly outline what your brand sounds like. Is it friendly, professional, quirky, or authoritative? Make sure this tone is reflected in every piece of content you create.
    2. Consistency Across Platforms: Your brand voice should be present in all communications, not just your posts. This includes profiles, comments, responses to comments, affiliate posts, and advertising. Consistency builds a unified and believable brand.
    3. Create a Brand Book: Develop a formal style and brand book. This guide should include your brand’s tone, language style, and key phrases. Ensure everyone involved in your social media, from posts to customer responses, follows this guide.
    4. Implement an Approval Process: Have a system in place for approving all posts, updates, and responses to ensure they align with your brand voice. This helps maintain consistency and quality.

    By paying close attention to your brand voice and ensuring it’s consistent across all platforms, you create a stronger, more unified brand that resonates with your audience. These advanced techniques will help you refine your caption game and make your social media presence even more impactful.

    Try the Mini Blog Format Caption

    Deliver more value with a mini-blog format caption. This caption type includes titles and sections covering a specific topic and providing key takeaways. While longer posts can be tricky and may not attract as many readers, those who invest the time are often your most loyal supporters. Some people may even save your post to revisit later. Use the mini-blog format to introduce broader topics or themes and engage your audience deeper. Pro Tip: Highlight key points from your longer caption by creating a story update featuring the text.

    Begin Utilizing CTAs to Drive Followers to Your Website

    Social media platforms can be unpredictable. Instagram could disappear tomorrow, Facebook might demand hefty ad spending for visibility, and Twitter could implode. Using these platforms to build a real audience is crucial—one you can reach even if social media goes belly up. If Instagram vanished tomorrow, how many followers could you still connect with? Use CTAs to drive your social media followers to your website, where you can capture their contact information. Make them engaged followers on and off social media to secure your long-term stability.

    Focus on 3-5 Themes

    Identify what works on your social media and what’s missing. Focusing on delivering valuable posts with strong captions will give you insight into what resonates with your audience. Use this information to determine your brand’s 3-5 best themes and build your content calendar around these themes. Narrowing your focus allows you to hone your expertise in these areas, making content creation more manageable and effective. This clarity helps your audience understand who you are and why you matter.

    Tools to Help You Write Valuable Captions

    Grammarly Is My Jam

    Want to be a better writer? Eliminate unnecessary words and be more concise. Grammarly Premium is worth its weight in gold as it catches a considerable percentage of grammar and spelling errors and advanced mistakes. The premium version includes critical grammar and spelling checks, conciseness checks, readability checks, vocabulary enhancement checks, genre-specific writing checks, tone checks, and plagiarism checks. A free version is also an excellent tool for catching all the critical spelling and grammar errors.

    The Hemingway App 

    The Hemingway App says it will make your writing “bold and clear.” It works by analyzing text and highlighting places where your content is sloppy or indulgent! It helps you eliminate superfluous and ornamental words and phrases. I like this one because it helps you clearly engage with your captions.

    Cliché Finder

    If you are anything like me, you may tend to lean towards cliches as a safe space. But when you consider the fact that cliches are cliches because they have virtually lost all their meaning, you realize they are not going to help you create real, impactful captions. This is where a tool like a cliche finder is so useful, you enter some text into the app, and hit the submit button. Cliches in your writing appear in red.

    Understanding the Value of Creating Valuable Captions

    Providing value in captions is the first step in getting your audience to want to get to know more. You have a few words to capture them and highlight the value you have to offer right from the first contact. Make the most of every caption and try the tips and tricks provided and see how they work for your business. We took a fairly deep dive into how to write valuable captions, but we could probably go even deeper on captions. We hope that you can build your social media presence with a solid foundation with the tips we provided. Captions are a crucial part of content creation and social media management. They should be a part of your content calendar planning and can help you tell your story on social media. Customized content and captions are also vital aspects of what we do differently here at JRH Graphics. And even though we covered a lot here, a deeper dive is certainly possible, so please let us know what you would like to hear more on, have us explore more deeply, or explain differently! Please take a second to leave notes in the comments below.

  • Content Creation Made Easier: Using What You Have

    Content Creation Made Easier: Using What You Have

    Updated June 2024

    Content Creation is a Full-Time Job + Overtime

    Content creation can be hard. It can be time consuming. Content creation can be a downright pain in the butt. If you have ever been in charge of creating content for a business, non-profit, or even for your personal blog you know that at times it feels like content creation is your full-time job. And it is making you work overtime.

    Seriously, we feel your pain!

    We have adapted a couple tricks to make your life easier.  In Content Creation Made Easier we will discuss strategies that will make your content creation easier. The first one which we discuss here is what I called Breaking Down Your Blog. I believe that adopting the strategies outlined in these blog posts will revolutionaize your content creation strategy, and make you a happier content creator.

    Before The Creation Even Starts

    Prior to revealing our first hack, there is something that should be done before the content creation even begins. You must find a content scheduler that allows you to post as far as 6 months in advance and auto publishes to the platforms that you utilize. Yes, 6 months in advance. Although, I would prefer 12, but six will suffice. It should also be a tool that you like to use, not one that you dread. Simply because if its a drag you aren’t going to want to do it and you won’t get the most out of these content hacks.

    Breaking Down Your Blog

    Create Blog and Affiliated Social Media Posts Simultaneously

    Do you have a business blog? Are you creating regular posts for it? Is this content also being shared on your social media?

    If you don’t have a business blog, you should consider starting one, and you can read why (insert link). If you aren’t using your blog as the basis for your social media posts, you might be missing out. Your blog and social media should be closely related, feeding into each other and serving as powerful tools to answer your audience’s questions and establish yourself as a leader in your niche.

    Two to Twenty Birds with One Stone

    Creating your blog posts and the affiliated social media posts simultaneously is an efficient way to maximize your content creation efforts. If you write a well-structured blog post, it will naturally include sections that discuss specific topics. These topics often have sub-sections explaining certain ideas. If an idea is important enough to have its own sub-section, it likely deserves its own social media post too.

    For example, if your blog post has three main topics and each topic has three sub-sections, you’ve already got 10 social media posts. Here’s how: you’ll write a post about the overall topic of the blog and why it’s important, which is one post. Then, you’ll create nine more posts based on each topic and sub-section. So, 1 overall post + 9 topic/sub-section posts = 10 social media posts.

    Why The Scheduling Tool is Important

    I don’t recommend bombarding your audience with 10 posts on the same topic over two weeks. It’s essential to vary your content. What I do recommend is creating the content and then scheduling the posts. Typically, I write one blog post a week and post about two concepts from my blogs each week. The first post is about the new blog, and the second post is a subsection from a previous blog, ideally related to the week’s new blog topic, but this isn’t always possible.

    In an ideal scenario, you revisit blog topics on your social media with a fresh perspective (a new subsection post) every 5-6 weeks. When you publish the blog, you also add the posts to your scheduling tool for future dates. This approach allows you to “set it and forget it” (though you will still need to engage with the posts). You’ll adjust the posts for the best fit, but this method provides you with pre-set content weeks in advance.

    An Exercise in Abundance

    A few years ago, I asked members of my Facebook group to break down one of my previous blog posts into potential social media posts. The blog post we used is listed below along with the results. From this blog, we came up with the following social media post topics:

    1. Creating connections
    2. Selling the emotions (2 posts)
    3. Being heard in a crowded marketplace
    4. How your brand story creates uniqueness (example post)
    5. Why story is the most powerful and flexible tool (longer form post)
    6. Reviewing key aspects of a brand story
    7. Sharing TED Talks and EchoStory resources
    8. Tapping into emotions (example post)
    9. Connecting with your audience
    10. “First this, then that” storytelling examples (2 posts)
    11. Exploring the “Why” (Why you do what you do)
    12. Why your audience should care

    From this single blog, we identified approximately 14 social media posts. While this is above my average, it was a content-heavy blog covering many essential storytelling topics. Creating social media posts simultaneously with the blog keeps the content fresh in your mind. You’ll only need to do hashtag research once, the photos used in your blog are readily available, and other potential slow-downs are minimized.

    The Most Amazing Thing

    If you keep this up for just five weeks, with an average of 10 posts per blog, you’ll have almost one post per week ready for your social media for nearly an entire year! Imagine that—one less post to create every week for a year, and you’re only five weeks into this strategy. Isn’t that amazing? I promise, this hack can be a social media game-changer. For the past three months, I’ve been doing this, and I no longer feel the constant anxiety of needing to create content for my profiles. I always have something ready in the pipeline if needed.

    But What If I Don’t Blog and Have No Plans to Start One?

    I’m not here to argue (though I do encourage considering a blog)! You can use this hack for other content, such as breaking down your monthly newsletter to customers or creating five posts over five weeks based on an excellent article you found, like “The 5 Best to Do .” Content creation is challenging, but this hack is about working smarter, not harder.

    Pro-Tip

    Ready to go pro? Video content engages audiences at much higher rates than other forms of content. Whenever possible, create video content. When breaking down content into posts, identify which ones might be better as videos. Record these videos while the topic is fresh (wear season-neutral clothing) and use them when needed. Getting one video from each piece of content will help establish you as a leader in your niche.

    Now Your Blog is Working As Hard As You

    Your blog is now carrying some of the content creation load. Even if you handle all the content creation for your blog, you’re streamlining the work. Creating content in advance alleviates the “oh my god I need something to post” panic we’re all too familiar with. You can adapt this strategy to suit your needs, but I believe it can transform how you approach and manage content creation for your business.

  • Using A Content Calendar: Tips for Planning Social Media

    Using A Content Calendar: Tips for Planning Social Media

    Updated June 2024

    Using A Content Calendar Prevents These Types of Moments

    Close your eyes and imagine.

    It is Monday morning; you are already running late for a meeting. The barista at Starbucks can’t seem to spell Bob correctly. He certainly has no idea how to make your Triple Grande Iced Vanilla Latte with Skim Milk and Extra Whip. Today is going to be a long day.

    After you finally get your coffee, you run out of the cafe like your pants are on fire.

    You are halfway to your full-time job when your phone starts ringing, It’s Becky from Designing the Times, and your heart sinks into your stomach.

    Suddenly you remember you had promised to feature her watches on your social media page. How is this launch party already happening this afternoon!

    Answering the phone frantically, you promise Becky you would have the post completed. You will make sure it gets posted as soon as you get into the office.

    When you arrive at the office, of course, you forget to post, and at lunch, you get a call from the lovely Becky, who is a bit less pleasant. It is almost 4 p.m. when you remember to post about the collaboration launch party, and you accidentally used the wrong creative that had the launch party happening in 2 weeks!

    Becky needs to cancel at the last minute, and luckily she didn’t notice the wrong date on your late post. You both agree that Monday in two weeks is the best for the new time.

    Hyperbole Much?

    The above example is hyperbole. However, we have all had those moments when we forget to post something on our social media because it wasn’t on the top of our minds. Or that bad week where you miss posting on Instagram 3 days in a row. Certainly, not mistakes that will mean the eventual and fiery demise of your business. But flubs like these are preventable when you utilize a content calendar and the three levels of planning listed below. Added benefits of using this method are continuity in posting, ability to ensure varied content, and what I refer to as having a flexible structure to create your posts within.

    Levels of Content Calendar Planning

    When I talk to clients about content calendar planning, I break it down into three levels:

    1. Yearly Level Planning: Focus on holidays and annual events.
    2. Monthly Level Planning: Cover mid-level promotions and story arcs.
    3. Weekly Level Planning: Detail the specifics of individual posts.

    At the start of the year, dedicate an hour to yearly planning. Each month, spend another hour planning your monthly content. Then, set aside about an hour each week (perhaps on Sundays) to create your weekly content. I recommend leaving roughly 20% of your posts loosely scheduled to accommodate timely content and user-generated content.

    Using Your Content Calendar to Plan Your Yearly Content

    During your yearly planning, identify key holidays and promotion periods for your business. Determine if sales and events will align with the same fiscal weeks as the previous year. This planning ensures you don’t miss any important holidays or events and that your social media plans align with your business goals. Break down your business goals on the yearly calendar to help track your progress.

    Overview of Your Year

    To begin planning your year:

    1. Add Major Holidays: Start by marking significant holidays on your calendar.
    2. Review Past Marketing Efforts: Decide which promotions, sales, giveaways, and events will recur in the upcoming year.
    3. Plan Major Events: Add all major events to your content calendar.
    4. Repeat Successful Campaigns: If you had successful social media campaigns, plan to repeat them and add them to your calendar.
    5. Note Non-Recurring Events: For example, if you celebrated your business’s 10th anniversary in March 2024 with various events, you won’t be repeating this in 2025. Plan how to fill this gap with new promotions and sales.

    The Importance of Yearly Content Calendar Planning

    Yearly planning is crucial for both social media and overall business strategy. It provides a clear view of major events and promotions for the year, helping you align social media activities with business goals. For example, if your goal is to have one major promotion supported by in-store marketing and social media each month, you can identify any gaps in your promotion schedule. This allows you to plan evenly distributed promotions throughout the year, avoiding last-minute scrambles to fill gaps.

    Pro-Tip: Add your business goals and objectives to this calendar to ensure your content planning helps you achieve these goals.

    Monthly Content Calendar Planning

    The next step is your monthly content planning. At this level, you’ll define themes, story arcs, and details for the monthly promotions you scheduled during your yearly planning. Use the same calendar from your yearly planning to add this monthly information.

    Month-to-Month Plans

    In this stage, you’ll flesh out your month-to-month plans. Start by identifying the major events and promotions for the month, and plan your posts around these first. These yearly events provide structure for each month.

    Once you’ve scheduled posts for these significant events, outline your themes and story arcs for the month. For example, in February, you might choose “love” as the theme, with story arcs like #foreverlove and #bestfriends. These arcs support the monthly theme and contribute to your promotions, with the specifics of each post to be defined in your weekly planning.

    Weekly Level Content Calendar Planning

    After completing your yearly and monthly content calendar planning, it’s time to move on to weekly-level planning. At this stage, you’ll create the actual content for your posts, ensuring that each post contributes to an engaging story. This part of the planning process is detail-oriented. If multiple people are involved, make sure to allocate sufficient time to avoid scrambling to create, approve, or post content.

    The Details and Post Creation

    During weekly planning, focus on the details and specifics of your posts. Utilize the holidays, promotions, themes, and story arcs defined in the previous planning stages. This is where you bring your storytelling to life, creating posts that align with your brand story and themes.

    Consider the following as you create and plan your content:

    • Storytelling: Ensure your posts tell a coherent story that ties back to your brand.
    • Value: Provide educational, entertaining, and inspirational content, with just enough promotional posts.
    • Variety: Maintain a balance in your content types to keep your audience engaged.

    Fill in some of the open 20% of posts during this stage, leaving room for spontaneous content. If you plan to post six days a week, make sure you have content ready for all six days. Once this planning level is complete, you can load your content into your scheduling and posting tool.

    Things to Review Before Posting Content

    Before scheduling your content, review the following:

    • Consistency: Ensure each post contributes to the story it supports and is brand-appropriate.
    • Visual Appeal: Check how your posts look together, especially on platforms like Instagram. Use tools like Later’s Instagram Grid Preview to ensure a cohesive grid.
    • Story Arcs: Verify that your story arcs have a beginning, middle, and end.
    • Details: Make sure holiday-specific or promotional posts include all necessary details.
    • Brand Story: Confirm that your posts support your overall brand story.

    The Planning is Complete

    With your planning complete, you are ready to tell compelling stories, provide valuable content, and promote your brand on social media. These planning steps ensure your social media efforts are focused and goal-oriented, moving away from random acts of posting to a strategic approach. Your story will be clearer, and even with potentially fewer promotional posts, they will be more impactful. This planning, combined with the “9 Essential Posts for Businesses on Social Media,” will help you maximize the effectiveness of your social media campaigns.

  • Content Creation Strategies for Success on Social

    Content Creation Strategies for Success on Social

    Updated June 2024

    Content Creation Strategies for A Successful Social Media Existence

    We all know that content is king. Without content, we can’t conquer the other two essential aspects of a successful social media campaign: consistency and engagement. Given the crucial role of content, it’s vital to employ multiple content creation strategies to stay ahead on social media. These strategies can simplify content creation, produce more reusable content, enhance engagement, and free up more time for you to focus on running your business.

    Clarifying Content Creation

    To clarify, content generally refers to anything you post on your social media profiles, website, or newsletter. However, I don’t support the practice of collecting and publishing other people’s content on your business pages. Sharing other people’s content does not tell your unique brand story; it highlights someone else’s. When I mention content, I mean the content you create to tell your story on your social media profiles. This includes posts for stories, short-form video content, photo content, custom GIFs, and blogs

    Documentation Instead of Creation

    Gary Vaynerchuk often gets credit for this approach, as he bases his social media strategy on documenting his life instead of creating content. He frequently records his day-to-day business activities and shares them as content. Gary discusses this content creation strategy on his blog. He isn’t spending time specifically creating content; instead, he’s going about his daily activities, and the content essentially creates itself. While you may not think your life and job are entertaining, everyone loves a behind-the-scenes look.

    Why it works:

    • Authenticity: It provides a genuine glimpse into your daily life.
    • Huge time saver: You create great content for stories and informal posts without extra effort.
    • Increased frequency: This approach allows you to show up more frequently on social media.

    Challenges:

    • Consistency: Remembering to set up a recording device or take photos can be tricky.
    • Engagement: Not everyone has as exciting a life as Gary Vaynerchuk, but authenticity still resonates with audiences.

    Utilizing User-Generated Content

    This content creation strategy is doubly valuable because it not only eliminates the need for you to create content but also surprises and delights your customers. Additionally, sharing user-generated content serves as social proof, aka “hey look your peers like me and you should too!”

    Here’s how it typically works: a customer purchases something from you, loves it, and creates a post showcasing the item while raving about its features or benefits. They tag you in their post, and to make them feel special while showing others how great your product is, you share their content on your social media profiles (with proper permission, of course). We explore the concept of user-generated content in more detail in this blog post.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: The user has already created the content.
    • Authenticity: Highlights real-life use of your product.
    • Social Proof: Demonstrates that others enjoy your product.

    Challenges:

    • Strategy: You need a plan to encourage user-generated content.
    • Monitoring: You must keep an eye out for content to share. 
     

    Breaking Down Your Blog

    How many pieces of engaging content do you think you can pull from a single blog post? You might be surprised by how much you can create from a well-written blog. I once worked with a group of content creators, and we managed to break down a single blog post into 100 pieces of unique and informative social media content. By spacing this content out over a few weeks, you can have a significant portion of your educational posts prepared well in advance. I discuss this strategy in detail in this blog post. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: You already have the content, knowledge, and often photos for the posts.

    Challenges:

    • Initial Effort: You need to write a comprehensive blog.
    • Variety: Relying solely on this tactic can make your content feel repetitive over time.
     

    Live Video Content

    Overcoming the fear of doing live videos was one of my biggest challenges. If I hadn’t virtually met Eve Voyevoda a few years ago at an event organized by Melanie Richards, I might still be intimidated by this medium. However, once you conquer that hurdle, the value of live video is incredible. Live video is one of the best ways to present yourself authentically on social media, showcasing your unique quirks and laid-back vibe, which encourages others to connect with you. By creating content that highlights your personality and adds value to your audience, you can also save time!

    Why it works:

    • Connection: It’s one of the best ways to create a genuine connection with your audience.
    • Engagement: Enables live interaction.
    • Efficiency: Saves time.

    Challenges:

    • Overcoming Fear: Getting comfortable with live video.
    • Content Creation: Developing content that has both value and personality.

    The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose Content Creation Strategy

    You already have great content that holds significant value and has been posted in some form before. Here’s how to maximize its potential:

    REDUCE: Break down long-form content into multiple short-form pieces.

    REUSE: Share content across different platforms by staggering the publication times.

    RECYCLE: Repeat your key messages and posts since people need to hear them multiple times to remember.

    REPURPOSE: Transform top-performing posts into new content formats for different platforms.

    You can also work in the opposite direction. For example, I create weekly content for my BNI group presentations, which I then use as stand-alone social media posts. This weekly content builds up to a more comprehensive presentation I give approximately every ten weeks. This presentation also forms the basis of a blog post.

    Often, I turn these presentations into monthly webinars, focusing on a critical aspect of the content. This tactic allows me to create focused social media posts around the webinar’s key elements. Additionally, I can create videos from the most engaging social media posts and blog entries. The possibilities are endless with this strategy.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: You’ve already done the research and created the content.
    • Expertise: You know the subject well.

    Challenges:

    • Variety: Ensuring you aren’t overly repetitive.
    • Creativity: Finding new and innovative ways to repurpose content.

    Planning Versatile Content that Presents Next Steps

    One successful but challenging content creation strategy involves testing content on your calendar with the potential to build more if it proves successful. Here’s how I make it work: During a particular week, I select three different topics that I believe my audience might want a deeper look at and create a single social media post for each. Based on the reactions to those posts, I can gauge interest in a specific topic. If there is enough interest, I create additional content on that topic, measure its success, and, if warranted, dive even deeper. This strategy led to a post on social proof evolving into a blog post, which eventually became my first webinar.

    Why it works:

    • Incremental Creation: You create content incrementally, measuring the success of each topic.
    • Engagement: You focus on topics that have already shown potential to engage your audience.

    Challenges:

    • Depth: Sometimes a deeper dive is needed.
    • Metrics: Paying close attention to metrics and creating content quickly to keep your audience engaged.

    The Take 3 Strategy for Short-Form Video

    This content strategy helps you avoid spending excessive time creating short-form videos. It’s easy to get lost in the pursuit of perfection, which is ultimately unattainable. Without setting limits, you could spend hours creating an 8-second video. To prevent this, I developed the Take 3 strategy, which allows you to record up to 3 takes for each of the 3 sections of your video, significantly reducing content creation time. We achieve this by incorporating a research and planning phase into our short-form video creation process, setting us up for efficient recording. I cover this in detail in my Signature Membership, which you can learn more about here.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: Prevents endless takes and saves time.
    • Acceptance: Encourages posting imperfect videos.

    Challenges:

    • Discipline: Sticking to only three takes can be tough.
    • Quality Concerns: Ensuring the video still represents your brand well.

    Collaborative Content Creation

    Many social media platforms, especially Instagram, are making collaboration easier, and it’s something we should incorporate into our strategies. There are several ways to collaborate:

    • Guest Posts: Feature content from industry experts or influencers on your profile and reciprocate by guest posting on theirs.
    • Interviews: Conduct and share interviews with thought leaders or key figures in your industry, this can be done live and even multicast to multiple platforms. 
    • Partnered Posts: Create a post together that is shared on both profiles, discussing a topic relevant to both audiences.

    Collaborative posts are beneficial because they help you reach a new audience.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: Splitting the workload.
    • Exposure: Getting in front of a new audience.

    Challenges:

    • Coordination: Aligning timelines and aesthetics.
    • Effort: May require additional work.

    Content is the Key to Success on Social

    If content is the key to success on social media, then these strategies are your roadmap to mastering it. Experiment with them all, mix and match to see what resonates best with your style, story, and audience. If you want to learn more about these content creation strategies or how to build a plan that leads to social media success, reach out to Jonathan directly. You can also join us in the Signature Membership. 

  • Time Saver 2: 30 Days of Content From One Photoshoot

    Time Saver 2: 30 Days of Content From One Photoshoot

    Content Creation Time Saver 2: Creating a Ton of Content in One Day

    We previously discussed how to break down your blog to create weeks of content. For this Time Saver we are focusing on our next content creation time saver: How to Get 30 Days or More of Content from a Single Photoshoot. I perfected this tactic while working in DC with Career Coach Lea Berry and have been using it ever since—a major win! You can see some of the results from her photoshoots here.

    For many businesses, hiring a photographer is a worthwhile expense, especially for those creating content for social media. To make the most of this investment, plan to get as much content as possible from the photoshoot. Our second content creation time saver will help you plan your photoshoot and maximize the number of usable shots. While each of us creates content differently and has unique needs, the following ideas can be applied universally.

    Steps to Maximize Your Photoshoot

    1. Review Your Schedule of Posts
    2. Research
    3. Plan
    4. Schedule Time
    5. Execute
    6. Hustle
    7. Expect the Unexpected and Roll With It

    Review Your Schedule of Posts

    Start by reviewing your content calendar. Identify the promotions, blog posts, and campaigns you have planned for the upcoming month. Visualize the photos you need for these campaigns and begin researching ways to capture those shots. Pinterest can be an excellent resource for inspiration. Although I’m not a frequent user, I keep inspiration boards for different types of photoshoots. Printing out the shots you like and using them on your storyboard can help as you dive deeper into planning the photoshoot.

    After Reviewing Scheduled Posts

    Identify any gaps in your schedule and plan how to fill them. I usually recommend planning and scheduling 70% of your content in advance, leaving 25-30% for flexibility, current topics, event photos, etc. Scheduling 70% in advance while allowing for flex space lets you remain timely without scrambling to post daily. However, some months you may only need 10-15% of flex content, so always plan additional posts just in case. Treat them as your B-roll—your security blanket for when all else fails.

    Research Concepts, Locations, and Shots

    Now that you have identified the campaigns and posts you need photos for, it’s time to research concepts, locations, and shots. Scour Pinterest for ideas and inspirational images that align with your brand. Once you have gathered these inspirational images, start looking for suitable locations. I maintain a list of potential sites and use Google Maps to pin places that might work for future shoots. My Google Map, titled “Potential Photoshoots,” helps me keep a running list of locations and quickly decide how to group sites for a cohesive and productive shoot.

    Not Too Crazy, Not Too Bland

    When planning your concepts and locations, strike a balance. Avoid overly complicated setups that are hard to complete in the time available, but be creative enough to keep your content fresh throughout the month. Vary your outfits to add visual interest to the shots. Remind your photographer of the purpose of the images, ensuring they know all the photos are for the same month. This way, they might suggest additional shots or remind you to switch things up during the shoot.

    Finalize Your Plan

    For those who feature themselves in their Instagram feeds or are lifestyle bloggers, these next steps might differ slightly. Since I am not in most of my shots, I select three general locations and review must-have and secondary shots within those areas. Here’s an example from my last content creation day in New York City:

    • Hudson Yards
      • Must-Have Shots: The surrounding neighborhood and The Vessel
      • Secondary Shots: The Shed and Hudson Yards Buildings
    • DUMBO, Brooklyn
      • Must-Have Shots: The iconic shot under the overpass and surrounding neighborhood
      • Secondary Shots: Architectural details and bikes
    • Brooklyn Bridge Park During Golden Hour
      • Must-Have Shots: The sunset with views towards NYC
      • Secondary Shots: Weather-dependent

    Once the plan is finalized, work on scheduling and execution. Consult your train schedule and plan your route using Google Maps. For my NYC shoot, I knew I needed to Uber from Hudson Yards to Brooklyn to have enough time to explore and capture all the desired shots.

    The Execution

    You have your shots and locations picked out, and the theme of each shot is clear. Your photographer has the inspiration images. For my last trip to NYC, I stapled a bunch of my inspiration shots, directions, and must-see areas together and put them in my bag for reference. I recommend doing the same and providing a copy to your photographer in advance. Now, it’s time for the execution!

    The Clothing for Your Photoshoot

    Wait, even I need to plan what I’m going to wear for each shot. If you are in most of your photos, this is even more important. I recommend three main looks that can be quickly changed up with layers and accessories. For example, start with a skirt, top, blazer, and chunky necklace. After several photos, remove the blazer, then later change the necklace and add earrings. Go for easy but dramatic changes. Scarves are another favorite accessory for this reason.

    Another consideration is non-generic stock photos. I had a client who did daily prompts and we always struggled to find the right free stock photos. During her photoshoots, she would bring different supplies and while she changed at each location, I would take stock photos for her to use. It made posting those prompts simpler. So, think about your needs and prepare for them.

    Now, It Is Time to Hustle

    You’ve completed the planning and arrived at your first location. Your photographer is ready, and you’ve reviewed the plan. Now it’s time to hustle. You’ve packed your day (or hours) with your photographer and need to create your content for the month. Stay focused, stick to the schedule, and get the shots! When you arrive at each location, gather everything you need for the shots and change into your planned outfit.

    First, get the essential shots at each location—these are the shots you cannot do without. If you stay on schedule, then proceed to take the secondary shots. This strategy ensures you cover your 2-3 locations and get the necessary images. If you’re running behind, skip the secondary shots and move to the next location. Drink water, stay focused, wear comfy shoes between locations, and don’t rush. Rinse. Repeat!

    Flexibility Is Key

    Planning and sticking to the plan is crucial, but flexibility and adaptability are equally important. You never know what opportunities might arise. During my last trip to NYC, my schedule included three locations. However, while walking past the Empire State Building, a kind gentleman handed me a free ticket because he couldn’t use it. After verifying it was real, I decided to take the opportunity. This meant arriving at Hudson Yards a bit later, but it was worth it. By the end of the day, I had gathered enough content for the month, even though I forgot my backup battery for the camera. I was okay with skipping the sunset at the Brooklyn Bridge.

    And Done

    By the end of a day like this, you’ll be tired, no doubt. It’s hard work, but you’ve made the most out of your day and will have some outstanding images to show for it. The best part is you only need to do this once a month to get the images you need. The more you do it, the more photos you’ll have for social media. Good social media images and videos are key to better engagement, so this strategy will pay off and make your social media life much easier!

  • Establishing Yourself As An Expert On Social Media

    Establishing Yourself As An Expert On Social Media

    Updated May 2024

    Establishing Your Expertise with EDUTAINING Content

    One of the key strategies for businesses on social media is to provide EDUTAINING—Educational, Useful, or Entertaining content. This type of content engages your audience and helps establish you and your business as an expert in your field. But why is it so important to position yourself as an expert on social media?

    Why Establish Your Expertise

    People trust experts because they believe experts know what they’re doing. Building this trust is crucial for growing your audience on social media. Providing content that adds value and engages your audience is the best way to create momentum and grow your business. Here are some ways to start establishing your expertise:

    • Offer Useful Tools: Share tools and resources that your audience will find beneficial.
    • Answer Questions: Engage with your audience by answering their questions.
    • Provide Solutions:Solutions to common problems your audience faces.

    These actions help position you as a valuable resource.

    The Importance of Providing Value

    Providing value is a significant step in becoming an expert—someone your audience likes, knows, and trusts. When seen as an expert, your audience will turn to you first for information on a subject. Focusing on delivering valuable content and answering questions, rather than just promoting your business, helps your audience view you as a resource, not just a salesperson.

    Tailoring Your Content

    Every business is different, and your niche will help you determine what types of content will be most beneficial to your followers. To better understand what your audience values, consider surveying your clients. Ask them directly what content they want to see from you.

    By consistently providing EDUTAINNG content, you engage your audience and establish your credibility and expertise, making your business the go-to resource in your field.

    Examples of Expert Content

    As the Regional Social Media Coordinator for BNI Hudson Valley, I develop the monthly content calendar for the organization. This calendar provides each chapter with specific types of posts to focus on and includes important themes for the month. With the holiday season approaching, we’re enlisting the help of member businesses to establish themselves as experts by providing valuable content and answering questions within their areas of expertise.

    To illustrate how we can all engage with our audience, I assigned each member of my BNI Chapter a specific topic. They were tasked with creating content on that topic from November 1 to New Year’s. By doing this, BNI highlights the talent within each chapter and positions itself as a valuable resource for its audience.

    How This Applies to You

    You might not be a BNI member, and your business might not be included in the examples, but this approach is still valuable to you. Use this as inspiration to brainstorm types of content your business can provide to its audience. Consider your services, values, and seasonal focus. Look at what people are searching for in your niche. What questions are your clients or customers asking? Create content that answers those questions and showcases your expertise.

    Establishing Yourself as an Expert: Content Examples

    Below are examples of content types based on the expertise of BNI members. These examples focus on the holiday season, but businesses can tailor their content to their specific focus at other times of the year. For instance, during the holidays, an accountant might write a blog post titled, “5 Things to Avoid Spending Money on This Holiday,” whereas, at other times, they might focus on “What You Need to Know About the Looming S-Corp Deadline.” It’s perfectly fine to adjust your style to reach a broader audience with educational posts, especially during certain seasons.

    • Health and Wellness Coach, Healthy Eating Options this Thanksgiving.
    • Computer Services, Avoid Falling Victim to Black Friday Scams.
    • Business Financial Services, Holiday/ End of Year Benefits for Employees.
    • Individual Financial Services, How to Not Go Broke This Holiday.
    • Social Media/Graphic Design, 5 Tips to Sleigh Your Social Media Campaigns This Holiday.
    • Cleaning and Restoration, Plan for A Cozy Holiday Instead of A Wet and Soggy One.
    • Insurance, Snow Birds and Their Insurance Policies.
    • Computer & Website Development, How to Update Your Google My Business Page for the Holidays.
    • Real Estate, How Closing on Your New Home in December Can Help Keep The Inlaws Away.
    • Booze Expert, Best Holiday Booze.
    • Financial Services, Financial Health Check-Up for the New Year 

    Key for Success

    You are not directly promoting your business or service when establishing yourself as an expert. You are providing your audience with useful information that is “company agnostic.” Providing this valuable information to your audience is an excellent way for them to get to know you and your area of expertise. It helps build relationships and allows you to earn their trust. Pushing your product or service takes away these benefits.

  • Tips for Launching A Podcast in 2020

    Tips for Launching A Podcast in 2020

    Ready to Launch Your Podcast in 2020?

    Are you not convinced video is the only way to engage followers on social media? Are you seeking alternative ways to increase engagement and position yourself as a resource for your audience? It sounds like you might be looking to launch a podcast in 2020! Podcasting is a great way to create content and build an audience, and we are providing you tips for starting your podcast right here in this post! Why? Because podcasting allows you to make personal connections and become an authority within your niche.

    Additionally, podcasts are easy for your audience to digest on their own time with no screen necessary. If you have been a content creator, remember most of that content is easy to convert into podcast episodes. So, are you ready to launch?

    Podcasting Here I Come!

    So, you think podcasting is the way for you to go? We figured we should give you some tips and tools. So we did some research and compiled what we found into this blog post below. And after that, we looked at this blog post and found it to be useful but a bit boring. So we reached out to the hilarious Catherine Feeney, who just launched her podcast, and of course, her corresponding blog the Fashun Chronicles and asked if she would want to discuss her podcasting journey with us. When she agreed, we knew this blog post would be much more entertaining.

    Tips for Launching A Podcast

    As we share our tips for launching a podcast, we will go over some of the research we found on the topic. Additionally, we will add our comments and additional suggestions for launching a podcast throughout the post. There are 5 primary stages to launching your own podcast.

    • Planning the Concept- defining the objective, determining the audience, why the audience should listen and naming the podcast
    • Planning the Structure and Episodes- what is the format, how many episodes, are you creating in seasons, how long is an episode, etc
    • Recording & Editing Your Podcast- script or no script, necessary equipment, software needs, music resources
    • Publishing Your Podcast- Episode 1 Season 1 is in the bag!

    We will walk you through each of these steps and hopefully help you understand what you should be doing during each one, and before you know it, you will be starring in a Number 1 Rated Podcast with gobs of listeners!

    Tips for Launching Your Podcast: Concept

    As you prepare to start your podcast for 2020, you need to begin planning the specifics of the podcast you will be producing. While others may not agree, I view this as the most critical step, as you are building a solid foundation for your future work. I also equate this step to the process of building your brand. During this crucial timeframe, you will be defining your “why” for your podcast. In this step, you will decide on your main podcast topic set the goals of your podcast, determine who your audience is, and examine why your audience would listen to your podcast.

    In many cases, you are utilizing your podcast as an extension of your business. Many will be using it as a way to provide an existing business audience with value via the podcast. If this is the case, you may have an audience and objective in mind that supports the niche of your business. Be sure that your business niche translates to your podcast. In some cases, it may be necessary to narrow your niche down further for your podcast to attract the right listeners or expand up to have enough content to discuss on your podcast.

    Defining to Target

    Defining what you want to accomplish with your podcast, determining your podcast audience, and knowing how to connect with your target audience as important parts of the planning stage. Develop a listener persona to highlight the characteristics of a person that would listen to your podcast. Think about how you would engage this listener persona as you build out the concept for your podcast. Make sure that you are giving them a compelling reason to listen to your podcast. What value are they hoping to recieve? Are you delivering them the value they are hoping for?

    What’s In A Name?

    I was thinking of naming my podcast, “My Podcast!,” Then realized that didn’t provide any information about what I would be talking about. It also didn’t tell the audience why they should listen. It also failed to highlight the niche that I had chosen to discuss on my podcast. So, I scrapped that name, and I am looking at some of the basics for naming a podcast.

    • People need to be able to find your content! If you opt for a creative name consider including a subtitle with an accurate description of the material and value you provide
    • Don’t be too descriptive, if I called my podcast The Social Media, Branding, Brand Story and Storytelling for Small Businesses Podcast I would spend half of my podcast trying to get the entire title out of my mouth. Strike a balance between creative and descriptive.
    •  Those who know podcasting also recommend not naming your podcast after yourself, which ruined my dream of being known as Just Jonathan from the Jonathan Show. You know, like Ellen, Oprah, Cher, Prince, Madonna. They have a built-in audience and name recognition, and I do not!

    Tips from Catherine: Content & Positioning

    Before Launching Fashun Chronicles

    Before launching her Fashun Chronicles podcast, Catherine Feeney says she put pen to paper to make sure that her topic was one she could discuss at length. In her blogging journey, she had dabbled in other areas but always returned to fashion. Fashion is one of the passions that she can talk about for “literally days.” She also spent some time thinking about what purpose she would be serving. Since she enjoys helping others and hopes it does not come off as bossy, she began to develop the Hotline concept for the podcast. She would be able to help others with real FAShun emergencies! Memories of listening to the Delilah radio show may have subconsciously inspired this hotline concept. (Long-time listener, First-time caller)!

    Where You Fit In

    Catherine first decided to leap into podcasting after her friends mentioned it this past year over drinks at New York Fashion Week. Her blog didn’t quite seem to fit her anymore. Maybe talking about fashion, and not writing about it in her blog would feel better. Despite the unknowns of podcasting, she felt re-energized when she thought about a podcast full of fashion. So over drinks at NYFW, a podcast was born. Incidentally, she also wanted the podcast to have a casual feel, much like if she were talking to friends over drinks in a bar at NYFW! We certainly think she hit the nail on the head when it comes to authenticity!

    Catherine also noted that not everyone relates to everything, so while there are a lot of fashion bloggers and podcasters out there, she can bring her unique personality to the game. She likes to focus on storytelling (a woman after my own heart) and wants to remain true to herself throughout this journey. Getting people to jump on the journey with her if they wish to is vital to her. Catherine also wants followers to see all the parts of the adventure from start to finish.

    “Always be true to yourself on your journey and do what feels right to you.”

    Tips for Launching Your Podcast: Content

    You have laid the groundwork for your podcast. You have a solid foundation, so it is time to start working on actually planning the content of your podcast. As well as begin looking at the structure that you would like to utilize for your podcast. A lot of podcasters tend to focus on the length of the podcast. Many experts say the right length is 28 minutes but no longer than an hour. However, I support what the team at The Podcast Host said, “only two things should impact the length of your podcast,

    1. Your content
    2. Your audience

    If you have 50 minutes of valuable, relevant content, why chop it down to 20? Or likewise, if you’ve said everything you have to say in 10 minutes, why pad it out to 30? In extreme cases, say you do an interview, and it’s a fantastic conversation from start to finish but runs for 2 hours. You can always chop it in half and create two episodes.

    More Than Just Timing

    There is much more than just the length involved in the content of your podcast planning portion of your podcast launch. You also need to decide on the format of the podcast. Will you have a cohost? Are you doing the show by yourself? The format of the show will play a significant role in what the final product will look like, and each form has its benefits and challenges. In the solo show, you have complete control, you build authority quicker, but it is also harder to feel comfortable as many people will feel like they are talking to themselves. In a show with a co-host, it is generally easier to get started, and if you have great chemistry, it could be fantastic. But what happens when you hit it big, or your co-host stops showing up. Is there more benefit in going it alone for you, or is the co-host key.

    Multiple Variations

    When it comes to the format of the content, there are many different variations of the themes. However, I am partial to dividing a podcast into segments. The segments would allow you to create mini podcasts within the larger podcast that address specific aspects within the themes that you have decided to cover as part of your podcast. Here is an example of how this could work.

    • Episode 1: Teaser, Opening of Podcast, Welcome, Content Teaser, Break, Theme 1 Discussion, Break, Theme 1 Discussion Continued, Break, Theme 2 Interview, Closing, Call to Action, and Outro
    • Then for E2: Teaser, Opening of Podcast, Welcome, Content Teaser, Break, Theme 2 Discussion, Break, Theme 2 Discussion Continued, Break, Theme 3 Q&A, Closing, Call to Action, and Outro
    • Finally, E3: Teaser, Opening of Podcast, Welcome, Content Teaser, Break, Theme 3 Interview, Break, Theme 3 Interview Continued, Break, Theme 1 Discussion, Closing, Call to Action, and Outro

    This segment format allows you to touch on each of your three significant themes two times in the first three episodes. You also created one short mini-podcast and one longer (2 segments) mini-podcast that you can use elsewhere in your content creation strategy. Using this format and approach for your podcast is similar to the Breaking Down Your Blog Content Creation hack we discussed in this blog post!

    Episodes and Seasons

    As you review the themes and structure of your podcast, you may also want to consider your episode release schedule. Will you be releasing a new podcast every month, every week, two per week? How many episodes make up your season of podcasts? Will the overarching theme change with each season?

    Planning for this will allow you to have a better idea of how many segments you will need. Plan for how many guests you may need to set up interviews to fill those slots. Plus, it is a great way to estimate the amount of content you will need to create. Before you finalize the schedule and promise your listeners something, review your schedule, and ensures it is doable. Remember, it is better to under-promise and over-deliver than over-promise and under-deliver.

    On The Air: The Launch Part of Launching Your Podcast!

    You have completed the planning. The part you have been waiting for is finally here. It is time to record your first podcast for thousands of listeners. Or just your mom, but she is one fan that matters! But wait, what is it that you need to record the podcast? So lets first review the equipment required and then discuss the logistics of the actual recording, including some tips for connecting to your audience.

    Your Equipment Needs and Wants

    I am not an expert on this topic, so I am relying on what the professionals at thepodcasthost.com and others are saying. However, all you must have to start your podcast is a computer that has a mic and can get on the internet. The rest is a bonus. To improve the overall sound of your podcast, the folks at thepodcasthost.com recommend purchasing a simple podcasting mic like the Samson Q2U mic. I linked to the podcaster kit, which includes a stand and wind guard for $44.00/tax. If you are going to be conducting interviews on your podcast, you may want to look into purchasing a couple of lav mics for those you are interviewing. The folks at thepodcasthost.com recommend the Rode Smartlav+ lav microphone, which sells at Amazon for $55.00. Keep it simple, and keep in inexpensive when you start.

    More Stuff

    If you are looking for more information on recording equipment, I am attaching a few excellent guides from thepodcasthost.com.

    Recording and Editing Software Needs

    If you are going to launch your podcast in 2020, you are going to need to have some software to help you record and edit your podcast. Two of the most popular podcast recording and editing tools are Audacity and Adobe Audition. Audacity is free software, and Audition is part of Adobe Creative Cloud, so it is a paid service. Both allow you to create a template for your podcasts. These templates make it easy to create slots for things like the introduction, slots for advertisement, the closing, etc. along with the music and all the settings that go with it saved for all of your podcasting episodes. There is also the ability to edit the audio track, music, and all the components of the podcast so that they have clean, crisp sound. Sound editing etc. is a very technical function that I am not even going to try to explain. If you want to know how to edit audio and what settings will work, you can check out resources on thepodcasthost.com or podcastinsights.com or even check out this tutorial on Adobe for your essential podcast editing tips.

    The Actual Show

    You have a plan. You have a mic. The recording and editing software is ready to be fired up. You have a guest for the inaugural interview. So, you sit down, power up the microphone, and immediately after the intro, you draw a blank. You are frozen for more than a few seconds because you have no idea what to say! Don’t worry. This is part of the process. The amount of scripting for a podcast varies for each person. However, every source I have seen recommends that each host scripts some content and creates some notes for them to utilize during their podcast.

    Scripting keeps you on track and minimize the editing and cutting up of the content by creating a bullet point based script that highlights key points and topics.  Do not write out an entire script as that will not translate to a good podcast. A good podcast is more conversational. Utilize your segmented show concept along with your template for your podcast to provide the direction needed for the script.

    Connecting with Your Audience

    It is essential to know who you are talking to, as we said before, in defining your target section. You need to set your audience. Because without knowing your audience, you will not be able to connect to your audience. When you are recording your podcast, you are talking directly to your audience.

    You should know who they are, where they are listening to you, what they are doing, what they are wearing, and what lipstick they have on! Seriously, who is your avatar? Many people find it easier to envision that one person and give them a name. Using the specific characteristics, you can talk directly to them as if they are real people because they are real people.Tips

    From Catherine: The Technical Stuff

    The Content

    Catherine believes that focusing on putting out high-quality content is the most important goal. She isn’t focusing on the numbers. Instead, her focus is on putting out content and engaging her real followers with her podcast. She would rather have four real followers than 400 fake ones. Focus on your brand and engaging your followers. She doesn’t want to waste time on the fake stuff. “I want to focus on the things I love, like the fashion, and the stories behind an outfit,: she say passionatly. Catherine clearly loves her content and her podcast. She feels like her podcast plays to her strengths better than her blog did. Additionally, she is noticing her Instagram posts and stories are also getting better engagement now that she has the podcast.

    She does not script her content for Fashun Chronicles because she wants it to be more casual. However, Catherine does utilize bullet points to keep herself on track. She usually writes down her show notes the day before or the morning of recording her podcast and utilizes them as an outline for the show. The host openly admits to going off on tangents ar times, but she uses the notes and the bullet points to reign herself back in.

    As a final note regarding content she reminds people that they should enjoy doing their podcast. If it feels like work then maybe they should find another outlet.

    How Long?

    Catherine and the experts agree the length doesn’t matter. You will find your audience that has a need or want for your podcast at whatever length as long as you are serving up some fun and exciting content. She believes there is an audience for podcasts from 10 minutes to an hour. She found that her sweet spot is around the 20-25 minute range as a solo podcaster talking about fashion in the day to day sense. With two podcasts a week, and it is what feels comfortable, so she suggests figuring out what feels right to you.

    For the Tech for Your Podcast, Google Has Your Back

    The host of Fashun Chronicles openly admits she doesn’t know how to reboot her phone, so the technical aspects of Podcasting were where she focused most of her research. Catherine was amazed at how many resources were available online, and she admits to still utilizing Google to figure out how to do certain things.

    She eventually found some articles that resonated with her and helped her find her way, from what mic hse needed to what hosting platform was best for her (she finds Libsyn very easy to use but difficult to pronounce)! She even learned to use Audacity by herself online, and if she has issues with it now, she asks the Google machine, and it helps her through the process.

    Tips for Launching Your Podcast: Cover Art

    Up to this point I have pretty much told you to not spend an extra dime. After all, you could spend a fortune getting someone to produce, edit and promote your podcast for you. Another small fortune paying for the rights to the best music. Plus calculate your hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours you work on the podcast. Yup, this sh!t can get expensive! You don’t even have an audience yet, so be saavy on what you spend money on! However, i do recommend investing in your cover art. Get a great photographer or designer (depending on the look you are going for) and invest here. The perfect cover art will reveal a little bit about the host, explain what the podcast is about, and intrigue people enough to get them to want to listen.

    Additionally, the cover art will be with you for at least a season, so it needs to inform, entice, and convert for multiple episodes and it has to do this in places like iTunes where you are competing with images from top artists, podcasters and more. So spend a little money here and make it work for you. Utilize the images you create in promotions, on social media, in your press releases, to book guests, wherever you can.

    Editing Your Podcast

    No matter how perfect you are scripting, how amazing your guests are, and how much you nailed it, you will still have some editing to do. Editing is a technical aspect of the podcast. I would not be the right resource to advise you on how to edit a podcast. I can say that both the software solutions I mentrioned for recording also allow you do do the type of editing that you will need to put your podcast together. If you need more assistance with this, I recommend looking into tutorials on how to use the software you chose on youtube.com or via some of the podcasting resources available. The other option is to pay to have somebody edit your podcast for you, but as a beginner, unless this is a well-established business, I would not recommend that route.

    Music for Your Podcast

    You can’t just select any song to use 15 seconds of as your intro music, as much as you want to that is going to be expensive, as you would need to pay the artist! There are sites available where you can buy licenses to utilize certain music and others that have vast libraries of music that you can utilize once you pay your monthly membership. There are a few things you should look for regarding music.

    • you are looking for music with creative common licenses
    • I recommend using well know and established resources
    • be aware of the type of license you purchase.

    Publishing Your Podcast and Putting it Out There

    You have just about done it, you have almost launched your podcast. Now, you need to put it out there for people to discover, listen to, and fall in love with! Yes, even if it is just your mom to start! So, let’s get that podcast out to the people! First, you will need a podcast or a media host. Then you will either add your podcasts to your website (or create a website) and then finally submit your podcast to directories.

    Podcast or Media Host

    You have dozens of podcast hosts to choose from, which is incredible and daunting at the same time! Luckily, there are tons of lists out there about some of the best podcast hosting sites. Recently, Jon Street of Resonaterecordings.com listed the top five podcast hosting sites with lots of useful details on each. You can check out that article here! The top 5 he reviewed thoroughly are:

    In my research and discussions with people, both Buzzsprout and Libsyn have come up as the leaders. Buzzsproat for the features and ease of use. Libsyn because of longevity and ease of use for the newcomers. Libsyn also makes it easy to submit to directories. Review and choose the one that fits your needs and budget, and as you grow, if you need to change, you will be able to do that as well.

    A Home for the Newly Launched Podcast

    Once you have a media host that will host your audio podcast files, you will also set up a website to display and deliver your podcasts. You get a page with most hosting services that you can utilize for this purpose. Many people also create an independently hosted page or add the podcast to their existing site. If you choose to add it to your current website, there are podcast tools that you can add to make it easy for listeners to grab your podcast!

    Submitting Your Podcast to Directories

    The directories are how you get discovered, build up your subscribers, and continue to deliver killer content! The number one and most crucial directory ATM is Apple Podcasts. If you only get yourself listed in one directory, this is it. Over 60% of podcast downloads come via iTunes. To get your podcast listed, you need to sign on to iTunesconnect.apple.com using your Apple ID and then click the new feed option to add your podcast. As our guest Catherine Feeney pointed out, Libsyn helped make this part of the job easy.

    Some other significant directories:

    • Stitcher
    • Google Podcasts
    • Spotify
    • TuneIn
    • Blubrry
    • PodBean
    • Radio Public

    Next Steps

    Take a deep breath, pat yourself on the back, and revel in the fact that you have a podcast. The next step is promotion. But we aren’t going to go into that here, if you want to learn about specific ways to promote your podcast outside of the general promotional tactics I provide for social media, check out some of the resources on thepodcasthost.com and podcastinsights.com. And Congrats on Launching, we hope that our tips for launching a podcast were useful! And don’t forget to let us know what podcast so we can subscribe!

    A Special Shout Out

    We want to give a special shout out to Catherine Feeney of the Fashun Chronicles who added some great insight, fun energy and at least a few laughs to this blog post. Her insight on blogging, podcasts and social media was greatly appreciated as she added a great deal of value adn a frame of reference to this post. I wish I could have shared more of the hour conversation I had with this hilarious lady, but we just had so much to cover! And you should always leave them asking for more!

    And if you want to hear more from Catherine, hop on over to her podcast and get to know more about this fashionable and funny lady!! Click the banner below to listen on iTunes!

    All photos by Arielle Lewis Studios, Washington DC

  • Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    The 9 Essential Posts is the framework we use at JRH Graphics to ensure that each of our clients in creating and posting content to their followers that is varied and has the potential to engage. The framework is free to download here, so grab your worksheet today! During the holiday season, social media can be a burden. Customers take priority. And somebody needs to work on adding at least 5 hours to every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here at JRH Graphics, we feel your pain! That is why we created this Webinar that uses some tips from our Content Calendar Strategies and The 9 Essential Posts and gives you lots of great ideas, prompts, and jumping-off points so you can sleigh your social media during this holiday.

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Video and Slide Deck

    We know that you are excited to sleigh your social media this holiday! We won’t get in the way any longer. Below you will find the video recording from the webinar as well as the slide deck. The links are live in the slide deck. Click on any of them, and they will bring you to the source of the content! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

    Not So Fast Mister

    It hasn’t been 56 minutes yet. The webinar was 56 minutes long! No time to watch now? Go over to YouTube and tag the video to “Watch Later!”

    You don’t think I can provide value? Okay, I certainly am a bit hurt by you saying that to me. However, you are entitled to your opinions!

    Okay, you didn’t mean it that way! Great because I think things like the Holiday Gift Guides and the “Thank You” Campaign are strong ideas. Even the reminders on types of things to post to keep your community up to date on what’s happening in your area are pretty valuable things. Not to mention, the Letters to Santa behind-the-scenes concept will highlight how cool your business is and engage a new audience. Oh, and the Virtual Scavenger Hunt based on the highly successful Instagram Loops could be a real winner for you. The Virtual Scavenger Hunt is my favorite. Links and suggestions for a bunch of “Edutaining” holiday posts and DIY content that is sure to engage this holiday is even included!

    That’s Better

    I am glad you went back and watched the webinar and reviewed the slide deck. You are ready to go! I hope the webinar inspired you and provided you with some great ideas on ways you can sleigh your social media this holiday. If you use any of these ideas, I would love to see them at work, so please tag @jrhgraphics on Facebook or @jrh_graphics on Instagram and Twitter! Happy Holidays!