In the grand scheme of things, social media marketing is still in its infancy. It’s always growing and shifting. New trends pop up. Old ones fade away. It can feel overwhelming to keep on top of it all!
The good news is that most of the best practices remain tried and true. Here are things to remember when building your social media marketing presence as an agent and/or agency.
Don’t start too big
One of the biggest mistakes people make when launching a social media marketing effort is going too big too fast. You don’t have to be on every platform! Pick one or two to start to keep overwhelm to a minimum.
Do be comfortable
Also important for picking platforms? Being comfortable! Chances are you have more familiarity with some platforms over others. Choosing the ones you feel the most comfortable using starting out is important and can help you stick to your marketing plan.
Don’t be too sales-y
Social media is part of a larger picture effort to build conversation and brand awareness. While part of the long term goal is to help grow sales, it’s important to avoid selling too much in your posts. A good rule of thumb is to focus on content that informs or entertains about 80% of the time, while the rest of the posts can be directly related to sales, such as discussing a new policy feature or reminding your audience you can write specific types of policies.
Do use a content calendar
A content calendar is exactly like it sounds: a calendar where you plan when you’ll post what content where and when. It doesn’t have to be fancy! It can be on paper, in a spreadsheet, in a project management tool like Trello or Asana, or anywhere else that you’re comfortable planning. Taking 30 minutes to an hour to plan out content for a few weeks to a month can help you stay focused and on track.
Don’t expect this to be a sales machine
Expectations around social media as a sales generating machine tend to be high to those just getting started. The truth is, organic social media (content that you do not pay to publish) shouldn’t be leaned on as your main sales vehicle, which will just set you up for disappointment. While it can certainly lead to a sale, it’s better used as a tool to reinforce brand awareness and, hopefully, put you on the radar of new potential customers.
Do choose quality over quantity
The good news? You don’t have to post multiple times a day or even every day. Putting out quality content that informs and provides value to your audience is the most important thing.
Don’t steal content
The lines of social media ethics might feel blurry, but theft is still theft. First and foremost, don’t steal pictures for Google! This can land you in legal hot water. Second, if you see someone share a photo or graphic that you like and want to share, either share it through traditional means (like the share or retweet button) or ask their permission to use it. It’s also good to consider the source that person got the graphic from. If they made it themselves, you’re more likely in the clear. If they snagged it from Google or someone else’s profile, you might reconsider. The same goes for written content: share the traditional way and add your own commentary, or ask for permission and credit them.
Do remember this is a long game
It’s easy to feel discouraged when you’re just starting out. Don’t get too wrapped up in your follower count. Hundreds and thousands of followers doesn’t always translate to business impact. Focus on offering valuable content and driving engagement (particularly likes, comments, link clicks, and shares). The followers will come!