Yes, that is a click-bait kind of question as the answer is not going to be a straight-forward one.
The truth is, there are a number of factors that will determine your time investment in social media for you and your team.
Your Target Audience
Clarifying this will save you time in terms of not wasting it, but may mean tailoring how you create that content to suit what your ideal clients are drawn to.
Your Industry
It is true that each social media platform will attract more of certain demographics.
That said, as long as your content is produced in a way that resonates with your clients on any of the platforms, YOU CHOOSE.
According to Michelle from Virtual Hand “Keep in mind that if you are determined to use your content successfully, it will need to be tailored to the algorithm and audience preferences for each particular platform.
Your Personality and Content
It’s a fact that people often stay loyal to a particular supplier or service based mainly on how much they ‘like’ you.
It’s also true that they will come to do business with you if they catch a glimpse of people they can relate to – whether that be through images or words, or face to face.
We can’t all dance a jig that brings in a million followers and, let’s face it, we don’t all have time to gather up the team every day to show off our one-of-a-kind customer service.
Do you have a team member that pranks the team? Do your clients love your complimentary pictures of their pets or products?
What many business owners don’t realise is just how valuable these little habits can be in showing off your unique style of doing business and maintaining customer loyalty and affection.
Your level of organisation and available time
You have to invest a degree of your time in marketing. That is a given. You will need to decide the percentage of your working week that warrants being spent on attracting an online following and potential leads.
We would suggest that as a company representative, your social media time is BEST spent engaging with your network!
No amount of attractive posts will replace authentic human interaction.
If, on a weekly basis, you don’t have plenty of time to write blogs and posts that can makeup weeks of copy, or videos produced professionally, then take photos.
Good quality photographs that beautifully depict your products, personality and team, can be wonderful assets.
Your Finances
Your time is valuable. It should be concentrated on the aspects of your business that you do best.
These photographs or short videos must be paired with the right wording.
If you aren’t blessed with the gift of prose, it is well worth the cost to invest in someone that can confidently and consistently capture the nature of your unique selling points, core business, exceptional products and customer service.
This doesn’t need to bleed the bank dry!
Many virtual assistant’s charge to the minute and are more than willing to work to a set budget. Perhaps do a trial run with someone who seems to understand you in your initial call.
In conclusion, design your social media marketing routine to work for you and not allow it to overtake your entire life and business…unless it is your business and is based around your life!