I use a number of time saving tools in my business and I thought it might be helpful if I shared those with you.
So going forward, I'm going to feature Tool Time Tuesdays where I tell you about a cool tool I'm using.
Some are free, others are low cost, and some are an investment.
I'm not here to sell you anything. I'm
simply going to give you the real dirt on what works for me (and is likely to work for you.)
I invest about 90 minutes (2 hours if I get distracted) each Sunday (you pick your best day, that's mine) to fill my content feed for all
networks for 7 days (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, G+, Pinterest, they have Instagram too, but I've not added it yet.)
Now, I can hear you saying "Melissa, what does that even mean?"
It's simple, in www.buffer.com I have set up schedules based on the best times to post (and they make it easy by
providing suggestions based on their research) so content (articles, blog posts, videos, images) that I select and comment on goes out automatically.
(They have a free version, I use the $10/month version.)
Your next questions is "and where are you finding that content?"
Great news, I'm not creating it! (Though I can share my blog posts
through buffer with ease.)
Inside www.buffer.com they have an RSS/content feed for each of your social networks, you can use the simple search and find any blog you want (many you may never have heard of or your tried and true favorites) and buffer will pull in the feed.
This means that when you
are ready to schedule out content you'll already have a boatload (it allows up to 15 content sources for each network) of awesome content to vet, comment on and share.
Now, I AM NOT A TECHIE, I am a marketing geek and there is a BIG DIFFERENCE.
If a tool isn't stupid simple, I can't use it. So this is going to be easy for you too.
I filled
my Twitter content feed and use it across all platforms with the push of a button.
I filled my LinkedIn content feed so I'd have more resources and again can share it across all platforms.
On average it takes me less than 2 minutes per article or blog post to share. In 90 minutes I can store 45 schedule pieces of content that will go out automatically per the schedule I've set on each network
(and each schedule is different and automatic, set it once and fill it weekly.)
You'll see the content I'm curating (sharing other people's content) and the comments and hashtags I add.
This is incredibly simple, personal, and an INCREDIBLE SHORTCUT.
And buffer is particularly awesome when you do NOT blog or create your own content because you can piggyback your visibility and borrow credibility from the content of those you do share.
I've done this for years and it is wildly effective.
I've even set
it up for 2-3 week stints of automatic sharing when I knew I'd be traveling.
I recommend this resource at every speaking engagement I go to and often share it at networking events.
It is no brainer easy and will save you a boatload of time while keeping you visible and credible.
Now, I also make sure I add a short (sometimes 2 word) comment
to each share so it is personal.
And, yes, I do check for comments during the week and reply, like and more.
Engagement isn't automatic, content sharing is.
Mega Hugs,
Melissa
PS. If you have questions, they have super friendly and prompt support and you can also find them on Twitter for support.
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