5 Tips for Social Media Planning

Written By Julie Arrison-Bishop

Do you manage social media for your organization? Are you a team of many or a team of one (who likely has quite a few other duties!)? Here are five things you can do this week to make your life a little bit easier!

1.      Schedule your social media once a week

Have you ever found yourself in the social media vortex? Did you login to Instagram to post up something for the day and 30 minutes later find yourself forgetting why you logged on? You’re not alone!

It’s incredibly helpful to carve out 30-60 minutes each week (depending on your post frequency and how many platforms you’re on) and schedule your weekly social during that time. Doing this allows you to focus on the task at hand.

Pick a time during the week that is best for you. Maybe Monday morning energy is your thing or Sunday afternoons are a quiet time in between visitors and tours. Add the time to your calendar and make it yours!

2.      Schedule 15 minutes/day to monitor engagement

Just because you set aside that weekly time to schedule social media doesn’t mean it’s totally “set it and forget it.” It’s best practice to read through the notifications and message on your platforms each day and respond to positive and negative feedback. The more that your organization engages on social, the better the algorithm! With just a few minutes a day, you’re highly likely to see growth in your organic statistics!

Scheduling 15 minutes/day also helps to provide a boundary for checking your organization’s social channels after hours. Knowing that you are keeping up on a daily basis allows you the freedom to worry less.

3.      Use a social media calendar for planning and inspiration

It’s Tuesday at 9:45. Your museum is about to open and you know you need to post for the day. It’s raining. The flowers look good. It’s your founder’s birthday. There’s an anniversary. Is there a fundraiser this week? Nope – it’s a lecture.

Does this train of thought sound familiar? Or have you ever sat down to schedule a post and zero inspiration strikes?

We’re a big fan of a weekly calendar. On an annual basis, set aside a few inspiring ideas for each day of the week. When the time comes – and the bright idea doesn’t – you’ll have a ready made chart with great ideas to keep your day moving along.

4.      Follow Museum Social Media Managers on Facebook

Sometimes you have a question. Sometimes you need a museum cavalry to come to your rescue. Sometimes you need to vent to like minded pros.

Give this page a follow.  

5.      Subscribe to thought leaders for content ideas and industry best practices. Here are a few of our can’t-miss favorites:

Julie Arrison-Bishop
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