No one likes lazy, except cats. Take note and avoid each of the following signs of lazy social media management for optimal social success. And remember above all else, stay social not stagnant.
1. Duplicating Content Across Channels
No no, and no. Here’s the thing: no savvy or novice social media user wants to scoot through channels and see the same photo with the same caption via FB, Instagram, FB, etc. As a general rule, duplicating identical content from one channel to another is strongly discouraged. Some times, in rare cases, particular content is important enough that it should in fact be cross promoted. To do so, mix things up. Use different images and different copy to convey the same message. If additional images aren’t available use different crop and filter formats to give the illusion of different captures. Keep it unique and interesting for your audience.
2. Never Taking a Risk
Because no one wants boring. No one wants stagnant. And no one wants redundant. Be creative. Mix in a new idea. Get unique with your posts and above all, take risks. Doing the same thing the same way, will always yield the same results. So to improve, one must dive in a take a risk from time to time.
3. Recycling Old Content
Similar to sharing content across platforms, there’s nothing worse than digging into the deep dark bowels of your old posts and recycling. Stay fresh! Remember you’re having a dialogue with your users. You’re speaking to them. You’re engaging with them. Picture yourself at a cocktail party circulating the room and telling those in attendance the same story you just told 30 minutes ago. You wouldn’t do it in person and you shouldn’t do it online.
4. A High Curate to Create Ratio In Content
Sharing is great. It’s a foundation of social media. However too much sharing, without enough unique original content again, looks lazy. A 1-4 minimum curate to create ratio is recommended so for every one post curated from another channel, plan to make four original posts. Your voice and your message should be unique to your brand.
5. Using Stock Images
Stock images were great back in the day of film where a brand needed to have a photographer shoot a subject, have film developed, reviewed, and photos properly edited for commercial use. But those days are long gone and so is the constant need for stock imagery. Grab your phone and go original. Keep it unique to your brand and share original images. With a bevy of editing apps available, nearly anyone can capture share worthy images to be used in your social posts.