3 simple ways to stay focused on your social media efforts

For all the digital marketing professionals using social media marketing, you have to follow a couple of specific rules. You have to engage with your target audience, follow the rules of each social media channel you use, monitor, listen, being authentic, blog, and measuring your results.

In my experience, there have been many times when I’m asking myself the question of why am I actually doing this. In the bigger picture of things, am I really going to make a difference? Will I be able to help someone who has questions regarding digital marketing for their business?

When you are working on your social media marketing campaign every day (counting weekends as well because the social web doesn’t sleep), it is very easy to suffer a burnout. Spending too much time in front of your computer blogging, tweeting, and engaging can be draining. I know. There will be times when you are going to feel a little bit down and if your efforts are actually worth it.

Whether it is with your personal relationships or work, there will always be a time when you think you have had enough and going to chuck everything out the window.

So how can you make sure you don’t suffer from a social media burnout and keep moving forward? How are you going to overcome the feeling of dread with your marketing initiative? What tips can you follow to regain the same motivation you had when you started your social media journey? The answer is quite simple and easier than you think. Find below a couple of tips that can help you with this.

What do you want to achieve?

We all have different reasons for doing social media marketing. Maybe it is to increase brand awareness, meet new people, increased sales, leads, or just because you like being social online. It really doesn’t matter what your goals are for social media marketing. The important part is that you realize and take the time once in a while to remember why you are online. Take note of your goals and whether or not you achieve them. Focus on what is working for your business and yourself, and let go of everything that doesn’t work.

Be yourself on the social web

On the social web, especially with running a social media marketing campaign, you can sometimes feel that you have to be there for everyone. To burst your bubble – you don’t have to be everything to everyone, it’s impossible. In order to be yourself on the social web, you cannot be on all the popular social media channels and give your commitment 100%. You might have heard this before, but the reality of it is true.

Use only the social media channels that your target market spends their time on and concentrate all your efforts on those channels. While it is very important to be consistent, authentic, and present on the social web, you must also have balance.

Manage your time
Set strict time limits for yourself and put away your tablet and smart phone. Go outside and find a hobby that you like that doesn’t involve the internet. Visit your family, go out with friends or take a vacation.

The pressure to stay relevant, interesting, and active on the social web can wear down even to the top social media marketing influencers. While social media marketing for business cannot be ignored, it is important that you manage your time so that you don’t burnout. No matter how much you love the social web and your marketing initiatives via social media, it’s not who you are.

Image: Mark Hunter via Flickr.