Inconsistent Social Media Communication

Bloggers - at least the successful ones - know the importance of consistent posting. It's the only thing that keeps the traffic coming in. If there is nothing new to see, or read, why visit? Well the same goes for your social media communication. Staying active is the only way to grow your presence.

Here's why. You need to keep your name in front of your target audience - otherwise they're likely to forget about you when the need arises. Keep in mind that if a potential client finds your Facebook Business Page, but sees that you haven't been active in a few months they may very well believe you've gone out of business, or are unreliable, and move on to your competitor's site instead.

Updating consistently and engaging you're your target market does take time. Spread yourself too thin, and you simply won't be able to keep up. Keep your time constraints in mind when deciding which networks to join. Don't try to be everywhere at once - especially if you're brand new to the world of social media. Instead, be selective about which platforms will give you the best results and focus on building up that one platform first, then move to another as time allows.

It's far better for your plan to use one or two networks consistently and well. After all, imagine how it would look if a potential client happens to find - and try to contact you through an abandoned account. "Oops, sorry, I never check that account," is just going to make you look bad. Even worse, it may inadvertently send a message you definitely don't want to be sending - that you don't follow through or respect potential clients enough to respond in a timely manner. And just as bad as not responding is having an outdated photo (or none at all) and inaccurate contact information. This also inadvertently sends a message you don't want to be sending - I don't pay attention to detail, I don't have time to update these things or I don't think it's important. You want your profiles to be professional and you definitely want people to be able to contact you!

Okay, so let's get back to posting on a consistent basis. There is no right or wrong answer here. You have to decide what works best for you. Pay attention to the days and times your audience seems to be most active and if possible be available to interact with them during those times. Another thing to keep in mind with posting consistently - don't make it all about you all the time. Engage your audience, get to know them and build a relationship with them.

You may also want to consider outsourcing some of your social media needs. Look into online technology that allows you to schedule posts on many networks at once to minimize the time needed to consistently post.

Does all this mean you have to be online 24/7 posting new quips and responding to every comment? Of course not. No one has that kind of time. But you should make it a point to work out a schedule that satisfies your audience without overwhelming you, or them. That might mean checking in over your morning coffee and then again after dinner, or it might mean 15 minutes at the end of the day. Each market and business is different, so find what works for you and, remember to be consistent!