Tutorial
3 Easy Ways To Post With Small Biz Brands and Your Scheduler
There are a number of ways to create a social media post. There are also a number of ways to enhance this process that we have included in the software. In this tutorial, we are going to focus on just the three simplest way to get started posting and using your Scheduler.
- Method One: Start a Post with a Photograph
- Method Two: Start a Post with a Caption Idea
- Method Three: Start a Post by Choosing a Specific Post Type
What is a Scheduler
A Social Media Scheduler is a digital calendar that lets you plan social media posts in advance and save and schedule them. This may seem like an extra step at first, but once you get used to the mechanics of it, it will save you a lot of time.
The first time you access the software Scheduler, you will need to connect to your social media accounts.
Why Use a Scheduler
Our Scheduler was designed with saving time in mind. As long as you can locate the “Create Post” button, you can succeed. The Scheduler was also designed to allow you to focus on the creative process first before you must think about logistics like time and date for posting. Over time, by spending an extra moment or two just on “creating” content only, you should be able to produce superior posts that will resonate with your audience.
Method One: Start a Post with a Photograph
One of the simplest ways to post is by starting with a great photograph. When you have a great photo, it does a lot of the work for you.
To back up a bit, let’s talk about what makes a great photo. First and foremost, the photo must be of good quality. It looks clear and in focus. It looks the right size when loaded into your social platform. It is visually appealing.
Next let’s talk about quantity! You can never have enough photos for social media and other marketing. In fact, in a short amount of time, it becomes hard to keep up with all of the ones you will collect for this purpose. This is why you need to start gathering them in your Photo and Video Library from Day 1.
A stocked library will also let you retrieve photos fast. This will really help you be more efficient with time spent on your social posting. Looking for a photo lost somewhere on your computer can be a real time buster.
Go to your Scheduler and choose what platform and type of post you want to create. Once submitted, choose a photo for today’s post and click on it. Next, on to writing the post caption. It may be that a description comes to mind immediately. In this case, your job is done. Otherwise, enter an interesting caption that works with this photo. And we do mean interesting. Social media is very much like a magazine or TV show. If it doesn’t hold your audiences attention, they will move on quickly.
Take one more step and figure out how to further customize this prompt so that it works for your business “only”. If you keep this in mind, as well as the need to be interesting, you will be way ahead of the game. For example, here are two quotes that an apartment community could post for a given photo:
- “The view from the pool is the best thing about our property.”
- “The view of the North Carolina mountains from the infinity pool is the best thing about our apartment property.”
The first post could be used in almost any property with a pool. The second post is much more specific and they may be only one apartment community in all of North Carolina that has a mountain view from an infinity pool. Step back and take one last look before you hit submit. You should have a fantastic post!
Method Two: Start a Post with a Caption Idea
The next easiest way to post is by starting with a caption idea. We have information about our business that we would like to communicate, so it makes sense to start with that sometimes. Here, too, let’s take a minute to talk about content. You can never have enough content. It is so important that any time a caption idea comes to you, take a moment to capture it in some way. Ideally, you can go to your Prepare to Post section of the app and add it to your Caption Library for future use. Alternatively, you can always save it in your Notes app on your phone and transfer it over to the app later.
Starting a post with a content idea reverses what we did earlier when we began with a photograph. Again, we go to the Scheduler and choose the platform and type of post we want. We write a caption on the spot or choose a caption stored in our library. We make sure we customize the copy so it truly is a post for your business only (not a generic post that could have be on anyone’s platform). Then we add a photo. We go to our Photo and Video library and find a photo that will work well with it or upload one directly from our computer.
Method Three: Start a Post by Choosing a Specific Post Type
A final way to start a post is with a certain format in mind. There is a whole world of different types of posts out there. Try to add a new format into your feed at least once a month. Try doing a survey, video, or share an article. All of these types are available and many more. New formats are being created all the time. Make sure you use this technique as another way to keep your feed fresh and interesting.
Adding Hashtags and CTA’s to your Post
When you are just getting started with posting on social media, the three methods we describe above will do nicely. After you are comfortable with that, the next two steps will be adding a call to action, occasionally, and hashtags to your caption box. We have separate tutorials for each of these. The final step is following the prompts to schedule the post for a future time and date or posting it immediately.
Actively rotate between starting with a photo, starting with a caption idea, or starting with a format and you will find that creating posts has become a lot easier. Happy Posting!
Next Steps
If you want to talk more about this topic, join us in The Small Biz Builders, our private Facebook group. Did you find it easier to post when the steps are laid out for you in our app? We’d love to hear your feedback.