Contributor: Katie Karpinski

Social media. 

Arguably one of the most disruptive marketing tactics of our generation, social media has evolved into a rather elusive and complex organism. With ever-changing algorithms and constant updates, best practices are changing faster than you can type a Tweet.  

What does this mean for marketers? 

It means even more spreadsheets and posting schedules. It means more time spent on researching demographics and more money spent on boosting new posts. It means more time, more energy, and more information must be spent to simply “keep up” with competitors. 

Keeping in pace with these rapid changes might be easier for large companies who have the right resources available. However, social media has become a major undertaking for small businesses who simply don’t have the time or money to constantly enhance their social media presence.  

Whether you’re a small business owner, single-person marketing department, or budding free-lance marketer-- social media may appear to be completely overwhelming. 

But there is hope. 

Staying true to the foundation of social media can help you prioritize and focus your marketing efforts. You just have to get back to the basics. 

In other words, you must keep it social 

Social media was not invented with the intention of being marketing platform. Can it still be incredibly effective as a marketing tool? Of course. But if you want a stake in the social media game, you need to focus on building relationships, not soliciting likes. 

Instead of investing time and money on paid ads, spend time producing quality content-- content that truly depicts who you are and what your brand stands for. Advanced targeting, optimized posting schedules, and keyword inclusions should take a back seat to providing your followers with relevant and useful information. 

Post concise, clear, and engaging content. Post content that humanizes your brand and makes people feel inspired. Post content that assures people of why they should visit your store, eat at your restaurant, or donate to your cause. 

At the end of the day, people want to be heard. By focusing on your audience and building strong relationships through quality content, even the smallest of marketing teams can create a sustainable and effective social media strategy. 

If you have some social media tips be sure to share them in the comments below! 

Interested in learning more about social media tactics and strategies? Click here to learn more about our Social Media Marketing course.