Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Pandora
Create, write, post… repeat. For most business owners, social media is a staple of our day-to-day workflows; something we know we need to do, maybe something we hate doing, but for many of us it’s a part of the territory of running a business.
And while we may have created a rhythm or a system when it comes to creating and sharing content, we often forget about the final step of the process… determining if what we’re doing is effective. When was the last time you did an audit of what’s ACTUALLY working?
This past year for me has been a LOT about creating systems and structure around what I share, how I share, and what my online presence looks like and it’s been a game changer, but I’ve noticed that for me, once I create a system, I sometimes forget to go back over it to ensure that it is doing exactly what we want it to.
At the beginning of this year, my team and I did audits of all of our accounts and really took a step back to look at what’s working, what’s not working, and how those insights will guide us forward. And this, Goal Digger, is your sign to do the same!
In this episode, I’m sharing what you should be looking at when auditing your content and how to do an effective audit that will help guide your strategy forward with more clarity and certainty.
Are you ready to master your social media marketing and start posting intentional content that drives REAL results? Grab a pen and paper because you’re going to want to take notes on this one!
Are You Burnt Out From Social Media?
First, let’s address the reasons why many of us feel burnt out. I think that one reason is that we’ve been showing up online for years, constantly adapting to algorithm changes and new features. It’s exhausting.
Another reason is that some of us have over systemized our content creation, outsourcing it to others and losing touch with the content itself. We’ve also struggled to see a strong return on investment (ROI) from our content, which can make it feel pointless.
Something that changed the game for me in seeing an ROI from my content is using chat funnels. Hop over to Instagram and DM me the word CHAT to learn more about what these are and how you can use them in your business!
The last reason I think a lot of us are feeling burnt out is that we may have strayed too far from the content that initially connected us with our audience, losing that sense of authenticity and connection.
My goal for you is to start enjoying creating content again; bring the joy back into the entire process. So, without further ado, let’s talk about how to determine if what you’re doing is actually working!
Do A General Account Overview
To start your social media audit, do a general overview of your account to determine if there’s anything you need to add, change, update, or remove.
Some questions to ask yourself when looking at your account:
- Is my profile photo still current and is it eye-catching?
- Is my branding consistent across all platforms?
- Does my profile communicate who I am, what I do, and who I serve?
- Am I being strategic with the links in my bio?
- Are my Instagram highlights still up to date or necessary?
Look At Top-Performing Content
Next, take a look at your top performing content. Identify the themes, trends, and types of content that have resonated with your audience. Look beyond just likes and comments and consider metrics like:
- Which posts got us the most new followers
- Which posts led to a real ROI beyond vanity metrics
- Which content got the most saves
Also look at the many variables with your top performing content. A lot of times we just chalk it up to being the actual piece of content but there are so many variables surrounding it that could impact your results, such as:
- What was the topic?
- What was the audio, if you used one?
- What sort of caption did you write?
- What was the CTA?
Pro Tip: Create a doc or a folder where you save all of your top posts. Try to save your top 5-10 posts and have easy access links to that content. Pull out the actual content and the caption and take a little time to see if you notice any trends. Having this file on hand will help when you’re feeling a dry spell when you’re creating content!
Analyze Bottom-Performing Content
Next, analyze your bottom performing content. Don’t just focus on vanity metrics, but consider the intent and goal of each post.
When you start to analyze your bottom performers you may start to see trends that can guide your decision process forward. Here are some questions to ask yourself about that bottom performing content.
- Even if others don’t like it or connect with it, do I still love it?
- Is there a way to test or experiment with this type, style, or topic to try something else?
- Do I want to scrap this category all together as I move forward?
Reevaluate Your JK5
The “JK5” is a term I coined that means your 5 brand pillars or content categories. The idea is to have five main topics or categories that you consistently cover in your content.
These pillars serve as connection points for your audience, giving them a reason to follow you even if they don’t currently need your products or services. The JK5 helps to build a true brand with a recognizable personality behind it, rather than just a business focused on selling.
When doing your social media audit, make sure your JK5 still aligns with your current passions and interests, and consider adding new pillars if necessary.
Create A Posting Schedule
This is the year we have been getting very organized in all parts of our business, especially with systems and schedules, and I think it’s so critical to have some sort of a plan when it comes to social media.
I’m not talking about a rigid plan that sucks the fun out of it, but a plan so that you aren’t berating yourself when you can’t create content on the fly, so that you have something to share on the days where you’ve got nothing to say!
To create a posting schedule, start with your JK5. This is the easiest way to approach it because with 5 different topics, you can plan to post one per day every day of the work week and take the weekends “off” of posting (or, at least give yourself the freedom to).
As for Stories, I personally like to keep these a little more free-flowing to allow myself to share my day-to-day routines with my audience without any pressure. My goal is to post 3-5 stories per day, inviting you into my life, but most days I post more than that!
Remember: There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to create a posting plan – there’s only a right or wrong way for YOU. The important thing is that you commit to something, stick with it, and evaluate its effectiveness later.
Example: Our Posting Schedules
For our Goal Digger social media channels, we have a pretty consistent posting schedule so we were really just refining it and looking into what tweaks we want to make and what we want to try.
On the Goal Digger accounts, we basically have a theme for each day of the week – whether it’s sharing a new episode, sharing a reel about the episode, asking a question for our community, or posting inspiring content. Since that account is more niche, our pillars are more focused on the show and sharing that content.
For me personally, my JK5 has evolved so much over the years and it continues to evolve. I used to share mac and cheese every Wednesday or post the foster puppies we were loving on Fridays…
These days, I’m sharing more of my life and my motherhood journey and my routines, so it keeps evolving. If I had to define my JK5 right now I’d say it would be: motherhood, home, health, business, and lifestyle.
On my personal account, we’ve been working on having at least 3 reels go up per week. I prep these in advance and get them set as drafts and then that leaves room for me to post day to day thoughts or what really inspires me or what I want to say. It leaves room for spontaneity which I think we’ve lost on social media but it also ensures that I’m showing up regularly and have content ready to rock.
Experiment!
As you work through your audit and identify trends, areas you want to improve, and maybe places you want to rework, I urge you to be willing to experiment – and I’m not just talking about trying something once or twice, I’m talking about being willing to try a new strategy or type of content for at least 30 days.
You might reveal something new that works exceptionally well for you or a new style you love creating. We have a whole episode all about experimenting and why I think more entrepreneurs need to be willing to experiment and why it’s an important part of the process.
If you need some inspiration, listen to episode 704, The Critical Reason Why You Need to Experiment More In Your Biz!
Plan To Re-Evaluate
Your content creation process should be ever evolving! Literally schedule a meeting with yourself or your team so that you’re circling back to see what’s working for you, what you want to test and try next, and conduct a little pulse check on your content and if it’s doing what you want it to do.
There’s a million things we do as business owners, so it’s important to evaluate what’s working and what’s not so that you’re not wasting your time on things that don’t move the needle.
Keep in mind that YOU have the power to reignite your passion for creating content. By conducting a social media audit and implementing these strategies, you can find joy in the process and connect with your audience on a deeper level. So don’t wait for the perfect moment, start today and keep showing up as the amazing creator that you are!
I hope this episode has inspired you to take a fresh look at your content creation and find new ways to enjoy it.
And I want you to remember: you’re not alone in feeling burnt out, but with a little reevaluation and experimentation, you can reignite your passion and create content that truly resonates with your audience!
Thank you to our Goal Digger Sponsors
Learn how your business can grow better with HubSpot
Visit https://www.linkedin.com/goal to get a $100 credit on your next campaign!
Go to quince.com/goaldigger for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns.
