Keeping up with the ever-changing social media trends is not an easy task. It kind of feels like being stuck in a revolving door and not knowing exactly when to jump out. More people keep hopping in and it gets crowded and overwhelming. At some point, you have to seize your opportunity and exit quickly.

At least that’s what it feels like to me as a social media marketer. I’m in this revolving door and “people,” (ideas, tips, trends, etc.) keep flooding in and clouding my strategies to “exit,” (move forward).

Yes, there are ideas, tips, trends, that we should pay attention to and in some cases even try to implement. BUT… that does not mean you need to do “all the things” to have a successful social media presence. In fact, the “Less is More” motto is very effective and should be applied here.

A good practice to re-evaluate your social media strategies is to do a little research and take a fresh look at least a few times a year. I like to coordinate this with the change in seasons. Mostly, because here in Minnesota, we are weather-obsessed and any significant change in the weather is the topic of conversation for days. But also, because it’s an easy reminder that about four times a year I need to spend some time learning and staying on top of these always changing trends. So, since it’s summertime, here are some blooming ideas to brighten up your social media!

Update Your Profile and Cover Photos

Nothing says stuck in last season than a snowboarding photo when everything is blooming outside and everyone is out and about enjoying boat rides on Lake Minnetonka or sipping cocktails on their favorite restaurant patio. Simply updating your profile and cover photos will show visitors that your account is active and current.

Follow the seasons with the imagery you’re posting. Pay attention to what you’re seeing on social media while you’re scrolling through your feeds. Right now in June, everyone wants to see the beach, summer, sunny, outside photos. For instance, if you have retail products to sell, pack up your products and take them to the beach for a photoshoot. Get some nice ‘summery’ shots to create vibrant posts.

Less is More When it Comes to Words

How long the post copy should be and the character count varies from platform to platform. However, with our short attention spans, using fewer words in your posts is oftentimes the best strategy. 

Don’t use a lot of words on your actual post image. Keeping your post image clean speaks volumes and helps to tell your brand’s story. Also, don’t use a lot of verbiage in your post copy. If you do have a lot to say about something, try breaking that up into smaller bite-sized content and span out over several posts.

Show Your Face

Clearly, some people are more comfortable than others when it comes to self-promotion or even just personally showing oneself in a post. But, I can nearly guarantee that if you start including posts with your face in them, those posts will have an uptick in likes and engagement. You may even increase your following. I have seen this play out successfully many times for clients.

People want to see the face behind the business. It adds a personal touch and in the age of “all things reality-based,” this applies even more. Just remember not to use too many filters, stickers, or text overlays which can make a post look too “busy” and not interesting.

Bring Your Stories to Life

If you’re not posting very often to stories, you should be. Even giving them a bit of a pulse can be helpful to your reach, especially on Instagram. And adding videos to your stories is even better. 

If you just want to add photos to your stories, then be sure to add any hashtags or tags to other people, businesses, or products that are relevant to that story. Go ahead and throw some text overlays, stickers, or GIFs to the stories… just DO NOT go overboard. No one wants to try to read a paragraph sized down to 2 pt font. Besides, adding too much can take away from the real message of the story image or video. Be strategic and experiment with it.

Get Those Highlights Organized

On your Instagram, you have the option to add story highlights which are located on the main profile page of your account. This is a great way for businesses to highlight their best stories, by keeping them alive (highlighted) in a place where followers can always find them. Otherwise, stories disappear after 24 hours. Create the relevant categories for your business and add the best stories to these highlights. And don’t forget to update it every week to keep it fresh.

Conclusion

Jump out of the revolving door and leave most of those ideas, tips, and trends behind for now and simply start with freshening up your social accounts and putting good posting practices in place as mentioned above. If you would like more blooming ideas for your social media or assistance in creating a new social media strategy altogether, give us a call today at: 952-449-6800