I have a couple pet peeves and by a couple, I mean at least 1,000. I loathe it when people drag their feet when they walk. I get irked when others are oblivious to traffic laws - other than speeding - I can get behind speeding. My biggest pet peeve is directed at a personal tic of mine: I hate it when I realize I've missed out on something. A cool band, a hip restaurant, a fashion trend, or a new app that's supposed to revolutionize the planet - I hate not being in-the-know. I've been this way as long as I can remember. Even into my 30's, I still check out videos on MTV (when they're actually on) to see what is happening in the pop music world. I am too old for MTV, but that's a topic is for another day.
Most recently, uh-hem yesterday, I found out that Twitter is providing analytics. That. Is. Huge! One Google search proved that this has been a thing for a while and that I just went on living my life only dreaming about how nice it would be if they provided such info. This is embarrassing, but it feels like a baptism to admit my faults; I am cleansed of all my sins and will move on with no regrets. Still, I'm pretty peeved with myself.
As a social media marketer, I am on the Internet constantly looking for amazing content or reading up on my industry. It seems bonkers that I missed something this big. That is, until I began to consider the amounts of content I likely take in on a daily basis. Between searching for stellar items to post for our clients and occasionally ending up down a YouTube rabbit hole, a lot of the other content can almost become like white noise. You're seeing it, but you're not really seeing it. Your brain is done.
There is something behind the concept of content becoming white noise; our brains do become saturated with information to the point we no longer take anything in. The average social media user takes in 285 pieces of content daily, but the information that is provided to the user sits around 54,000 words. I don't even want to know my number.
Being a social media marketer definitely comes with the pressure of staying on-trend with the latest social networks and apps. When you miss the boat it can have big implications on your clients accounts and maybe even your job. Here are some ways to stay on top of your social media marketing game.
Stay On Top of Industry News
Things shift in marketing all the time, so it's gravely important to keep up with the latest news. I like to check into Inbound.org to see what people are talking about or are most interested in. SocialMediaToday.com cannot be beat for the latest in the marketing industry. It's a personal fave. Alltop.com is another great source for getting a ton of marketing info all in one spot. Since we are Hubspot Partners, we love the Hubspot blog. They create an ungodly amount of content every week that covers everything from new apps to giving away marketing advice. I also love to sign up for bi-weekly email updates from my favorite marketing sites.
Keep Up with Tech News
All I have to say is praises be that I do social for a managed services provider, otherwise I might not consider tech blogs as a rich resource for marketers. Techcrunch is my favorite for news on the latest apps or news on social media mergers and changes. Mashable is just downright amazing for most things, but also has great tech news coverage. I also adore Fast Company.
You are Not a Robot
I get incredibly frustrated with myself for missing out on the latest "it" things. Something that I often have to remind myself is that I am not perfect. I manage the social media accounts across multiple channels for several companies and things are going to fall through the cracks regardless of how hard I try. Be kind to yourself when you miss something. Don't call yourself a "dingus," which is what usually what I call myself.
Social media marketing isn't just about posting the right content at optimal times; making sure you are following the news in your industry helps you to stay current on all the latest trends and tools you could be using to make your job easier. Staying ahead of the curve is important; just don't kill yourself trying to do so.
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