Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, WordPress, Facebook, Google+, YouTube, Vine, LinkedIn – with so many current social media platforms, it’s no wonder brands are interested in finding a one-stop-shop to manage their accounts. However, like most things, there are dos and don’ts to automated posting and it is important you understand the major factors before you get going down a track that leads to trouble.
What is Automated Posting?
Your company probably has accounts on more than one social media page. If you are pressed for time and need internet marketing help, you might not be keeping up with those accounts the way you should. Posting at inopportune times of the day will hinder your social impact. Posting infrequently or sporadically is worse. Automated posting accounts allow you to manage your social media accounts under one roof and schedule posts for future dates. This means a post written today can coincide with your content calendar to post a blog about a major event happening for your company next month or a tidbit of information waiting to be published on your ever-growing content list.
When Automated Posting Kicks You in the Shins
There is a very real danger to setting up your posts in advance. Can you imagine what it is? Timing problems.
See, the world doesn’t alter its major events based on your predestined publishing schedule. Perhaps it was simply misjudgment, but I’d like to think that Tesco’s “It’s sleepy time so we’re off to hit the hay!” Tweet was scheduled long before the horsemeat PR crisis that it came out in the midst of. Tesco seemed to think this was a preferred angle as well, Tweeting later: “I’m terribly sorry. That tweet was scheduled before we knew of the current situation. We’d never intend to make light of it.” The untimely tweet launched #burgergate and #horsepuns that had Twitter users everywhere poking fun at Tesco and shattering its reputation in the food industry.
But there are so many other embarrassing brand fails because of scheduled posts. LiveNation Tweeted out their RadioHead concert was canceled due to a staging collapse where people were injured badly and one person even died. But, then, half an hour later, LiveNation Tweets out a promotion for the show requesting Instagram photos to create an event album. One news station even Tweeted “breaking news” about an award they were receiving during the middle of the Boston Marathon bombing.
Why Auto Posting can be Great
When used appropriated and monitored closely, auto-posting provides internet marketing help by allowing you to post when the time is best for your audience, regardless of how busy you are. Prime time for your audience might also be prime time for your meetings or answering important calls in the office.
Scheduled posting also helps you stay consistent with your publishing. Followers won’t be able to rely on your company if your updates are sporadic. You can write or order content months ahead of time and then schedule the posts for when they work best for you.
Reduce the stress of social media tasks by setting up your posts well in advance. This way, you can put prime focus on responding quickly to questions, concerns and comments posted by followers and viewers on your various social media accounts.
Alethea M is a corporate blogging guru and freelance writer for WriterAccess. She loves pulling out interesting facts from article research to impress friends at dinner parties.
