social media strategy

Anybody else counting down the days to Christmas right now? I know I am!

From a work perspective, it’s that time of year where much of our time is spent tying up loose ends and prepping projects for the New Year (oh – and finding some time for the odd festive tipple!). But as much as you might be looking forward to a well-deserved rest, and as tempting as it is to go completely off grid for a couple of weeks, it’s really important to maintain some kind of social media presence over the holidays…

2021 has been packed full of social media headlines, hasn’t it?

We’ve seen blackouts, bans, meltdowns, letdowns, and even digital fisticuffs – and the year isn’t even over yet!

To tie in nicely with Fireworks Night here in the UK, here’s my pick of the 5 most incredible (and EXPLOSIVE) social media stories from the last few months. Enjoy!

1. Facebook disappeared – and boy, did we feel it

OK, let’s start with the serious stuff. Facebook has suffered outages before, but it beat all previous re…

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably noticed that, for the month of July, my Reels output was OFF THE SCALE.

Earlier in the summer, I decided to set myself a little challenge. I wanted to find out if posting more Reels to my account would result in more engagement and more followers.

In June, I committed to posting between two to three Reels every week (backed up by several static posts, of course). I saw a noticeable uplift in my stats; it was one of the best months ever in terms of ho…

“I have no idea what to talk about on my socials!”

“I know I need to keep showing up, Frances – but I just don’t know what to post!”

I hear you. Coming up with fun, engaging, informative and shareable social media content is hard.

Even if there’s lots to talk about within your business or in your wider industry, you’ll hit a creative block from time to time.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is go back to basics.

Following on from an Instagram Reel I posted on my own social media channels las…

Social media is more than coming up with some words, finding an image, and scheduling in your content in the hope it will get you noticed.

It’s about using popular channels to support your wider goals, in a way that will bring maximum value to your sales strategy.

Choosing social media goals is the first topic I cover in my Social Strategy Workbook (which you can download for just £14, by the way). It’s also something I talk about a lot with my VIBeans community and in my monthly Jelly Bean Wo…

Ad hoc, on-the-fly social media posts might get you some engagement.

Some of them might take off. Some of them might be a complete flop.

But when you’re putting your time into running a social media campaign, you don’t really want to be dealing in ‘mights’. You want to make sure that your efforts are going to pay off; you want to create fun, informative, shareable content that’s going to resonate with your fans and boost your brand’s profile. Every time.

And that’s why I always tell my client…

When it comes to getting better engagement from social media, video is the format that’s going to get you the best results, both now and in the future.

The people behind the world’s biggest social platforms know this, which is why many of them have started incorporating more video-driven features into their sites in recent years.

Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Twitter – they’ve all started featuring video more prominently. Even Pinterest has launched a Promoted Videos option to help marketers a…

Have you heard of Clubhouse?

If you follow me on social media, you’ve probably seen me mention this innovative audio-only social platform a few times already.

For years, we’ve all been thinking of social media content as something we can see – not necessarily something we can hear. But Clubhouse has turned that idea on its head by basing its entire proposition on audio chat between its users.

Clubhouse lets you listen in to conversation and interviews between different people on pretty much a…

You’ve probably heard a bit about Google my Business through the grapevine – but do you know where it came from, what it does, and how it can be used to boost your company’s online presence?

Read on for some essential background info, along with handy pointers to help you make the most of one of Google’s best-loved products.

A brief history of Google my Business

Google my Business (sometimes shortened to GmB) has grown to become one of the biggest gamechangers for companies in recent years – …

You’ve done it!

Whether by choice or by circumstance, you’re now the proud owner of a business – and you’re ready to start getting your exciting new venture out there.

But where do you start?

LinkedIn.

Every. Time.

Because when it’s managed correctly, LinkedIn can be such a powerful platform for start-ups in virtually all sectors.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a management consultant, an online retailer, a plumber or a cake maker – there will be an audience for you on this hugely popular soc…