social media strategy

“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…

We’re constantly being told that promoting ourselves via social media is one of the most effective ways to get our name out there and snag some lovely new customers. And it absolutely is – as long as we’re targeting the right audience, and we’re active on the platforms where our ideal clients actually hang out!

As a full-time social media manager, I come across a lot of business owners who think they need to be constantly posting across every platform going. But the fact is, not every network i…

When you’re running your own business, it can be tempting to wear all the hats, ALL the time – because doing everything yourself will, inevitably, save you some money.

But your time is just as valuable as the cash flowing in and out of your bank account, you know. Do you want to spend it coming up with quarterly content calendars and pouring over social stats, or would you be happier putting more hours into finding new clients and delivering a better service to the people you’re already working…

What is user generated content?

User generated content (UG) is, quite literally, content that has been created by and shared by the people who have either bought something from your business or interacted with your brand in some other way.

Traditionally, it has taken the form of online reviews, comments in forums, and mentions (good or bad!) on social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. But companies these days are taking the trend for UG content to a whole new level by…