Many small and medium-sized businesses have been attracted to the buzz of social media sites but don’t understand or appreciate the value that professional article and copywriting services can add to their social media strategy.

When we say, “social media,” you say … “Facebook” “Twitter” “YouTube” “LinkedIn”

Maybe you threw Pinterest and Google+, too.

Unfortunately, many small and medium sized businesses have been drawn to the buzz of these sites but don’t understand or appreciate the value that professional articles and copywriting services can add to their social media strategies.

What is your strategy for social media and content?

A quick tweet or image sharing with a brief comment on Facebook can only take a minute (although the best engagement requires a well-understood plan). Creating well-written articles, on the other hand, takes time. You need to create viable topics, research keywords, write and edit content, embed hyperlinks, follow all SEO best practices and then circulate them through targeted PR channels … definitely not a 60 second task.

This is a list of punch steps that typically overwhelm marketers and prevent them from writing articles and blogs. And if you can’t do it well, why bother, right? We agree, to some extent, but there are huge benefits that come to those who dedicate time to building their online brand.

If you envision a successful social media profile for your business page, you might imagine posting content and questions, sparking great conversation, leading to more likes and shares and more fans, right? Well, writing articles helps your business flex its skills. They allow you to give your target audience something of value that they are more likely to share with people they know have the same interests / needs. Plus, when you link to your articles from your social media profiles, you increase the SEO benefits of your branding site, giving you greater visibility.

How do you Analyse a social media strategy?

Ok, so now you believe you have to, but let’s be real. You walk into the office tomorrow morning, sip your cup of joe and ready to tackle the day. You have it in your mind that you are going to write an article but then the phone rings and it’s one of your VIP clients that has a fire that needs to be put out. The next thing you know the day was shot and the article once again slipped into the back burner and into the abyss “when I have time.”

Creating an editorial calendar helps keep your article writing on track. Once a week or monthly, take the time to develop the following strategies:

• Important issues for your target audience
• New products, services, or other news about your business
• Seasonal themes that you can incorporate into your content
• Keyword research for best SEO practices
• The links you will embed to drive traffic to your site

Once you have the data, you can set a schedule for article titles, synops, keywords, and links, along with release dates, ideally no less than four per month. With a complete editorial calendar as your guide, your writing assignments won’t seem so daunting and you’ll be less likely to miss your own deadlines. In turn, your consistency will help you maximize your social media efforts, increase the visibility of your brand, and ultimately reap the rewards.

Still feeling overwhelmed? Dont worry. If you’re having trouble creating your social media strategy, setting up your editorial calendar or writing actual articles, please feel free to contact us for content writing, posting, and related support services.