You might be tired of hearing this word, especially if you’ve been trying to implement a social media marketing strategy, with little success, but here it is again, ENGAGEMENT! Does it fill you with dread? It shouldn’t. We all like to be engaged don’t we? Engaged in conversation? When watching a movie, what happens when we become disengaged? We get bored.

Quality doesn’t always equal engagement. If you have technological barriers that are preventing you from creating the content you wish, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t produce something. Anything. Consistency is better than quality. And that’s why done is better than perfect.

Let me explain.

Engaging posts prevents potential customers from becoming bored while exploring your content  – hopefully. You want to expire a call to action if possible. For some business owners this comes easily. They’ve built their brand from the ground up with all the necessary marketing strategies already in place because they understood the benefit of using social media as an advertising platform.

It’s not like that for everyone and there are hundreds of reasons why.

Recognising your strengths has already gotten you where you are today and we appreciate how jam-packed your days already are… but there is no escaping the importance of developing a social media strategy. It will need addressing eventually but in the meantime here are some points for your consideration.

Below is a list of barriers our clients have faced while navigating the tricky world of online engagement and hopefully we can demystify some of the myths associated with them.

• Video – Why done is better than perfect. There are millions of Youtube videos that have been created using a standard smartphone. The sound quality is not 100% perfect and they’re clearly using a wall in their home as the backdrop. This is acceptable. Video quality can be overlooked as long as the content is on point. So grab that phone and shoot something today. Keep it short and simple. Two minutes max. Stay on point.
• Imagery – Stock images are absolutely fine! You probably don’t have access to models and photographers to perfectly capture your advertising needs but so many of those images already exist. They might not showcase your personality exactly but don’t let it become a barrier. Visit https://pixabay.com/ and check out their free stock images.
• Catchy Graphics – You don’t need to be a graphic designer. Download Canva onto your mobile today and play around. Create some letterheads or a social media post and incorporate your branding. Try to allocate half an hour per day. This could be while having a cup of coffee or sitting on a train. It’s not as scary or inaccessible as you might think and with some practise you could become quite proficient in no time.
• Your Values – Be You – Everyone else is taken! All of the above means nothing without you. Your personality and your story matters. Ever heard the phrase, people buy from people? You want to attract the right clients to your business. Ask questions, be social and engage with your followers. Make it easy for people to choose YOU.

KEY TIP. Consistency is vital. Don’t overstretch yourself by posting everyday. You want to introduce a healthy habit into your routine and creating new content, upping your engagement strategy, and learning these new skills can be done gradually. Remember, done is better than perfect.