Who else looks at their content calendar and thinks “How in the world am I going to be able to create THIS much content?” Depending on which (and how many) social platforms you are on, it can be an overwhelming task to start mapping out all the content you need to meet your next social media goal. Been there, done that, and let me tell you, its stressful!
I’ve decided the maddening days of throwing content online on a whim to ensure there is some sort of social presence are over. I’ve started being strategic to save my own schedule and sanity.
How did I do that? I started “bucketing” my content.
Simply, the term “bucketing” describes the different categories I use to curate social media content, and then I “fill the bucket” with evergreen content that will last until my next evaluation point. My goal is to fill the bucket as full as I can during one working time. Rather than adding a little here and there over time, when I do it at once I save time and mental energy so I can check the box (err, bucket) of my list and move on to the next one.
Quick note: The content you are posting that is not evergreen and is time sensitive can still go in a bucket, but its likely you wont be able to fill this bucket at once. This bucket will collect drop by drop over time as new opportunities, promotions, and news unfolds. However, the content won’t be recycled through your social queue like your evergreen content will be by being reworded and put back in your bucket.
So what buckets am I using? If you review Amber Hurdle’s Twitter or Facebook pages that I manage, you’ll be able to discover the buckets for yourself if you search long enough! Although I have lots of buckets, here are a few you can try if you’re searching for shareable content you can use to boost engagement on social.
- Your own content. Think blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videos that YOU create. Be sure to create a couple variations of posts for each piece of content to get your content in front of the most eyes!
- Other people’s content. Are you sharing other people’s content? This can be news related to your industry, blogs, and other resources that your audience is interested it. Give shout outs to people doing great work in our industry.
- Questions. People love to engage with questions. Ask things that relate to the work you do. If your biz is a salon or spa, ask about favorite hair products or why they love their stylist. If you’re a leadership coach, ask about leadership styles and great mentors. Be sure to authentically respond to the answers your followers give and you’ll keep your engagement going.
- Fill in the blank. Similarly to questions, try fill in the blank posts. Just as it sounds, create a post that requires a follower to “fill in the blank,” for example: I’m thankful today because _____.
- Quotes. Know any great quotes that describe your industry, style, or audience, your approach to the work you do, or are simply motivational? Share them! These posts often get lots of great engagement and are easy to create a simple graphic or image to post with it.
- Promotions. Don’t forget to pepper in posts about your own business, whether that be about your products or services or upcoming sales. These posts shouldn’t dominate your feed though! Although you do want to talk about what you offer, your social media presence should give your followers a better idea of the personality of your brand rather just tell about what you are trying to sell.
Ultimately, ask yourself what your audience expects to see from your social profiles. If you were searching for a photographer, what would you want to see on their social profiles? Examples of their work, maybe an article about how to choose what outfits to wear for a photo shoot…not political news articles! Run everything you publish by this test and you’ll be good to go.
Don’t panic the next time you look at your content calendar. Take a deep breath and start filling your buckets!
Want to ask questions about bucketing your social media content? Find me in the Bombshell Business app and let’s chat!
About the Author
Abby Hyman
Amber Hurdle Consulting
Social Media
Abby Hyman is the Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator for Amber Hurdle Consulting. She is an expert in strategically coordinating multiple social media profiles for personal brand clients, consistently showcasing each client while maintaining a unique voice and staying on brand. With a background in nonprofit leadership and public relations, she uses her expertise for good, providing branding and organizational health support to community organizations. Abby’s passion to see women, people of color, and other marginalized groups succeed drives her compassionate and goal-focused approach to social media strategizing that brings awareness and increases sales.
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