Updated: March 2020

Have questions about social media? Not sure where to get answers?

I’ve pulled together 12 of the most common social media questions I’ve been asked over the years.

Whether it’s the benefit, how much time you should spend or what type of content to share on social media, here you’ll find answers to your top questions.

If you’re a business owner, brand, influencer or entrepreneur, these are the answers you need to successfully use social media.

Frequently Asked Social Media Questions

1. What are the benefits of social media?

Social media has changed the way businesses communicate with consumers. It’s no longer necessary for a consumer to pick up the phone to learn about your products or services.

Today, they can find the information they need with the click of a mouse or the swipe of their phone.

Creating a social media presence for your business allows you to connect with an audience eager to engage in a more personal way than traditional media allowed for.

It also lets you meet them on their terms and in the location they feel most comfortable spending time.

Beyond that, social media can:

• Boost awareness
• Create an emotional connection
• Drive word-of-mouth
• Build influence
• Establish trust
• Open doors of opportunity

2. How much time should I spend on social media?

If you’re using social media to market your business, results are what matter. And results only come when you consistently spend time on social media.

However, spending every waking moment is not necessary. Instead, use your time wisely rather than falling into mindless swiping, liking, double-tapping, and lurking.

DO THIS!

Spend 15 minutes in the morning and then the same amount of time at the end of your day on social media.

That’s right, this is all you need to see results. Although, the plan I outline below does assume you already know the value of scheduling your own content ahead of time.

An editorial calendar that’s based on your business themes, events, and topics is a strategic way to keep your content fresh, relevant, and timely.

Once you’re posting consistently, here’s how to spend your time on social media:

• 3 minutes checking mentions and comments. Respond to your top 3-5.
• 5 minutes reviewing and scheduling content from your favorite bloggers, news sources, educators or brands.
• 7 minutes networking with 5 people, 2 minutes of this is responding to any replies from yesterday’s outreach. (this SHOULD NOT be spammy)

Now come back at the end of the day and rinse and repeat. I guarantee the last act alone will make all the difference in your social media results.

3. How can I use social media for my business?

Share content, be passionate about your business and let that shine through across your social sites.

Connect with influencers, ambassadors, past clients, and new customers.

Be consistent in your efforts and never ever engage in negative or disparaging conversations. Social media and negativity are like a moth to a flame.

Create boundaries and know what conversations you’ll get involved with. Always remember, people are watching what you’re doing and saying.

Don’t make a faux-pas you can’t recover from.

4. What are the top social media mistakes I want to avoid?

We’re all human and will fumble. Mistakes are bound to happen. But there are some social media mistakes you can avoid.

• Not double-checking content before it’s posted (edit for errors)
• Forgetting to post and letting days or weeks go without a tweet or post from your business
• Not creating a social media calendar containing your content strategy
• Not having measurable goals in place before getting started

Set aside time throughout your week to plan, schedule, and manage your social media content.

This gives you focused, quality time to work on social media.

As opposed to rushing, posting for the sake of it or worse yet, sharing something that does nothing to support the health of your business.

5. How do I manage my time on social media?

Using tools to help manage your time spent on social media will help you build your online presence without losing your mind.

Social media automation, when used in moderation, is a smart way to get more done in less time.

Here’s a few of my favorite management tools:

• Agorapulse
• Hootsuite
• Buffer
• Sprout Social

6. How do I choose which social media networks to use?

Social media marketing has revolutionized the way we do business, but that doesn’t mean you need to be on every single one of them.

First, research your market and determine where your target market spends its time.

If they use Facebook then stick with Facebook until you’ve mastered it. Then branch out.

Taking on too many social networks all at once will leave you overwhelmed, frustrated and ready to call it quits long before you see results.

7. How do I create a social media content calendar?

The short answer is yes. The lengthier answer is, no matter the size of your business, you can and will benefit from a content calendar.

Planning your content will help you:

• Maintain consistent posting schedules across channels
• Avoid last-minute rushing to find content to share
• Stop missing out on trending topics due to poor planning

There are two ways to build a social media calendar. One is with a spreadsheet, and the other is with an app like CoSchedule.

Either will work as long as you commit to working your plan.

8. Should I market my business on Instagram?

As we all look to social media for answers to top questions, spending time where our audience is hanging out is imperative.

While Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn might have been your entry point, expanding into Instagram can be equally beneficial to your bottom line.

Why use Instagram for your business?

• Create a personal experience
• Engage through visual marketing
• Tell a better story
• Increase sales and revenue
• Drive traffic
• Gives your audience a destination

Don’t let the idea that you need to master photography stop you. The days of perfection on Instagram are long over.

Embrace who you are and what you love!

9. What’s the difference between a Facebook profile and a business page?

A Facebook “Profile” also known as your personal timeline is the standard Facebook experience, representing one person, his or her interests, and his or her connections with other Facebook users.

A Facebook Page is used to brand a product or represent a company, community, or special interest group.

Maintaining a Facebook Page gives you a variety of ways to interact with the users that choose to connect with or “like” your page.

If you’re a business marketing on Facebook, you need a Page. If not, you’re missing out on important tools like Insights, Ads, and Targeting.

10. Is YouTube important to my business?

This question is somewhat related to whether or not social media impacts SEO. While there isn’t a direct impact, it does help in a variety of ways.

• Connects you with the right people
• Gets your content in front of potential customers
• Allows others to support and share your content
• Helps establish authority and credibility

All of that can lead to a larger online footprint, expanded audience awareness and reach, and links back to your content.

So why wouldn’t you want to use a site with over 1 billion hours of video watched every day to grow your business?

YOU DO!

And it doesn’t have to be difficult to produce videos for YouTube.

Whether you sell cupcakes and share how to make a perfect cupcake every time like Cupcake Jemma:

Or you own a landscaping company offering a tutorial on lawn care like the gang at Lawn Crack:

YouTube can bring a whole new audience to your business. Don’t discount the power of video!

11. Why should I use Twitter for my business?

Twitter allows potential customers to interact with you in an informal and casual setting. It’s as if they’re immediately given a VIP pass into your world.

It also enables your business to follow and connect with a very specific target audience. Using listening tools like Brand24, you can engage and interact with Twitter users that share common interests.

Think of the information you could gain if you’re asking the right questions…

What type of content should you share on Twitter?

• Tweet answers to FAQ about your business
• Share interesting or little-known facts
• Debunk myths that stop your audience from making a buying decision
• Give insight into who you are, what you do, and how you help
• Sneak peek into an upcoming product launch or new service
• Answer common questions about your industry
• Ask fun, engaging questions to get the conversation started

The sky is the limit!

The most important thing like all social media is that you show up often and consistently to build loyalty and trust.

12. How do I use LinkedIn?

While Instagram, Facebook, and other social sites boost visibility and awareness, LinkedIn has a unique business focus.

Creating a LinkedIn profile where business professionals and consumers can find details about your work history, talents, and skills will build credibility and inspire transparent conversations.

It’s also an excellent forum to create thought leadership. Think about the most important topics to your business and translate them into posts.

And no, they don’t all have to be business-related. They only need to be on-brand for you.

What question about social media do you hear the most? I’d love to hear it in the comments below!