September 6, 2019

3 Simple Tricks for Staying Sharp in the Social Media Space

by Ellen Mallernee Barnes in News

by Stacey Simon, account supervisor, Red Havas

In social media, things change by the day, even the minute. Think a feature that Twitter or Facebook has rolled out overnight, a bombshell announcement about an acquisition or IPO, or a new must-have tool poised to revolutionize social measurement. Not to mention, staying on top of the Instagram influencers du jour can be quite the task.

In a space that’s growing rapidly—our agency thinks of social as in the midst of its teenage years—what’s required of those who want to ensure that their expertise remains not just fresh but industry-leading? At Red Havas, we’ve found that a quick but deep dive per day keeps the FOMO at bay and our social team members up to speed. Every day, you may ask? Yep, it’s like taking a social media vitamin. I can explain.

1. Streamline your sources.

With so many outlets now reporting on social happenings, it can be difficult to discern which are most reputable. Here are five social media resources worth a daily scan.

  • Social Media Examiner: This site doesn’t just break the latest social news, it breaks it down. Subscribe to its channels and newsletters for useful updates, how-to’s, round-ups, podcasts and research. 
  • Social Media Today: Fueled by some of the best social media reporters in the industry, this outlet focuses on delivery and dissecting the latest stories in an insightful and understandable way.
  • TechCrunch Social: These guys crunch what’s cracking in social with a tech hat on. A true thought leader on the scene, TechCrunch can be trusted to tell you what’s going down before it catches on.
  • Marketing Land: In addition to offering a well-rounded overview of all things that are hot in social, this outlet is home to a useful library of how-to guides that help you trial and optimize the latest social media marketing tactics.
  • Mashable Social Media: Here you’ll find reports on the latest buzz and trending topics. Mashable may not be the best place to read up on the latest tech and features launching, but it is a great place to discover how consumers and brands are using them.

2. Automate key updates.

Create a Google Alert for all things related to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat—and any other platforms you want to keep tabs on. Also set Twitter notifications for all of the above outlets, as well as for social thought leaders Jon Loomer, Jay Baer, Andrew Hutchinson, Mari Smith and Josh Constine. Voila. You will no longer miss a social beat.

3. Schedule upskilling.

Now that you’ve identified and automated the best social media resources, you need to set aside time to scour and devour them. I recommend devoting 20 minutes every morning or afternoon to this task. At Red Havas, we also compile a weekly staff email that we call “Red Hot Social Headlines.” The brief, skim-able email keeps our entire staff updated about the week’s top three or four social highlights. Finally, keep an updated list of the best social media trainings—both online and IRL—and plan to attend at least one per year.

Want more social media insights? Read our top takeaways from the recent Meltwater Social Summit.