6 tips to get you started with social media.
November 7, 2014
Participating in social media is a time consuming task, and a common problem facing SME’s. You may have a vision or strategy in place, but if you have limited time or resources, this can be a challenging task.
It’s important to allocate enough resources to your social media efforts if you’re serious about using it as a marketing tool. You’ll need time and people to do it.
Here’s some tips to help you get started:
- Plan. Before you get started it’s important to decide why you want to use social media, how much time you and/or your team can dedicate to it, and what your goals are. By answering these questions, it’ll help you to stay focused, and apply your efforts against clear objectives.
- Decide which social media platforms you should leverage based on your target market, your business needs, and the time you have allocated to it. There are many platforms you can use such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Twitter to name a few. Start by identifying which audience(s) you’re trying to reach (customers, clients, businesses), then research which platforms they use. You should also research which platforms your competitors’ use.
- Create a social media schedule. It’s important to decide when you’ll check your activity, how often you’ll share information – during the week and on weekends, and when you’ll engage and respond to conversations and enquires. If you already have a blog, this would align with how often you share your blog posts. Once you have an idea of the number, you can begin to see how much time you’ll need to allocate to it. Also remember that you’re not only posting and sharing information, but engaging with your followers, so you need to keep a regular eye on all the platforms you’re using. It’s better to start with using less platforms more efficiently, then more platforms and some get neglected.
- If you’re managing your own social media, make more time by delegating some of your existing work out. If you have a team, you may benefit from investing time into assigning some of the social media responsibilities to them.
- Utilise social media management tools. They’ll help you schedule posts ahead of time. There are a number of tools available – such as Hootsuite or TweetDeck. I prefer to use TweetDeck due to its layout and usability. I can also use it on my smartphone on the go which is ideal for me. Investing some time in finding and setting up the one that suits your needs is invaluable. On that note, it’s important that you don’t just schedule all your posts and forget about it. You should take a personal approach and respond to queries and followers, and create conversation. People prefer to feel like there’s a person on the other side of the platform, and not a software program.
- Get external help if you still struggle after you have implemented the above suggestions, or consider dedicating a member of staff to your social media activities.
Social media requires investing time, but it’s vital to create a schedule as it’s easy to get distracted and consumed by it. To improve your productivity levels, find your balance by planning ahead.
You May Also Enjoy
Autumn Budget doesn’t dampen commercial property outlook for 2026
Demand in both leasing and investment remained in largely positive territory, despite Budget uncertainty Industrial sector continued to lead the way with demand to lease up 11% year on year and demand to invest up 12% 2026 outlook shows positive signs alongside predicted interest rate cuts Demand in terms of both leasing and investment for commercial…
Read More 
Stabilising house prices and falling mortgage rates offer renewed hope for first-time buyers
Propertymark says forecasts of modest house price growth in 2026, alongside falling mortgage rates, point towards a housing market that is beginning to stabilise, offering renewed hope for first-time buyers, while wider affordability challenges remain. As lenders continue to reduce mortgage rates following improved market conditions, monthly repayments are becoming more manageable for aspiring homeowners.…
Read More 
Inheritance tax receipts rise as government performs partial U-turn on relief rules
Inheritance tax (IHT) receipts reached £6.6 billion in the first nine months of the 2025/26 tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) this morning. That figure is £200 million higher than the same period last year and continues a steady upward trend that has persisted for more than two decades.…
Read More 
Breaking Property News 22/1/26
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Why are most proptechs Unsaleable? Structural issues rooted in how proptechs are conceived, built, and taken to market stops an exit or IPO (Thought Leadership by Andrew Stanton CEO Proptech-PR) The proptech sector has matured rapidly over the past decade. Capital has flowed in, incumbents have launched…
Read More 
Nationwide extends six times lending to home movers and remortgage
Nationwide enhances support for people looking to move up the property ladder or get a new mortgage deal Five-fold increase in Nationwide loans to first-time buyers at or above 5.5x income in 2025, compared to 2024 Increased first-time buyer support follows regulatory changes to improve affordability Nationwide is today announcing a major boost to the…
Read More
Breaking Property News – 21/1/2026
Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X. Jon Cooke steps down as Non-Executive Director at GPEA Jon Cooke will continue to focus on innovation within the property sector Jon Cooke has stepped down from his role as Non-Executive Director at GPEA, the business that owned Fine & Country and The Guild…
Read More