Make the Most of Your Daily 10-Minute Social Media Check-In

Social media is critical in today’s competitive environment. You set up a company Facebook page, Twitter handle, and LinkedIn profile. You dedicate 10 minutes each morning to keeping up with the endless barrage of phone notifications. Now what?

Social media is a bit like running on a treadmill. For every mile you run, the belt keeps spinning, and 10 more Tweets, messages, and articles appear ahead of you. After all, on the Internet, trolls, fans, and competitors alike have the power to spread information—and misinformation—about you. With so much noise out there, and so many miles to cover, how can you make the most of your daily check-in?

Create a morning routine

For starters, social media should feel less like an interminable run, and more like a core workout. The best ab routine isolates different parts of your core to maximize efficiency. Doing a little every day—working in short, precise increments— builds strength over time without straining yourself.

Your 10 minutes of social media should work similarly. Take Twitter, for instance. You could spend all day posting, curating, searching for new content, and looking at what your influencers are saying. That’s a lot of time. A better routine might instead start with a simple and targeted search for industry Tweets, @replies, and mentions of your business. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a better sense of what’s out there.

Then take another few minutes to address some requests for support, answer a couple questions about your industry, and respond to complaints, feedback, and praise. Remember, it’s impossible to follow up with everyone. Instead, use the 10 minutes to show the world that you’re present, active, and engaged.

Set aside more time-consuming tasks for later

Consider your morning routine as a jumping-off point. Before you move on to other work, take note of those questions that will require more detailed answers. Bookmark the longer articles that you should read. Think about how to insert yourself into group discussions. You can’t get everything done in your morning routine, but you can get yourself in shape to address these tasks later in the day. 

Consider your broader marketing objectives

With so much noise out there, and so many miles to cover, how can you make the most of your daily check-in?

Like with all marketing initiatives, connecting your task priorities with your business imperatives makes the best use of your time.

Maybe you’re looking to generate more leads, manage crises, increase your response rate, or get product feedback. Focus on the work that will help you make progress. For example, if your goal is to promote your company leadership in the face of new competition, you might plan to read and respond to two industry posts or articles per day. By doing a little at a time, you will quickly take big steps in a positive direction.

Focus on quality over quantity

With so much floating out there in the ether, it’s easy to be overwhelmed. Social media is hard work. But it’s less about spending countless hours, and more about making sure those hours are well spent. By making social media a short but daily habit, you can begin to assess how people are talking about your brand and viewing your company—even as you up your visibility. After all, it’s called social media for a reason.