Congrats! You are now a fellow freelancer and Social Media Manager! You create your own schedule, set your own prices, and if you’re anything like me, you’re likely working from the comfort of your couch in your pajamas. But you are probably wondering now: how do I manage it all? What should my days look like? How do I utilize social media for my clients to its full potential, without having to actually be on social media all day!
While there may not be a secret formula for success, there are some ways that have helped me be successful as a Social Media Manager that I know will help you as well.
Schedule tasks the day before
If you want to be a full-time social media manager, chances are you will have a lot of clients, a lot of platforms to manage, and not enough time in the day (or so it may seem). Planning your days in advance will help keep you organized and aware of your tasks for each day. This is also great if you tend to feel overwhelmed by tasks piling up all in one day.
Set the mood for the day
Can we all agree, that if the day starts out peaceful, you’re more likely to have the rest of the day be the same? It’s crazy what a simple mindset will do to you. Whenever you wake up, drink a glass of water, listen to something calming, eat your breakfast, and then I like to answer a few emails in the quiet and calm of the morning. As a Social Media Manager, I always have emails to respond to, and the faster I answer them, the better. With my cup of coffee and relaxing music or podcast, I handle most of my emails before even getting fully dressed and made up. I now have one task complete, yay!
Engagement x 100
Probably the most tedious task as a Social Media Manager is doing the necessary engagement required for all clients. From hashtag research to answering comments and liking posts relative to their niche, it can take up a lot of time, and if not done correctly, can leave you blocked from social media for a certain amount of time. That’s why I recommend 1 hour in the morning and 1 hour in the evening of sole engagement. The rest of the day can be creating content and meetings etc., but setting specific times for engagement will help you manage your time better and will prevent you from getting blocked on social media (if this has happened to you before, you understand the struggle).
Schedule Content
If you are new to the Social Media Manager game, let me introduce you to your new best friend! Finding the right tool for you to manage your accounts is essential to maintaining and thriving in your business. While there are options like Buffer and Creator Studio, you can also create fun tables on places like Airtable, that are great for collaborating with your clients to share content.
Content Creation
Notice how I have everything blocked for separate tasks? I find that handling one task at a time saves me hours in the long run, removes distractions, and makes my work look better overall. When it comes to creating content for my clients, Whether it’s making their feed look cohesive or just uploading pictures, I use Canva for almost all edits. While each client is different in their needs for their posts, Canva is a great tool for Social Media Managers to create cohesive feed borders, text over images, Instagram stories, etc.
Hydrate, Move, Repeat
With any desk job, it’s easy to forget to take care of your clients and forget about yourself! Always be sure to have water with you. Tip: using a reusable straw is a fun way to drink more water without realizing it! And always be sure to allow at least 30 minutes a day with some sort of movement. A walk, a virtual yoga session, or lifting weight at the gym are just a few ways you can move your body each day. Sitting all day can easily strain your back and neck muscles, and it’s also great for digestion if you know what I mean.
Everyone’s day is going to look a little bit different, and hopefully, this will help you create a day that works for you as a social media manager. And if you want even more guidance, head on over to Entrepreneurs Unleashed to gain even more knowledge and confidence to successfully manage and grow your business!