It’s tough to be a social media manager these days. Plenty of people are cooped up at home just looking for online fights to keep them entertained. And everyone is dealing with stress from pandemics, lockdowns, political unrest, and more.

Some companies are responding by pulling all of their social media campaigns. While it’s understandable, companies that pull out now could lose critical momentum. Restarting won’t be easy.

There is a better way, although it will take a bit of planning.

Why Avoid Social Media?

Campaigns you develop and execute on social media are available around the clock, even when you’re not watching them closely. The risks are real.

Companies pull their campaigns because they’re worried about:

Adding staff to monitor your accounts around the clock could help. When someone is always watching, problems stop before they spread.

But few companies can add multiple, full-time social media managers to payroll. Pausing all work seems, in a scenario like this, to be a wise choice.

Assess the Advantage of Persistence

Social media risks are real, but so are the benefits. Step back from your fear, and you may discover that your channels are just too important to abandon.

If you stop posting, you could risk:

Stay active within your social channels, and you’ll continue to deliver the experience your fans expect. Your hard work is likely to pay off.

A Four-Step Social Media Action Plan

Rules and regulations will save you as you utilize social media to help your brand.

Consider adopting these four social media best practice guidelines.

A social media channel with a tight focus, positive comments, and thoughtful conversations is far from edgy. Your fans can’t visit your pages to break out the popcorn and watch the battles unfold.

But a channel like this supports your brand and keeps you engaged with potential customers. And, you’ll lower your risk of an online explosion too.

Ongoing monitoring is key, and you may find that you can relax your rules in time. But for now, as unusual times continue, implementing them could keep you both engaged and safe.

I’m a writer, editor, blogger, SEO, PPC, social media manager, and marketing nerd. I’d love to talk about your next freelance project. I’m always up for a conversation about search, digital marketing, member communication, and social media management. And I love a good pet video.… View full profile ›

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