As more technology arises to help us automate our lives and free up time, one of the first applications some use is to automate their social media workflows. This can be slightly problematic if done in excess. Let me share why.
Social media is interaction. Interaction means you should be there. Completely.
There is a problem with scheduling some type of social media updates, specifically those that are supposed to be personal and engage in dialogue. There is something disheartening about replying to a scheduled conversation-engaging update, in any social network such as a question or thought because the person isn’t actually there to engage.
This can of course be solved by using scheduling as a way to make sure you post something when you are actually there, but perhaps engaging in something different but are still up for the discussion if it arises.
Simply put, we are on social media to interact with each other. As humans we like to interact with people who are engaging and interested. Nothing screams disinterest as much as automated interactions. Thus, you need to think really hard about making the automation enhance how you interact, instead of replace the human aspect of it.
Scheduling sharing of content means a more even spread = happier followers
When it comes to sharing useful content, I find scheduling to be a godsend and for a very specific reason. I, and most others, tend to read in blocks of time. When you read and consume content you might find several great articles or pieces of content that you want to share. Yet, people who follow you would not like you to share everything at once. It will be too much.
In this case, scheduling the content solves two important purposes. Firstly, it actually makes the content much more useful for the people following you. Secondly, it frees up the time for you to make a list of the content and at any given time go back and share a specific article. Basically, it enhances your interactions, improves for the people following you and makes your life a bit less complicated.
Use Scheduling to Enhance Your Interactions and Improve for your Friends
That brings us to the success recipe. It is all about using scheduling to improve for others, rather than to simplify your communication. If all you do is communicate using clearly scheduled updates, you send a message that you don’t really care and that in essence, communication is a nuisance.
On the other hand, if you use scheduling and automation to enhance for your friends and followers and at the same time saving yourself a little bit of time, you are striking the right balance between good for all parties involved. Instead of scheduling to avoid, you are scheduling to enhance. That makes a world of difference in what is supposed to be genuinely interested interactions.
