With social media providing a means of escape from reality for many, it’s no surprise that isolation has been linked to increased use of the most popular apps (and a few new ones). Any attention that you can focus on your social media channels now could be hugely beneficial long term. Bridebook have put together a 2-part series of tips to help you and your team best use social media during this time. Here in part 1 we focus on your overall strategy, while part 2 explores the type of content you should be sharing.
1. Be Present
While no doubt a stressful and busy time for your business, it’s important to try and maintain your social media presence. Since people have been spending more time at home, Facebook and Instagram have seen a 40% increase in activity. This is a great chance for you to reach a wider audience and engage with your couple community. If you didn’t use social media before then perhaps now is the perfect time to start!
2. Be Positive
Whether reaching out to those who are having to change plans or connecting with newly-engaged couples, the best strategy across your platforms is to be positive. Focusing on what you can do rather than what you can’t, will both calm anxious couples and give potential new prospects confidence in your team.
3. Prioritise
If you’re short on time with a million other things to do, prioritise which social media channels you want to focus on, considering which give you the best engagement and the most enquiries. Don’t be inclined to spread your efforts too thin – while it’s sensible to claim profiles across channels, there’s a great deal more value in one nurtured and engaged audience.
4. Consistency is key
An organic and engaged social media following is not just about what you share but when. Whether you decide to post daily, twice weekly or just once a week, make a schedule and stick to it. If you can set aside a bit of time early in the week to plan your next few posts, it will feel much more manageable and sustainable. There are plenty of tools out there to help too, for example Later lets you schedule up to 30 Instagram posts per month for free. Any upfront effort is worth it, as regular posts will undoubtedly give you the best results.
We hope these tips provide guidance for how best to approach your social media strategy over the coming weeks and beyond. Be sure to read part 2 of this series for advice on social media content.
For more business advice and support do have a look at the information available in our COVID-19 resources for wedding professionals. If you have any questions at all or need any help then please do reach out to anyone in the Bridebook team. You can also join the UK Wedding Venue Slack group to chat with others who are in the same boat, and if you have any thoughts or tips yourself then please do share – we are in this together!