SOCIAL MEDIA
Using social media as a business owner is one thing, but using it as a mompreneur is another thing completely. Some things we need to consider that non-parent biz owners don’t:
Setting a screen time example for our kids
Being off our screens while we are with our kids
Privacy - how much of our kids do we share?
Finding the time for posting, scheduling and creation
Using social media is imperative for any business owner these days, though. There is no getting around it – I mean, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it?
Finding the line between personal and professional on social media can be tricky business. And depending on what season of entrepreneurship you’re in, it can be different from the last.
Many businesses draw that line really clearly – no personal on their biz pages, and visa versa. But as mompreneurs, our title literally combines the two. We are moms, and we are entrepreneurs. And we literally live in that gray area.
Once you know your season, it can be a little bit easier to navigate this boundary. During some seasons, you’ll be more inclined to share only professional, and others, only personal. But some notes as to how to share this with your audience:
always be authentic
There is nothing worse than pretending you have it all together when in reality, you don’t. Seriously. It’s exhausting. Communicating with your audience, whether it be friends on Facebook or followers on Pinterest, what’s truly going on in your life, rather than just want you want them to see, is imperative. Inauthenticity is obvious, and can be a huge turn off.
communicate your season
Your social audience wants to know your season! They want to follow you on your journey, literally. And communicating with them about the season you’re in can help them along your path. If you are in a rest season (sharing more personal than professional), but they found you because they like your professional, it will be a glimpse into your personal life they would not have seen otherwise. If they aren’t interested in your personal life, and only want to see professional, then you can connect with them again when you bounce back into a professional season of mompreneurship! Most likely, they aren’t going anywhere. The same works the other way around.
know your limits, and don’t be afraid
If you need a social media hiatus, take one. I wrote a blog about a hiatus I took not long ago (read it here) and how it was the biggest sigh of relief I could have taken during that time. When I came back, my true, Nicole&Co loyal followers were eagerly waiting, rather than leaving me. It’s these kind of followers that you want to cater to. Don’t be afraid to not post, to not share, or to delete it altogether. There are no rules, just suggestions, and you are the only suggestion your really need to listen to.
Hustle season is the hardest season to share online. Mostly because of time, but also because of the communication barrier. Usually during hustle, there is more going on in your head that you an effectively communicate or articulate. So sharing online can feel daunting, overwhelming, and exhausting. Which is terrible, because that’s how you’re probably feeling anyway about life.
During hustle, make a content calendar that is strictly professional. And if you really, truly can’t find the time to put out content, this is the time to delegate, not delete.
Sharing less during this time is ok, so long as you don’t leave your audience in the dark. However, it is totally reasonable to stop sharing personal life completely during this season. The time you have for your family is near nonexistent right now, and you can’t waste that time with them on social media.
ideas for posting during hustle season:
Post a blog once a week with an update on your goal progress.
Share photos of your workspace, messy as it may be.
Don’t worry about IG stories as much. Work on more carefully crafted posts, blogs and pins.
Be a terrible IG friend. Don’t scroll your personal Facebook much, if at all. Spend your time on social media for business and business only.
Delete the social apps from your phone Friday through Sunday. Keep that time sacred, for your family or for the work you want to work on.
HOMEWORK
Plan your social media
This blog post by Hootsuite is the best of the best – plan a few weeks or months of social media posts using the content calendar; audit your current profiles and optimize them; create a strategy for the weeks to come with specific goals. Also – all the image dimensions are right there at your fingertips for quick reference! Bonus.