To drive the long-term health of your business, you need the foundational tech stack to set you up for success. The right social media management platform and its actionable intelligence will help you drive more revenue, boost team efficiency, enable strategic focus and outperform your competition.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• What a sophisticated social media management platform does for your business
• Exactly where social can make an impact in your organization—from marketing and customer care to sales and product development
• What you need to know before investing, including a checklist and essential questions to guide your evaluation
• How Sprout Social can be your partner in unlocking the full value of social

Download this guide to receive expert guidance on how to conduct a social media management platform evaluation that prioritizes ROI, efficiency and the needs that matter most to your business.

The post Social Media Management Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Sprout Social.

We’re freshly on the heels of our second acquisition, a sentiment analysis and natural language processing company called Repustate. As we welcome the Repustate team and product under our umbrella, I’ve been reflecting on partnerships and what makes them work—and what doesn’t. When done right, partnerships make your business stronger, add value for your customers and open up a new world of opportunities.

Approach partnerships with purpose

Everyone is facing economic headwinds right now. When it comes to the tech industry, that’s compounded by the fact that the era of the single-point solution is over. As companies tighten their belts and tech stacks, their expectations for your products are rising. We all know that one company can’t provide everything for everyone, so how can you ensure your solution is business critical?

Enter partnerships. Combined efforts will always be stronger than singular approaches when your potential partners are looking to achieve the same goals you are. You can get more done when you work together, even if that means working outside of your company walls.

For smaller companies, joining forces with a larger firm can give you more resources and financial solvency. Companies can hit product roadmap milestones faster with integrations and acquisitions. Marketers looking to find new audiences in their ideal customer profile can pursue co-marketing efforts with like-minded partners to widen their funnel.

At Sprout, partnerships are just the way we do business. Whether we’re working with LinkedIn to host a webinar or launching a new network integration like TikTok, our business couldn’t thrive without our rich portfolio of partners.

Corporate compatibility tests

We’ve forged enough partnerships to be able to quickly evaluate which will work and which aren’t the right fit. There are three things we look for in a potential partner.

Customer value

If you’re a customer-centric company, you always start with how any decision will impact the customer. That couldn’t be more true with partnerships. From marketing to product, the partnership has to create additional value for the end user. Asking yourself what a potential partnership will add to your customer experience or how it will address their pain points should be the first step in evaluating any partnership.

For example, we found that most of our current (and ideal future) customers were leveraging Salesforce solutions like Service Cloud and Tableau. We partnered with Salesforce to provide greater social media control and empower our customers with a 360 view of customer interactions and data–all in the tools they know and love. In the age of the product suite, partnerships are a cheat code to level up your business value.

Complementary goals

You’re likely not going to partner with your direct competitors. But no matter what you’re selling, there’s a product or service someone else offers that’ll make yours even better. Think about your current and ideal customers. Figure out what else they need. Find the businesses that are meeting those needs and explore ways you can help each other.

Another thing to consider is complementary markets. There may be another business that solves your customers’ needs, but if they’re going after a completely different segment than you are, it won’t work out. If your business is aimed toward enterprise manufacturing companies and a potential partner is pursuing mid-sized restaurant chains, it’s not going to be a good fit—no matter how symbiotic your products seem.

Mutual benefit

It should go without saying that both partners should stand to benefit from your efforts. It’s likely that one partner may be more invested or have more to gain from your partnership, but everyone needs to get something out of the deal. An uneven partnership is destined to fail.

Doing the partnership do-si-do

So you’ve picked your partner. What comes next? Navigating partnerships can be tricky but with a solid foundation, you can set yourself up for success.

Assemble your team

Every person on your team won’t be involved in orchestrating your partnership. There is such a thing as too many cooks. But at the same time, you need to loop in the right folks from the beginning. You might have to make adjustments as your plans progress, but evaluating who needs to be involved at the start will ensure a smoother transition.

If you’re pursuing an integration or a product-based acquisition, your product team needs to be involved from day one. When we evaluated Repustate, our internal product team was invaluable in helping us determine how much upside the deal presented. They know the product inside and out. They know where you’re planning to go on your roadmap. Lean on that internal knowledge.

Get to know each other

If you’ve decided to partner with another organization, you already know their product and audience are a good fit. But what about your goals and values?

Early on in your partnership, it’s imperative to sit down and find out what you have in common. How do your cultures align? Where do your roadmaps sync? What values do you both hold? The answers to these questions will be your north star throughout the process.

Be transparent

On day one, you and your partner have to be honest with each other about what you want to gain. Maybe you’re hoping to increase your customer base. Maybe you want to offer new functionality for your customers. Maybe this project is a trial run to see if you should form a longer-term relationship down the road. Whatever the case may be, you have to lay your cards on the table at the beginning.

Having an open line of communication is key to a healthy and successful partnership. You need to be honest with each other about what’s going well and what needs improvement. You need a clear understanding of which team is responsible for what and what your expectations are on cadence and speed. Transparency is what turns good partner match-ups into great relationships.

Howdy, partner

Partnerships are one of the most effective ways to grow your business, especially in uncertain economic times. Working together increases your efficiency, provides more value to your customers and creates a more robust product. Sometimes two is better than one.

Want to see partnerships in action? Learn more about the power of social media management integrations.

The post 1+1 is more than two: How partnerships can level up your business appeared first on Sprout Social.

If you’re feeling the heat, we see you and hear you. Managing social through down markets requires an additional layer of focus, rigor and empathy. It’s challenging to navigate, but possible with some extra preparation.

What does that preparation entail exactly? We tapped Carilu Dietrich to find out. Dietrich is a former CMO, most notably the head of marketing who took Atlassian public in 2015. Today, she advises several CEOs and CMOs as they navigate various phases of hypergrowth.

Keep reading to find out what you need to know to successfully navigate social media marketing through times of economic contraction.

• Why social media needs continued investment (even under economic pressure)
• How to make a case for social media investment in a down economy
• 4 ways to make the most of your current social media resources in a tight economy

Why social media needs continued investment (even under economic pressure)

Social media has revolutionized how businesses and consumers interact. Now, a brand’s relevance isn’t determined by how many storefronts they own or their presence at major conferences. Instead, it’s determined by their place in the greater cultural conversation.

“I don’t think of social as exclusively a brand or marketing activity,” says Dietrich. “It’s really a reflection of a full-funnel consumer experience.”

A strategic, social-first brand presence can serve as an entry point into the valuable conversations that are moving the needle for your brand. This ongoing consumer engagement allows brands to build connections and create fans at scale.

Those connections are worth their weight in gold, especially during economic turbulence. A Q1 ‘23 Sprout pulse survey found that 77% of consumers are more likely to spend more with brands they feel connected to, up from 57% in 2018.

Dietrich considers building this type of brand affinity to be a skill built over time. “The ability to activate on social is a critical muscle that companies need to exercise, even in times of economic pressure,” says Dietrich. “Today, “the people” control the message and the conversation. Brands need to engage in that dialogue to effectively provide service to their customers.”

Market shifts may tempt some to pump the brakes on brand marketing efforts, but that’s a risk you can’t afford to take. On social, the same tactics can only yield the same results for so long. The channel moves quickly, and marketers need to stay agile to move alongside it.

Social data is the key to strengthening your market position and future-proofing your brand. Cutting back on social media investment during an economic downturn gives your competitors room to swoop in and gain share of voice.

To put it simply, brands can’t afford to cut back on social.

How to make a case for social media investment in a down economy

“While most companies are cutting people and budgets, there is still money available for ideas and investments that can prove a return,” explains Dietrich. “The issue is that most teams want more funds to do what’s in their current plan.”

“To get more money, you need to deliver more than what’s already in your marketing plan. You need to be sharp on how, and bold on results you can deliver.”

You know why your brand needs to lean in on organic social. Now for the next task: Sharing your vision with the rest of your marketing leadership and executive teams. Follow these tips for success as you make your case for additional social media resources.

Zoom out

Under normal circumstances, requesting additional marketing resources would call for a clear pitch that explains the value for your team and overall strategy. This year, you’ll have to zoom out.

If you want to upgrade your toolkit or expand your team in 2023, your request should focus on how social can support your entire organization. The data and insights available through social media can—and should—change an entire business by giving them the cultural context they need to truly understand what their customers, employees and shareholders want.

To create an appeal that resonates, get acquainted with the goals of your cross-functional partners. How could an integrated social media management tool support your customer care efforts? How could social listening inform product development priorities?

Assess opportunities from all corners of your business to fortify your case.

Make it urgent

If you’re not involved in day-to-day social management, it can be easy to forget that the channel isn’t just for trends and memes. There are real risks that come with under-equipping a social media team. It’s your job to ensure your executive team is aware of that.

For example, suppose you’re lacking the tools or support needed to act on a social media crisis communication plan. In that case, you probably won’t be able to react as swiftly as consumers expect. More than 75% of consumers expect a response from brands in less than 24 hours.

If you don’t have what you need to get ahead of the issue before time runs out, you risk losing hard-earned fans.

Now that social has come into its own as a customer care channel, failing to respond to customers on time, even in non-crisis situations, is a risk in itself. When this happens, 36% of consumers say they’ll share that negative experience with friends and family. A comparable 31% won’t complete their purchase, and 30% will buy from a competitor.

Provide competitive context

So far, most of what we’ve covered is hypothetical. If you want to pull some of these insights into reality, you’ll need to provide the right context.

Conduct a social media competitive analysis to better understand your brand’s role in the current social media landscape. Dietrich believes that can serve as a blueprint for outpacing your competitors.

“Capitalizing on a competitive gap or shortcoming can be huge,” says Dietrich. “We may not get as much funding for social media this year, but it needs to remain strong enough to function through the downturn and seize on opportunity when the time is right.”

Understanding how your competitors use (or don’t use) social can unveil opportunities that are hidden in plain sight. Here are some questions to consider as you dig for competitive intel.

• What content formats (design, visual) are your competitors prioritizing? Based on their existing content, how would you rate their level of investment?
• How active are your competitor’s mentions, tags and comments? How often are they replying?
• What can you infer about their priorities based on their social content mix?

This context will help make the risks and benefits of your requested resource more tangible throughout the approval process.

4 ways to make the most of your current social media resources in a tight economy

Dietrich is no stranger to turbulent markets. She clearly remembers feeling frustrated in the face of budget cuts during the 2008 recession. “It’s hard to do more with less. It’s not like we’re all sitting around, spending money on things we know don’t work.”

If additional resources aren’t in the cards, don’t worry. There are still ways to optimize your social media operations to get the most out of what you have today. Here are some tips that will help you deliver results on a tight budget.

1. Audit team responsibilities

Many team rituals are maintained due to inertia instead of impact. If you haven’t taken time to review your team processes and responsibilities in the new year, now’s the time to do it.

Host candid conversations with your team about their bandwidth, routines and working styles. These talks will give you a better idea of how your team spends their time.

You may find that everyone can take a few hours back by swapping meetings for async stand-ups or rolling back an initiative that’s not driving clear results. Whatever the outcome, it will help ensure your team is on the same page, marching toward the same goal.

2. Focus your efforts

You won’t be able to do it all. The more comfortable you get with ruthless prioritization, the easier it will be to push back on competing priorities confidently.

For example, if you find that a specific network consistently underperforms compared to the rest of your brand accounts, now’s the time to put it into maintenance mode. Share posts and stay on top of customer care requests, but save big swings for networks with proven track records for engagement.

“They say ‘necessity is the mother of innovation,’” says Dietrich. “We need to experiment with different approaches this year. We need to keep experimenting in the current market if we are going to figure out how to get better results than our straight line budget cut would suggest.”

3. Build community

“It’s hard to get new customers in this market,” says Dietrich. “Our best chance at survival is through supporting and delighting the ideal customers within our existing contact lists. If we can keep them elated, we can ride on the wave of their word-of-mouth.”

This advice tracks with one of the biggest social trends we’ll continue to see in 2023—the popularity of closed communities. People are flocking to more intimate online destinations, pulling attention from some of the larger social media mainstays we know today.

Brands can lean into this by embracing social as a multi-way communication tool. Encourage conversations in the comments, keep community Facebook groups alive and active, and engage with accounts of all sizes.

Use community building as a way to create more value for your audience. This will keep your brand top of mind in crowded feeds.

4. Tighten market positioning with social data

Social data can illuminate customer experience improvements, product innovations and brand differentiation opportunities. It’s the north star that will help ground your strategy in the needs and motivations of your audience.

Your social listening tool can provide real-time insights into your brand and its competitive landscape. Use it to spark new marketing ideas that will help your brand stand out among the rest.

“Make your spending work harder by having more targeted, better content,” advises Dietrich. “A lot of messaging is ‘blah,’ but every now and then something really pierces through the noise and speaks to you. How can you create that for your company? How can you make your product critical in this current market?”

Social media is essential for growth-minded brands

Social can drive the brand loyalty needed to weather any storm, including choppy market conditions. Dietrich captures it well in just a few words: “It’s an investment in more good and less bad.”

Sprout Social CMO, Jamie Gilpin, has her own words of advice for marketing leaders boldly moving full steam ahead on big plans and bigger goals. Check out her recommended packing for your 2023 marketing journey today.

The post What marketers need to know about managing social media through an economic downturn appeared first on Sprout Social.

Truly embracing diversity in marketing requires cross-organization collaboration, a sustainable strategy and internal work first.

People expect the companies they shop with and the organizations they support to take a stand. In fact, 40% of consumers will pick a brand over a competitor because the brand aligns with their values.

Your team has likely created campaigns in the past for Black History Month, Women’s History Month or Pride. And you may have made commitments to supporting marginalized communities and DEI. In fact, more than half of marketers say their company has adopted more communication internally and externally about DEI values, according to a recent Sprout Social survey of 300 marketers.

That’s all a great start. But diversity in social media must be incorporated into your long-term strategy—not just when a hashtag is trending. And that requires work inside of your organization, and out. Use this article to guide your diversity efforts.

What to consider as you emphasize diversity in marketing

Diversity in marketing isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a must-have to ensure you’re truly representing and building trust with your audience.

According to Pew research, the “post-Millennial generation” is the most ethnically and racially diverse. Truly representing your audience means they can see themselves in your organization’s marketing materials, and within your organization.

This impacts your bottom line, too, and will continue to. According to a recent Sprout Social survey, 66% of respondents said they were more likely to buy from brands showcasing people of diverse races, gender identities, ages and more.

From including more diversity in social media images, to identifying when to add your voice, diversity in marketing must be done mindfully and authentically. It’s all well and good to create social content. But developing a strategy for diversity in marketing rooted in your business and values will ensure that you have a sustained, meaningful plan.

As you get started, here are two things to consider:

1. Start from within

Diversity in marketing is external. But we can’t do this work without first looking inward.

Before you can publish anything on social, it’s important to have an understanding of the DEI landscape and values within your organization.

When it comes to DEI, content developed in a communications or creative silo risks coming across as performative if your company’s commitments and activities don’t back it up. After all, 91% of 25-40 year olds think social media has increased accountability for businesses.

If you don’t know what your company is already working on when it comes to DEI, start a conversation—here are a few questions to ask internally:

• What is our company’s DEI strategy? What are the main areas our brand is focused on?
• Where are the gaps in our own organization’s education and how can we further our knowledge?
• How has our audience responded to communication about these topics in the past? Are there areas of our efforts they were particularly interested in?
• How is our approach to DEI integrated with our employer brand? How do we represent our employer brand on social, and what could we add or change?
• Does our workforce reflect our audience and our DEI commitments?

In the meantime, focus on the elements you and your team can control and change. This might be internal representation when developing new ideas, representation within social creative, who your brand Retweets or where you source user-generated content.

For example, Target’s social feed is visually extremely inclusive, right down to their UGC—and they often back this up with the products they offer.

Every brand and community are different. If you want your social media approach to resonate with your audience, it’s important to develop a plan that’s truly representative of your brand.

2. Know where you can add authentic value

What your brand says and does on social media should be a direct reflection of your organization’s values and actions.

No brand will be able to speak up on every issue (although some will require speaking up), or jump on every celebration. But your brand values can help guide what to prioritize, where you can add expertise and where you can show up authentically—not in a performative way.

Ben and Jerry’s, for example, is known for having strong, clear values—and sticking to them. They have a landing page that outlines their brand values and commitment to DEI.

And they use their social channels to back these values up with content they produce, or relevant content they reshare from other people or organizations they want to amplify.

In the context of your brand’s responses and actions, take a step back to determine what role your brand should play in larger conversations and what your audience is expecting from you.

How do you determine your brand’s place? Ask yourself and cross-team stakeholders questions like:

• What are our company values, and how can we connect these to more diversity in our marketing efforts?
• What stances has our our company taken in the past? What cultural moments have we activated on? What were the next steps we outlined, or how can we improve?
• Where in larger conversations about DEI, equity, policy or systemic inequity does it make sense for our company to weigh in?
• How can we be there for those in our brand’s community who are looking for support or resources from us?
• Are we living up to the values we claim to uphold?

These questions will help you understand where your organization is focused today and develop a social strategy to share those efforts with your audience. They will also help you identify potential problem areas or gaps so you can proactively connect with the right internal stakeholders to support responses and share feedback.

Finally, when it comes to contributing to larger conversations, it’s not all about your brand. Maybe your focus will be on sharing resources, using your data to talk about how this issue relates to your customers or industry, increasing representation in your content or amplifying expert voices where it counts.

Prioritizing diversity in social media

DEI efforts cannot exist on social media alone. They must be backed up by your company’s actions, products, commitments and more.

That being said, diversity on social media is crucial to building trust with online communities and consumers. All consumers want to work with brands that share their values, and want to see themselves represented—27% of Gen Z survey respondents said they’re more trusting of brands that represent them in ads.

Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Highlight representation all year round

Diversity in marketing is a year-round effort. When setting your goals, consider the demographics of your core audience, who currently isn’t represented in your social feed and the specific process you’ll use to increase and track representation in your photos, videos and written content.

Clothing brand Aerie and their #AerieREAL Life initiative comes to mind here. They’re known and celebrated for featuring unfiltered women of diverse body types and backgrounds in their social media content, product photos and campaigns…

and in the creators, fans and companies they work with.

Prioritizing representation on social media also means amplifying underrepresented voices–through content you create, and even passing the mic.

For example, in the #ShareTheMicNow campaign, Black women took over white women’s Instagram accounts for a day. The goal? To center Black women’s voices, work and experiences. More than 40 pairs of women participated with a reach of over 300 million followers, amplifying previously underrepresented perspectives.

Amplifying diverse voices on your brand’s social platforms, as celebrities and influencers did with #ShareTheMicNow, is an intentional, measurable step that companies can take towards fulfilling their commitment to DEI. For example, a brand may set a goal along the lines of, “We will ensure that X% of our social content features Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) or their work.”

How to improve representation:

• Choose your models and images with intention. Gen Z is the most diverse yet. Keep that in mind while putting together creative assets and gauging representation of perspective, backgrounds, identities and religions.
• Credit BIPOC content creators and creators from other underrepresented groups for their work. External representation of your internal team counts, too!
• Ensure your content is accessible: Representation also means removing blockers. Ensure your social posts are accessible: add alt text to images, add closed captions (and edit them for accuracy) and, if you have a global audience, consider multi-language campaigns and captions.
• Know your audience. Who is in your audience who may not see themselves enough in your marketing materials? And what communities do you want to reach that your marketing materials don’t reflect?
• Enlist your followers. Your brand’s social media pages present an opportunity to uplift marginalized voices. Seek out and share UGC from underrepresented followers or their networks to pump up their volume and improve representation.

Representation isn’t only about external content, either: It’s about ensuring the internal voices of BIPOC at your organization are heard and taking part in decision-making about your social approach.

2. Show, don’t tell

A corporate statement tells your audience what you believe and what you plan to do about it. A long-term social media strategy shows them how your brand is doing what you promised, and the ways that DEI is a long-term commitment for your brand.

Make a plan to highlight your employees’ actions and your brand’s ongoing work in your social media strategy. This could focus on education; for example, if one of your initiatives focuses on internal education and dialogue, you can share the resources and organizations your team is learning about with your audience.

If your team is focused on volunteering, use your platforms to highlight your team members and their stories of impact when it comes to serving the community. This gives you an opportunity to promote nonprofit organizations and show the world who makes up your team and what they care about.

And of course, if your brand is making a financial commitment, communicate it clearly and make sure to follow up to cover how that money has been donated or spent. Foot Locker’s LEED initiative includes a $200 million commitment to the Black community. Since the program’s 2020 launch, they’ve regularly provided updates on where this money is going, and how they’re following through on their promises.

The ability to make financial commitments ranges from company to company, but fortunately there are many ways to help and to be part of a movement rather than just posting about it.

How to provide solutions:

• Research how racism affects your industry and create or recommend, promote and amplify anti-racist resources like books, podcasts, industry thought leadership and more.
• Get your company involved with the movement via volunteering (remotely if necessary), and invite your followers to do the same.
• Learn about your company’s efforts and develop a plan to tell your employees’ stories and show your company’s actions on social.

3. Check yourself

Your approach shouldn’t focus only on sharing the DEI work your brand is doing. Instead, focus on how you bring the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion to all of the work you do. All of your content and initiatives should be evaluated through that lens, even when they don’t specifically relate to your brand’s DEI efforts.

If you’re not thinking about DEI before publishing any of your content, you run the risk of coming off insensitive at best. Take, for example, the fashion industry. Statements about solidarity and diversity in social media posts feel inauthentic when brands’ products, decisions and content have historically showcased a lack of diversity and been hurtful as a result.

But fear of making a mistake should not hold us back. Instead of running from the solution, take time before making a post or finalizing a campaign to think about the impact of your content.

When developing campaigns and content, ask questions such as:

• Are we appropriating elements of a marginalized culture?
• Are we using insensitive language or phrases that have racist origins or insensitive connotations?
• Are we amplifying the voice of someone who is considered racist or harmful to the BIPOC community?

Make it a habit to filter your content through a lens of equity, and be ready to get it wrong sometimes. Doing the work behind the scenes will give you a stronger product when it’s time to hit publish. And, if you do make a mistake and receive critical feedback, you’ll be able to reflect on the process you went through to determine what went wrong and how to improve in the future.

How to prepare:

• First, talk with your team about the potential for missteps. Together, you can come up with a social response plan that covers who to inform if negative or constructive feedback appears, who responds or approves responses and anything else your team deems helpful.
• Make intentional space in your strategy for feedback to learn from your experience.
• Accept criticism with an open mind and a goal of understanding.
• Be brave and prepare for mistakes. You will mess up, and you will need to bring it up to leadership when it happens in order to have productive conversations and move forward.

Mistakes are how we learn. Growth happens outside of our comfort zone, and we need growth now more than ever. Now is the time to be open to criticism and change.

Hire diverse teams

Remember how we mentioned that diversity in social media starts from within?

Hiring diverse candidates should always be a priority, and there are plenty of reasons why this can positively impact your business (beyond just being the right thing to do).

Diverse teams enrich content and stories

More diverse teams generate more diverse ideas.

This extends to your team, and to the creators and agencies you work with, too.

“Diverse content comes from diverse, innovative perspectives,” Sprout’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion Cassandra Blackburn tells us. “We also know that diverse teams drive innovation–it literally increases the range of perspectives in a room.”

Beyond inspiring more unique content, more perspectives on your team also helps bust bias. This can help stave off mistakes that even the most well-meaning teams can make in social content and campaigns.

Cassandra said it best: “If you build a diverse team and network, your content will follow.”

Next steps: Audit your hiring materials for bias, and review the perks you offer employees and company culture.

For example, research shows that women are more likely to feel they need to meet job postings’ full criteria. Eliminating the college degree requirement can expand your candidate pool. And a recent Atlassian study highlighted that location flexibility may expand your talent pool.

Diverse teams have a positive business impact

Diversity sparking innovation doesn’t stop at creative content. These teams can have a serious impact on your company’s bottom line.

Research has shown that more diverse teams create a high-performance environment. And companies with more diverse management teams and decision makers see higher revenue.

As Cassandra put it, “Diverse teams are critical to the success of any company. Research from McKinsey shows companies that have a more diverse workforce outperform industry norms by an average of 35%.”

Next steps: Look at your teams and decision makers—are these as diverse as they can be? Are there leadership opportunities that can be provided or expanded to extend opportunities to more diverse internal candidates?

Diverse teams enforce your values

A company can say they prioritize DEI all day.

But if a company that prioritizes diversity in social media lacks diversity behind the scenes, that doesn’t bode well for their reputation or trust.

As Cassandra put it, “The world’s demographics are shifting and the public increasingly relies on social media to understand which companies align to their values,” Cassandra says. “A diverse social media team ensures you can maintain your brand’s reputation with your target market.”

Next steps: Review those values again, then look within. Are your current diversity goals being met?

Diverse teams improve company culture

Cassandra put it best: “All people want to work with and for companies that live their values. Companies seeking to diversify their talent without investing in their people won’t succeed in maintaining that talent.”

It’s no question that diversity has a positive impact on company culture. In fact, according to a Deloitte survey, Millennials are more likely to feel engaged at work when they feel their workplace fosters an inclusive environment.

Being challenged with new ideas and perspectives also helps teammates think in new, sharper ways than a homogeneous group would. In fact, research has shown that diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time.

Next steps: Celebrate your teams. Create a meet the team social post series showcasing your team members’ stories and uplifting the diverse voices within your organization. This builds connection with your employees (and with prospective talent) in an authentic way.

Tap into employee advocacy to amplify your series. After all, over half of engaged social users are most likely to share employee updates, according to our research.

Prioritize diversity in social media and in marketing now

If you haven’t started prioritizing diversity in social media, now’s the time to start.

But this work cannot be done within a silo, or by one person. Nor can this work solely be done externally.

Your social media efforts should be backed up by your internal efforts. Work across teams and across your organization to kickstart real change. Next up, check out our social media for global brands article to help you along the way.

The post Why diversity in marketing and social media is non-negotiable appeared first on Sprout Social.

With a documented brand strategy that incorporates a set of core values, companies are better positioned to engage with their audience on a regular basis as well as respond to unexpected events when they inevitably occur. When developed with integrity and incorporated into your business’s operations, your brand values provide an essential roadmap for maintaining your public image and brand reputation.

In this article, we’ll outline everything you need to know about developing and sharing your own brand values. Plus, we’ll share a bit about Sprout’s own journey to do the same just a few years ago and examples of other brands showcasing their values effectively on social.

What are brand values?

Brand values are the beliefs that govern the way an organization does business. Along with several other foundational elements (like mission, vision, story, voice, etc.), brands’ values play a key role in their identity and perception, both internally and externally.

These guiding principles can also act as an “authenticity meter,” helping leaders make strategic decisions and employees and customers gauge whether the organization is living up to its stated values. Deviation from these standards can quickly become a public relations nightmare.

Why it’s important to have and share your brand’s values

A strong set of brand values is important for a number of reasons. Your brand values can help you:

• Attract and retain employees who are a cultural fit
• Make aligned decisions
• Engage like-minded consumers
• Build goodwill among your audience

Of course, fostering a strong culture is important. But beyond that, there’s also a clear correlation between your values and your bottom line.

What compels customers to choose one brand over another? According to The Sprout Social Index ™ 2022, trust and aligned values top the list (at 40% and 36% respectively).

Another Sprout study found that 53% of people feel more connected to brands that share their values. And that feeling of connection is more than just warm fuzzies. It correlates to increased spending, with 57% of people saying they will increase their spending with brands they feel connected to.

3 examples of brand values

The first step toward truly becoming a values-driven brand is to share what you stand for. Values-driven businesses don’t shy away from putting their foundational standards front and center, where both employees and the public can access them. Transparency, trust and visibility are key tenets of everything they do.

One great way to get inspiration for developing your own values is to look to other brands. The following examples of brand values will get you started.

1. Sprout Social

We created a microsite dedicated to sharing our brand identity and beliefs. Here, you can find our mission, positioning and core values, among other details. We take it a step further by also sharing the process we followed to refresh Sprout’s values.

Sprout’s values include:

• Care Deeply
• Embrace Accountability
• Champion Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Promote Open, Authentic Communication
• Seek Simplicity
• Solve Hard Problems
• Celebrate Change

The following are examples of Sprout’s values on display on social.

2. For Days

For Days, a sustainable fashion brand, also shares their brand values on their website. With a mission to “eliminate clothing waste in order to benefit people and the planet,” it should come as no surprise their values similarly focus on sustainability and community.

For Days’ values include:

• Carefree, not careless
• Connected, not isolated
• Accountable, not irresponsible

To see For Days’ values in action, look no further than their social platforms.

3. Marriott International

Marriott International, a well-known hospitality brand, has a set of values that aligns with its global reach and focus.

Marriott International’s values include:

• We Put People First
• We Pursue Excellence
• We Embrace Change
• We Act with Integrity
• We Serve Our World

On social, Marriott International’s values are on full display.

How to define your brand’s values

When we refreshed our brand values in 2018, Sprout’s leaders followed a pretty rigorous process because they knew how important it was to get them right. The steps below outline how the team formulated our current set of values.

1. Establish your team

First, it’s important to bring in a diverse set of voices with different experiences and points of view. Make sure you have a sampling of different levels throughout the organization (i.e., not just senior leaders). We did this by sending an open invitation to the entire company and then whittling it down to a working group of 15 individuals.

2. Gather feedback

Among other responsibilities, the working group led department-based focus groups to harvest feedback from across the company. Our leadership team recognized that for the values development process to be successful, employees should feel ownership in the process.

Similarly, your facilitators should collect input from various departments and individuals. By the end of these sessions, you should have a sizable list of ideas.

Social listening can also help here, providing details about what your customers love about your brand and what they think you could do better.

3. Identify themes

With so many ideas to consider, it could get overwhelming to narrow down your set of values. That’s why we recommend you start by identifying themes among the submissions. For example, there might be 10 or 15 ideas around employee growth that are fairly similar and could be combined into a thematic grouping. Be sure to focus on your existing culture but also your aspirations for the future. Where are you today? But also—where do you want to go?

4. Refine and communicate

Now that you’ve developed a slimmer list of themes, it’s time to present them to the executive team for feedback. This “small council” will refine the themes down to a manageable set of values that reflect the input and research gathered throughout the process. It was through this exercise that we established Sprout’s seven core values. From there, leadership should communicate the final list to the rest of the organization.

How to communicate your brand values to customers through social media

Connecting with your audience on social is a must for modern brands. Regardless of the platforms you choose to show up on, a social presence is required to remain relevant.

And while it’s important to share various types of content to showcase your brand voice and personality, make sure your values are showcased regularly as well. Authentically embodying your brand values in the content you share helps your audience see that they are more than just words on your website; your values are an inherent part of the way you think, act and engage.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Put them on your website

Okay, this one is not technically a social media tactic, but it’s so important we decided to include it here. The more visibility and transparency your audience has into your values and the things that make your brand tick, the more connected they’ll feel. And we’ve already established that leads to more sales. While social media is a great place to showcase your values, don’t forget to include them on your website, too.

2. Share your story

People like stories. It’s how we make sense of the world. And brands that are really good at telling their stories often build a loyal following, too. Brand storytelling goes beyond the facts to highlight the “why” behind your business. It makes your brand more human and easier to connect with. It also enables you to share your values in action.

3. Partner with influencers

Whether your perfect influencer is a precocious child prodigy, a well-known celebrity or a really cute dog (see the example below), borrowing the cache of other brands or creators that share similar values can multiply the effect of your values-driven social content. Get in front of more eyes by finding a shared cause and promoting it together.

4. Partner with nonprofits

Another example of “two accounts are better than one” is partnering with nonprofits that aid causes related to your values. This can go a long way toward helping you authentically embody your brand values on social. You might collaborate on a project (as in the example below) or you might simply interact with each other, like sharing each other’s content. Either way, the symbiotic amplification is a win-win.

5. Showcase your employees

When you think about a company’s values, you can’t forget about the employees. A brand’s commitment to its values is also illustrated in the way it treats its team members. And employees are the ones living your values in action every day. Allow them to share what they love about working for your company and what your values mean to them. Employee advocacy is an easy, organic way to humanize your brand while increasing your reach.

6. Keep up with current events

Keep your brand feeling fresh and relevant by weighing in on things that are actually happening in the world right now. The past few years have shown that consumers want companies to stand behind what they say they believe. Consider doubling down on the stuff that matters to you and your people, but of course, exercise caution.

While these efforts can be polarizing, they will ultimately help you curate an audience of loyal fans that want what you’re selling. Remember, if you’re talking to everyone, you’re actually reaching no one. When it aligns with your brand values, make it crystal clear where you stand on the issues.

Find the issues that matter to your audience

Your brand values are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to ensuring your internal and external communications are effective. Now that you’ve developed them, it’s time to incorporate them into your larger corporate communications strategy. With this plan in place, your teams can navigate any event, from product launches to public relations crises, with ease.

Download the free corporate communication plan template to get started.

The post How to define and share your core brand values effectively appeared first on Sprout Social.

Content creators are a not-so-secret superpower for extending your brand’s or campaign’s reach. In a recent creator report, Sprout Social’s listening tool found that the conversation on Twitter around content creators increased 35% year over year since 2017. That’s a lot of chatter around a quickly-growing title.

And businesses are catching on. Our research found that 74% of marketers planned to spend at least a quarter of their social budget on creator partnerships in coming months.

It’s time to include creators in your social media marketing strategy. If you’re thinking about bringing one or more onboard, writing a stellar content creator job description will help you attract the right candidate. And this article is your starting point.

What type of content creator role are you hiring for?

A content creator does exactly what it says on the box—they create content. But that’s a broad category full of possibilities.

“The role of ‘content creator’ can differ for brands depending on their needs and how they see content playing its own role in their overall marketing,” says freelance content creator and marketer Jayde Powell. “A content creator is literally someone that creates content, and because there are many types of content and ways to create them, I think that needs to be clearly outlined.”

Before you write your content creator job description, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What goals do you want to achieve by hiring a creator?

Broad goals, like generating more engagement and reaching new audiences, matter.

But get specific, too: What kind of content do you want a creator to focus on? For example, Instagram Story posts, TikTok link in bio inclusion and brand shout-outs on YouTube are a few of the top content formats marketers plan on partnering with creators to make, according to our Creator Economy report.

As Jayde put it, “A brand may want to hire a content creator that specifically makes short-form videos for their social media channels. Another brand may want its content creator to write copy or design graphics for their print campaigns. Specifying what kind of content you want will help determine if someone’s even qualified for the role. ”

Narrowing this down will help prospective talent decide whether they’re a good fit for the role, which will help you hire a creator proficient in the type of content that will best achieve your goals (more on this below).

2. Do you want a freelance creator, or an in-house one?

In-house and freelancer content creators aren’t mutually exclusive. But they do have unique selling points.

Freelance creators can extend your reach into new communities through a trusted voice. Their content will most likely live on their channels, not yours.

This is particularly valuable for new product launches or campaigns you want to create buzz around—one of the benefits of “unboxing” or “reveal” content, which 42% of marketers partner with creators to make.

Be ready to work with them on a contract, and be realistic about pricing. If you want great content, pay accordingly.

In-house content creators provide more support for your daily posts and channels. With bandwidth as a number one challenge for social teams, it makes sense that 25% of marketers hire creators to reduce the burden of content creation.

3. What type of specialty are you looking for?

At the time of writing this article, there were over 2,000 LinkedIn results in the US for “content creator” job postings.

But not all of these content creator job responsibilities are the same.

Here are a few roles to consider:

TikTok content creator

With the rise of this platform and short-form video, TikTok content creators or specialists are becoming more and more common.

When to consider: You want to grow your presence and audience on TikTok and diversify your short-form video content on the platform.

Industry-specific content creator

Part of the draw of working with content creators is their ability to cultivate a community around themselves or a subject they are passionate about.

This extra level of being “in-the-know” gives your content an authenticity boost while connecting with a new audience that shares the same passion about your industry.

This posting is outdoor lifestyle specific…

…while this one seeks creators passionate about music.

When to consider: You want to reach fans in a specific industry, or you need someone who is deeply knowledgeable about your industry, product or service.

Social media content creator

Chances are, if you’re seeking a content creator, they’re creating content for social media.

But this title is worth considering—especially if you’re not hiring a creator with a platform-specific focus.

When to consider: You’re looking for a super social-savvy creator to enhance your social campaigns, reach new audiences and build connections with your community.

Skill-specific content creator

From short-form videos to memes, creating different types of assets involves different skills.

Creators might specialize in:

• Short-form video
• Long-form video
• Photography
• Graphic design
• Copywriting
• Content writing

The below position is seeking content creators who are specifically proficient in writing and optimizing content.

When to consider: You’re looking for a content creator with a laser focus in your preferred content format.

Senior-level content creators

A higher-level content creator might lead ideation with other creators, manage content projects and have more proven experience.

This posting mentions that the senior content creator will “ideate content approaches with other creators, strategists, designers and stakeholders.”

When to consider: You’re building an in-house team of multiple creators and want one person at the helm.

Typical content creator job responsibilities

A creator’s responsibilities will depend on what your company and team need and want to achieve with this role.

And be warned: One of the biggest pitfalls businesses fall into is creating descriptions that are either too vague or overloading the responsibilities.

As Jayde puts it, “Oftentimes, I see a lot of asks in job descriptions that go beyond creating content, like asking creators to make content and publish it on their channels. I’ve seen others where the brand will ask them to respond to comments. While a content creator may have the skillset of a social media manager, designer, writer, videographer and/or photographer, that does not mean they should be doing all of the above.”

With that in mind, let’s get into some of the most common skills listed in content creator job descriptions.

• Ideate, capture and post visual content: This can include photos, memes, videos and graphics. But there’s typically a heavy video focus in creator roles. After all, 66% of consumers think short-form video is the most engaging type of content according to The Sprout Social Index™.
• Deep understanding of social platforms: Especially important for platform-specific content creators. But for anyone crafting social content, knowing each platform aids in creating more impactful content and even achieving wider distribution.
• Staying on top of trends: Jumping on trends helps creators grow their own reach and presence, and does the same for your brand.
• Creative storytelling: At the end of the day, content needs to tell a story. And content creators are storytellers by nature.
• Cross-team collaboration: This might include working with several teams on story development or to receive feedback.
• Familiarity with key KPIs: When working with in-house or freelance creators, leaning on performance reporting is a must when proving ROI.

Creators may also be asked to serve as “the face” of a business. While this isn’t always required, if this is what you want, be upfront about it.

Speaking from experience, Jayde put it best: “I like to know how often my image, voice or likeness will be used in the content. Specifically for video content, if I’m expected to be the “face” of the brand on a particular channel or if my voice will be used regularly—that will impact my rate and how I want my contract to be defined.”

Typical job skills and experience to add to your content creator job description

Keep in mind: The skills your creator will need all depend on your goals, preferred content and the capacity at which you want to hire them.

Here are some common skills and expertise you’ll find in content creator roles.

• Filming and editing: A must if your ideal content creator is creating photos and videos.
• Keyword research: Relevant for creators you want to hire to write landing pages, blog posts and written web content.
• Proficiency with specific tools: If you use specific software, like Sprout Social for publishing and scheduling, reporting and collaboration, include this in the job description. Making this a nice-to-have rather than a requirement opens you up to candidates you can train to use your software. Intuitive platforms with accessible support, like Sprout, make it easy to learn quickly.

• Ability to work independently: “Working with little supervision” comes up often in the spirit of giving your creators creative freedom—both in-house and as freelancers–and also reducing overall burden on the business.
• Experience building a community: While some job postings have a personal follower count requirement, building community isn’t always about numbers. Creators with experience building a smaller, yet highly-engaged community can sometimes be more valuable than a large following with little engagement.
• Knowledge of and passion for the brand or industry: A nice-to-have for some, a must-have for others. Take this Blizzard job posting for a World of Warcraft creator. To get content that will truly resonate with this niche audience, their ideal creator candidate will have deep knowledge of this game, in-jokes about its world and more.

• Communication skills: Communication skills are vital for creators who need to communicate your brand’s mission and story. But they also need to communicate clearly with your team and stakeholders to secure buy-in.
• Experience with and deep knowledge of social media: Social media content creators must understand how social platforms they’re creating content for work in order to market your brand successfully.
• Ability to work with short deadlines: Be respectful of your creators’ time and don’t set unreasonable due dates. But also remember that when creating content around trends or for a campaign, timeliness matters.

Back to basics: Additional best practices for job descriptions

Crafting a social media content creator job description may be new to you. But that doesn’t mean you should skip including best practices in your posting.

These tried-and-tested best practices can be extremely helpful when it comes to attracting the best fit for your brand and team.

Here are three bonus tips that go beyond simply listing tasks in your description:

Have realistic expectations for your role

Just because someone can “do it all,” doesn’t mean they should—especially if your salary doesn’t match up to the expectations.

Similarly, offer the appropriate compensation. For example, you might think you should hire freelancers to avoid hiring a new person, but familiarize yourself first with what a freelancer with the skills you need will actually cost.

Start by evaluating the type of content and partnership you want out of this role. Then, prioritize the relevant content creator job responsibilities, and whether the pay and title match up to the role you’ve outlined.

You can also require a portfolio of work. Referencing the past work of a prospective employee helps you understand whether or not they’re the right fit for the position.

Regardless of in-house or freelance status, it always pays to be upfront and transparent about… well, pay.

As Jayde puts it, “I think it’s important to clearly state how much the pay range is for the person in this role and how they will be paid. Is it a salaried position? Are they to be paid monthly? If the content creator will be hired as a contractor or freelancer, will they be paid per asset or hourly? Having these ‘musts’ in the job description will help brands find the talent that fits best for the role.”

Communicate your values

Working with partners that align with their values is huge for creators and brands alike. According to Sprout’s Creator Economy report, 41% of brands partner with creators to promote their brand values.

Partnering with a creator who shares your values means reaching an audience who also shares them. And company alignment with personal values has become more important to consumers than it was in 2021, according to The Sprout Social Index™.

Share your values in your job description. Highlight what’s important to your brand and your mission.

Your internal efforts reflect this as well. If your brand prioritizes DEI initiatives, make this clear in your job description. In Sprout job descriptions, we highlight DEI initiatives and even include transparent progress reports on our efforts.

As seen in Sprout job descriptions:

Sprout Social is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and an Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate based on identity— race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex (including sexual identity), age, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, veteran or military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, order of protection status, citizenship status, arrest record or expunged or sealed convictions, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our 2021 DEI Report.

Outline the type of campaign and the kind of content you want to support it

Anyone can create a job description that simply lists what experience someone needs and what they’ll be doing.

Write a content creator job description that highlights the value they’ll bring and, better yet, how your new hire’s work will contribute to your brand’s growth or mission.

For example, this Warner Music U Rep content creator position mentions what the role entails and highlights how the responsibilities will bring value to the content creator they hire.

Write a content creator job description to find the best talent for your team

So what content creator roles are appealing to you? In-house? Freelance? TikTok-specific?

The right creator for you will depend on your industry, team and content needs. Use this article as a jumping off point to start crafting your content creator job description, then build on it.

We’ve made it even easier for you to get started with our social media manager job description template, which helps organize your asks and find the best new talent for your team.

The post How to write a content creator job description that attracts talent appeared first on Sprout Social.

We know there are pros and cons of social media use, but it’s important to remember there is a human working hard on the social accounts of your favorite brands. For every wholesome piece of social content we see, there’s drama and depressing news to offset it.

Food for thought: daily social media usage has peaked at an average of 147 minutes per day. More and more of our day-to-day interpersonal interactions happen via smartphone screens.

Still, society’s spotlight on social media is driving productive conversations about mental health. Not to mention addressing the stigma associated with those who struggle.

Below we break down how to manage mental health and social media. This includes healthy habits and tips for navigating it both personally and professionally.

Social media and mental health: the big picture                      

Consider that one in five Americans report receiving treatment for their mental health. Given how integral social media is to our daily lives, we can’t afford to ignore its impact on our well-being.

That includes the good and the bad.

Let’s kick things off by digging into both sides of the debate.

Why is social media bad for mental health?

Social media gets a bad rep when it comes to mental health. It’s not totally unfounded when you consider the following.

Pressure from FOMO and “always on” culture

Being connected to friends, colleagues and the rest of the world 24/7 is both a blessing and a curse.

Enter the “always on” nature of social media. That is, an unspoken (and sometimes explicit!) pressure to be active.

Always listening. Always present. Always posting.

This has led to the phenomenon of FOMO (fear of missing out) and the pressures that come with it. This includes the pressure to…

• Stay informed. From a never-ending news cycle to ads and updates, there’s a constant flood of content to consume. Keeping up with it all is downright overwhelming. This includes content we want to see.
• Respond. This applies to both personal and professional social media use. Expectations are high when it comes to response time for consumers. Leaving anyone on read feels like a no-go.
• Post. Many people feel compelled to post even when they don’t want to. Research says that 45% of Gen Z claim that there’s too much pressure to be perfect on social media.

Negative news and conflict tend to thrive in social feeds

The inner workings of social media algorithms are complicated.

That said, conventional wisdom says algorithms tend to favor whatever earns the most clicks, comments and shares.

And in many cases, that ends up being controversial or conflict-driven content.

This creates a snowball effect of negativity in our social feeds. The more interactions a controversial or debate-bait post gets, the more fuel for the algorithm. Coupled with the pressure to be “always on,” negative habits such as doom-scrolling are now common.

Ill effects of excessive screen time

As noted earlier, the amount of time spent on social media is on the rise.

This is a big concern among parents on behalf of the younger crowd. There’s been ample research published on the negatives associated with too much screen time. This includes:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Poor sleep quality

Sure, nobody is forcing us to stare at screens all day (unless it’s part of your job). Smartphones are a non-negotiable part of modern life for most Americans. That doesn’t negate these potential health problems, though.

How does social media help people improve their mental health?

The potentially negative effects of social media are clear.

That said, we shouldn’t outright ignore the positive impact that social media. Below we highlight how social serves as a net positive for our mental well-being.

Raising awareness to support issues and people

Platforms like Twitter and Instagram have fostered countless conversations regarding social issues. Specifically, issues that people otherwise may not encounter face-to-face in their communities. This includes:

• Resources for mental health and treatment
• Awareness of social and political causes (#FightFor15 or #InsulinForAll)
• Support for marginalized groups

Community-building and relationships

Despite its flaws, social media objectively offers a place for people to come together.

This includes community-building for folks from all walks of life. From artists connecting with fans to friends staying in touch, making connections via social is possible. Not to mention easier than ever.

Possibilities to connect and learn regardless of geography

If nothing else, social media democratizes information and communication.

Consider how many people use social media exclusively to communicate. With over six billion smartphones in the world, social platforms provide a place to connect, share and learn.

How to prioritize mental health as a social media professional

Tackling social media burnout is tricky.

Because logging off is easier said than done when your job is tied to social media interactions.

Dealing with negativity and even abuse from social strangers is bad enough. Juggling those tough conversations with the problems noted above makes it all seem worse.

If it all feels like too much to deal with, take a step back. Below are some pointers for maintaining your mental health as a social media professional.

Set limits and boundaries

This is the big one. Advocating for yourself in a professional role is crucial. That means setting boundaries in terms of what is acceptable in your day-to-day duties. We recommend setting limits when it comes to:

• Comments and criticism from customers. Acknowledge when a customer is being unreasonable or hostile. There’s a line between confrontation and harassment that customers shouldn’t cross. Reserve the right to step away when they do.
• Assistance and support. Know your role and scope of work. Just because you work in social media doesn’t mean you have to be a therapist or conflict mediator.
• Logging off. When you’re off the clock, you’re off the clock. Separating your personal and professional social media should be a priority. This might require some getting used to if you work remotely. That said, being “on” 24/7 is mentally draining.

Lean on your team

Ironically enough, working in social media can be pretty lonely.

Chatting with customers and publishing content won’t satisfy your need for personal interactions.

This speaks to the value of collaborating with your team and communicating with them consistently. You should feel supported and likewise support those that might be facing burnout themselves.

Many companies use Slack for this very reason. For example, some teams have dedicated channels for celebrating each other or sharing memes. Think of your team channel as somewhere to get a serotonin boost throughout the day.

Inject some personality into your professional presence

Making connections with others is possible through content. For example, many brands go out of their way to show off their human side via social. Granted doing so aligns with your brand, some ideas include:

• Wholesome or playful content “just because”
• Behind-the-scenes content or content as you (versus your business)
• Inspirational or motivational content

Brands often benefit when their social media presence isn’t 100% suit-and-tie. You might even be able to integrate conversations about mental health into your content calendar (think: Mental Health Day).

Break up your tasks so they’re more mentally manageable

Pro-tip: don’t create needless stress for yourself.

Put the “always on” nature of social away unless you’re in a service-centric role. Even then, you don’t need to grind away at tedious tasks without breaks. Consider time management methods like the Pomodoro technique. Break up your most mentally taxing tasks into chunks versus tackling them all at once.

Unless you’re dealing with a true emergency, chances are social replies from customers and colleagues can wait a minute or two. Give yourself some breathing room.

Move around (like, literally)

The value of simply getting up and taking a breather can’t be overstated.

Depending on your situation, that might mean a yoga break or a 10-minute walk. It could also be a few seconds to stand and stretch. The correlation between sit-stand desks and productivity is notable.

If nothing else, make a conscious effort to take breaks away from your screen. That includes your smartphone, too. Maybe that means taking notes by hand or taking a call without your webcam on. Find what works for you.

4 tips for healthier social media usage in your personal life

Developing healthier habits professionally is easier when your personal social use is stress-free.

To wrap things up, let’s look at some tips for ensuring a healthier social media diet in your personal life.

1. Keep your personal social media truly personal

Most social media professionals don’t double-dip their private and personal accounts.

That said, you can take things a step further to protect your mental health. This includes:

• Setting boundaries and being firm about logging off. Again, work notifications can wait.
• Unfollowing (or reducing) industry-related accounts in your personal feed.
• Avoiding “professional” networks (LinkedIn, sometimes Twitter) for more “authentic” ones (BeReal, TikTok)

2. Curate a positive social feed

Despite popular belief, fighting back against negativity from social algorithms is possible. A few ways to this include:

• Regularly interacting with accounts related to your personal interests and hobbies
• Muting accounts and words that could potentially stress you out (see below on Twitter)
• Be selective about who you follow to reduce negativity in your feed

3. Consider occasional social media breaks

Fact: more and more teens report taking voluntary breaks from social media. Week-long breaks are surprisingly common.

The concept of “digital detoxing” is all the rage right now. That doesn’t mean you have to destroy your phone and live in a cabin to “unplug,” though.

How long you take your break to go is up to you. We recommend thinking of breaks as a healthy challenge. Start with a day or two and then assess from there. You might be surprised by what happens when you free up your time.

4. Prioritize activities that limit screen time

Having hobbies that don’t involve social media or screen time is always a plus.

And despite popular belief, Netflix is not a hobby.

Try to keep your hands and brain busy. Whether that means cooking, crafting or working out is up to you. It never hurts to go outside of your comfort zone.

How do you manage social media and mental health?

Finding a healthy balance between your social presence and your well-being isn’t always easy. The tips above can be a solid starting point.

We love all things social, sure. Of course, your mental health should always come first. This is especially true for professionals in the field.

And if you want to curate a positive presence, consider how Sprout Social’s social media publishing features can help automate your tasks and free up your time.

The post Social media and mental health: how to find a healthy balance appeared first on Sprout Social.

From a business perspective, this type of treatment is a one way ticket to abysmal retention rates. But from a human perspective, as a leader, you should want the best for your people. If you’re entrusted with a leadership role, you’re entrusted with people–the most valuable resource a business has. When I transitioned into leadership, I had to learn this lesson quickly and I’m lucky enough to be able to pass it on to you.

Leading with others in mind

When I first became a people manager, I assumed it was because I was a high performer and the company wanted more versions of me. My view of my new role was moulding my reports into mini Gerards, making sure they shared my values, ethos and work ethic.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. The most important thing you can know as a leader is that it isn’t about you. You may have been the highest performing individual contributor the company had ever seen, but that doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is giving your people the tools they need to be successful.

In order to do that, you have to check your ego at the door. When I became a manager, I had to look inward and figure out why I wanted to be one. And there is a right answer. If you want to move into leadership for the accolades, pay increase or title, your time is better spent becoming the best individual contributor you can be. There’s nothing wrong with that decision or those values, but they don’t lend themselves to effective leadership.

To be an effective leader, your main driver needs to be a desire to connect with your team. Once you put on your leadership cap, you’re no longer the main character. Each member of your team is the lead and you should be ready to take home the award for Best Supporting Manager.

Principles for leading with compassion

In my time as a people manager, I’ve picked up a few basic principles for people-first leadership.

Be aware

Businesses and economies go through cycles of ups and downs. Your people are no different. Some situations might be personal, like family emergencies. Others might affect your whole team, like depressing news cycles or economic events. Some situations are predictable, like the post-holiday slump. Whatever the reasoning behind the changes in morale or productivity, you have to be aware of them.

If you notice a team member is going through a rough time, schedule a 1:1 with them to see what’s going on. This isn’t the time to tell them to shape up, but rather an opportunity to get to know them better. Some employees might not be comfortable sharing, and that’s okay. But chances are, your team will appreciate your attentiveness and willingness to chat through it with them.

Create conditions for a positive culture

The worst thing you can do as a leader is try to force a culture. Nothing ruins staff morale more than mandatory bonding activities–especially if they’re still responsible for their regular output despite the interruption. Your job as a leader isn’t to create culture, it’s to steward it.

You want to get to a point of radical accountability, where everyone knows what they’re responsible for and strives to achieve it. If you micromanage your culture, you’ll never get there. Encourage your employees to find the joy of working and let them take it from there. They know what they need, and if you’ve established yourself as approachable, they’ll come to you when they need you.

Lead by example

New employees might have a hard time transitioning to a work environment that’s built on compassion. They may neglect the breaks they need to recharge and stay plugged in even when they do take one. If they’ve come from a workplace that gives lip service to caring for employees without any follow through, they may not trust that it’s actually okay to take a break or ask for help–even if you remind them.

This is when you have to lead by example. When I go on vacation, I keep WhatsApp available for emergencies, but that’s it. No emails, no calls, no Slack messages. I try not to message my employees after work hours. We’re a distributed team, and I only come into the office when I say I will. My actions let my team know that it’s okay to take breaks. It’s okay to be flexible. If I take a fully unplugged vacation, my team members get the signal that they’re encouraged to as well.

All careers have their time

All careers have a beginning, middle and end. It’s important to remind yourself–and your team–that the end will come and you owe it to yourself to make sure you feel good about what you’ve accomplished at the end.

At the beginning of my career, meaningful meant accolades. But as I’ve grown as a professional, I’ve realised that what matters most to me is impacting the careers of others. One of my favourite things to do is look at the careers and accomplishments of people I worked with early in my career and know that I had a hand–even if it was a small one–in helping them get there. But you can’t have that satisfaction if you don‘t lead with compassion.

As a leader, my goal is to make an impact on as many careers as possible. I hope more leaders join me on this journey.

Looking for more ways to enrich your team? Check out this article on helping your team find the joy of work.

The post Follow the leader: Approaching leadership with compassion appeared first on Sprout Social.

It is time for this to change.

Let’s evaluate the demands on today’s current social media professionals

On a daily basis they are asked to:

Post content to a multitude of channels

Including the time to work with internal stakeholders, draft content, get approvals and create multiple, differently sized versions of each post for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Reels, Stories, etc. And then they must schedule it all to go out in a coordinated manner.

Perform community management

This is the real-time management of incoming comments, questions and responses to posts and direct messages. Depending on the company, this can be hundreds or thousands of messages a day. And, most consumers expect a response within 24 hours.

Be the front line of crisis management

Not only is it extremely likely that your social team will be the one to inform you of a crisis, they are also on the front lines of managing it–both reporting on the activity they see as well as deploying the crisis comms plan and response.

Educate & train

Part of every social media professional’s job is to educate people around them about social media. This happens in formal training sessions, but also in dozens of conversations every single day.

Serve as the safety and risk officer

Corporate social media teams are also tasked with keeping the company’s social media safe, which is much easier said than done. This requires someone to be a mini-expert in cybersecurity best practices, identity management best practices and procedures and protocol creation.

Become a social CIO

Social media professionals now need to be technology experts too. A suite of tools is required to run corporate social media operations, and the larger the scale, the more complicated it gets.

Own analytics

Social is pointless unless you can measure your success, which means social media professionals also need to be well-versed in data analytics, social media metrics and data visualization–not to mention the all-important soft skill of being able to explain the data in simple terms.

Keep up with external changes

Clubhouse burst onto the scene only to fizzle and lose the title of hottest newcomer to TikTok. Things are changing in this space all the time. And your social media team has to not only keep up but be prepared to talk intelligently about new platforms and changes to existing platforms.

And be on call 24/7/365

This is a big one. Unlike most other functions, most social media teams operate without a safety net. They oversee a space that never turns off, never shuts down for holidays and never even goes to sleep. They don’t always get a chance to tune out, turn off their phone or unplug.

And yet–despite all of this–sadly some leaders still think social media is “posting stuff on Facebook.” A shocking number of very large companies still operate social media with a team of one, which is ridiculous and also not sustainable for a brand or that one person.

In order to change, companies must recognize one basic truth: social media is an important function and it deserves real resources. Responsible leaders would never suggest that other key functions like HR or Finance should get by with just one person globally for the whole organization.Why do some companies still think social media can do it alone?

From my experience, the answer to that question lies in a two-part answer:

1. Social media is still relatively new. MySpace was started in 2003. Facebook was founded a year later. If social media were a human being, it would be old enough to drive but not old enough to drink yet. And let’s be honest–social media has really earned a stiff cocktail or two.
2. Executives just haven’t cared enough. Once it became clear that companies needed to be on social media, many relegated it to interns or lower-level staff because the work was not understood. And it’s been an uphill battle from there for social to be recognized as a real discipline. This is an error in leadership and it is detrimental to the whole company.

So what should companies do?

Here are my top suggestions:

Obviously, dedicate more resources to social.

But first, find out what your social media team actually needs. Their answer may surprise you. They may tell you that they would forgo another full-time employee (FTE) for budget to buy critical tools that will help them work more efficiently and more safely. They could say they really need an FTE, but it would be really helpful if they were in a different geography.

If you have a one-person team running all of social, get that person some help, ASAP.

People in this position are literally drowning in work, and they constantly have to choose not to do important things because they do not have enough time in the day. Everyone needs a backup, as my four pillars of good social media governance explains. If your one person was gone, how would you keep social media running?

Learn what your social media team actually does.

Sit down with the team and learn about their day-to-day duties and challenges. Understand their workflows and where they run into trouble.

Recognize that social media safety and governance is real work.

It’s not sexy, but keeping a company’s social media safe can become a monumental task, especially for large, global, matrixed companies. For companies that have already invested strongly in social, imagine having to manage 300 social media channels, all the access for hundreds of people who work on them, passwords, removing people’s access when they leave the company, etc. This work has gotten so specialized and so big that some companies are creating full-time roles in governance and social media operations just for this work. And if you ask me, that trend will continue into the far future.

It’s not that companies are dying to create more roles and pay for more employees. But companies that have made this leap know two things. First, they’ve identified this as real work that takes time and resource investment. And, second, they understand protecting the company from the growing number of security and compliance risks can equal real dollars and are worth protecting against proactively.

Additionally, smart companies recognize that this is work that can be done by a more junior-level staff member. If all you have is one employee doing social, it’s the best use of their time to focus on the higher-level work.

Most importantly, stop sticking social media in the cupboard under the stairs.

Like it or not, social media teams are receiving their magical letters from Hogwarts. Companies that “get it” are resourcing social correctly. And smart social media professionals are going to the companies that get it and leaving the ones that don’t.

If there’s anything COVID taught us, it’s that companies that were resourced and prepared to handle an influx of pressure on the social media operation succeeded in serving customers digitally. Those that had to build the infrastructure in the midst of the pandemic struggled and it showed. Learn from the past–make sure your company is prepared for the future by resourcing correctly now. Also, if you don’t, your entire social team will eventually burn out and quit.

Social media managers are prone to burnout. Learn what social media burnout looks like, why marketing leaders should care and get tips to minimize burnout at your company.

The post It’s time companies stop resourcing social media like it’s 2007 appeared first on Sprout Social.