Social media evolves and changes on a regular basis, and if you rely on social media for your marketing, then it pays to keep track of the changes and adapt to the new methods. What seemingly worked yesterday may not work today, and with constant changes to algorithms and content display, it can get terribly stressful trying to keep up. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that you stay in the social media loop.

Check directly with the source

There is so much false information being spread on the internet that it always pays to check directly with the source. If there is going to be a major change on Twitter or Facebook, then check with their websites or social media pages directly. Take everything with a grain of salt until you have verified the original source of information, especially if it sounds like the change could impact you significantly.

Follow the hashtags

Following hashtags is a very effective way to see the latest information at a glance and is similar to following breadcrumbs to find the information you seek. Create a Twitter account if you haven’t already, and search for social media related tweets via hashtags. Hashtags such as #socialmedia, #inboundmarketing, and #socialmediamarketing will help you get started. As you spot more useful hashtags throughout your searches, write them down so you always have a complete list of hashtags to reference.

Keep a list of social media experts

While you may not have the time to keep up with every change in the industry, there are people who actually do it for a living. Find out who the social media experts are and follow their social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook. When something of interest happens in the industry, they will undoubtedly be the first one who will make mention of it. And, if you have any questions, just reach out to them and ask.

Subscribe to informative blogs and podcasts

You won’t have time to read all the information out there, but try to save time on a weekly basis to check out relevant content on social media blogs and podcasts. Subscribe to pertinent blogs so you won’t have to spend time chasing the latest blog posts – they will come directly to your inbox. Check out blogs such as Social Media Today and Social Media Examiner to help you get started, and tune into informative podcasts such as Social Media Social Hour and Social Media Marketing.

If you’re overwhelmed, struggling to get things done, or recognise you need some assistance, organise a call with me to discuss your business support needs.