SM

Social media doesn't have to be time consuming.But there's no reason you have to check Twitter every hour.

Here's 5 easy things you can start using this week.

1. Do Less

You can't always get better results with doing more.

So instead, try to do less but focus on the essential.

Your results will skyrocket if you set constraints, like setting a timer for 10 minutes per day.

2. "Top-Down" Strategy

People think that social media is only about community management.

So they get on Twitter and tweet to an empty room, or try to interject or interrupt others in order to "engage the conversation". 

That's a really ineffective use of your time. A better strategy is to put yourself in a position where others want to contact you.

3. Automate

One of the best things about internet marketing is the tools that help you automate different processes. These tools also help you appear really active.

4. Curate

Curating other people's content helps you build thought leadership and can also create reciprocity. And again, there are a variety of tools that make this process instant and pain-free.

5. Engage

You've removed a lot of the time consuming aspects of Twitter in the first four steps. What's left is the important part - engaging with other people.

by Brad Smith