By: Sarah Fischer

Social media is often framed exclusively for models and celebrities, but smart business owners around the world, like doctors, photographers, real estate agents, and solopreneurs, have been using it to generate millions of dollars. Jon Jacques, CEO of Viral Secrets, has created an entire company dedicated to helping business owners leverage social media to grow their followings. 

“The biggest challenges that I see entrepreneurs facing online is that they don’t know what to say, what to post when to post, and how to get their content seen,” Jacques said. “They are busy running their actual businesses and worry that social media will become another full-time job.” That stress makes sense, but Jacques has some key ways to help avoid it – while still reaping the rewards.

By following Jacques’ social media marketing strategies, anyone can expand their reach and grow their business. Here are his tips for social media success in 2024.

DITCH THE SCRIPT

While it may seem like reading from a prepared script is the best move, there is a better way. Instead of having a word-for-word dialogue written, which can make your content seem rigid and rehearsed, keep a more authentic approach. Brainstorm the topic of your video and write out bullet points for the key information you want to cover. 

Short form videos, such as Reels, are gaining the most organic traffic on social media platforms right now. This helps take some of the pressure off because it means that a video only has to be 60 to 90 seconds long. In the end, a more relaxed preparation process will save you time and make your content more authentic.

BATCHING CONTENT

Making content one post or video at a time may seem like the only way to engage with your audience at the moment, but it’s actually one of the least efficient ways to reach them. Not only does it contribute to a loss of momentum, but it also causes a scramble to try and figure out what to post at the last minute.

Those who have mastered content creation realize that “batching content” is the way to go. Set aside two days a month and film all of your content at once. Next, edit your content and schedule your posts for the entire month using tools like Later.com. This frees up your calendar to manage business items beyond social media. 

Jacques suggests, “Since you will be filming everything on the same day but posting on different days, you will want to vary your outfits and filming locations.”

OUTSOURCE LOW-LEVEL TASKS

It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire entrepreneur or a bootstrapped business on a budget – there are cost-effective aids for your content creation. Businesses don’t need to spend $10,000 a month on a social media agency in order to see results. 

Some of the instrumental but time-consuming tasks such as editing, scheduling/posting, and caption writing, can be outsourced for as low as $40 per post. When time is money, this is a no-brainer investment to help save hours of your time, and invest it where it matters most.

Jon Jacques is the CEO of Viral Secrets. Grab a copy of his best-selling Social Media Book, Viral Content, here. 

Published by: Nelly Chavez