Tips to Become a Social Media Master

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

The Internet was born. And with it, the empire of social media.

Dramatic hooks aside, the internet was invented in 1983 and social media soon after in 1997. Although it’s only been about 20 years since social media has been around, it’s become such an integral force in our lives that for many of us (over 3.6 billion, in fact, according to Statista), we simply cannot imagine how our days would function without it.

That’s why this May Fourth, in honor of Star Wars Day, we’re dedicating our Tweet Chat to helping you become a social media Jedi master. We’ve got you covered on all fronts for success—personal and professional—from establishing a mission to handling mistakes, to assessing potential risks and creating successful partnerships. 

We’ve invited expert panelists Laura Pence Atencio @SocialSavvyGeek, John Lim @bemovingforward, Mike Allton @mike_allton, and Stephanie Liu @heystephanie to help you master the mysterious ways of social media. May the fourth be with you as you embark on this journey…

Missed the Tweet Chat? Here’s a recap:

Q1. “This is the way.” - The Mandalorian 🤖 What is your mission on social media? What is your social media code of ethics? Why do you think it’s beneficial to stay true to your mission and morals when creating your social media strategies?

Stephanie Liu: “You are not alone.” “Neither are you.” - Kylo Ren & Rey There are resources in relationships, so start building them now. Social media is one of the best ways to find people that you can partner with and learn from.

Laura Pence Atencio: My mission is to support coaches in finding out how to work in a way that supports them as a whole human. My code of ethics is to always tell the truth, even when it's unpopular. Part of being yourself is ALWAYS being yourself. It's vastly more satisfying.

John Lim: My mission is really to connect, engage and learn. Code: be kind, authentic and consistent with who you are. It’s important because people want to connect with messaging they feel a connection to rather than slogans or ads or noise.

Q2. A long, long, time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…. 💫 How important is the skill of storytelling on social media? What tips are the most helpful when going #Live – either “Solo” or with a guest on your livestream? What stories are you sharing?

John Lim: Immensely important. Star Wars is a great example of storytelling and the Joseph Campbell hero’s journey - it explains its continuing popularity and legacy. Similarly, people connect to story whether it’s a brand, a personality or a #winniesun tweet chat.

Mike Allton: Storytelling is THE skill on social media. It's how we foster connections & build relationships. It's how we educate & inspire & influence. That's why, like the great John Williams, it's important to have themes that you weave into your posts & stories.

Stephanie Liu: Stories tell us what facts to accept and what facts to reject. When you’re trying to influence someone’s behavior, you have to ask yourself first, “What story is in their brain?" Also ask, "What stories are they holding onto that make them behave the way they do? And if I want to change that, you need to ask yourself, “What new story can I give them?”

Q3. “Sometimes we must let go of our pride and do what is requested of us.” - Padme Amidala Everyone takes a misstep sometimes. How do you handle mistakes / redirection of your social media posts / plans? How do you correct and fix them?

Laura Pence Atencio: I usually laugh at myself, admit my mistake, make corrections, and carry on. Sometimes I cry first.

Stephanie Liu: ​ There is no failure, only feedback. As a Strategist, the fact that you are willing to attempt new things, willing to fail at them, and able to analyze your results—not as failures, but as learnings—allows you to better enhance your next steps.

Mike Allton: The first key is to know what a mistake is, and be able to recognize it. That might mean a strategy of posts that wasn't successful, or as successful, as you wanted. I use @Agorapulse to measure everything, of course, and track the success and ROI of my posts.

Q4. “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.” -Yoda How do you assess risks when trying new things in your social media efforts? What smart social media marketing risks have paid off for you?

Mike Allton: My best advice is to definitely treat everything as an experiment, and that means giving it specific parameters and a timeframe. For instance, try posting every day at 10am for 4 weeks, then measure the results.

John Lim: ​​I think as long as you’re true to yourself and sticking to that code of ethics from Q2 it’s ok to try new things. Smartest social media risk was engaging in communities like this one rather than just fly solo all the time.

Laura Pence Atencio: I have only myself to answer to, so most of my risk is in a downturn in income. Diversification of platforms is my answer. If anything goes sideways in one place... I am still golden.

Stephanie Liu: @brie_e_anderson was recently on #AgencyAccelerated and shared this nugget with our audience.

Q5. “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering”. - Yoda Even in a fairly aligned group, not everyone will always agree on everything. How do you personally handle scuffles and disagreements online and within your social media community?

Mike Allton: I'm definitely more patient than I ever used to be, & take the time now to consider the other person's viewpoint & context. Why are they saying what they're saying? Is it from a place of positive, constructive debate? Or are they being destructive or negative?

Stephanie Liu: At the root of most conflict is a need not being met. Often it's a feeling of not being heard. Take some time to understand the other person's model of the world. What values, beliefs, and attitudes do that person have to cause him/her to think that way?

Q6. “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” -Darth Vader How do you know if your marketing needs time or needs a change? Are you ‘team trust the process’ or ‘team tweak it til it works’? How do you determine your best course of action?

John Lim: I think it’s based on your goals, the metrics/engagement, and feedback from your tribe or community. You can always try new things and see what others are doing.

Mike Allton: Personally, I'm team Trust The Process for most tactics I'll employ, because I'm leaning in on strategies that I know will work. I've seen them work. Video-first, for instance. That's not to say some of the nuance might need adjusting, but I trust the process.

Stephanie Liu: ​​First, nothing changes, if nothing changes. Second, the meaning of communication is the response that you get. As a Strategist, I like to create hypotheses and run tests.

Q7. “In my book, experience outranks everything.” - Captain Rex How do you know if you should outsource someone with more expertise for your social media or DIY it? What are the best resources to improve your social media marketing?

Laura Pence Atencio: I have been actively running my agency for the past 12 years & I outsource a lot of social responsibility to my team. I am NOT an expert at reels and stories, for example. You have got to know your talents and let go of your weaknesses. No one excels at every type of content!

Stephanie Liu: Often, when a project is done on the fly, it costs more time and money to fix mistakes. Hiring an expert can get you to your goals a hell of a lot faster. And if you want to take that skill in-house then invest in training.

Mike Allton: Certainly, budget is a consideration. If I have no additional budget & need something done, it falls to me. However, with everything that I'm doing, I have to ask whether someone else could do it cheaper & better and if so, it's on me to find the budget.

John Lim: ​​It depends on your goals, where you are with your business and how you use social media and how much it’s a part of your overall marketing. Some use social media as a garnish, others a main course. Curious to hear from the others on resources.

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Q8. “We had each other. That’s how we won.” - Lando Calrissian We all know that teamwork makes the dreamwork! What are the best tips for collaborating on social media and creating successful partnerships?

Mike Allton: I literally teach about partnerships and collaboration, but the key to remember... the place to start w/ all things... is in the relationships. Start connecting with people in your industry today abd building those relationships. Go out of your way to support them!

John Lim: Be engaged and join communities like this one - make connections, engage in conversations and learn from and about one another. But also take heed and talk things out before collaborating. Not all partnerships are meant to be.

Laura Pence Atencio: Use your tools, folks! I love using @ClickUp for project management with my team and @Agorapule makes getting approvals from clients a snap. Whew! Tools are my favorite things along with planning ahead!

Stephanie Liu: As a Strategist, it's important to understand the big picture and how every discipline can align to meet the desired outcome. The best advice I can give is to understand what role PR, Paid Media, and Creative play so you can create an integrated strategy.

As you brave the struggles and relish the triumphs of your social media journey, we hope you keep our experts’ mega-awesome tips in mind to make your progress worthwhile. Remember… “Patience you must have, my young [Internet] Padawan” - Yoda

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