Finding Balance in Social Media: How I Created A Strategy That Works For Me

As a work-from-home business owner, one of the biggest challenges I've faced is managing my social media presence. When I first started, I felt overwhelmed with the sheer amount of content I was expected to produce. Advice from the internet suggested posting up to five times a day on a single platform, but this quickly proved to be unsustainable for me. Over time, I developed a strategy that works for my business and lifestyle, and I want to share my journey with you.

The Struggle: Unrealistic Expectations

Initially, I set my goals incredibly high, trying to meet the demands of frequent posting without any organizational tools to help me manage my ideas. This led to burnout and frustration. The constant pressure to create content drained my creativity and left me feeling defeated.

Starting Over: Creating on My Own Terms

I decided to throw all the advice and recommendations out the window and start creating content on my own terms. I began posting only when I felt inspired, which removed a lot of pressure and allowed my creativity to flow naturally. This shift in mindset was crucial for me. I focused on producing content that I was genuinely excited about, which helped me stay motivated and engaged.

Building a Strategy

Simply making occasional posts started priming the pump for expanding content across multiple platforms. For example, if I wrote a blog post I was happy with, I might create a short video on the same topic for TikTok and IG/FB reels. This approach allowed me to play around with the platforms and learn how to use them effectively.

Platform-Specific Content

I realized that I couldn’t just take one piece of content and present it the same way across every platform. Each platform has its unique style and audience, which required a tailored approach:

• Facebook and Instagram: Best for content about events, special product promotions, and business updates.
• Pinterest: Great for highlighting products and the aesthetics of the business.
• TikTok: Ideal for entertaining content and trends.
• LinkedIn: Used for sharing informative small business content.
• YouTube: A platform for presenting informative content in an entertaining/vlog style format.

Understanding these nuances helped me create a solid foundation for planning my content.

Staying Organized with Notion

The content planner template from Notion has been a key tool in helping me stay organized. I now feel confident planning one post per week for each platform. This means I’m posting content nearly every day of the workweek across seven platforms (IG, FB, TikTok, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, and The Boutique Blog). While this frequency may not match what social media experts recommend, it works for me.

Batching Content for Balance

To manage my workload, I dedicated a whole month to batching content, allowing me to get two weeks ahead. This buffer gives me a more balanced workday and reduces the stress of constant content creation. It takes diligence and dedication, but the payoff is worth it.

Leveraging AI for Planning

I highly recommend using ChatGPT to help create a realistic daily/weekly schedule for planning your content. I told the AI what type of content I wanted for each platform, how often I wanted to post, and how far ahead I wanted to batch. It provided a clear schedule of daily tasks needed to meet my goals. The AI even suggested a monthly brainstorming session to plan the topics for the month’s posts.

Final Thoughts: Consistency Over Perfection

Social media is a powerful tool for staying connected to your audience and growing your business. However, it’s important to create on your own terms. If it feels overwhelming, take a step back. Reassess your expectations and find an approach that works for you. Posting five times a week might be ideal, but once a week is certainly better than none. Find what you can be consistent with and make that your strategy. Don’t give up—adjust your approach as needed and continue to grow your confidence and skills.

Finding the right balance between work, personal life, and social media can be challenging, but it's achievable with the right strategy. By implementing a flexible and realistic approach, you can keep your social media presence consistent without feeling overwhelmed. Remember to take it one step at a time, adjust as needed, and prioritize what works best for you.

For more insights and behind-the-scenes looks at how I manage my small business, follow Terra Cotta Plant Boutique on social media. Be sure to check out our latest video on YouTube, where I dive deeper into my journey of creating an effective social media strategy.