Certain times during this winter, it felt like spring might never arrive. When it finally did, along with bringing more sunshine and better weather, a weight seems to have lifted — at least a little. I feel brighter and find myself outside more. Inevitably, Spring Fever creeps into my days, and suddenly productivity feels a little harder. One thing I’ve learned after being in the social media business for years is to hold fast to social strategies — even when motivation falters. I’ve collected some tips for posting and staying engaged when you aren’t in the mood to post.
a small snapshot of the Take Flight Social Instagram grid
Tips to fight through Instagram burn out
Spring fever targets all areas of life, but I wanted to focus on Instagram for a few reasons. The aesthetic nature of the site means you can add content easily and quickly. When you’re not motivated, you might feel tempted to let Instagram slide by either not posting or posting lackadaisically. However, a little thought and planning can help you break through a motivational slump before your feed suffers.
Do: Use branded images
Branded images can be an easy fix when you’re unsure what to post. (I also believe they’re a fantastic way to showcase your businesses expertise!) They’re simple to use when you’re short on time, because you can create a template for them and adapt them to your needs. You might want to offer tips, like you can see in the Take Flight feed above), but there are other options. Highlighting specific products, especially seasonal ones, or sale items works to point people to your specific niche.
Don’t: Rely too heavily on quotes
I adore a powerful quote, and we use them both in our social media and in social media for clients. However, I recommend using them sparingly and in a very thoughtful way that enhances your stream. For example, every sixth post. Even the most relevant quotes depend on someone else’s content. They invoke an emotional reaction — hopefully — but they don’t often leave a lasting impression or create a connection to your brand.
Do: Use what you see
If you’re not feeling inspired to dive into your social media strategy, change your perspective. Take a look around at your surroundings to see if there’s something that catches your eye. Once you snap a pic, be sure to tie to the caption to your brand in some way. This is one of the places you can chat a little about the more personal part of your business. Share an upcoming goal or ask a question about how other people are dealing with the changing season.
Don’t: Get too personal
I just said to get personal, I know, but be sure not to cross the boundaries you’ve set for your business. If your kids aren’t part of your brand or business, for example, now isn’t the time to share a picture of them playing soccer, even if you get a flash of inspiration for a caption talking about practice or perseverance. You could always reframe the shot to include only the goal, leaving the adorable players just out of the frame. That would give you the opportunity to use the same thoughts without crossing the line between your business and personal lives.
Do: Repurpose content
Using old content is one of those shortcuts you should take. Find a secondary photo in an older blog post or a still shot from a popular video. Evergreen content should be part of every brand strategy, and you’ll be grateful for it when you don’t need to create yet another photo opportunity for Instagram.
Don’t: Re-use the exact same photos
A curated photo stream looks cohesive, but using the same photos can be jarring. Even if you don’t have a secondary photo in a blog post, quickly edit the original for the new post. You could zoom in or out, change the exposure to black and white, or wash out the image and use text on it in some way. Like so much of our advice, it’s crucial to be on-brand and consistent.
Do: Use shortcuts
If you don’t usually use a social media scheduler, now is the time to try one. We love Sprout Social, but there are many automation tools to choose from. It’s so nice to be able to set aside time and schedule several posts at once, then cross Instagram off your list for a day or three. Create a block of branded content or quotation images and put them in a folder to grab the next time you’re feeling unmotivated. Re-gram images from followers (with permission!) that highlight your products or hashtags in some way.
Don’t: Stay away from platforms for too long
Even if you don’t have to worry about posting for a few days, don’t ignore Instagram completely. Use a ten-minute block of time each to like related images, answer questions, or reply to DMs. You don’t want to seem like you’re ghosting your own business.
Do: Know when to ask for help
If you try these tips and still feel burnt out, ask for help. Believe me, I know how hard it can be to hand off part of your carefully nurtured business or brand to someone else. In the long run, a strong team is more productive than someone working alone until they’re burned out. A social media consultant can help, of course, but there are other resources as well. If you already work with content creators in some capacity, see if they’d be interested in creating some of the Instagram content needed to meet your social media goals. If you work with influencers, see if a few of them might be interested in doing an Instagram takeover.
We work with a variety of small businesses and each of them have unique social media goals and needs. We pride ourselves on tailoring these tips to each client, so their feeds stay on brand in an authentic way. We’d love to talk to you about how to do the same for your Instagram presence!
How do seasonal changes affect your motivation?