Pause Before Posting

The Situation

You are driving to an appointment, and an idea for a social media post for your business pops into your head. It’s such a fantastic idea, and it has been a while since you last published something. The adrenaline starts to pump through your veins. You say to yourself, “This is the perfect thing to put on Facebook! I must post it immediately before I forget.”

So, what do you do? You write the post quickly without much thought, add a photo, hit publish, and go about your day. A few hours later, you check your phone to see if anyone liked or commented on your post.

And then you see it: a typo. Ugh!

Or, you remember details that you wish you remembered to add.

Or, the photo you chose isn’t ideal, and you know you have a better one you could have used instead.

Or, maybe the post is exactly what you wanted to say and how you wanted to say it…except that you posted it to your personal page instead of your business one.

Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us.

The Solution

Next time, pause before you post. Grab your notebook and write down your idea. Don’t have paper handy? No problem. Text the post to yourself or create a voice memo to listen to later. Then, listen to your idea and give it some substance. Make it into a story and flesh it out with a few details. Pick a photo to enhance your story. If you don’t have a good picture, open Canva and see what relevant stock photos would work. If applicable, tag a colleague or company in your post to expand your reach. Add a hashtag or two for good measure. Then, give it a little polish (whether that is using a stronger verb or adding emojis), check for typos, and hit publish.

By following these steps, you will be much happier with the final result and attract the engagement you seek.

Bonus tip: Remember to check your post a few times throughout the day. If you see any comments, respond to them. It humanizes your brand and lets people know you care about their opinions and experiences.