If you’re like me and weren’t in the habit of doing as much on social media as you would have liked to, I have some exciting news. With everyone staying at home right now people are traveling virtually—dreaming of worldly adventures, pristine natural places and being anywhere rather than stuck at home.
That means that posting daily on your social media right now will grow your presence a lot faster than you realize.
Plus, it’s quick, easy, and fun. The more you do it, the easier it gets and it has so many benefits to you. Simply spending five minutes a day can triple your following.
To help put it into perspective, here’s some of the top benefits to using social media:
1. It’s free.
You don’t have to spend any money to get involved in social media. Creating an account on all of the major platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram is completely free.
This free account gives you access to an audience, and from there it’s simply a matter of what you post that decides whether your presence grows or not.
2. It takes very little time.
I can post on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter in five minutes. That’s including time spent editing the photo to make it really shine, which increases my chances of getting more likes and attracting new followers.
Now, you may be wondering how that is possible, but it’s easy. Instagram is a workhorse and does the work for you. It posts to both Facebook and Twitter so you post on three platforms at once. That is the definition of working smarter not harder.
3. Your numbers will climb faster.
Posting daily and taking a couple of minutes to edit the photos I post has doubled and even tripled the number of new followers I earn some days. So instead of getting two new followers a week, it’s now six to ten.
Even better, my professional Facebook page, The Travel Bag, has skyrocketed. In the last month “people reached” has nearly doubled at 184%.
This has meant that the total “post engagements” have gone through the roof. It’s climbed to 1,933%. A phenomenal jump making “page likes” triple as well.
Now you can see why just five minutes a day has me grinning from ear to ear!
4. Virtual travel is a thing, and it’s popular.
Before, when people saw your post they may have thought “that’s nice” and just kept scrolling through their feeds on social media. Now, they appreciate them.
When they see a beautiful picture, they tend to spend more time looking. They want to dream a little and pretend they are there, not stuck at home. They are looking more closely, which translates to more likes and followers for you.
5. It helps article ideas flood in.
This week, while looking back through photos to find one suitable to post, I came across a wonderful image I’d forgotten about. A pearl farm I visited.
So, I pitched the story to an editor including that image and it’s already been accepted. It will pay $120.
By spending five minutes looking back through my old photos for Instagram I’ve made money and gained another byline.
Plus, there are plenty of other benefits.
Not only will spending more time on your social media presence make all the difference to your profile, it will help editors, tourism boards, and destinations know you are out there.
A personal goal of mine is to break into press trips. By using this time to build up social media numbers it will improve the chances of landing those luxurious all-inclusive press trips when this is all over. I don’t know about you, but funds will be tight for me so a press trip will enable me to travel for very little.
The last thing I’d like to leave you with is this.
They say that it takes 21 days to form a habit. I’ve seen my numbers increase 1,933% over the last 28 days of posting daily, so imagine what yours will look like if you start today. Happy posting!