Are you unsure which or how many social media channels you should be using for your dance studio? Do you feel pressure to do more social media than you’re comfortable with? Have you bit off more than you can chew and are regretting starting up one (or more) of your social media accounts? Know that you’re not alone
I get questions regarding social all the time when working with our studio-owning clients. The answers are simple, but they’re not the same for everyone. Here’s how to make friends with social media:
Q. Which social media should I use for my dance studio?
A. Which social media you use depends on two things: you, and your audience.Facebook is tried and true – its number of active users may be declining, but most people are still on Facebook multiple times throughout the day. Fabulous photos of your dancers in action will really appeal to both your prospects and current dancers/parents, and so using Instagram also makes sense.
But to determine the very best choice for your studio? Ask your customers what social media they use on a regular basis. Take a poll. Have little survey forms available at your front desk, and ask for input from both your dancers and parents.
Are they constantly on Twitter? Noted. Are they super into TikTok? Good to know. Do they typically watch 30 to 40 YouTube videos per week (or per day)? People do. And if those people include a major percentage of your dancers & parents, spending your social media time building a YouTube channel could be your best bet.
Before diving into the most popular social channels of your audience, check in with yourself. Are there any social media you just can’t stand? For me, I am admittedly Tweet-impaired. I’ve tried to get into it, but 280-character updates are just not my cup of tea.
It’s ok to stay away from the social media options you don’t have an affinity for. Social needs to work for you as well as your audience.
Q. How many different social media channels does my studio need?
A. It’s easy to feel pressure to do more and more – adding new social media channels as they become popular and then updating each constantly. But I am guessing that you do not have the time, energy, or interest to stay on top of eight different types of social media. I mean, you opened a dance studio, not a social media business, c’est vrai?
You do not need to be active in every single social media that your teenage dancers are into. In fact, and this is good news, Less Is More.
The best strategy is to choose only one or two social media and commit to those. Explore their possibilities and do them well. And simply ignore the rest.
If you’re the type of person that gets excited about a variety of social media, and you find you have time to add more to the mix, then do so after conquering your original choice(s).
Q. Do I really have to use social at all? I’m just not feeling it!
A. There is no denying the power and ubiquitousness (that’s a word, right?) of social media. With social media, you can create a buzz, build stronger relationships with your customers and prospects, improve your search engine ranking, and showcase the awesomeness of your dance studio.
Having said that, it is better to use no social at all rather than have social media accounts that languish due to non-use. This reflects badly on your studio.
If you have less than zero interest, seriously no time, and no ability to delegate social media tasks to one of your staff, then social media is just plain not for you. Instead, make sure your dance studio’s website is fabulous and effective (demonstrating that you are current and relevant), and then focus on old-school marketing techniques – referral programs, postcards, community events, and the like.
Q. How often do I need to post to my social media accounts?
A. More good news – You can use social media effectively without updating your Facebook page or tweeting every 5 minutes. While you do not need to be on social media 24/7 to be effective, it IS important to get organized and make a plan.
There isn’t a magic number of times per day or week that you need to post. The trick is to make a decision that works well for you and/or your staff, and get consistent. If it isn’t reasonable and manageable, you’ll set yourself up for failure!
Do you want to post twice a week on your studio’s Facebook page? That’s perfectly fine. Would you rather do it twice per day? You are a rockstar. What is not good is to post 8 times on one week, and then generate nothing but the sound of crickets for 2 months.
So write out a list of ideas to post on FB and/or tweet. Decide on some fabulous photos and videos to share through social with your audience. Create an in-studio calendar or Google calendar, and schedule those puppies out. For extra credit (and to make your life easier), manage and schedule out your social media content using a service such as Hootsuite (https://hootsuite.com/) or Buffer (https://bufferapp.com/). Both have free trials so you can see whether they’re a good fit for your needs.
Wrap up:
It’s so easy to feel overwhelmed by the options and pressured to be super socially active, on top of all the duties of running a dance studio. Just remember the following tips, and you’ll feel confident as well as connected.
- Know your customers & prospects, and get in touch with them when they are most active online.
- Check in with yourself, and eliminate any social media options that you just can’t stand.
- After determining the best one or two social media for your dance school, focus on those in earnest.
- Decide upon a posting schedule that works for you and/or your staff, and make it a happy habit!
Successful dance studios don’t just use social media – they use social media wisely and well. Make friends with social, and let it work its magic for you!
Best wishes,
Stacey
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