You might be wondering if scheduling social media posts can harm your brand.

The answer is simple!

It can harm your brand if done incorrectly.

But it can also help your brand if you do it right!

The best news is that it is super easy to do an excellent job scheduling social media posts without harming your brand.

So, don’t let the cons stop you from doing it because it’s way too easy to be successful at it.

Let’s get into that now!

When Scheduling Social Media Posts is Good

Automation is an evolution of marketing on the internet.

We used to have to get online at certain times to create and publish content. Then we had content calendars but still had to be online to post.

Then came along a beautiful innovation – social media scheduling services!

But every innovation can be abused to a point where it is no longer adequate for increasing the success of your social media marketing strategy.

So, there is room for abuse of a scheduling system, but there is even more room for practical use.

Consistency is important. It is one of my 3 C Marketing Strategies that I will preach just as much as people say, “Content is King.”

By scheduling social media posts, you are allowed to remain consistent. We’re humans. After all, we forget to be as consistent as we’d like. Scheduling features allow us to overcome that issue. And trust me, I will easily forget to post something consistently.

I use scheduling features and usually schedule a few days ahead, so I have plenty of content waiting to be published through an automated means.

When you Shouldn’t be Scheduling Social Media Posts

I’ve heard of people scheduling social media posts for up to a year’s worth of content.

That’s insane!

That’s way too much!

At some point, how do you stop yourself from getting confused about what will be posted next?

My strategy is to post a few days ahead each time. This allows me to remember the content that I have scheduled to be published. There is no way I could remember all the content I’ve scheduled for a year’s worth. There is no way anyone can do that!

If you want to post news, trending topics, or content meant to be viral marketed, scheduling content isn’t in your best interest. This is because a lot of this type of content happens instantly and requires precise posting times for you to be seen better or become viral.

Some content in your schedule might become outdated, especially if you schedule too far into the future. That’s another reason why I only plan a few days.

Scheduling social media posts is a good practice, but not all content is the same, and not all content should be scheduled.

Engagement Not Included When Scheduling Social Media Posts

Engagement is not part of scheduling content; you need to understand that before you entirely use scheduling features.

Engagement is how you interact with your audience.

Once a fan or follower comments on your post, you need to engage with them!

Engagement builds trust. It keeps people on your page longer. It keeps people on the platform longer. The platform will see this and reward you through its algorithm. And you gain better followers by engaging with them. That, of course, can turn into customers if you’re trying for that conversion.

But you can’t schedule engagement.

Scheduling social media posts is good if you make time (or hire someone) to engage with those who consume your social media content.

Otherwise, you’re just a content bot that isn’t building an audience or a community.

And that pretty much sums it up! Use the recommendations above when scheduling social media posts to ensure success. Lucky for you, it’s easy to do. If you have enjoyed this article, pass it on to another social media creator who might find my tips helpful. See you next week!

About the Author

Shawn Gossman has created content, blogged, ran online communities, and shared a passion for digital marketing for over twenty years. Shawn believes the best way to help content creators, businesses, brands, and marketers is to give away more than you sell. The same advice is recommended for the readers that follow this blog. Shawn also offers a variety of services for extra help in the area of content creation, blogging, forums, and digital marketing. Learn more about Shawn Gossman by clicking here.