A 24 hour social media consumption schedule is tough, but it doesn’t have to be.

As a blogger and influencer since… well… we’ll include my days in radio… so that means since 2009 (holy hell!), I’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to keep up with the ever changing worlds of digital and social media.

My heart is set on the social media world, however, because it gives me a chance to interact with all of you! That’s the best part of the whole thing.

So, for this list, I’ll be focusing specifically on using social media – and what I’ve learned from it.

Here are twenty general things that you can do to have a kickass social media presence in 2020!

1. Don’t take it so seriously: I get it. We’re passionate about it. However, you don’t have to obsess over how many followers you do or don’t have. Everything grows with time.
2. Have a focus to what you’re presenting: Treat content creation as though you’re telling a story. Give it a beginning, middle, and end!
3. Graphics are your friend: The most eye-catching and attention-grabbing graphics are usually what lures them in. It’s a harsh fact, but it’s true. Use graphics often, and have fun creating them!
4. Get familiar with Canva: Speaking of graphics, use Canva for them! It’s a fabulous free (or not, if you so choose) app that allows you to play with templates and designs for your graphics. They’ll meet your social media needs for sure!
5. Show your face: Lovelies, I’m simply sharing what works for me. I’ve found that any post that shows my face does way better than ones that don’t. This includes Instagram stories too! My guess is that followers feel like seeing your face already signifies a more personal post.
6. Interact, interact, interact: Realtors have “location, location, locations” – and we have “interact” as our focus. The only organic way to grow any social media account is to simply engage with followers who are coming to you. This means replying to all comments and tweets. This means interacting with followers on similar social media pages, and getting their opinions on things. They may become your followers! The algorithm favors those who get social. Go figure!
7. Get props ahead of time: Know you’re going to put together a holiday party themed post, a Halloween listicle, or best summer looks post? Great! Plan for it by getting the props or items you need ahead of time. In my opinion, we’ve been looking at “holiday content” since mid-November. Next year, be ready to post those types of content by then.
8. Amazon is your friend: Need a prop or piece of equipment in a pinch? Use Amazon. They’re super fast!
9. Don’t be afraid to network: Sometimes it pays to DM an influencer you love to get their thoughts on content creation! Get interactive. Get ideas. Support each other.
10. Don’t be afraid to collaborate: My collaboration with Sam Erickson was so fun! Pick someone you admire (with similar niches in their blogging or influencing) and go for one with them!
11. Make use of all what social media platforms have to offer: I just started to make IGTV a thing for Val In Vogue. It’s my opinion that the Instagram algorithm favored me for that. Experiment with all of what each platform has to offer! Take note of what works for you and what doesn’t.
12. Check insights and analytics weekly: If nothing else, the information obtained from insights and analytics will inform you as to whether or not you’re “on target” or interacting with who you want to. They’ll also help you see what type of content is resonating with your audience.
13. Make use of the Preview app: I stepped up my Instagram game and got consistent this year with this!
14. Stay fresh: Always post new content daily if you can. The algorithm favors this.
15. Don’t be afraid to take a break: We all need to sometimes! Better to take a break when needed than to put out content that just doesn’t resonate.
16. Plan on growing your following by 1,000 followers every six months: It’s a general plan. It’s my opinion that this is an achievable goal for anyone. An additional 2,000 followers for Facebook, Instagram or Twitter in a year is doable, and it helps you stay relevant. It’s enough to move the needle.
17. Focus on one social media outlet at a time: While, ideally, you want to be present on the big three (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter), make one your focus for growing and nurturing. Pick one to truly put your best out there with. Your followers there will thank you.
18. Show behind the scenes moments: I struggle with this because I’m a one woman team, but I want to make it a personal goal of mine to give you guys a look at how I shoot what I do. I see the importance of it.
19. Have a consistent aesthetic: I struggle with this, but I see the importance of it. A consistent aesthetic means consistent branding. This means followers know they’re interacting with you, and not someone else.
20. Be confident: No one can do you like you, boo. Trust yourself always.

What are your social media goals for 2020?