A Minimum Viable Social Strategy For A Team Of One

About the Episode: In this episode we get into Jacob Shipley’s minimum viable social strategy for one person social media teams. With a focus on practical, scalable tactics, Jacob discusses how small teams can maximize impact with minimal resources, emphasizing the power of content repurposing and strategic platform focus.

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Key Takeaways

• Framework for Small Teams: Start with Jacob’s “Minimum Viable Social Strategy”:
  1. Pick a content bucket based on your audience’s preferences.
  2. Develop a sustainable content creation plan.
  3. Choose a primary platform to focus on.
  4. Cross-pollinate content to other platforms to extend reach.
• Repurpose Content Creatively: Don’t hesitate to repost or repurpose content, especially high-performing pieces, to save time and maximize reach.
• Advocate for Resources: Use data to prove ROI and make a case for additional team members or resources.
• Measure and Adapt: Continuously analyze performance and adjust your strategy to meet changing audience behaviors and platform trends.

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Episode Summary

Jacob Shipley’s Journey to Social Media Leadership

Jacob’s social media career began serendipitously after studying journalism at the University of Missouri. Initially working in video production, he transitioned to social media when he joined YouVersion (the Bible app). His passion for fostering community and sharing knowledge led to the creation of Social Studies, a resource hub for social media professionals.

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Developing the Minimum Viable Social Strategy

Jacob introduced a simple yet effective framework tailored for small social media teams, especially one-person operations. This four-step approach ensures sustainability without compromising quality:

1. Pick a Content Bucket: Identify content types that resonate with your audience. For example, focus on short-form video for Gen Z or thought leadership content for B2B audiences.
2. Create a Plan: Develop a structured system for content creation. For instance, repurpose podcast snippets into social posts or schedule a regular time for video shoots.
3. Choose a Platform: Focus efforts on one primary platform based on where your audience engages the most.
4. Cross-Pollinate: Share content across other platforms to maximize reach without adding significant workload.

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The Power of Repurposing and Cross-Pollination

Jacob highlighted the importance of repurposing content to stretch limited resources. Sharing a personal anecdote, he noted how reposting a TikTok video resulted in dramatically different outcomes—300 views initially versus 3.6 million views on a later attempt. This underscores the value of revisiting content and experimenting with distribution timing.

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Advocating for Resources as a One-Person Team

To transition from a solo operation to a fully resourced team, Jacob stressed the importance of data-driven reporting. By demonstrating the ROI of social media efforts and presenting a clear case for how additional resources would amplify results, social media managers can gain leadership buy-in for growing their teams.

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Navigating New Platforms

When pressured to join trendy new platforms, Jacob recommends asking critical questions:

• Is our audience active on this platform?
• Do we have content that aligns with the platform’s format?
• What existing tasks can be deprioritized to make room for this new initiative?

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About the Show: Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager covers the do's, don'ts, and dynamics of the complex and challenging social media ecosystem. We analyze the successes and failures of those in the higher education social space — what went right, what went wrong, and what are the lessons learned. We’ll share actionable steps so you can push past the pitfalls others have faced. No matter if you're on a team of 20 or a team of one, we've got you covered. Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is hosted by Jenny Li Fowler and is a proud member of the Enrollify Podcast Network.

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Connect With Our Host:

Jenny Li Fowler

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennylifowler/

https://twitter.com/TheJennyLi

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network:

Confessions of a Higher Ed Social Media Manager is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows, too!  

Some of our favorites include Higher Ed Pulse and Confessions of a Higher Ed CMO.

Enrollify is made possible by Element451 —  the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

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Connect with Us at the Engage Summit:

Exciting news — Jenny will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.

Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $200.

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