Going out of town for the week? No problem! Just schedule all your social media posts in advance. Done and done. Right? Wrong. What happens if someone responds to a post, asks a question, or (perish the thought), posts a grossly inappropriate comment as you sip a Red Stripe in paradise?

Sure, automation is convenient, but it’s not always the best practice. Before you schedule posts through the end of the world, check out these do’s and don’ts of social media automation.

  • Schedule posts to fit with optimum timing. This especially applies to blog posts. The best time to publish might not match your writing schedule, so write them in advance and schedule for the best time, given your objectives.
  • Use automation to space out your posts. Posting twelve tweets in five minutes is not only bad Twitter manners; it also limits the potential distribution of content. Put a little time between posts to reach different audiences.
  • Feel free to schedule marketing messages. Let’s face it: those calls to action probably don’t garner much conversation. (That’s not their purpose anyway.) Just be sure to respect your followers and limit the marketing messages!
  • Don’t use scheduling as a means to neglect social media.  Even if you’ve automated posts for the weekend, for instance, someone should still be monitoring each social platform all the time.
  • Don’t think that scheduled posts can stand on their own.  Social engagement sometimes requires spontaneous interaction and response. Breaking news or sudden changes may require you to jump into action and “interrupt the regularly scheduled program.”

Stay tuned for more info on timing for social media!