Use Dashboards to Manage Social Media Accounts

You likely have to juggle multiple social media accounts. This can be a lot to keep track of, especially if you're trying to post regularly and monitor your analytics. One way to make your life easier is to use a dashboard. 

A dashboard is a tool that lets you see all of your social media activity in one place. This way, you can quickly see what's happening with each account and ensure you're on top of things.

Sections

• What Is a Social Media Dashboard?
• Dashboard Features
• Why Use a Social Media Dashboard?
• Practical Application - How to Use a Social Media Dashboard
• Tips for Using a Social Media Dashboard
• What To Look for In a Social Media Dashboard

What Is a Social Media Dashboard?

A social media dashboard is a tool that allows users to see all of their social media activity in one place. This can include activity from multiple platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It typically includes various features, such as the ability to track mentions, hashtags, and keywords, create tasks and assign them to team members, and measure social media analytics.

It is a valuable tool for businesses and organizations of all sizes. It can help you keep track of your social media activity, understand what's working and what's not, and make better decisions about your social media strategy.

Of course, you can always choose to outsource digital marketing work to another company, but you still need to have a clear idea of how your social media is doing. Use a dashboard, or ask for reports.

Several different dashboards are available, each with its unique set of features and capabilities. Some popular social media dashboards include Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer, and CoSchedule.

Dashboard Features

Dashboards vary in terms of the features they offer. But most will show you things like:

• Your total number of followers
• The number of people you're following
• Your most popular posts
• Your average engagement rate
• The number of new followers you've gained
• Your top referrers

Furthermore, most dashboards will also let you track specific keywords or hashtags. That way, you can see how often your content is being shared.

Some dashboards are designed for specific platforms. Others, like Hootsuite, work with multiple platforms.

Why Use a Social Media Dashboard?

So - why go through all this trouble? Here are the six core benefits of using these systems:

• Time-savings: A social media dashboard can help you save a lot of time by giving you all the information you need in one place. This way, you don't have to waste time logging into each social media account separately to check for updates.
• Increased efficiency: It can also help you be more efficient in your social media activities. For example, you can use a dashboard to schedule your posts in advance so that you don't have to do it manually every time.
• Better insights: A dashboard can also provide better insights into your social media activity. For instance, you can see which content is performing well and what kind of engagement you're getting from your audience.
• More organized: A social media dashboard can help you be more organized in your social media activity. For example, you can use it to create a content calendar so that you know what to post and when.
• Better decision-making: A social media dashboard can also help you make better decisions about your social media activity. For instance, you can use it to track your competitors' activity and see what's working well for them.
• Improved ROI: Finally, a social media dashboard can also help you improve your return on investment (ROI) from your social media activity. For example, if you're using paid ads, you can track your conversions and see which ads are performing well.

Practical Application - How to Use a Social Media Dashboard

There are two main ways to use a social media dashboard: to track your own activity or someone else's.

Let's start with tracking your own activity.

Tracking Your Activity with a Social Media Dashboard

A social media dashboard can be a valuable tool for tracking your own activity. Dashboards can help you see how you're doing on social media and identify areas for improvement.

To track your activity, you'll need to connect your social media accounts to the dashboard. Most dashboards will let you connect multiple accounts, so you can track all your activity in one place.

Once your accounts are connected, the dashboard will start tracking your activity. You'll be able to see things like how many new followers you've gained, your most popular posts, and your average engagement rate.

You can also use a dashboard to track specific keywords or hashtags. For example, you could track a hashtag like #socialmediaforbusiness. That way, you can see how often your content is being shared.

Tracking Someone Else's Activity with A Social Media Dashboard

You can also use a dashboard to track someone else's activity. This can be useful for many reasons.

For example, you might use a dashboard to track a competitor's activity. Or you might use it to track an influencer in your industry.

To track someone else's activity, you'll need to find their social media accounts and connect them to the dashboard. Most dashboards will let you connect multiple accounts, so you can track all of someone's activity in one place.

Once the accounts are connected, the dashboard will start tracking the person's activity. You'll be able to see their total number of followers, most popular posts, and average engagement rate.

You can also use a social dashboard to track specific keywords or hashtags. For example, you could track a hashtag like #socialmediaforbusiness. That way, you can see how often their content is being shared.

Tips for Using a Social Media Dashboard

Here are some tips for getting the most out of your social dashboard:

• Connect all your social media accounts

To get the most out of your dashboard, you'll need to connect all your social media accounts. That way, you can track all your activities in one place.

• Track your progress over time

One of the most valuable things a social media dashboard can do is track your progress over time. Dashboards can help you see how you're doing on social media and identify areas for improvement.

• Track specific keywords or hashtags

You can use it to track specific keywords or hashtags. For example, you could track a hashtag like #socialmediaforbusiness. That way, you can see how often your content is being shared.

Use Multiple Dashboards

There are a lot of different social media dashboards to choose from. And there's no one-size-fits-all solution. So, you might need to use multiple dashboards to get the most out of your social media activity.

Monitor Your Activity Regularly

To get the most out of your social media dashboard, you'll need to monitor your activity regularly. Dashboards can help you identify areas for improvement, but they can't do all the work for you. You'll still need to put in the effort to make changes and see results.

What To Look for In a Social Media Dashboard

Now it's time to dive deeper and learn about the specific features and capabilities that can make or break your experience. Here are some of the most important things to keep an eye out for:

Ease Of Use

The best social media dashboards are designed with simplicity and user-friendliness in mind. They should be easy to navigate and understand, with clear instructions on how to use each feature. If you can't figure out how to use a particular feature, move on to a different dashboard.

Furthermore, a good interface matters as well. A social media dashboard should have a modern, clean interface that's easy on the eyes. Avoid dashboards with an outdated design; they're likely to be lacking in features and functionality as well.

Compatibility

Make sure the dashboard you choose is compatible with your social media networks. Otherwise, you won't be able to take full advantage of its features and capabilities.

Data Visualization

A good dashboard should offer clear and concise data visualization, so you can quickly and easily see how your campaigns perform.

Reporting

Robust reporting capabilities are essential for any social media dashboard worth its salt. Look for a dashboard that offers customizable reports, so you can get the specific data you need to make informed decisions about your social media strategy.

Integrations

The best dashboards offer seamless integrations with other marketing tools, such as email marketing platforms and CRMs. This way, you can easily track and manage all of your marketing efforts from one central location.

A Free Trial

Most reputable dashboards offer a free trial, so you can try out the features and functionality before committing to a paid subscription. Avoid dashboards that don't offer a free trial; they're likely not worth your time or money.

Conclusion

A social media dashboard can be a valuable tool for managing your social media accounts. But not all dashboards are created equal. 

To get the most out of your social media dashboard, look for one that's easy to use, compatible with your social networks, and offers clear data visualization and reporting. And be sure to take advantage of a free trial before committing to a paid subscription.