How Much Time Does Social Media Take?
By: Michel Filion
A lot.
That’s what companies are discovering as they continue to adjust to the changing digital landscape.
Proper social media management is much more than just publishing a blog post or checking a Facebook page once in a while. It’s a relationship building process.
It takes time.
Beth Kanter did a great post in early October on the topic and posted the graphic below with explanations of each identified stage.
By: Beth Kanter
It’s not just listening and monitoring or dumping all of your budget into a video and hoping it will go viral. It’s participation, engagement and long-term focus on making connections and strategically building your online community.
The good news is that most companies are also realizing that social media management has evolved into a primary role as opposed to a secondary task. Social Media Manager or Community Manager positions typically fit into communications or marketing departments. Social media is now part of the overall plan and communications strategy as opposed to a last minute add-on or reactionary move.
Conveying a thorough understanding of this time commitment and the overall demands of social media can be a tough sell to a potential client or your own boss unless they are already actively engaged in social media themselves. Bloggers know it can take a lot of time to draft a solid blog post and also realize that posting is just one step alongside active reading and commenting on other blogs. The same is true with other tools and communities where engagement with the community can be a very time-consuming, but ultimately worthwhile endeavor.
How much time do you spend on social media each week?
-Scott
Digital Leap 
You’re right, it takes more time than many who aren’t actively engaged with the tools realize. That’s why it’s important to have the conversation up front in regards to allocating the appropriate resources to give your company the best chance at success. If the client or boss knows the commitment up front, and says, “not now,” then it’s probably better to wait until a later date, instead of having a poor showing in your efforts.
Personally, I probably spend 10-15 hours a week between my own blog, my agency’s blog, twitter and a few other tools. A lot of the time spent on my own blog takes place between the hours of 10 pm and 1 am long after my wife and two girls are in bed. 🙂
Thanks David. Exactly, and I think this realization of commitment will become more commonplace over time as social media does fulfill that structured place in a communications strategy. The blogging process is definitely a time demand and good on ya for being motivated to do that after the day’s end. Especially with blogging, it can be tough because you never know when a new idea or topic will cross your mind that you want to flush out for a post.
Thanks for the ping. The amount of time is a big issue. one little trick – is to time box your tasks – and then you begin to see what the ROI is.