Making Social Media Work for You

Social media often feels like a beast that constantly needs feeding, and if you’re running a business, it can be hard to keep up. Now, we're not here to focus on chasing likes or engagement—we're doing our best to keep up just like you! But what we can offer is insight into how social media and your website should work together, and how to create systems to tame that beast a bit. Because if your social platforms aren’t helping drive people to your website—or vice versa—you might not be getting the most out of them.

Make It Easy to Find Your Socials (and Your Website!)

Your website and social media should be seamlessly connected. That means:

• Your website should have clearly visible social media links—ideally in the footer, or contact page.

• Your social media should have your website linked—in your bio, pinned posts, or anywhere else it makes sense.

• Embedded social feeds can be useful, but only if they stay fresh. If your last Instagram post is from a year ago, it’s probably better to remove the feed and just link directly to your profile.

  
  

  

  
  

Social Media Helps Your SEO

Social media itself isn’t a direct SEO ranking factor, but it can help in several ways:

• Driving traffic to your website. Every time you share a blog post, a service page, or an announcement, you're creating an opportunity for people to visit your site.

• Brand visibility. When people search for your business, your social profiles often show up in search results alongside your website, reinforcing your presence.

• Link building. If your content gets shared widely, it increases the chances that reputable sites will link to you, which can improve your search rankings.

• Online Consistency: Keeping your business information, such as business name and contact email, consistent across your social media accounts and online platforms can be viewed favorably by search engines by showing your are creditable business worthy of being included in search results.

  
  

Pick the Platforms That Make Sense for You

One of the biggest social media mistakes businesses make is trying to be everywhere and ending up nowhere. It’s better to be consistent on one or two platforms than to spread yourself thin across five or six and let them go stale. If someone finds your business on an inactive account, it can make it seem like you’re no longer in business.

Ask yourself:

• Where does my audience actually spend time? If you’re in a visually driven industry, Instagram might be the best choice. If you focus on B2B services, LinkedIn might be more effective.

• Where do I enjoy posting? If you hate making videos, you’re probably not going to keep up with TikTok. Choose platforms you’ll realistically use.

  
  

Make Posting Easier with a System

We’re not social media experts, but we’ve found that having a plan makes it easier to stay consistent. Here’s what has worked for us:

• A monthly content schedule. We sat down and mapped out 12 topics we want to feature every month. Having a predictable schedule means we’re not scrambling for ideas every time we post. We have this schedule laid out on our shared calendar so we both know what topics are coming up. Full transparency, here's what our schedule looks like:

  
  

  

  
  

• Batching and scheduling. We create content ahead of time and use Planoly to schedule posts so we’re not trying to post in real time. Generally we carve out time on Friday mornings to do posts for the following week.

• Templates. We designed post templates to make content creation easier and faster. The templates are pretty simple, but its helpful to have our assets in one place so our branding is consistent when we post. We offer the same service for our clients using Canva.

  
  

  

  
  

• A simple Instagram grid layout. We alternate between text and photos to create a consistent, easy-to-follow structure for our posts.

  
  

Social media shouldn’t feel like a separate, disconnected task—it should work alongside your website to help people find you, learn about what you do, and ultimately take action. By keeping your website and social platforms connected, focusing on a few platforms that work for you, and using systems to simplify the process, social media becomes much more manageable (and even enjoyable!).

If you need help creating a system for your social media visuals or want us to design templates in Canva to make posting easier, we'd love to help, let’s chat!

Vision Boards & Business Goals

The start of a new year is the perfect time to dream big, set intentions, and map out your path forward. While there are countless ways to plan for success, creating a vision board is one of our absolute favorites! It combines creativity with clarity, helping you focus on your mission, vision, and purpose—which is always the foundation we start out with when working with a business.

But why does clarity matter so much? And how can something as simple as a vision board impact your goals for 2025?

Karyn's 2023 Vision Board

A vision board is more than just a collage of pretty pictures. It’s a tangible representation of your goals, dreams, and aspirations. For business owners, it serves as a visual reminder of what you’re working toward, keeping you motivated and on track.

Your vision board can help clarify your focus. As you choose images and words for your board, you naturally identify what’s most important to you and your business.

Your vision board can inspire daily action. Keeping your vision board in sight helps you stay motivated, even on tough days.

Your vision board can help you manifest big dreams. There’s power in visualization. When you can see your goals, it becomes easier to believe in and work toward achieving them.

And finally, clarity makes your decisions become intentional. 

How to Create a Vision Board for Your Business

Ready to get started? Here’s a simple process for creating a vision board that will guide your business in 2025:

Step 1: Reflect on Your Mission, Vision, and Purpose. Before you start cutting out images, take a moment to reflect on your core business values. What’s your mission? What vision do you have for the future? Why do you do what you do? Write down your thoughts to keep them top of mind as you create your board.

Step 2: Gather Your Supplies. Grab a poster board, scissors, glue, and a stack of magazines. You can also print out quotes, photos, and words that resonate with your goals.

Step 3: Choose Images and Words that Represent Your Goals. Look for visuals that align with your business aspirations. Want to increase revenue? Find an image that represents financial growth. Hoping to launch a new product or service? Include visuals that reflect that idea.

Step 4: Organize and Assemble. Lay out your images and words before gluing them down. Arrange them in a way that feels inspiring and cohesive. Once you’re happy with the layout, start assembling! OR, just go for it! If it feels better to just start gluing and see what you get, do it! This is your vision board, and it should feel good as you create it.

Step 5: Place Your Vision Board Where You Can See It. The key to a successful vision board is visibility. Keep it somewhere you’ll see it daily—whether that’s your office, your workspace, or even as your desktop background.

Join Our Vision Board Event!

If this sounds like exactly what you need to kick off 2025, we’d love for you to join us at our upcoming Link & Clink Vision Board Event! It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow entrepreneurs, get creative, and start the year with clarity and purpose. Together, we’ll create our boards, share our goals, and set ourselves up for a successful year.

Link & Clink 2024 Vision Board Event

Whether you’re creating your first vision board or you’re a seasoned pro, this event is all about dreaming big, planning smart, and supporting each other along the way.

Automate Your Way to a Stress-Free Holiday

Holidays are all about family, friends, and maybe a little bit of R&R. But if you're a small business owner, stepping away can feel impossible without things piling up. The good news? Automation can help keep your business moving while you enjoy the festivities. Here are nine easy ways to make it happen with a few simple tweaks!

Set Up an Away Message That Feels Human

First things first: let people know you’re stepping away. A quick auto-reply on your email can work wonders. Keep it professional but personal, like: "Hey there! Thanks for reaching out. I’m out of the office from [dates] for a little holiday R&R. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can after my return. Need something sooner? Check out [link to FAQ or resource page]. Happy holidays!" This way, you're setting up expectations and letting everyone know you're still on top of things!

Personalize Your Social DMs

Social platforms like Instagram and Facebook let you set up auto-responses for direct messages. Make it fun and helpful! For example: "Hi! Thanks for dropping by. I’m away for the holidays but will get back to you after [date]. If you’re looking for info about pricing, head over here: [link]. Happy Holidays!"It’s a little touch that shows you’re on top of things, even when you’re not glued to your phone.

Update Your Email Signature

This one’s super easy. Add a quick note to your email signature letting people know you’re on holiday hours. Something like: "Heads up! I’m taking a holiday break from [dates]. Replies might be slower during this time."It’s subtle but gets the job done.

Make Your Website Work Overtime

Your website can be your best assistant while you’re away. Add a banner or pop-up with your holiday hours, update your contact page to say when you’ll be back, or link to a handy FAQ page for common questions.

Block Off Your Calendar

Using a scheduling tool like Calendly or Acuity? Make sure your holiday break is blocked off so no one can book appointments while you’re gone. Add a friendly note to the next available dates, like: "Can’t wait to chat! My next availability starts on [date]. See you soon!"

Pre-Schedule Social Media Posts

Keep your social media active without lifting a finger. Use tools like Meta Business Suite, Planoly, or Later to schedule posts ahead of time. Now, you can sip hot cocoa without stressing about your Instagram feed.

Automate Your Shop Updates

If you sell products, make sure your shop is ready to handle things without you. Auto-confirmation emails and shipping notifications are a lifesaver here. Platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce make it easy to set these up. In some stores, you can also automate your products to disable on certain dates or when they sell out, ensuring the products are no longer available. 

Write & Schedule Emails Ahead of Time

Whether it’s a holiday thank-you note or reminders for upcoming deadlines, scheduling emails in advance keeps things moving while you’re offline. Gmail, Mailchimp, ConvertKit—whatever you use, get those emails queued up before you log off.

Make a Game Plan for Your Return

Before you sign off, jot down a quick list of things you’ll tackle when you’re back. This way, you can enjoy your break without a million loose ends swirling in your head. If helpful, schedule a "return to work day" without meetings, so you can catch up on emails and get organized on your first day back. 

Taking time off doesn’t mean hitting pause on your business. With a few easy automations, you can enjoy the holidays and keep things running smoothly. So go ahead, set yourself up for success, and enjoy the season—you’ve earned it! If you need a hand setting up any of these automations, schedule a consultation now because we'll be out of the office enjoying our family over the holidays :)