Crossposting is when one message gets published across multiple social media channels at one time.
Crossposting on social media can be a great time and energy saver, but if done incorrectly could cause more trouble for your social channels.
So is crossposting a good idea? Let’s find out together.
Why Crossposting on Social Media Can Give You a Bad Rep
The crossposting practice gets a bad name because it isn’t always the easiest thing to pull off.
Not taking the time to crosspost carefully runs you the risk of limiting the reach and results you could be receiving on your social networks. Let me explain.
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It will seem you don’t know how to use your social networks.
This isn’t the absolute worst thing if you have a super engaged audience. But again, part of enticing people to follow your accounts is to look like you have it together.
You risk looking spammy and losing followers.
A glaring (and too common) example of crossposting gone wrong is when brands or people link their Instagram accounts to Twitter and they end up with a feed of cut off sentences and links – would you follow that account? Probably not.
You won’t get the results you’re looking for.
Let’s go back to the Instagram to Twitter linking example. For this I’ve shared my latest Instagram post to Twitter to illustrate how the message cuts off. This tweet would have been more efficient if I were to promote a link, or use hashtags, but because of how one network shares to the other, you miss out on reach and results.
Social media reach stagnant or non existent?
Try one of the 6 tactics I review in my newest… https://t.co/HnvkVkJNcA— Dhariana Lozano (@DhariLo) November 23, 2016
You’ll miss out on visibility opportunities.
Not being able to properly tag other people or brands, or use hashtags correctly per network will hurt your chances of building relationships and gaining extra reach from your posts.
Now that we’ve reviewed what can happen if you don’t take the time to crosspost correctly, don’t panic! There are ways to ensure that you are crossposting efficiently across your social media channels.
[Tweet “Do you always crosspost your messages on social media? (Are you sure that’s wise?)”]
Tips for Crossposting on Social Media Like a Pro
Attention to detail is key when crossposting on social media in a way that is still beneficial to your brand.
When crossposting goes right you’ll save time, keep content consistency, and remain active across your channels. Here are a few things to remember when getting ready to crosspost.
Review the posting structure and posting rules for each network.
This means learning everything from the type of content that works on each network, to the amount of characters you are allowed to use in your captions.
Have all username handles ready for anyone you plan to tag.
Remember that not everyone has the same handle or name across their networks. Make sure you have the correct tags/handles for each network your content will be shared on.
For example, the content director of Agorapulse goes by “kalnerwilliams” on Twitter:
but by a very different “Lisa Kalner Williams — Social Media Strategy” on Facebook.
It’s wise to have both in hand before you type in her usernames.
Get your hashtags together.
Add appropriate hashtags for your content. But first, take note if hashtags are used on the network or not. For example, on Twitter you use hashtags, but hashtags aren’t clickable on LinkedIn Company pages, so using hashtags on the network makes posts look messy.
After you’re all set up with the list we just went over, you’ll be ready to crosspost. Take your main post and tweak it fit the “language” of each social media network you’ll be sharing it on. At this point you can adjust the amount of characters of the post if needed, decide if you want to use a photo, or even change the tone of the messaging according to where it will be posted.
Use a scheduling tool.
Scheduling tools are a life saver when it comes to saving time while crossposting correctly and efficiently. Over the years I’ve tried many scheduling tools, but Agorapulse stands out when it comes to great scheduling and crossposting features.
The message composing and editing screens are so clean and easy to use on Agorapulse.
The system makes adjusting your messaging from network to network a breeze. Tagging others across networks is simple and clear.
One of my favorite aspects of Agorapulse is the content previews. These are helpful because they show you exactly what your post will look like across each network.
If something looks off, you can click “edit” and adjust it quickly from one screen.
You can even set audience restrictions to your Facebook posts right from the editing screen (so cool!).
The final verdict on crossposting on social media?
Only do it once you really understand the social networks you’re active on and proceed with caution.
Remember that simply linking accounts to each other and carelessly crossposting will only hurt your brand in the end.
Be mindful and stick to guidelines discussed in this article and I’m confident you’ll be able to crosspost on social media efficiently.
Now what will you do with all the time you’ll save? Let me know in the comments!
