5 Quick Tips for Taking Your Social Media Activity to the Next Level

Social media is now rooted in our daily routines. Whether we 're grabbing a cup of coffee or commuting to work, we start our day immediately connected to what 's happening—from our friends ' vacations to the latest in world events. What started as a casual way to keep up with former classmates is now essential to get where we 're going, reach who we want, decide what to buy, who to believe and to share what we care about.

There are so many avenues to send your message out through, but just getting the message "out there" isn 't always enough. With the nearly 500 million tweets sent per day and a constantly changing Facebook algorithm, how can you be sure your posts are getting noticed? Taking your social media activity to the next level is simpler than you might think. Here a few quick tips to take you from participating in the conversation to driving it.

1. Ask Questions:

Use your social media platforms to ask people what they think, if they have questions about what you do, or post a picture and ask them what they see. This is one of the easiest ways to get engagement from your followers (and boost your views!).

2. Use Images:

This is an absolute must if you don 't want to be skipped over. Sharing a gorgeous photo will entertain and inform, and catch readers ' attention better than a long, wordy post. Filters or short text added to the photo helps too. Your followers might not always agree with your message, but they 'll always believe what they see with their own eyes.

3. Time it Right:

Reach your audience where and when they are most engaged. Take time to think about the messages you want to share and which platform they are best suited for. If it 's on Facebook aim for Thursday through Sunday to get the best engagement, especially from 1-4 p.m. Twitter sees the most action from 12-3 p.m. and then peaks at 5 p.m., when people are commuting home. Instagram sees the most traffic after office hours, especially on Mondays and Thursdays.

4. Share Resources:

Be known as a reliable resource for useful information. Share insights from your own life as well as interesting articles or information from other organizations. Just be careful not to overwhelm people with too much! Be selective so your audience can see you 've taken the time to share only the most helpful resources.

5. Know What 's Trending & Tag Others:

Utilize popular conversations and holidays to get in on the conversation and have your content seen! By tagging others in your posts, you 'll automatically call attention to them and the post will be shared not only on your page but also on the pages of the tagees! Social media doesn 't need to be exclusive: You should always be inviting more friends and followers to join the conversation.

Are you ready to be a social media pro? Focus on the message you want to share, keep it short, and occasionally humorous, tie in a striking image, and you 'll be well on your way..

Lyndsey Murphy is a digital media specialist for the American Farm Bureau Federation.