Cross posting on different social media platforms, allows social media managers to save time and effort in the creation process. Find out more benefits and the best tools so you can start cross-posting today!
In today’s article, we will be taking a deep dive into everything you need to know about cross posting — from what it is to why it is important. We will also cover a step-by-step guide on how to effectively cross post to get the best traction and some of the tools you should consider when doing this.
Hopper HQ is a refreshingly simple-to-use social media scheduling tool that allows you to cross post both images and videos to your favorite channels!
What is Cross Posting?
Cross posting is the process of sharing the same content across multiple social media platforms. This strategy is an effective strategy used by social media managers to save time and resources while allowing them to maintain a consistent presence across various channels.
Here’s a simple example. Let’s say you’re creating a series of video Reels on Instagram to promote a new product that just launched. You can cross post these same videos on YouTube Short and TikTok instead of creating content for these platforms right from scratch.
Adopting the an approach of cross posting will ensure that your team can reuse content across the different platforms your brand is present in and ensure they reach more of your target audience.
If you fit in any of these categories keep reading to learn how you can cross post on social media effectively.
How to Cross Post Your Social Media Content?
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can cross post your social media content on multiple platforms:
Step 1: Target the Right Platforms
Before you dive into cross-posting, it’s crucial to select the social media platforms that best suit your needs. Think about the audience you’re trying to reach and the kind of content you’ll be sharing. Remember, each platform is unique, so choose the ones that align with your overall goals.
Step 2: Develop a Content Calendar
Once you’ve selected your platforms, create a content calendar to plan your posts. This calendar should specify the type of content you’ll share and when you’ll post it. Having a content calendar keeps you organized and helps you execute your strategy more efficiently.
Step 3: Schedule your Posts
Scheduling your posts for different times is a smart way to reach a wider audience and avoid bombarding your followers with too many posts at once.
Consider using a social media cross posting tool like Hopper HQ, which will not only save you time but can also help you ensure your posts are seen during peak activity times, maximizing their reach.
Step 4: Track and Analyze Your Performance
Once your cross-posting strategy is up and running, track and analyze the results to see what’s working and what’s not. You can leverage the built-in analytics tools within your scheduling software to monitor your performance.
Hopper HQ for example is equipped with analytics tools that help you pinpoint high-performing content, provide in-depth insight into your audience, and measure your account growth.
Step 5: Continuously Refine and Adapt
The social media landscape, audience preferences, and trends are constantly evolving. Therefore, it’s important to regularly evaluate your cross-posting strategy and make adjustments as needed. By adapting to these changes and optimizing your strategy, you can ensure it aligns with your overall social media goals.
How to Use Hopper HQ for Cross Posting
Hopper HQ allows you to schedule posts and automatically publish them across different social media platforms, eliminating the need for manual posting. Here’s how to use Hopper HQ to post to multiple accounts at once:
- Log in to Hopper HQ: You’ll need a Hopper HQ account to schedule and publish content.
- Create a Post: Click the “Create Post” button located on the top right corner of your Hopper HQ dashboard. Choose the social media accounts you want to target by selecting their corresponding icons.
- Design Your Post: Add your text, images, videos, and hashtags to the post. You can customize the content for each social media platform if needed.
- Schedule Your Post: Pick the date and time you want your post to be published on each social media platform.
- Preview and Schedule: Review your post content and scheduled publishing times and make necessary adjustments. Click the “Schedule” button to publish your content to all the chosen social media accounts simultaneously.
- Manage Your Posts: You can view and manage all your scheduled and published posts using the Hopper HQ calendar. This also allows you to edit or delete posts if necessary.
Why Should You Be Cross Posting Your Content?
Here are a couple of advantages to incorporating cross-posting into your social media marketing strategy:
1) Saves Time and Effort
This is perhaps the biggest benefit. By reusing the same content across platforms, you can significantly reduce the amount of time and effort required to create unique content for each social media channel. This is especially helpful for small businesses or individuals managing multiple accounts.
Cross posting content for each platform when you cross-post saves you valuable time. This frees you up to focus on other crucial tasks, such as interacting with your target audience in the comments, generating KPI reports to measure success, and brainstorming new marketing strategies.
2) Reach a Wider Audience
Sharing your content on multiple platforms exposes it to a wider audience, potentially increasing brand awareness and recognition. This can be a great way to tap into new demographics or reach people who aren’t active on all social media platforms.
Don’t forget that every social media platform, from Facebook and LinkedIn to TikTok and Instagram, caters to distinct audiences with unique interests.
Limiting your posts to just a platform means you’re missing out on reaching a segment of your target audience who might be on another platform. By sharing your content across different platforms, you expand the potential for your brand message to connect with the people you truly want to engage with.
3) Content Repurposing
Cross-posting allows repurposing content, which can be tailored to fit the context of each platform while keeping the core message intact. This method expands the reach of content, as it can be seen by different segments of the audience on various platforms.
These reasons make cross-posting an attractive option for social media managers looking to optimize their efforts and maximize the impact of their social media campaigns.
4) Maintains Consistency
Social media algorithms tend to favor accounts that post consistently. Cross-posting helps you maintain a consistent presence across all your platforms, which can improve your visibility and engagement.
Regular posting with cross posting helps you establish a consistent posting schedule. Your audience comes to expect content from you at certain times, and filling your social media channels with a steady stream of content prevents gaps and keeps your brand at the forefront of their minds.
The Top 4 Social Media Cross Posting Tools
While cross posting can be done manually by copying and pasting the content from one platform to the other, it’s not the most ideal method. This method is not only rigorous but also time-consuming especially if you’re managing multiple social media profiles at the same time.
In this section, we’ve outlined the best 4 social media cross posting tools you can use to streamline and effectively cross post your social media posts.
Hopper HQ
Hopper HQ is a social media management tool that helps you schedule and publish content across multiple platforms. With this tool, you can create posts and cross post on other platforms.
Additionally, you can schedule your content to go live on each platform at the optimal time without any manual effort. There’s also the option to make some platform-specific adjustments. While the core message can remain the same, you can customize captions, hashtags, and image formats to fit each platform’s requirements and audience preferences.
HootSuite
Hootsuite offers a convenient way for social media managers to cross-post content across multiple platforms.
This social media cross-posting tool allows you to choose the social media accounts where you want to publish your post. This means you can create one post and cross-post to multiple social media accounts simultaneously. There’s also the option to decide whether you want to publish your cross-post immediately or schedule it for a later date and time.
Social Pilot
Social Pilot doesn’t just automate posting across all platforms at once (like some tools), but it simplifies the process for each platform while maintaining control and customization.
With the platform, you can create your social media posts with text, images, and videos within Social Pilot’s interface and cross-post on other platforms with a few clicks. There’s a unified calendar view showcasing all your scheduled posts across platforms and lets you visualize your content flow, identify gaps, and ensure a consistent posting schedule.
Sprout Social
This is another social media management platform that allows you to cross post on multiple social media platforms at a go.
Sprout Social lets you schedule and streamline cross posting for each platform. You can adjust the character count for Twitter, add specific hashtags for each platform, or upload platform-required media formats.
Keep in mind that Sprout Social is focused more on larger companies, meaning that pricing is high and may not be affordable for smaller businesses.
Conclusion
Cross posting emerges as a powerful tool for social media managers juggling multiple platforms. By strategically reusing content across channels, you can save valuable time and resources while maintaining a consistent brand voice. This approach expands your reach, fosters audience engagement, and strengthens your overall social media strategy.
Remember, the key lies in tailoring your content to each platform’s unique audience and preferences. Leverage scheduling tools like Hopper HQ to streamline the process and maximize the impact of your cross-posted content. As you refine your strategy and adapt to evolving trends, you’ll be well on your way to establishing a thriving social media presence.
If you like to consider a social media cross-posting, feel free to try out Hopper HQ.
