You know how it is when you're a freelancer, solopreneur, or micro-business owner: you become your own one man band.

Trends in online production from YouTube video-making to running a profitable Etsy shop mean that more and more people are learning to run their own business from scratch, and that often means taking on myriad roles as the business grows. You could be organising shipments from far-flung countries, marketing your wares, answering customer service queries and carrying out website bug fixes all at once.

With that in mind, your marketing is likely to get lost in the mix. Why? The hours are unbillable, the roadmap is unclear, and maybe it's not your area of expertise.

Fortunately for you, we've got 5 tips for keeping social media high on your list of priorities – as well as how to make it easy while doing so.

1. Start with the big picture

Chances are, you've spent a whole bunch of time and energy thinking about your branding. But does your website and social media channel bio have the basics?

Always make sure you're showing the following:

– Who you are

– What you do

– What people can expect from you

– How to get in touch

Easy peasy, no?

2. Get organised

A marketing roadmap isn't so hard to make. For this all you'll need is a trusty old spreadsheet document, Google Calendar, or management tool like Trello – whatever suits your style.

Start with a calendar or spreadsheet with the months mapped out. What are your big dates? Plug in your launch activities, key sales dates, and any major holidays that boost sales.

Once you have an overview, start filling in the gaps with related activity. What can you offer your clients or customers beyond what you're selling? Content marketing is key – give them a little of your expertise and they'll keep coming back for more.

3. Plan, plan, plan

Now that you have your key dates in mind, along with a few nifty content ideas, start scheduling some updates!

Hootsuite and Bufferare a great tool for scheduling your social media content. Each also has its own Chrome Extension, making it really easy to share the page you're visiting at a designated time. Similarly, If This Then That (IFTTT) allows you to make recipes like IF I favourite this tweet, THEN share it via Buffer.

Try scheduling 1-2 posts per day, then find time in your day to jump in and see what's happening.

4. Dive right in

Social media might be a bit daunting at first, but start small and you'll be an expert in no time.

To begin, try checking in for 10 minutes each morning. (Rumour has it that's all the time Margaret Atwood needs to stay in the conversation.) Say hello to one or two people, RT something that looks interesting, maybe even post a link you've read that morning. Paired with your scheduled updates, you'll already be well on your way.

The one thing we'll warn against is diving right into selling mode. Stick to the 80-20 rule and remember: your followers are already there to hear what you have to say!

5. Keep it going

If you're forgetting to get online, try setting yourself a recurring reminder. Spending too much time on social? Use something like Toggl to track your time. Finding your pattern will take time, but consistency is key.

Good luck!

Want to learn more about tricks of the micro-business trade? Meet our Small is Beautiful speakers, or go ahead and register now to learn from the best!