Meet Maud Posthuma, our trend-savvy Social Media Manager from the Netherlands. Maud is pursuing a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Amsterdam, skilfully balancing her studies with her social media role for the Rhamnous Community. We asked Maud to share a glimpse of her work as a Social Media Manager.
Every morning, I start by making a to-do list. Since we do the social media for several partners, having everything organized helps me stay on track. It’s a simple but effective way to keep my day running smoothly.
For planning content, I stick to a monthly content calendar. I aim to have it ready by the 15th, so our designer has plenty of time to work her magic as well. This also gives me a chance to review everything and make sure the partners can approve the posts before they go live.
When it comes to the content itself, I like to look back at the previous month to see what worked and what didn’t. If a post performed well, I try to put a new spin on it for the next month. It’s a good way to build on successful content while keeping things fresh.
One content strategy I really like is using carousel posts. When I create these, I make sure that the first image in the carousel is clear and eye-catching, without too much text. It should immediately draw the audience in. Then, in the following images or the caption, I provide more details and dive deeper into the topic. This way, the post stays engaging while also giving the audience the extra information they need.
For my content calendar, I primarily use Google Docs because it’s the easiest for me. I create a simple table to keep everything organized for the month. For editing, I mainly use Canva, which our designer also uses, making it easier to work together. Additionally, I rely on Notion to stay organized. It helps me track each partner, their brand guidelines, and all the tasks that need to be completed.
On LinkedIn, I schedule posts directly, which makes it easy since they get posted automatically. For Instagram and Facebook, I mainly use Meta Business Suite, which also allows for easy scheduling.
Before I joined, I was mainly focused on Instagram and TikTok, so it was more about fun content and not taking things too seriously. But now, I also create LinkedIn content for some of our partners. In the beginning, I found it quite challenging, but after doing some research, I gained more knowledge and a much better understanding of how business-oriented content on LinkedIn works.
For my research, I primarily rely on YouTube videos, as they offer a wealth of practical insights. It's also a great resource for answering specific questions, thanks to the vast amount of content available. Additionally, LinkedIn provides lots of informative blog posts that are extremely helpful in gaining deeper knowledge.
I believe that platforms like TikTok will only continue to grow. My generation and those slightly older are likely to stay on TikTok, and as they move into the workforce, they’ll bring that platform with them. So, I see it becoming even more important. I also notice that even serious businesses are now posting playful or even silly TikToks without any hesitation. There's no longer that fear that it will harm their brand image.
For me, the way of communicating doesn't really matter, whether it’s through email, a meeting, a quick call, or a WhatsApp message, I leave that up to the partner. Of course, there are times when a partner might forget to respond or miss a message. I’ve found that staying positive and patient is key in those moments. Instead of asking “Why haven’t you responded?”, I try to keep the tone friendly and understanding, saying something like, “I know you’re busy, but it would be great if you could take a quick look at this.” This approach tends to work well and keeps things on track without any tension.
In relation to communication, one area I’d like to improve is being more assertive with partners. Since I’m relatively young, I sometimes find it challenging to assert myself, and I can let others take control of the conversation. Even though I’m confident in my knowledge, I sometimes think, "I’m young, so maybe they know better." But I bring a fresh perspective to their business, and I’d like to work on being more confident in voicing my ideas and opinions.
Well, since we can’t seem to stop talking about communication... I really enjoy working with partners who communicate well and are proactive, but not overly so, they should also trust you to do your work. I appreciate partners who are honest and provide feedback, both positive and constructive, as it’s helpful for everyone in the long run.
I really enjoy it, although it did take me a little while to fully understand the community concept. At first, I was confused about how everything worked. But now I realize that while you work independently, you're also part of a collaborative community, and that makes things so much easier.
For example, when working with a designer on posts that need visual elements, it’s great not to have to build new relationships every time a new partner comes in with their own designer. You already have your go-to team, which is really helpful.
I wasn’t used to working in a community like this, so at first, I found it a bit difficult to delegate tasks. I was always used to doing everything myself. But now, I see that it’s much more efficient to let other community members handle what they do best. Once you get to know each other, it becomes easier to communicate openly about what you need. Providing direct feedback feels much smoother and more natural within the community.
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