How to Use SmarterQueue

 

 

SmarterQueue has many features to offer authors. I’ll cover a few, but we may need a second post for this one.

Getting Started

• First, you need to create an account with the app. Yes, it asks for a Twitter handle. It’s fine. I used an email.
• Next, you will need to connect your social media profiles to the app. It might sound a little dangerous, but it’s okay. The company seems reliable, and it’s one of many apps that works well with social media. You can connect Twitter, Bitly, Instagram, a Facebook page, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Please note, you must connect your SmarterQueue to a Facebook page, not a profile. Also, you need to connect your Instagram to your Facebook page. There are how-videos available to assist you.
• Now that you are connected, let’s organize our content. Click on the top menu and choose Categories. Here we choose the type of content to post and set up our filing system before we begin. Categories are on the left. Click on any one to edit the entry. In the middle of the screen, you have form spaces to change the name, color, profiles, activity level (seasonal/regular). At the bottom of the list are analytics to show how many of each post, with the added information of One-Time, Evergreen, and Published. Use the trashcan on the right to delete the entire category. You can add categories on the left menu. I suggest making categories using the posts you already have on your media. I have Cat, Funny Memes, Fangirl, Promo, Promo Sales, Personal.

Planning Posts

(If you are a planner, read this next. If you aren’t, come back to this paragraph later, after you’ve posted on social media for a week or two)

• The Posting Plan is an easy way to see everything you post all at once. Find it at the top menu. Here you will see a calendar with a suggested schedule for posts with your various categories. Move around entries to fit your time, personal preference, and best engagement times for your content. These are just suggestions. You can add, delete, and move anything on the Planning board.
• Once you have a schedule you can live with, add posts to the planned slots. Click on the three dots in the corner and select Add Post. You will move to the post page. Select a category (if you want to change it) and choose a profile. Will you do Instagram? Twitter? Both? Then write your copy in the box provided. Click on Media to add video or pictures. Choose when to post (now or scheduled), and if you wish to recycle this post, meaning post it again in the future. Hit save and you are set.
• If you’re not a planner, you can go back and add the posts after you’ve completed them, just to get a visual of your social media postings and your schedule.
• The Queue feature will show scheduled posts that are ready to go. If you do not know what to post, SmarterQueue gives some suggestions. You can filter by profile, category, content, and type. Perhaps you are focusing on Instagram this week. You can select just the Instagram queue. Also, with Instagram, there’s a grid feature on the top right.
• The app will log into your Instagram account and you can select photos to feature in a story. It’s great for people who don’t want to pose for the camera but need a good story.

The other categories on the top menu include Analytics—great once you get going. This feature will show how well your content engaged the audience. It generates a three-month report of your content and its impact. You can do it monthly or weekly. Next is Engage. This menu prompts you to find social media queues that are trending or hot or to see how well your hashtags are faring. It’s a great way to see what people are viewing.

Last on the top menu is Find Content. Here you can search/discover other social media accounts to share with others. Let’s say there’s a great Apps for Writers blog you’d like to share. You can connect with that blog and share the media on your socials. You can also share things from your own YouTube account and blogs.

The triple line menu on the left has more detailed choices for the top menu buttons.

In a nutshell, SmarterQueue will help you organize and track your social media all in one spot. No more juggling different logins, apps, and content. Not only can it keep you organized, but also it’s a time saver. Planning social media ahead of time in one sitting gives us more hours for writing!