With social media being a relatively new marketing tool, there are not standards in place for how businesses should use it. Many firms take advantage of the ability to automate posts, and a recent article for The Business Journals* explains some of the do's and don'ts when it comes to scheduling posts in advance.

1. Don't only automate: Anyone with a marketing degree knows that it is important to continuously check up on marketing initiatives. On social media, automated posts could elicit responses from many followers, and it is important for businesses to see what their fans are saying about the content they post.

2. Continue to post in real time: All businesses that use social media should have someone assigned to the platforms to see if people are interacting with their pages. These people want to become engaged with the brand and businesses should give them a reason to be.

3. Understand analytics: One of the best things about social media is that it allows businesses to collect data about what potential customers are saying about their company. Businesses should use these insights and factor them in to how they use social media.

*http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/blog/socialmadness/2012/08/is-automating-social-media-posts-good.html?page=all​