How to automate your business so you can focus on the creative side

(NC) Many creative types have successfully launched their own businesses, such as a boutique marketing agency or copywriting company. But running a business can pull you away from doing the things you’re best at. Here are four tasks you can automate so you can stay focused on being creative.

Schedule social media
Social media platforms are an important marketing and engagement tool for many businesses. But posting consistently across various platforms can be time consuming. There are programs you can use that allow you to schedule posts and have them appear on all your accounts at optimal times. This not only saves time but ensures your social media presence is consistent.

Market research
Stay on top of industry trends and changes, as well as any time your business appears in the news, by setting up alerts in your search browser to look for relevant keywords.

You can also set up automated reports on your website traffic to better understand who is using the site and how. These tools can also suggest the best days and times to post your content to capture more people’s attention.

Review your reviews
Staying on top of your customer reviews – positive or negative – is an important but cumbersome task, particularly if your business appears on multiple sites. If you sign up for a review-monitoring program you can track the reviews that appear, create automated responses, set up alerts for negative or glowing feedback and request additional reviews through simple surveys and other prompts.

Automate your accounting
Many creative types would admit that they don’t have "a math brain." But, as a small business, it’s important to track all work-related expenses and invoices. It usually makes sense to use a cloud-based accounting software program, such as FreshBooks, to keep your books organized. And, as with any cloud-based system, everything is automatically backed up.

Find more information about automated, cloud-based accounting at freshbooks.com.