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Merrick, NY—Just like a dietician will tell you not to let a day of overindulgence derail your total weight-loss program, don’t feel like you have to abandon social media altogether because you’ve been too busy to keep up with it.

A recent article on the Intuit Small Business Blog says some 70% of small business Facebook pages are inactive (updated less than once a month). So if you worry that you don’t have enough time to devote to doing social media properly, you’re not alone. Still, outdated posts are a turnoff for potential customers who think you’re either just not with it or, worse, not in business anymore.

Here’s a summary of what Intuit.com says to do if your most recent tweet was for a sale last year or your Facebook page still shows jingle bells and it’s not for a Christmas in July program.

• Don’t feel guilty about it. Chances are your followers haven’t even noticed, because after they “like” your page they wait for updates from you.
• Don’t apologize or belabor your absence; instead, return with a splash and take it from there. Start with something highly engaging that people will want to share, and consider paying Facebook to “boost” the message to increase likelihood that it will be seen by followers and friends.
• Use tools like HootSuite to schedule multiple posts in one sitting, so you don’t have to keep taking time to put new content up. Read The Centurion’s “Digital Marketing Primer” series for a step-by-step “how to” on scheduling posts in advance. If you aren’t creating original content based on your own business (why not??) Intuit suggests apps like Spundge and Trapit can help find content worth sharing. 
• If you have to take time off, do it right. Try to keep at least Facebook and Twitter going, says the blog, and once a quarter verify that your contact and “about” info on each site is accurate. And always, always make sure a link to your website is prominent and clickable.
• Get help. Social media coordinators (there are several in the jewelry industry) can do your posting for you. Even two hours a week can help. Most offer syndicated content with some degree of regional exclusivity.

Read the full Intuit article here.