Your account is compromised. The thought of losing the social media content you’ve spent years building can make anyone break out into a sweat. Luckily, you can back up all of your social media. So while a compromised account would be terrible, at least your hard work wouldn’t be lost forever. You’re probably wondering, Wait, backup isn’t automatic?  No, it isn’t. You need to take steps to do it yourself. 

Did it come as a surprise? You may be confusing data backup with the saying, “Social media is forever.” By the way, that adage is good advice. It refers to being very careful about posting something now that you may regret later. But no, it does not apply to backups. Another common misconception is how social media platforms work. They may be hosting your content for free, but that content is not being backed up without additional action on your part.

The two primary ways for backing up content

• Activate your settings. Most social media accounts have a way to manually archive your data. You go into each account’s settings page and click accordingly. 
• Use cloud storage. This is important for photos and videos. Additionally, certain social media services require you to engage a third-party site for backups. And if your computer is running out of storage, you will want to safely store your files on the cloud. 

How to back up content on six social media networks

1. Facebook: You can download a copy of your Facebook information at any time. You can download a complete copy, or you can select only the types of information and date ranges you want. Visit the Facebook information page for detailed instructions.
2. Instagram: Go to Privacy and Settings. Scroll down to the bottom and click on “request download.” Add the email address where you’d like the data to be sent. Visit the Instagram Privacy & Security section on your desktop computer for more info.  
3. LinkedIn: Visit the member data settings page to download your data anytime. Follow the steps outlined in the “Get a copy of your data” section of the data settings page.
4. Pinterest: There is no direct way to download a backup of your pins and data. You need a third-party site or app. 
5. Twitter: Go to the Your Twitter Data page. A ZIP file is emailed to you or made available via download.
6. YouTube: There is no mass export option. You can download individual videos from your account and save them. 

Four cloud storage services

The easiest way to back up your social media is by using the right cloud storage service. Some have free plans as well as ones at a cost, and all are worth considering. 

1. Idrive: For videos on Facebook and Instagram. Backup happens automatically.
2. Acronis True Image: This tool backs up social media videos at a faster speed than Idrive. The backup is automatic. If social media gets deleted, then it restores the backed-up data to a new profile.
3. Cloudsfer: Social media backup: It allows people to perform scheduled and manual file transfers.
4. pCloud: The best Dropbox alternative. Backs up videos from Facebook and Instagram. 

Don’t forget…

No matter the reason, creating an offline copy is a good idea. Periodic backup is encouraged so you can have your offline copy of photos, videos, and other content you’ve posted to your social media sites. 

Make sure your digital marketing team has a backup strategy and is running it as needed. If you would like help setting one up, schedule a consultation today. 

Additional Sources: How To Download & Backup Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, And MoreHow to Back Up Your Social Media Video – 2021 guide