Social media has now been around for years. No matter the industry, you know you have to be on social media — especially in 2014.

It's the perfect blend of advertising and public relations. Plus, it's free. Social media outlets of all kinds let you connect with your key demographic on a daily basis. Here, you get to interact with your clientele in a cool, friendly, funny manner.

Managing social media is a fun part of the business, but realistically, it's also one of the hardest. It seems like there’s always another social media site popping up, and to stay trendy, you and your business have to be on it.

How in the world can one business — especially a new, small, blooming business — manage all of these sites?

Balancing social media is an act you've got to learn to master quickly, before you burn out.

You Just Can't Do It All

This is one of the toughest lessons to learn, but the fact of the matter is that as a small business you can't be on every social media outlet. If you're set on having a presence on every social media platform, phone in a public relations team to help you manage.

Either way, attempt to cut the fat off your marketing plan for the year. Not every social media site is going to be popular with your key audience, so try all of them for a bit. Then, look at the hard numbers, and decide which platforms are most popular with the people you want to connect with.

Invest your time in outlets where your impact will be fruitful.

Use the Numbers

Whenever you try something new, acknowledge that no matter how much you research, there will be a learning curve.

Do the same on your desired social media outlets; research all the different ways you can utilize social media for your business. Look up different tactics and techniques, and try them all for a bit.

Then, see what your audience wants. They’ll let you know. An advantage of social media is that it's social. Your key demographic will vocally let you know how you’re doing via retweets, likes, pins, shares, etc.

Go Beyond Promoting your Products

You really have to prove to your followers that you understand them. Show that you care about their interests — even if they’re outside of your business.

By this point, you should have enough data on your key demographic to go beyond the superficial. Tap into their interests, problems, loves, dislikes, and deliver to them what they’re craving.

Your content should be unique. Followers want to hear your voice, and know they can count on you for out-of-the-box content.

Before long, your business will be booming, and you should be feeling like you're beginning to understand the intricacies of the social media balancing act. Re-evaluate every month or so just make sure you're on point.