Increased adoption of social media platforms, like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, has made it impossible for brands to ignore social media marketing. With people spending more than 2 hours on social platforms daily, this is a large opportunity that brands can use to attract the attention of potential customers. However, social media marketing can be overwhelming. So, businesses should draft a social media strategy to take the guesswork out of their marketing methods. Consider the following tips when creating your business’s social media strategy.
Setting goals is the first step to creating a successful social media strategy. Your goals should be SMART and reflect what you expect from social media. Without proper goals, you won’t be able to measure the success of your marketing strategy and the return on investment. Using the SMART goal framework guides your actions and ensures that they produce the required results. Sample goals include;
Here is an example of a SMART goal; use Facebook for customer support and reduce the average response rate by one hour within two months.
Your social media strategy won’t be successful if you work on assumptions. Fortunately, you can take advantage of the large amounts of demographic data and social media analytic tools to help you. Typically, all the information you need to create a buyer persona for your marketing strategy is available online. While doing this, keep in mind that different social media platforms attract different types of audiences.
For instance, millennials and Gen Z prefer Instagram and TikTok, women outnumber men on Pinterest, and LinkedIn is full of well-educated users. Facebook and YouTube usage cut across all categories, making it perfect for ads. However, you should always focus on social networks where your audience is most active.
Like any other marketing campaign, your social media marketing strategy should be data-driven. This means that you should identify and monitor the metrics that matter. Instead of focusing on vanity metrics, like post likes, you should dig into insights that align with your goals. Examples of important metrics include;
Reach – defines the number of users who saw your post and estimates how far your content goes.
Engagement – this estimates all the social interactions in your post. It includes likes, comments, and shares.
Clicks – this helps identify what encourages users to buy
Sentiments – this evaluates the reaction of your followers to your uploaded content or hashtag. Did they find it offensive or creative? It is a good way of finding out how people perceive your brand.
Content is always king in the world of social media marketing. Besides identifying what to publish or share based on your goals and brand identity, you should have a clear content strategy. Outlined below are some social media content ideas to consider;
Another key is to be sure to respond to all comments quickly to further engage with those who are engaging with your content.
Many people have false impressions about social media agencies. It's about time to debunk these myths and consider hiring the professional services of a social media agency to build an effective business strategy.
Many people think that social media agencies are only for big businesses. But the truth is, social media agencies are for every type of business, small or big. And the benefits of hiring such an agency outweigh what you'll pay for the services.
When you hire a social media agency, you can maximize your social accounts and marketing budget to expand your loyal customer base. Social media professionals can create engaging content and build a decent follower base organically or through paid advertising. In addition, a good social media agency can accelerate your digital marketing to drive leads and conversions. You can also save time and effort in creating effective social media strategies by hiring professionals.
However, not all social media agencies are the same. So, choose a data-driven social media agency with a good reputation and one that can provide you with foolproof credentials and a portfolio. Review the agency's customer success stories and client feedback on review sites and social media. Moreover, partner with a social media agency that employs experienced marketers and content creators.
Creating a social media strategy for your business helps solve three main problems that social media marketers face. These are reaching the audience, measuring ROI, and achieving business goals. Unfortunately, it might be overwhelming to learn various rules of engagement and manage multiple networks simultaneously. To ease this pressure, focus on key social channels and develop a guiding recipe card. You should also be flexible and adjust your tactics over time to suit the ever-changing customer behavior.
Looking for help? Tired and believing there has got to be a better way?
Let's talk about your business. With over a decade of experience leading companies and transforming lives, and a Master's degree in Org. Development and Leadership, Mike can help you find the best way forward!
Subscribe to receive my latest business tips and tactics in your inbox.
