People turn to social media when they want to see promotions for local businesses or keep up with friends. In fact, Pew Research reports that more than 80% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 49 use at least one social media site, as do 73% of those between the ages of 50 and 64. A social media marketing strategy defines how a brand will attract and engage consumers and what results it expects.
Having a social media plan helps you use your time effectively. Identify the channels and customers you want to target and decide which content is most likely to make an impact. Additionally, the strategy outlines key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure performance and allow you to respond to changes in consumers and budgets. Follow the steps below to create a basic social media strategy and see a list of options for automating each aspect of your plan.
1. Align social media goals with overall business goals
Most small businesses want to increase sales, improve the customer experience, and spread the word that they are open for business. Social media goals can accomplish all three and more. Pull out your business plan and review your high-level goals. Think about the role of social media and create a plan of action.
For example, let's say you want to increase your overall sales by 20% this year. A social media strategy may incorporate social selling on Facebook and channel-specific in-person or online purchase promotions. Break this down by determining the number of sales expected by channel, campaign, and time period.
Other revenue-related goals include increasing enrollment in customer loyalty programs and generating leads through forms and downloads. Brand goals aim to build awareness, community, and engagement. A strong brand strategy builds stronger relationships, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty.
[Read more: 3 Emerging Social Media Strategies Businesses Must Know to Grow]
2. Analyze your ideal audience and competition
Social analytics and listening tools provide insights about your competitors and potential customers. It's important for your audience to understand who they are, where they hang out, and what kind of content they engage with. Combine this information with demographics to segment into different groups by channel.
Next, check out your competitors. What content is getting more clicks or stagnant? Do you use videos or images, short or long posts, or paid ads? How do they respond to your comments and reviews? Use this information to create a unique approach that stands out.
3. Identify social media channels and optimal posting times
Social media is time-consuming, especially as your audience grows. Select 1-3 channels to prioritize. Facebook and Instagram remain popular with consumers and brands alike. Both have built-in shopping tools and support videos. However, with Facebook, you can create a community of loyal fans to keep up to date with the latest specials and be the first to know about the latest inventory.
Still, Instagram is performing well for visual brands. Showcase your beauty transformation and Instagram-worthy food presentations with high-quality photos and short behind-the-scenes videos. Depending on your industry and the age of your audience, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn may also be worth your time.
LinkedIn is great for business-to-business (B2B) brands, but to attract younger customers, look to TikTok. Or you can focus on Twitter trending topics or Pinterest's do-it-yourself vibe to attract interested customers.
Regardless of the channel, you need to decide when to post and check frequently to see if your ratings are valid. Brandwatch recommends the following posting times:
- Instagram: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Facebook: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
- LinkedIn: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 5pm to 6pm
- twitter: around noon on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
LinkedIn is great for business-to-business (B2B) brands, but to attract younger customers, look to TikTok. Or you can focus on Twitter trending topics or Pinterest's do-it-yourself vibe to attract interested customers.
4. Establish social media KPIs
Social media KPIs measure your performance and overall strategy effectiveness. There may be metrics for individual channels, campaigns, and plans. Hootsuite suggested tracking metrics from several categories, including reach, engagement, conversion, and customer satisfaction.
Consider monitoring social media KPIs such as:
- Profile impressions and reach.
- followers.
- Click-through rate (CTR).
- Engagement rate.
- Posting frequency.
- The video will play.
- customer's voice.
- click sound.
- Viewer growth rate.
- social share.
Before starting a new strategy, be sure to collect benchmark data. Measure current KPIs and collect industry data. By doing so, you will be able to see where you are and what you should aim for.
5. Create a social media marketing schedule and workflow
Get your social media organized from the beginning. Start with a monthly calendar and list of post formats (informational, promotional, inspirational, insider, etc.). Create templates with photos and quote images. Then complete similar tasks at the same time. For example, curation all your images or all your content at once.
Performing these tasks ahead of time allows you to focus on engaging with your audience online instead of searching for something to post. When you’re ready to outsource your social media, we have systems and workflows in place.
[Read more: 6 Elements of a Great Social Media Post]
6. Evaluate and adjust your social media marketing strategy
There is no set social media marketing strategy. Human behavior and social media platforms are constantly changing. Set aside time each month or quarter to review your numbers, competition, and content. Social media, like search engine optimization (SEO), is a long-term game. You're building relationships and brands, and increasing sales in the process.
Bonus: 5 tools to automate your social media marketing
Posting in real time increases your visibility on social media feeds. But that doesn't always work in favor of your work schedule or personal life. Most social media platforms are affordable and worth the monthly or annual fee. They provide in-depth analysis and automate many aspects of your social media strategy.
Check out these social media management tools:
- buffer: With Buffer, you pay for the channels you use and can connect up to three for free. It offers an AI assistant, link shorteners, and deep analytics.
- Joint schedule: Create a real-time marketing calendar and publish it for free to two social profiles with CoSchedule, or choose an unlimited plan billed annually for $29 per month.
- Hubspot: Individuals and small teams can leverage HubSpot's free and paid marketing hub tools to convert visitors, manage customer relationships, and generate leads.
- Planable: Planable allows you to design up to 50 free social media posts. Next, set up your approval workflow and choose a paid plan with annual billing starting at $11/month.
- Sprout Social: High-end agencies appreciate the keyword and review management tools that Sprout Social provides. Take advantage of our 30-day free trial to see if it's right for your business.
This story was originally written by Sean Peek.
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