4 Tips to Creating a Social Media Strategy
Creating a social media strategy is NOT easy. If you’re racking your brain and overwhelmed trust us, you’re not the only one.
Take a step back and ask yourself, why do I feel like I need a social media presence?
These 4 tips are your base to success.
Establish your goal and WHY you want to be on social.
Most businesses and brands realize they need to be on social media because their consumers are doing research on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. What we see often is because businesses and brands know that their client or potential client will most likely look them up on social media they feel they only need to build out content on their social pages so that when people look them up, there will be content on their social channels for people to land on. However, most businesses don’t take into account that there is an opportunity to build more of their brand’s awareness and get leads and sales via social media.
As a brand or business, asking yourself, what is the real reason I am pursuing a social media strategy? Will help you get to your core beliefs about what role social media plays for you in your overall marketing and sales strategy.
Identify your target audience, what you can offer them, and what value you will be sharing on social.
This one is easier said than done.
If you are an established business most likely you already know who is buying from you. If that is the case, your next step is to figure out where those people hang out in the digital space. “What platform does your audience show up and engage most?“
After you define what platform your audience is likely to show up and engage, the next question is “how do I share my product or service in a way that clearly expresses the solution to the problem I solve?”. Sometimes it can be difficult to identify the way in which you can convey your solution or product to your audience in these various content forms. It takes some creativity and putting yourself in the mindset of your ideal client to create effective content.
Some audiences respond better to video, others, written content such as blogs. However, if you have an audience that responds to written blogs, for example - this doesn’t mean all you do is write blogs to get your content out there. There is still a flow and means to take your audience through an experience as they go from cold, to warm, then to becoming a hot lead. Let’s go back to this example if your ideal client responds to written content and you have an email campaign set up that offers blog snippets and updates - that written blog content can still be broken down and repurposed into video, image or even smaller quotes to be distributed on other platforms that may lead people to your product or service.
3. Establish a REALISTIC content schedule that you or your team can commit to.
It is very important when creating or revamping your marketing strategy to start at a place you can commit to on a consistent basis. The goal is to be consistent. Posting on a consistent basis, sending emails on the same days every month or around the same trigger points has been shown to build trust with consumers. You want to become part of their routine.
Many times businesses will get overwhelmed by all there is do accomplish on social media. It is understandable to get overwhelmed because digital media is vast. However, you won’t be doing yourself, your team, or your customers any favors by getting in over your head and not being able to keep up with the demand you have set. Start with a few posts per week and add on as you build your schedule and content out. Start with what you can commit to.
4. Don’t be afraid to start and don’t wait for the “right time” or for ultimate perfection.
Although it is important to have certain things in place before putting yourself out on social, for example, you want your pricing structure to be solid before you start talking about an offer or product. The last thing you want to do is confuse your consumer by making a lot of changes to major factors of your business. If you have your major components nailed down there is no reason not to start creating content and building your community. If you are waiting for the perfect time you will miss out on opportunities to share your solution with people who are looking for it!
