10 Steps to Build Your Social Media Strategy

Most marketers would tell you that social media marketing is crucial for your business. Not only are there millions of active users on the platforms, it’s the quickest way to get your startup discovered. In reality, social media marketing is no different from any other marketing channel. And just like any other marketing channel, you goal is to get in front of your target audience.

Why Social Media?

Social media channels have tripled their user base in the last decade, from 970 million in 2010 to the number passing 3.81 billion users in 2020 according to statistics. That means the average person has more than 8 social media accounts each.

Not only are these social media channels used for entertainment, 40% of all internet users report using social media for work.

A social media strategy can help organizations improve brand awareness, generate leads, provide a channel for engaging with your audience, improve SEO and web traffic and more.

There are currently over 130 social media channels – each with their own unique value and audience. The big 5 for any company to consider are:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• YouTube

Getting Started

One mistake made by many beginners is to start too big. You don’t need to be on every social media platform. It’s a good idea to pick one or two and do those well before deciding to expand.

There are ten steps that should be followed by any organization getting started with social media.

Step 1:  Define Goals.

You should take some time to establish your mission as well as set objectives and goals. Set measurable weekly and monthly goals like acquiring 20 new followers each week or expanding your reach 5%. Choose metrics which help you meet your goals and objectives as well as grow your audience.

Step 2: Choose Social Media Channels.

The next step is determining which channels are best for your company. Explore your industry as well as your target audience. Which channels are being used? Business professionals are more inclined to use LinkedIn than Facebook or Instagram. Also check out your competition to see what they are up to. Which channels are they using, how often do they post, what do they post, and how many followers do they have and are they engaged? All of these can help you determine the best channel for your company.

Step 3: Set Up Your Profiles

Once you’ve determined which channels to use, research what is needed to set up your profile on each. Most will require you to set up a company profile and description as well as cover photo and icons. Imagery on each platform has its own size and resolution requirements. Use the same handle for each platform to make it easier for your audience to find and follow you.

Step 4: Create a Content Strategy

Social media content can consist of blogs, videos, infographics, podcasts, webinars and more. It may also be helpful to share photos of your office culture to give your followers more insight into what your company is about.

While it may be tempting to promote and sell your products or services in the content produced, it is more important to focus on the value your products provide to your audience. Address the pain points and problems they are experiencing and use your content to address and solve these issues. Picking your subject matter is as crucial as your posting schedule. Don’t forget to include graphics and images with your posts to make them more engaging. Also include pertinent hashtags.

Step 5: Establish a Social Media Calendar

Content calendars serve as the framework for what your organization plans to share out. A well thought out and organized calendar can help define content themes and a posting cadence to match each channel’s audience and objective. This calendar can also help you allocate your assets effectively – both human and digital. A calendar also allows you to plan ahead for important events and holidays.

Step 6: Schedule Your Posts

You may think that posting daily or hourly is the ticket to get noticed – but it’s far more important to make sure you are consistent. Posting every week at the same time helps your audience anticipate and engage on a regular basis.

Automation tools like Buffer, HootSuite, and HubSpot may also be worth exploring. They can help you stay organized and save time.

Step 7: Promote Your Channels

Tell your audience where they can find you. Your website, email signature, email marketing, and social advertisements can help direct them to your social media channels.

Step 8: Engage Your Audience

Social media is about conversations. Engaging with your audience can help you build a community of fans for your brand and can help build relationships with them. You can also engage your audience by asking them to take an action like answering a poll, to upload their own images, or to register for an event.

Step 9: Measure Your Progress

Once you have your social media program underway, it’s time to determine what’s working and what is not. Measure followers and likes, reach and clicks. Compare your publishing schedule to your analytics to identify patterns for future reference.

Step 10: Optimize Your Program

What did you learn from your metrics? What content is getting the most engagement and click- throughs? Is one type of content outperforming others? Is one platform more successful than another? Use this information to tweak your content and timing to engage more readers.

Think you are ready to out into the wild to strike up some awesome relationships? There is no shortcut when it comes to human interactions, invest a bit of time each week and you’ll enjoy the outcome.

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