If you’re thinking about jumping into the pool of Social Media, we can tell you there’s a sizable amount of thought needed to tackle these platforms. But with over 3 billion combined users on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, they are platforms that could have a cosmic impact on your Small Business, so they’re well worth putting in the effort.
This guide’s purpose is to offer a quick and straightforward process for creating a Social Media strategy that will knock the socks off your audience and your competitors.
Just uploading posts sporadically and calling it a day isn’t going to cut it if you’re serious about engaging Customers, so we’re here to help make sure you’re not diving head first into the shallow end!
Ask The Right Questions
You know that famous quote, right? A plan a day keeps the doctor away. OK, maybe that’s not exactly how it went, but we’re going to pretend it’s legitimate, because a plan is precisely what you’re going to require to nail your Social Media strategy.
And your plan is going to begin by asking the who, what, where, how and why.
Why do you want your brand to be on Social Media? Are you promoting products or a service? Reaching a larger audience? Be clear on your objectives and what you’re hoping to get out of the Social Media experience.
Which platforms are you sharing to? Perhaps you know your audience is prevalent on Facebook, or maybe you’ve decided you want your reach to extend across all Social Media! Depending on your content and audience, you’ll have to make decisions on where your content is favourably received. Your brand doesn’t have to be on every single platform, think about the area where your business stands out, such as photography or videography, and match it to a platform that suits it.
What kind of content are you sharing? Again, this links back to your X factor. Understanding your skills is vital to determining what kind of content you should post, as well as what type of theme they should fall under in order to best connect with your audience (which is what we’re getting into next).
Know Your Audience And Competitors
It’s all well and good to create your Social Media accounts and decide what you’re posting, but all of that will be pointless if you’re not clear on the audience you’re targeting.
A useful way to gain a deeper understanding of your audience is by creating a Client Avatar. This includes information on their demographics, and is crucial if you want to engage with and get cheeky likes and comments from your Customers.
Creating a Client Avatar can elevate your Customer insights by gathering data about their Social Media habits, and the same goes for your competitors! Don’t be afraid to do a bit of snooping. Research what they’re posting about, what is working for them and what isn’t. See how Customers react to their posts and find any weaknesses you can zero in on as your next opportunity.
Find Inspiration
Posting and creating content on Social Media is a sort of science based art form. While your consumers don’t expect you to paint the Mona Lisa for content, they do want to consume original and interesting content.
Find stories and posts by other brands that inspire you and that you enjoy. Use this as motivation but continue to stay true to your brand. Researching Social Media success stories and award-winning accounts and campaigns is another method of finding the inspiration for your next big winner. Not only do you get all the benefits of having a great Social Media campaign, but winning awards means even more publicity!
If you create a calendar utilising a posting schedule and adjust your strategy where needed, you’re on the yellow brick road all the way to Oz! Continue to use this guide to strengthen and implement strategies so you can claim your place on the throne of Social Media where you belong.