Social Media is indeed a part of most businesses marketing strategy at this point. But, is it enough to just have an account and share a cute meme now and then? Probably not. But, do you need to post elaborate content on every platform? Also probably not. There is strategy and planning that goes into effective social media marketing.
If you are just starting or trying to increase your use of social media for your business marketing you likely have a lot of questions. Should you post every day? Should it all be branded and have a call to action? Well, it actually depends. Social media strategy for business is not a one size fits all.
The following are some things to consider when developing your social media strategy.
Where does your target audience hangout online?
This is an important consideration as you develop your digital marketing strategy using social media. Similarly to if you are going to advertise in a magazine, you select a magazine that you know your target audience reads. So, when determining which social media platforms to use, choose those that you determine through research that your target audience frequents.
What are your goals when it comes to your online presence?
Not all businesses use social media to sell their products or services. It could be that you want to simply share value through social medial content with your current customer base. Some businesses also choose to have just enough presence that people know they are current and active but don’t use many resources to have a large online presence. At the other end of the spectrum are businesses that rely almost exclusively on social media for marketing and sales – and many platforms are conducive to this business model – in which case it is important for you to understand how this works.
What is your budget for social media?
While businesses can join most platforms for free, the time it takes to create consistent content is not free. Furthermore, there are agencies and freelancers who specialize in creating content that you can hire who may be more effective. Do the research and planning to determine what you are able and willing to spend on social media marketing. Advertising via social media is also a great way to gain exposure to a broad audience however, it can be very costly. Plan to pay not only for the advertising (on Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, wherever you choose) but also for someone to create, manage, and optimize your ads.
Analyze some of your competitors.
This doesn’t mean copy the content and strategy of others…but it is important to see what others are doing. What seems to be working? What doesn’t? What trends are catching on and entertaining your target audience? What do you see others doing that you think could be done differently and better? These are all important questions when doing your market research and evaluating your competitors in the market.
Create a plan, be consistent, but don’t be afraid to evolve!
After you’ve made your digital marketing plan and social media strategy – follow your plan and be consistent. Remember that all marketing takes time to see the results. If you’re constantly changing directions, you won’t know what works for your audience and what doesn’t. All that being said, digital marketing and social media trends are always evolving. Be sure you hire an experienced digital marketing agency, like Gray Digital Group, or team member to keep your business up to speed and proactive with your social media strategy!
