Why You Need a Social Media Strategy (And Where to Start)
In today’s fast-paced, content-saturated digital world, having a clear social media strategy is a necessity. Whether you’re a startup or an established brand, have a solidified plan for engaging with your audience through social media identity is key to your business’ overall success. With endless options available at the touch of a button, it is crucial that you create a loyal community and credible reputation on social media.
The Importance of a social media strategy
The digital landscape is flooded with content, and consumers have become selective about where they spend their attention. This means that businesses must make each piece of content they put out count. In fact, studies show that you have about 3 seconds for a viewer to decide if they are going to engage with your content or move on.
This is where a social media strategy comes in. It helps you to craft clear, concise messaging that immediately answers the "why" for your audience. Although it can be difficult to do this with one social media post, creating content that will pique the viewers interests on each platform will attract them to your page to interact with your other content and ultimately learn more about your brand. The more people interact with your content, the more certain platforms will show them your content.
What exactly is a social media strategy?
A social media strategy is a long-term plan that outlines how your business will present itself on different social media platforms. It defines your target audience, brand values, and long-term business goals ensuring that you are aligning your social media presence to your brand message and tone. Essentially, it’s a roadmap that guides your social media content, ensuring that every post, story, or advertisement serves a clear purpose in moving your business toward its broader goals.
In short, a social media strategy is used to ensure that your social media presence does not consist of random mismatched posts every once in a while.
Where to Start When Creating Your Social Media Strategy
Start with Your Business Values, Goals, and Competition:
Your social media strategy should align with your overarching business goals and values. Take time to reflect on what your business stands for, what you want to achieve, and what makes you stand out from your competitors. Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or building community engagement, knowing your "why" will inform how you craft your social media presence.
Define Your Target Audience:
Understanding who your target audience is essential. Who are you trying to reach with your content? What are their pain points, interests, and needs? What social media platforms does your audience frequent? By segmenting your audience based on demographics, behaviors, and interests, you can create more tailored content that speaks directly to them and identify which platforms will be most crucial for you to build your online community.
Building Your Social Media Strategy
Once you’ve outlined your values, goals, and audience, it’s time to start crafting your content strategy. Here are some examples of what you could include:
Creating New Social Media Accounts: Ensure you’re present on all the platforms where your target audience spends time. If you don’t have an account on a particular platform, now’s the time to create one. Don’t forget to research where your audience hangs out the most, and potentially explore new platforms where you can expand your reach. Once you’ve created the necessary accounts, you can use any previous content that is current with your business’ branding to cross functionally post.
User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your followers to create and share content related to your brand. UGC not only boosts credibility but also fosters a sense of community among your audience.
Behind-the-Scenes Content: Give your followers a peek behind the curtain. Share exclusive insights into your business, the team, and your process. This humanizes your brand and employees and builds deeper connections with your audience.
Paid Media: Consider running paid advertisements to target specific audiences. With the right targeting, paid ads can increase brand visibility and drive conversions.
Tutorial Videos and Educational Content: Offering helpful content not only positions your brand as an expert in your industry, but it also provides value to your audience, encouraging them to return for more.
Engagement Content: Polls, Q&A sessions, and other interactive content can engage your audience and encourage them to interact with your brand on a deeper level. This also helps you learn more about your audience their online and purchasing behaviors.
Content Series: A series of related posts or videos can draw the viewer in, hopefully keeping them invested and wanting to check back. Think of it as a way to create anticipation and consistent engagement.
Engage With Your Followers: Respond to messages and comments, and show genuine interest in your followers. Building relationships through direct engagement helps foster loyalty and a better sense of customer service.
Trend Participation: Jump on trends that align with your brand. Participating in trending challenges or conversations can increase your visibility, authenticity, and relevance.
Cross-Posting: Share your content across different platforms to maximize your reach. Most content can be utilized across multiple platforms. Not only is this a simple way to remain consistent, but it’s also helpful in marketing your other social media platforms & website.
Influencer Marketing: Collaborating with local content creators or influencers can help you reach new audiences and garner a new level of credibility. Choose influencers who align with your brand and values to ensure authenticity.
Giveaways and Contests: A fun way to engage your audience and attract new followers is by hosting giveaways or contests. This encourages people to interact with your brand and share it with others.
Final Thoughts: Social Media is a Long-Term Commitment
Your social media strategy isn’t something you set and forget. It’s a dynamic plan that should evolve as your business grows, trends change, and platforms expand. By staying consistent and refining your strategy as you go, you can build a strong social media presence that engages your audience and brand awareness.
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to social media marketing, and it is important to stay mindful of how your business can fit into the social media landscape. Creating online communities takes time but it is extremely fruitful when you stay consistent and malleable in your strategy.
