How to create a social media strategy that works

People are talking about your brand online. If you're not owning the conversation, or at least influencing it, someone else is. Take control – create a social media strategy starting with these 3 questions.

With so many social media users these days, it’s critical to have a successful social media strategy to follow if you want to stand out among the crowd. So how do you go about creating a social media strategy? Start by asking these three questions: 

1. What do you hope hope to gain?

Start by articulating why your organization needs to be on social media. Do you want to build awareness? Recruit? Generate leads? Choose 1-3 goals and keep them in mind. They’re the foundation of your strategy.

2. Who are you trying to connect with?

Figure out who your target audience is. Then, do your research. Develop a firm understanding of them and what exactly they look for when they go on social media. Go a step further by creating audience personas to keep on hand as reference for keeping your feed on-message.

3. Where will you engage with your audience?

Establish which social media platforms are the best vehicles to use to reach your audience. Here is an overview of the main social media platforms with tips to decide which are best for you. If your resources are limited, resist the temptation to create a presence on every single platform. Pick 2 or 3 and execute them really well. You can always branch out later. 

Next step: Create your content

Once you have answered these three questions, you can establish what type of content to publish. While the selected platforms will begin to dictate the type of content (for example short, snappy commentary on Twitter), you'll still need to determine what your audience will respond to best – will they respond best to playful memes, inspiring quotes, or serious tips? It’s important to inject personality and energy into your content, but remember, this is about what interests your audience, not just you. Social media is a conversation, not a lecture. 

Don't forget to consider when you post. There are lots of statistics about the best time and day to post in general, but think about your who you are communicating with. Examine your own analytics to find out what’s working best. Most platforms have their own reports for you to study, but you can also go through a third-party app such as Sprout Social or Hootsuite. Another method is to research important events or holidays that your target audience pays attention to. Scheduling posts around occasions like these will surely boost engagement.

Still feeling overwhelmed by the vast sea of social? Get in touch for a custom social media strategy for your organization!