5 Simple Steps to Building a Social Media Strategy that Works

Social media is a powerful asset that almost every business should pursue. But, without a proper plan, your social media strategy is a ship without a captain. You regularly update your site with new content, casting your nets but never catching any leads. What are you missing?

You need a social media strategy that works.

Social media can be extremely beneficial as long as you have clear goals, eye-catching content and a solid game plan for developing and delivering updates on a regular basis. Here are five tips that will jump-start your social media strategy.

1. Understand your goals

A narrow, focused strategy is more successful than a sprawling one. Remember not too long ago when it became essential to have a website, no matter how big or small your operation was? We can observe the same trend happening today with social media. Businesses scurry to networking sites, treating them as avenues for free advertisement and self-promotion.

The problem, however, is always the same: creating a website or social media account doesn’t mean much if you don’t have a plan. It’s the difference between going with the flow and having a clear destination in mind before you even get started.

Decide what you’re going to do with social media. Do you want more subscribers, online shoppers or web traffic? Do you have an app you want people to download, or are you trying to reach as many people as possible to boost brand awareness? Having one goal at a time helps you create stronger content and makes it much easier to measure the results.

2. Pursue Meaningful and Achievable Objectives

Set objectives that can be completed within a reasonable amount of time. Having a goal is one thing, but reaching it can still seem elusive. If your goal is to increase quarterly sales by 25%, then your messaging should drive customers to visit your store or checkout online. If you’ve set out to boost web traffic, then you might want to prominently display your website across each channel using enticing, shareable content.

Whatever path you choose, set a time limit for completion. An objective to increase quarterly sales could have a 3-month lifespan. This prevents your strategy from growing stagnant and gives you more chances to correct mistakes or capitalise on successes.

3. Listen to your Customers (and Keep an Eye on Competitors)

The inspiration for your next post is closer than you think. Keeping an eye on customer trends and interests can help you gauge the impact of future promotional campaigns. Document what your customers are attracted to, what they’re likely to share, and what platforms they use most frequently.

The same applies to your competition as well. If you’re unsure where your audience is most active, take a look at your competitors. Is their content repetitive or attractive? What makes it that way, and what can you do to alter your own messaging? Learning from your competitors is a priceless opportunity.

4. Craft Exciting Content for Each Platform

Now that you know your goals and objectives, you can begin creating eye-catching content that has a purpose.

It helps to understand the nature of each social media channel before crafting good content. A witty blurb and promotional announcement on Facebook might not garner attention, but it would feel right at home on Twitter. Attracting B2B clients on Instagram can be difficult, especially when compared an audience that’s readily available on a more suitable platform like LinkedIn. Take the time to research each channel properly, and your content will be much better as a result.

5. Support your Omnichannel Plan

Getting the most out of your social media strategy requires constant attention. The value of your social media provides increases according to the level of care it receives.

Cover your social media bases by developing an omnichannel content plan. This not only helps you track content across each channel but organises future posts in one place, giving you a cohesive, at-a-glance strategy that covers email marketing, telemarketing, social media, smartphone apps and more. Having a content plan also ensures you’ll remain active on each platform—essential for maintaining brand awareness.

Coupled with customer data and analytics, you’ll be able to create and deliver genuine, meaningful content that resonates with your audience.

Set Sail for a Better Social Media Strategy

Your social media strategy is only as effective as you want it to be. Make sure you follow these steps to create a strategy that works.

At BabbleHub, we make social media strategies easy. We utilise advanced tools that connect your social networks together, enabling you to post photos and videos across multiple channels simultaneously. Connect with our Social Media Consultancy to learn more about engagement strategies and editorial guidance, or have our creative writing team handcraft brilliant content that works for you.

Join BabbleHub for FREE, or contact one of our social media specialists for more information.