Quick Tips to Starting Your Social Media Strategy
by - Bryan Shaw:
You’re starting a business, needing to raise money for a fundraiser or increase sales, social media helps make that pretty easy. The key is to know the best approach to reach the most people on a shoestring budget. This is just an outline of the basic fundamentals.
Understand your platform.
All social media platforms have their niche market. Facebook connects you with friends and family. Twitter keeps your content in 140 characters or less. LinkedIn is for professional networking. Some people simply link all of their social media accounts together and post the same thing to all of them, which is the smartest idea or best use of the platforms. Tailor your posts to each network.
For example, on LinkedIn, you might post a study that addresses your audience’s pain points. On Facebook, you might post a funny meme that people in your target demographic will relate to.
Choose the correct platform.
There are a lot of social networks out there. Developing a meaningful presence on any of them takes time and effort. The more social networks you’re part of, the thinner you spread your resources, but it doesn’t mean you need to be on all of them.
Focus instead on which platforms fit best with your brand and your audience. Since different social networks have different styles and focuses, they attract different types of people. Pick two or three and focus on those platforms.
Spend wisely.
A social media account is free, but that doesn’t mean your social strategy won’t cost you both money and other resources. The question is, where and how do you spend with regards to your social media strategy, in order to maximize the return on your investment?
You can pay to advertise on these platforms but that doesn’t mean that is the best approach. I’ve discussed the importance of a Social Media Manager in previous posts, that might be the best way to utilize your budget. Instead of focusing on numbers, a manager can help you develop a complete social media marketing strategy that will help you turn those numbers into sales or building your audience.
Build a community.
Social media gives you the opportunity to deliver your message to your audience immediately, and to interact with them and get their feedback. With a little effort, you can form real connections that will impact how people see your brand. Take the time to listen to your audience’s opinions, answer their questions and address their issues, they’ll begin to see you not as a corporate façade, but as a trusted friend.
Always evaluate your strategy.
Social media is constantly changing and evolving. You must change and grow with it or you will be left behind. Examine your strategy. Make sure you know what is working and not working.
Your social media pages are the face you present to the world. So those pages can bring you more than just potential customers or sales. It will help build your brand.
In this day and age, being active on social media is more than just a helpful marketing tactic. It’s essential to the success of your company.
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