Why you should have a social media strategy
Establishing a business social media account is exciting – it is an opportunity to promote your company to the world. Over time though the excitement can fade, and you begin to realize that it is a lot of work to manage the accounts Having a strategy developed in advance – with a clear understanding of the purpose of having a social media presence – can make a big difference in focusing your attention on areas that are important. It can give you justification for why the activity is important and help you remain focused on key objectives.
Key components of your social media strategy
The goals of your social media accounts
One of the most important considerations when developing your social media strategy is what purpose you want to achieve on the platform. This is important because it may influence how you approach social media, along with the resources that you devote to it. Unless you have a clear set of goals, it is difficult to evaluate the success of the activity, and over time it may become harder to justify your presence. Having goals established upfront can help you stay focused on activities that will have a meaningful business impact.
What types of posts will you make
Part of your social media strategy should be determining which types of posts will help you achieve your goals. Think about the varieties of different post types that you can post, specifically thinking about how the different types will help with different goals.
How will you monitor your performance
Monitoring the performance of your social media accounts is important. This can help you stay focused on achieving your goals, and work out what does and doesn’t work. Beyond the high-level goals of your social media strategy, you should have more specific measures that you actively monitor.
Other decisions to make when developing your social strategy
Which platforms should you post on
A key decision when considering your social media approach is where to post. Once you have an understanding of your goals and target audience you can begin to consider whether being on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Tiktok, Instagram, or other social media platforms is the best way of achieving your goals.
How often will you post material
Another consideration is how often you will post material. Try to strike a balance between posting too frequently – that can annoy your followers – and too infrequently.
Wil you schedule posts in advance
Another decision to consider as part of your overall social media strategy is whether to schedule posts in advance. Scheduling allows you to create and stack up multiple posts ready to be published.
Which replies will you respond to
A final component of your social media strategy should be an awareness of the types of replies you will respond to. Replies to your social media content will likely include genuine customers praising your products, people asking questions, and spam or trolls who may criticize your offerings. Giving some upfront consideration to the material that you will and won’t engage with can help prepare you for dealing with such replies.
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