The social media landscape is constantly changing. With all the snapping, chatting, tweeting and posting going on, it’s understandable to feel overwhelmed by it all.
Establishing a sound social media strategy, regardless of the size of your business, is actually as easy as 1-2-3. With this primer, and a bit of due diligence, you can navigate the social media realm like a real pro.
1. Make a Commitment
This is the biggest thing that keeps businesses from creating and maintaining a healthy social media presence. Building a solid presence is a slow process, so making the commitment to post and engage regularly will work wonders as your audience begins to expand.
Being diligent about when you post and how often you post each week depends on you and your company, so be mindful of this when budgeting resources and personnel to handle these tasks.
2. Choose the Right Medium
There are some businesses that consider themselves early adopters, jumping on the next best social media platform as it hits the market. Others are very finicky about which ones to use (or whether to use any at all). You need to find a happy medium between the two: be enthusiastic about the latest and greatest, while being prudent enough to know what will work and what won’t.
For instance, signing up for Vine or Snapchat, when you know your company can’t properly leverage it without someone who’s video savvy, will work against you in the end.
3. Focus the Content
Once you’ve established your target audience, you need to make sure any content you create and push (e.g. contests, promotions, guides, etc.) are carefully curated to fit said demographic. For example, if you run a Facebook page for a tire service shop, refrain from posting content about your favourite restaurant or book. This does those seeking professional and relevant advice a disservice, which then reflects poorly on your business.
Staying clued in as to what your audience wants to see out of your social media efforts can be done by paying attention to which posts and content pieces attract the most engagement. Take those posts and expound upon them in the future to maximize traction.
Settling on the perfect social media strategy that hits all the necessary points takes a little foresight and some well-placed research, along with an openness to try new things at a moment’s notice. Find the right balance of these traits and you’ll be well on your way to social media success.
