How to Build a Solid Strategy for Social Media Marketing

Social media is such a cluttered space that a few sloppy posts here and there won’t cut it, especially if you’re using the said online asset in promoting your brand. While succeeding in social media marketing is not a walk in the park, many of the unsuccessful attempts are due to the fact that they are born out of unstable strategy. Without a solid foundation, everything will come falling down – that's just how the social media cookie crumbles.

While tapping into the professional expertise of a social media marketing agency is the logical thing to do, as a marketing manager or business owner, you should know the basic of a sound social media marketing strategy. Here are a few of these fundamentals:

An Analysis of the Social Media Channels You’re Using and Not Using

Even before you consult with a social media agency, make an inventory of the social media platforms that you currently have a presence in. Think of innovative ways on how to gather data from these networks and from your fans and followers on what current tactics are working and what are not. Through this information, you should be able to set a benchmark for your succeeding social media campaigns.

On the flipside, you should also take a look into the social media spaces that you are not utilizing and why you opted not to do so. Are there new opportunities or changes in your overall marketing strategy that you can now enter these untapped networks? Also, how does your target market uses the said spaces and how can you leverage on that? Together with the expert advice of a social media marketing company, answering these questions will provide the direction for your social media campaigns.

Define Your Marketing Goals and Set Your Metrics

Another component of a basic social media marketing strategy is pinpointing the business objectives that each social media channel is meant to fulfill. Do not expect Facebook will singlehandedly drive your social media marketing campaign to success. Do not expect Twitter, with its limited 160-character capacity, can strengthen your reputation and create thought leadership for your brand.

After identifying your goals, you now have to set realistic metrics for your partner social media agency or for yourself if you’re going the DIY route. Develop clearly defined and measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) and stick to them. Each channel would have its own set of KPIs and you should be able to track and see the big picture of how these metrics relate to each other.

Know Your Market in Each Social Channel and Have a Content Approach for Each

Every social media marketing company knows that each platform has different audiences, or the same audience behaving differently. Common sense dictates that you should have a different tactic in terms of broadcasting content for each channel. There’s really no shortcut and when it comes to social media, content is king. Spend time on developing content and cultivate a nose for the hot topics in these online spaces.