Social media is the direct link between you and your target audience, making it a vital part of every complete content strategy.
Here are the pillars of an effective social media strategy:
1. AUDIENCE DEFINITION.
The most wonderful part about social media is that it gives you direct contact with a target audience of your design. All you have to do is 1) find them and 2) speak their language. By defining your audience to users who are most likely to buy your product or use your service, you’re more likely to know where to find them (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and what they want to hear from you.
2. RESEARCH.
Check your past analytics to see what worked and didn’t, do a little competitor analysis, and ask your audience for feedback via polls or surveys. The more you know about your audience’s preferences, the more you can cater your communications (and ultimately your products!) to what they actually, literally want.
3. ATTAINABLE GOALS.
If you are looking to spread the word that you’re in town, announce events and be part of the community —you’re not looking to grow 10k followers in 30 days. Instead, focus on hitting a 5-7% engagement rate every month, and worry more about the quality of your followers than the quantity of them.
4. TOPIC BUCKETS.
Everyone hates being in a conversation with someone who only talks about themselves, and people feel the same way about the brands they follow. As such, pick 3-4 things that resonate with your audience — not including posting about your product or service — so that you appear more genuine and authentic on social media instead of straight-up sales-y.
Social media is the most critical part of your content strategy if your goal is to stay current, actively engage with new prospects, and target specific segments of the marketplace.