Social media is an important tool for businesses across all sectors. Social media is the face of your brand and the one you use to talk directly to your audience. No other digital medium is as customer-centric as social media and maximising your social media outreach with a social media strategy is a must.
But what can you do with social media? Isn’t it just for Instagrammers and pithy tweets? No, social media, when used properly, can; pull qualitative research about customers, connect you with movers and shakers, provide more channels for special offers or important information, and can be the first point of contact for customers reaching out to you. All of this and more are available with free platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
So the potential is there, but managing it is a different beast altogether. This is where social media strategies come in.
What is a social media strategy?
Timing and consistency are integral to good social media. A social media strategy allows you to plan, schedule posts, interact with users as and when they comment, and react to viral moments with your takes.
At its simplest form, a social media strategy allows you to figure out who is in charge of what, what they do, how they do it when they do it, and why they do it. Your social media strategy also needs to have targets in mind. Do you want to direct people to phone for bookings? Would you like to make connections with influencers and offer them free products for advertising? Do you want to provide social media posts that inform and educate users? Depending on your needs your targets will be different so sit down with your team and set out your initial target
What can you use to create a social media strategy?
Your social media team should run some exercises and tests before deciding on a social media campaign or strategy. There are several techniques that marketers will be familiar with including competitor reviews and industry studies. Spending some time seeing how your competitors work their social media will give you an idea of where you can emulate or differ from competitors.
Another clever way to consider your strategy is to think about the tone of voice and style. Social media strategies should clearly define the tone of voice on social media posts while also detailing the typeface, colours, and type of imagery. This adds to consistency and allows you to create a social identity that is instantly recognisable.
These points may seem quite obvious but you’d be surprised at how effective deciding on your tone of voice and style can be. Users have come to expect certain styles from particular industries. For example, a law firm is more likely to find success using a professional tone while a restaurant can be more playful with wordplay, imagery and the like.
Choose the right social media platform
One final aspect to consider for your strategy is which platforms to target. Depending on the type of clients you have or the market you’re in, you may have to consider; Do we need an Instagram account? Maybe LinkedIn isn’t the right space for us? Your budget and time may limit the time you can commit to social media so aim for the platforms that best fit your market and clientele.
At Fifteen, we work with clients to create exciting digital strategies that improve their visibility and conversion rates. If you’re interested in finding out more about social media marketing or want to work with a committed team of digital experts then contact us today.