Social Media Strategy – A Starting Point

We’ve said it before, and we will say it here again, and probably another time later on: social media is ever-changing. It feels like every time we blink, there is another update available for Instagram, or Facebook is loading super slow because they’re getting rid of redundant functions. As much as we would love to tell you that if you follow these 5 steps, you’ll be a social media maven, sorry but that’s not true. What we can tell you though, is that it isn’t as complicated as you are making it out to be, and with just a few ‘check-ups’ each month, you can continue to grow your brands presence.

Having a social media strategy will help you see the results you are desperately trying to accomplish, and there are a lot of great options to help you achieve your goals. Unfortunately, we don’t have a magic spell you can just cast across your social media accounts, and there is work to be done, but isn’t that how the old saying goes? Nothing is accomplished without a little bit of hard work and elbow grease.

The first, and most obvious point, is that you are using social media because that’s where the people are. If your audience is using social media, why aren’t you? Look around next time you’re on the bus, train, or in the mall food court. Sure everyone is going about their day, but every single one of them is doing it with their cell phone or tablet in their hands. We even bet that you yourself check social media for notifications once per hour at the very least.

For the most part, social media is free (for now) so that means your ROI is going to be great. Not to mention, you are potentially exposing your brand to thousands of leads every day. Often we forget how far the reach of social media spans. People from all over the WORLD have access to your content, so why not tap into that potential? Depending on the cost of your product, if you get at least one lead that generates a sale, social media marketing is worth it.

So, to get started, know your customers. Figure out their demographics, and don’t be scared to do a survey to find out where your target market is hanging out online. Next, do some intentional goal setting. Don’t write your content until you have goals, but even before your content, you should do a big brain dump. Write down all your big ideas, and start developing a content calendar. Start small, test things out; if they don’t work give it time, tweak, and repeat. Just know it all won’t happen overnight, these things take time, and NO, buying your followers isn’t a good idea.

If nothing else, just ensure you are present. Post regularly, at hours your audience is online. If you don’t have time to engage, at least answer the first few comments, it will help. Your following won’t grow exponentially, but it will slowly evolve on its own.

All in all, you’ve got this! It’s not rocket science, and you will learn as you and your account grow. If in doubt, head back here and crawl through our other blogs, or attend one of our Carmella Crew Clinics.