Social Media Strategies: Look Before You Leap
We all know social media is fast paced. So much so, that it’s easy to be distracted by the instant rush to join a new platform or execute a trendy tactic to spark excitement with followers. While the newness of the latest platform or tactic may be alluring, it can also be toxic to the success (or execution) of a marketing plan.
After all, tactics are only as good as the strategies that guide them. That being said, your social media platforms and tactics must be preceded by a comprehensive social media strategy designed to meet your marketing plan's goals. Integrating social media into your plan can be invaluable, but the key word is integration.
When developing a social media strategy, ask yourself the following questions:
- What are the goals of our social media strategy? Define goals that complement the marketing plan. Without goals, it is impossible to measure the success of the platforms and tactics being executed.
- What social media platforms are right for our company? When selecting platforms for your strategy, you do not have to take an all or nothing approach. From the most popular to up-and-coming social sites, determine what platforms meet the goals of your strategy and, ultimately, the goals of your marketing plan.
- Who is our audience? This is likely parallel with the targeted audience of the marketing plan. But, each social media platform can offer opportunities to reach niche areas of your target market.
- How will we measure the outcome of our social media efforts? In social media, numerical data (likes, follows, impressions, etc.) is not the only metric for determining success.
In the end, developing a great social media strategy is only one step in the marketing process. The rubber meets the road when the plan is put into action.
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