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The Social Media Marketing Strategy Your Business Needs
June 2, 2020
Marketing
We’re here to tell you what you need to know about social media marketing strategy in 2020 to help ensure your posts receive the attention they deserve.
Do you ever wonder how some businesses end up with thousands of followers, crazy conversion rates, and viral, engaging posts? You’ve tried to mimic their marketing strategies in the past, but for some reason, your social media posts fall on their face – and you have no idea why!
You might wonder if your content just isn’t as good as theirs, whether you’re posting enough, or if spending enough money on promotions. While the answer to your social media marketing woes could be within those questions, it could also simply be because your strategy could just need a few tweaks.
Keep reading for more information!
Planning Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
Before reading further, you’ll need to know that those businesses with thousands of followers and engaging, viral posts didn’t get that way by chance, for free, or without a plan. In order to begin to see success with your social media posts, you’re going to have to invest some thought, effort, and a little money.
The first thing you’ll want to do is to create a social media marketing budget. Even if your budget is relatively meager, it can (and will) grow over time. This budget will keep your spending on track but also ensure that you set aside appropriate funds each month to continue your efforts.
Once your budget is in place, you’re going to want to figure out a few other things:
- Who is your target market?
- What are your company’s marketing goals? (Sales/leads? Brand awareness? Something else?)
- What metrics determine your success? (Likes, engagement, clicks, and calls are all popular possibilities)
The answers to these questions will guide you as you develop the rest of your social media strategy. If you have a hard time answering these questions, you might consider hiring a social media marketing agency to help.
Even if this isn’t an option for your business for the long-term, a quick call for consultation might be just what you need to develop the best social media strategy for your business. Once the strategy is in place and your main questions are answered, you may wish to resume the role or allow for the agency to continue their work.
Frequency and Consistency
If you search for how often to post to social media, you’ll see many different answers ranging from once per day to 2-3 times per week; you’ll also see that it varies based on the number of followers you have, the time of day, and the platform.
The truth is, the answer to this question will vary from business to business. Every business is different, so is every industry, social media page, and platform. The key will be a little bit of trial and error; once you’ve found that certain days/times work well for you, stick to it. Continue posting on that day/time consistently to begin to see your metrics grow.
Once you establish a routine, your followers will know when to look for new content from your business and begin to seek it out. Keeping your posts scheduled consistently also will make it easier for each platform’s algorithm to place your brand in front of people.
Life is busy and may get in the way of your social media schedule. This happens to everyone and is also why social media automation has become so popular. Don’t fall into this trap. Yes, this type of service will post for you at set times, but you may be losing out on engagement or alienating your followers.
Develop a Social Media Personality
Your business’ social media pages should all share a similar tone and personality. This tone might be funny, snarky, sweet, or a mix of these. Whatever you choose, this is the tone that you will want to use across all social media platforms and in all posts.
Be sure to look at what your competition is doing (and what is or isn’t working). This may give you an idea of the type of tone that’ll be most successful with your target market. You don’t necessarily want to replicate them but instead, figure out how to grow your engagement by improving your tone and content.
As your brand develops its personality, you may consider encouraging some user-generated content. This is the content that comes from your followers that you share, giving credit to the original poster while allowing your business to interact directly with those who engage your posts.
You may ask for photos of people using your products, feature quotes, or pose a question in a survey. All of this helps personify your brand which can make your posts feel less spammy and more relatable.
Timeliness is a Factor When it Comes to Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
As mentioned, posting consistently is important. However, responding to messages, comments, or shout-outs in a timely manner is also of the essence. This means that you’ll want to choose a time to post in which you (or a team member) is available to respond and react to engagements.
While some companies may use chat boxes and automatic responses, this tends to feel impersonal and can drive customers away. If you absolutely must use some type of automated response, let people know when to expect an answer or the best times to contact your business.
If people feel ignored, they will find another company to do business with!
Choose Visually Appealing Content
You want your social media posts to convey a message, but that message is going to be seen first, not read. While you may have the ability to craft perfectly worded posts, those aren’t going to be the ones that go viral or impact your metrics the most.
The posts that will make the biggest difference will be the ones that are eye-catching and make consumers curious about what you have to say. These posts will often be in the form of a photo, however, don’t forget the impact that a video or live stream can have!
If you are trying to make an announcement, use a photo to make people stop and read the information or film a short video to give the message yourself.
Don’t Get Discouraged
It is normal to have some posts do far better than others. This can happen for a variety of reasons but typically is a combination of unaddressed issues from the topics above. The truth of the matter is that creating a social media strategy (and seeing success) will take time and effort.
With that said, you can’t get discouraged if several posts in a row fail or don’t receive the engagement that you’d like. Finding the persona that your brand needs, managing your posts, curating content, and growing your business with social media won’t happen overnight. Follow the tips in this article, be patient, and offer creative content to see the best possible results of your social media strategy.
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