Frustrated by your lack of results on Social Media?

Do you find yourself going through the motions of posting on Social Media on behalf of your company and hating every second of it because you feel like you’re wasting your time? Are you frustrated with the lack of results your efforts are producing? Well, you’re not alone.

Nowadays, everyone and anyone is on social; my grandma posts ridiculous (and sometimes hilarious!) cat memes on Pinterest and my 2 year-old nephew has more friends than I do on his Facebook account.

So of course, anyone with a Twitter account is automatically trained and certified to use it as a marketing platform, right?

Well, not quite. Though Social Media battles sliced bread as the most significant invention to affect this generation, it is still a relatively new phenomenon. But as with any legitimate marketing channel, there is always an underlying strategy that should structure all of your efforts.

As a good starting point, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is my goal? What am I trying to accomplish?

A marketing plan without a goal is like trekking the Alaskan wilderness without a compass. Not a great idea. Your goal is your true north, and it will help you decide what things need to be done and what things can be cut out. Goals can vary from increasing revenue and sales to branding your company. Just ask yourself what you would like to accomplish from your social media efforts and if it justifies all the time, effort, and money you’re investing.

2. What social platforms support my goal?

Today, there are as many social platforms as there are selfies on Instagram. So which ones should you invest your time in? It really depends on your type of business and goals. Facebook and Twitter have the widest reach, LinkedIn focuses on professional networking, and Pinterest caters more to females. Although it’s easy to pick social platforms based on popularity, keep in mind that it’s more about your target audience and type of impact you make on a specific platform and not just about the potential reach.

3. What is my strategy for reaching my goal?

Once you determine which social platforms you want to focus on, you need to determine your strategy. Simply setting a posting schedule and posting consistently is not enough. What types of topics and images will you be posting? What kind of persona or voice will you use to represent your company? Will you encourage engagement and interaction from your customers? Decide exactly what it is you’re trying to accomplish and write it down for future reference.

4. What are some metrics that will help me determine if I’m on the right track?

How will you measure results? Will you track likes, fans and followers? Or will you focus on views, shares and comments? Whatever metrics you’re looking at, make sure that they help you make important decisions in some way as you work towards your goal. Otherwise, it’s just a vanity metric that might make you feel good at the end of the day, but doesn’t really mean anything.

These are just a few key questions you should be asking yourself before you begin any social marketing campaign. Although it looks easy to execute a successful social campaign, the reality is that it’s a lot more strategic and intentional than it seems.

If you have any questions or need help with your social campaign, please contact us at 1.855.815.8772. We’d love to help!