Growing your business on social media can feel like a daunting task for self-starters. While you may want to jump right in and start posting, it’s essential to create a solid social media marketing strategy before you begin.

Not only does this streamline the process and reduce your stress, but it also increases your chances of success.

If you aren’t quite sure how to create a marketing strategy for your Facebook, Instagram, or other social media channels, there’s no need to worry. Below, we’ll offer a sample social media marketing strategy and explain how to create an effective digital marketing scheme.

How to Create an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy Plan

Before diving into our sample social media strategy, let’s first examine how to create a successful plan of action. Here are a few things that are part of every effective social strategy:

●     Your purpose for posting— Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your site, or perhaps generate new leads? Understanding the goal of your social media presence will make it easier when determining what content to post.

●     A clearly-defined target audience— There are billions of social media users worldwide, so you’ll need to define the target audience you aim to reach through ads, hashtags, and the Explore page.

●     Benchmarks for success— Success looks different depending on your end game, so reexamine your goals to determine what metrics you should be paying attention to. You can set your strategy up for success by setting realistic, achievable goals.

Get Started With Our Sample 5-Step Social Media Marketing Strategy

Step 1: Define Your Ideal Follower

A clearly-defined target audience is central to the success of your social media strategy. Building a marketing persona can help you better understand who your audience will be and what type of content they are looking for.

To create your social media marketing persona, start by answering the following questions:

●     Who is your target audience? Consider age, gender, location, career, etc.

●     What content are they looking for that you could provide? Is your target user looking for entertainment, information about new products, or educational content?

●     What platforms do they use? While they may seem similar at first, each social media platform appeals to its own unique audience.

●     When are they online? Knowing when your customer is online help you understand when the best time is to post.

●     What type of content do they prefer? Are your target users watching videos, looking at images, or reading lengthy posts?

Step 2: Choose Your Channel

Next, you’ll need to determine what social media platforms you will be using. Do a bit of research to decide what apps your target audience likes to hang out on. Here are a few platforms to consider:

●     Facebook

●     Instagram

●     Twitter

●     LinkedIn

●     TikTok

●     YouTube

While niche social media sites can help you reach hyper-specific audiences, it’s wise to create a presence on mainstream platforms with widespread popularity and credibility. If your brand has never used social media before, it’s best to start with just one or two until you get the hang of things.

Step 3: Craft Your Content

Finalizing your content can feel intimidating at first, but with a clear marketing plan in place, it’s a far easier task. To create a social media presence that is consistent with your brand image, consider the following:

• The tone and voice of your posts— Is your brand’s personality humorous or serious? Are you going to post educational content or funny memes?
• Format of your posts— Will you be posting photos, videos, text posts, infographics, etc.
• Appearance— Use your brand colours to create a cohesive look on your feed.

As you determine the type of content you will post, keep revisiting the ideal follower you created earlier. Brainstorm the type of content they are looking for and why they are seeking it.

Step 4: Create a Strict Schedule

For businesses, social media is about consistency. Once you’ve established your online presence, followers expect to see the same high-quality content on a consistent basis. Try to post at least once per day on each platform.

Social media management tools can be particularly helpful when executing your social media strategy. Most apps allow you to schedule posts in advance, automatically publish them, and track key metrics.

Step 5: Execute Your Strategy

A foolproof social media strategy takes time to develop. Once you’ve set your initial plan in place, it’s time to take set your plan in motion. Don’t get caught up in daily tasks like scheduling posts, answering DMs, and replying to comments.

Instead, shift your focus towards higher-level thinking that can help you achieve your goals. After a few weeks, take a step back and look at the bigger picture. Reevaluate your business’ social media goals and KPIs to see where your strategy needs to be adjusted.

Does your business need help developing its social media strategy? Contact Asset Digital Communications to book your free digital marketing consultation today!