In a recent blog, we explored the basics of social media marketing and how any business can utilize it to grow their audience and fans, and transform interest into actual sales. But social media marketing is very broad and can include dozens of channels. So, it can be daunting to ensure that your social media marketing strategy will work.
Is your message well defined, and is it getting across?
Is your content valuable and eye-catching?
And are you reaching your target audience and inspiring them to engage?
With these questions in mind, let’s explore how you can take your social media marketing strategy to the next level.
Steps for an Effective Social Media Marketing Strategy
1. Define your goals
It’s essential to define what you want your social media marketing strategy to accomplish.
Do you want to drive traffic and sales to your website?
Do you want heightened brand recognition?
Or do you simply want to grow your audience, or explore new target audiences?
By defining a list of actionable goals, (while being as specific as possible), you will have laid the groundwork to determine the appropriate next steps.
2. Define your audience
Who is your target demographic, and who is the likeliest user of your products and services?
This is another essential question for a social media marketing strategy, simply because it will help define where you need to focus your efforts and attention.
Different social media channels attract different demographics, (as we’ll explore in detail below). Hence, knowing your audience is an essential first step to crafting any social media marketing campaign.
3. Compare your social media platforms with your target audience
Not all social media channels are created equal, and different social media platforms naturally attract different types of users.
Consider the following analytics on some of the top social media channels:
- Facebook has an estimated 1.5 billion users daily, across all age ranges and socio-economic backgrounds.
- YouTube is the most popular platform for video consumptions, but Facebook is a close second.
- Instagram has roughly a billion monthly average users, and 72% of American teenagers use Instagram and / or have an Instagram account.
- LinkedIn has more than 260 million average monthly users, which are primarily young and middle-aged adults, usually in a professional capacity.
- Around 37% of consumers utilize social media channels for purchase decisions, with Facebook leading the way for transitioning ads or social media posts to actual sales.
4. Plan your posts in advance
A way to save time and effort is to make a schedule and plan your social media posts in advance.
This way, your marketing team can spend some time creating the best content possible, and can simply post at the appropriate timeframe. You also have extra time to edit, revise, and ensure that your message is being conveyed well.
5. Consider your timing
Just like a pop-up event or other in-person marketing strategy, timing can be everything. You want to reach as many active users as possible in a current moment, before your posts get buried in the feed.
Studies have suggested that posting in the early morning or evening hours is most effective for Facebook. Meanwhile other platforms – like Pinterest – attract the most users during the day on weekdays.
6. Always add links
When it comes to social media, you don’t just want to grab attention – you want your audience to take some sort of action.
Whether it’s signing up for e-newsletters, checking out your website, or actually purchasing products or services, you need your audience to engage, and that starts with adding links.
Use your social media platforms to be a “gateway” for your brand and your company, and always link back to your website, app, or other online platforms whenever possible.
7. Be unique, engaging, and constantly evoking emotion
You only have a second or two to grab attention, and it’s easy to get lost in a crowd of similar looking photos, videos, and other social media posts and content.
So, its about differentiating your message and images. But it’s also about showing empathy and community, as well as provoking interest with education.
8. Look back and analyze
Once your social media channels are up and running, it’s time to review your past posts to determine what worked, and what didn’t.
Most all social media platforms, (like Facebook), provide detailed analytics on users, number of reaches, number of click-throughs to your website, and other essential metrics. And this data is invaluable for businesses to determine content strategies based on clicks and sharing rates.
Planning your next mobile marketing event or product sampling for smaller venues in your local community? Make sure you use social media to spread the word, it’s your most valuable and least expensive resource!
We Can Help
At MOGXP, we have years of experience in navigating the social media and marketing realm. We know how to help you create “the” experience to get your brand attention both on and offline.
Want to learn more about how we help brands and agencies find the right marketing solutions? Contact our expert team at MOGXP here. We’ll work together to identify the best opportunities to make your experiential marketing campaign a success.