Social Media Strategy: Exploring the Basics

I am just going to write a little around the topic of building a social media strategy before you have access to a Slideshare that gives you a more visual insight into it. With social media it is always worth going over the basics. It is no longer a matter of making a few posts and hoping for the best. A social media strategy has become an essential document or verbal understanding amongst teams of staff. A social media strategy is key for a number of reasons:

• Ensuring every team member is reflecting the culture and ethos of the company accurately and authentically
• Making sure posts are regular and themed around different purposes: entertain, inspire, educate, convince
• Keeping content fresh with the ability to create trends and produce ripples over multiple platforms
• Staying up-to-date with new tools/apps and the changing landscape of social media
• Timing posts to marry up with key events and schedule posts for weekends/busier periods
• Exploring different mediums: video, image, quotes, text blogs, interviews, presentations, ebooks…

There is a lot to think about with social media. It starts with selecting the platforms you are going to target. Facebook and Twitter are still the leaders, followed closely by YouTube, LinkedIn and Google+. However, Pinterest and Instagram are growing quicker than any platform that has come before them and there is also Twitter Vine, Tumblr, Flickr, Slideshare, Snapchat and MySpace to consider. Choosing the right platforms for you comes down to the time you have to dedicate to social media, the industry you are in, and where your target audience is most likely to be.

There is no perfect fit or one platform that suits all but I think the benchmark advice would be to grow Facebook and Twitter before you embrace other platforms. The exception to this rule would be a business that had video capabilities in house in which case You Tube is a must, as well as Instagram and Twitter Vine. If you have a photography business or have a catalogue of original images specific to your industry then Pinterest and Instagram are well worth checking out.
The last platform to discuss is blogging. It is often seen as a stand alone commitment because it does take time to produce quality content but there is no doubt how effective a strong blog on your website can be. The potential to network and build a following with a blog is massive and then all you have to do is direct them to more quality content on your site and you are creating a journey that is really nurturing brand engagement.
If in doubt over the right choices for you and your business take a look at other businesses within your industry, check out competitors, and get a feel for what strong social media campaigns consist of. Check out our other blogs on social media using the categories table to the right of this post.
Ok, so your strategy will come down to how you manage your workforce, who will be assigned what roles and take ownership of which tasks. The more prepared you are the easier the process will become and within no time you will have a strong social media strategy that staff are implementing with enthusiasm. Take a look at our presentation and use it as a backbone to your strategy – good luck!