You can't start creating content for your social pages without putting together a clear strategy and a plan to follow. It's really important we take some time to do our research and be clear about what it is we're trying to achieve.
Let's go through my simple steps to help you think more strategically:
STEP 1: WHY
This step isn't just about social media marketing, it can apply to everything to do with your business!
We usually know WHAT we do as our business and HOW we do it/how we deliver it but we should remind ourselves at this stage WHY we do what we do as this is the bit that really resonates with people.
People usually buy the WHY not the WHAT - they want to buy from a person not just a brand. And this is why your WHY will underpin your social media strategy and your content planning.
Make sure you create a brand mission or vision statement to get to the heart of what your business stands for and why you do what you do.
STEP 2: WHO
This is the most important step in the process! Everything you do has to be based on the target audience you are trying to attract i.e. the person most likely to buy from you when they get to that stage of their journey with you.
If you haven't already, create user personas for your ideal customers, remembering to include their social media habits.
This shouldn't just be a list of demographics, it should be an in depth look at what makes them tick. Treat each user persona like a real person and ask (and answer!) key questions. Make sure you do your research to make sure what you are saying about your personas feels right. You can carry out customer surveys or simply google research to back up your statements.
And remember not to make sweeping generalisations based on gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Keep to the facts!
STEP 3: WHAT FOR
With social media marketing, it's important that you are goal-driven as this will give you focus about what you're trying to achieve. The WHAT FOR here is about setting a goal for your social media approach that fits in with your wider marketing goals.
For example:
- Raising brand awareness
- Creating an engaged community
- Driving traffic to your website
- Conversions (whatever your definition of a conversion is)
STEP 4: WHERE
Now we need to figure out WHERE we should be, i.e. what channels we should be active on to meet our goal. If you've created your user personas, it will make this step really easy.
Remember, just because a channel exists it doesn't mean we have to be on it. Think about where your audience is mostly likely to hang out and start there. You can always progress to other channels once you're more established if that is the right thing to do for your audience.
Why not contact me today to see how I can help you and your business – I don't just want to make your social media grow, I want it to glow!
For any advice and support with social media marketing for your business, contact Glow Social. today on 07876136311 or emma@glowsocial.co.uk.