You’re creating a social media strategy. What should you prioritize to get the best results?

If you don’t have a clear end goal, nothing else you do matters. Without knowing where you want to go, you can’t measure your progress or impact. You might as well be throwing wet spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks.

I disagree that this should be first. This is crucial, yet it can be challenging, especially for businesses with limited social media expertise. In my experience, many small businesses primarily aim for increased sales or foot traffic. Concepts like generating leads, driving conversions, or boosting brand awareness can be overwhelming for newcomers to social media. Before setting objectives, it's essential to analyze existing social media data. Consider factors such as which platforms are driving sales, current engagement rates, and competitor strategies. By evaluating this data, businesses can gain valuable insights into what's working and what isn't, enabling them to set clear and achievable objectives for their social media strategy.

Define what success looks like for your social media efforts. Whether it's increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, or boosting sales, having clear, measurable objectives will help guide your strategy and allow you to assess your performance.

If you don't have clear objectives, it's almost impossible to define where you should focus on. Know what you want to achieve and build your strategy accordingly. For example, let's say you want brand awareness because you are fairly new to the market, but you only focus on pure sales - this won't work, because you would try to sell something to an audience that might not know you. Build the community first, focus on brand awareness. Once this is established, your community will be much more likely to buy your products.

Defining objectives, goals, and KPIs is a great place to start when developing a social media strategy. Once you have identified your goals, you can begin to plan and brainstorm different ways to convey this messaging on social media. But remember: social media is all about quality over quantity! If you don't think the content you have is valuable, how can you expect your audience to?

A good strategy is rooted in data about your audience. So, dive deep into platform analytics, sales tools, and any other resource you've got up your sleeve to really know who your audience is. That way, you can make those meaningful connections that matter. I find it most helpful to create persona "content buckets," then run every piece of content you create by the test "Does this content fit a need (engage, entertain, educate) of one of my personas?" if the answer is yes — post it! If not, you need to go back and revise.

Before you go into social media, it's important to know who you're talking to. Who are your best customers? What do they want and need? How do they use social media, and what kind of posts do they like? Understanding these things helps you create posts that speak directly to them.

While many small businesses already have a good understanding of their audience and ideal customers, leveraging data insights from social platforms and Google Analytics can refine their buyer personas further. Additionally using primary data about their audience is vital and can be done by conducting interviews with existing customers or sending out short surveys. This can provide valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. Understanding their target audience in depth can help determine the most effective platforms to reach and engage with them.

Central to your strategy are your followers. Sounds obvious? When was the last time you spoke to your followers? As in actually speaking to them. We at Piggyback like to start every strategy sprint with building an Ideal Follower Persona (IFP) and defining the brand’s Unique Follower Proposition (UFP). This involves a deep dive into what truly sets your brand apart. How will your content live in the content environment of your followers. We do that by active listening. Through interviews, questionnaires, and genuine interactions, we'll sculpt content pillars that reflect the genuine interests and needs of your followers, ensuring the followers can really connect with the brand’s stories.

Take the time to research and understand your target audience's demographics, interests, preferences, and pain points. This insight will guide your content creation efforts and ensure that your messaging resonates with the right people at the right time.

You do not need to be on all platforms. Align your platforms with the type of content you create and the audience it is intended for.

With a multitude of social media platforms available, it's essential to select the ones that align with your objectives and where your audience is most active. Whether it's Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or emerging platforms like TikTok, each channel offers unique opportunities to connect with your audience in diverse ways.

Don't stretch yourself by trying to be on all platforms. ⁤Prioritize audience research to understand demographics, interests, and behaviors. ⁤⁤Then, focus on platforms where your target audience is most active. ⁤⁤Tailor content to align with platform-specific features and trends.

Notion is a great platform to build a content calendar- it can be integrated with Trello for assigning tasks through a Kanban Board. It is important to include the following in a content calendar: → Content Type → Content Pillar → Content Goal → CTA This supports A/B testing and diversification in content.

Don't underestimate the power of a content calendar. It's your key to consistent, audience-focused content that gets results. Why it works: 1. Regular Engagement: A calendar ensures a steady stream of content, keeping your audience hooked. 2. Strategic Planning: Plan diverse content types aligned with your goals and brand voice. 3. Collaboration Made Easy: Manage teams, assign tasks, and keep everyone on the same page. Content Calendar = Social Media Success. Prioritise a content calendar. It's your secret weapon for creating a winning social media strategy.

Before establishing a content calendar, it's essential to align your content and messaging with your defined objectives for social media and overall marketing campaigns. Recognize that not all content types are equally effective, and different content strategies serve different social media objectives. Analyzing data from existing content and industry trends can inspire content ideas tailored to your goals. Additionally, creating content may not always be the optimal strategy; leveraging influencers and their audiences through influencer marketing could be a more effective approach.

Develop a content calendar outlining your posting schedule, content themes, and key messaging pillars. This proactive approach will help you stay organized, maintain a consistent brand voice, and ensure that your content aligns with your overall strategy.

I've found Hubspot's social media content calendar template to be highly effective. Utilizing a content calendar enables you to strategize your monthly and yearly content, ensuring seamless organization and synchronization across your team or department regarding upcoming posts and campaigns.

🔑 Prioritizing community management and active engagement in your social media strategy is crucial. 👉 Without dedicating a significant portion of time and energy to these efforts, building a thriving, active, and invested audience is nearly impossible. Engagement goes beyond just broadcasting messages; it's about creating a dynamic conversation with your followers. 🗨️ This involves responding to comments, participating in discussions, incorporating user-generated content, and more. 💖 By doing so, you foster a sense of community and loyalty, which are indispensable for maintaining an engaged and enthusiastic audience over time. ☝️ Remember, the heart of social media lies in its power to connect and cultivate relationships.

Social media is not a one-way street; it's a dynamic conversation between brands and their audiences. Take the time to actively engage with your followers by responding to comments, messages, and mentions promptly. Foster authentic interactions, cultivate a sense of community, and show your audience that their voices matter.

Community building is integral to social media. Making engagement with your followers and even those you don't follow a priority is crucial for maintaining connections and expanding your brand. The most successful brands I've observed on platforms like LinkedIn and others consistently share content that encourages dialogue among their followers.

After finalizing your strategy and commencing publication, experiment with various content types and formats to determine what resonates best with your audience. Continuously prioritize posting similar content types based on your priorities. However, don't cease analyzing and optimizing, as the interests of your followers may evolve with time. Regularly scrutinize monthly data and optimize as necessary. BE VIGILANT OF CHANGING ALGORITHMS!

Monitoring and analyzing your social media performance metrics is essential for refining your strategy and maximizing your results. Track key metrics such as reach, engagement, click-through rates, and conversion rates to gain insights into what's working and what's not. Use this data to optimize your content, refine your targeting, and adapt your strategy accordingly.

Beyond the fundamentals, there are several additional factors to consider when crafting your social media strategy. Keep an eye on emerging trends, industry developments, and changes in algorithms that may impact your approach. Stay agile, experiment with new ideas, and be willing to adapt to the evolving landscape of social media.

The above mentioned points set a solid foundation. And the main element you need to prioritise when building a social media strategy is most definitely your ideal client persona. And no, not a normal one. Go very very deep into the psychographics of your persona. If you have to take interviews and market research, do it. Because that will help you create content that actually resonates with them and allows them to become a part of your community.