How to Create a Social Media Strategy

With over 5 billion users and numerous platforms, the social media landscape has evolved dramatically since its early years. While cat memes and inbox chain letters may have faded, the need for a robust social media strategy has only intensified. With ever-changing trends, algorithms, and user behaviors, navigating this virtual terrain requires a solid social media strategy plan. Without it, you’re essentially wandering in the dark—unseen by your audience.

What is a Social Media Strategy Plan?

A social media strategy plan is a detailed blueprint that outlines your social media goals, the tactics you will use to achieve them, and the metrics you will track to measure success. It encompasses everything- from understanding your audience to content creation and performance monitoring.

To learn more about how to create a social media strategy plan and leverage digital marketing effectively, consider consulting with a Digital Marketing Agency like TechArk. With expert guidance, you can ensure your social media efforts align with your business goals and drive significant results.

A well-crafted social media strategy sets clear goals, defines tactics to achieve them, and identifies the metrics to measure progress.

Here are the 10 steps TechArk uses to create a successful social media strategy:

Step #1: Ask The Right Questions

Creating a social media strategy can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Begin by asking critical questions to determine your path forward.

• Define Your Business Goals: What do you aim to achieve with your social media presence? Increased sales? Higher website traffic? Knowing your objectives helps you measure your success.
• Understand Your Audience: Who are your target customers? Build out their personas, including their likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc. This will help you craft content that truly speaks to them.
• Analyze Your Competition: How are they engaging with customers? Are customers engaging back? What platforms are they using? What type of content do they create?
• Assess Your Resources: Consider how much time and effort you can reasonably invest in your social media efforts. Start with what is realistic for your current situation and scale as you grow.

Step #2: Connect with the Right Tools

Skill-building is essential, but leveraging the right tools can significantly boost your efficiency and content quality.

• Content Creation Tools: Utilize tools like Canva, Grammarly, and Adobe for professional designs and writing guidelines. Newer tools like Crello and InVideo also offer fantastic features for visual content.
• Scheduling Tools: Platforms like Buffer, Later, and Sprout Social help streamline your posting process by scheduling content across multiple platforms.
• Training Resources: Leverage platforms like Facebook Blueprint and Hubspot Academy for social media training to maximize your platform potential.

Step #3: Establish Content Pillars

Think of your business as a neighborhood, and content pillars as the houses that make it up. For example, if you’re a furniture store, your content pillars might include “Outdoor furniture,” “Indoor furniture,” and “Sales.”

Using content pillars ensures that the social posts you create are relevant to your brand. While not all posts need to tie back to a content pillar, maintaining an 80/20 rule—80% business-related posts and 20% personal or non-business posts—helps maintain consistency.

Step #4: Craft Stellar Content

You don’t just want quality content — you want to stand out from the competition! At TechArk, we start with a “content discovery session” to understand the heart of your brand. We ask questions like, “What problem were you trying to solve when you created your brand?” or “What differentiates your company from the competition?”

Here are some content non-negotiables:

• Consistent use of brand style
• High-res images or videos
• Descriptive and specific language
• Proofread for grammar and spelling
• Vary post types (videos, images, infographics, etc.)

Often, the difference between “good” and “great” rests in the smaller details, so don’t neglect them!

Step #5: Publish in the Right Places

Not all social media platforms are made the same. Something successful on Instagram can do poorly on Twitter, and vice versa. Make sure you are targeting the right platform to reach your target audience. Just because a social platform exists doesn’t mean you need to use it—focus your efforts on the media your audience uses.

We’ll use ourselves as an example: Our clients are businesses seeking website or software development or looking for digital marketing services. The key decision-makers are typically older professionals, so it doesn’t make the most sense for us to utilize Snapchat or TikTok. Of course, this could change over time, but as of now, our audiences are most active on platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook, so that’s where our efforts are most targeted and effective.

Step #6: Monitor Performance

The adage is true—you don’t get what you expect, you get what you inspect! Monitoring post-performance helps you understand what works and what doesn’t. Track key metrics like engagement, shares, and comments.

Differentiate between:

• Vanity Metrics: Impressions, likes, and traffic gauge brand awareness but don’t consistently impact ROI.
• Actionable Metrics: Metrics that directly tie to your business goals, such as conversions from social media posts or purchases made through your social media shop.

Building and maintaining a strong social media strategy is an ongoing effort. If you don’t have the time or knowledge to tackle your social media marketing needs, TechArk can help! We offer several digital marketing services, including social media marketing, to help businesses build effective strategies that deliver results. Contact our experts today to learn more!

Step #7: Repurpose Your Content

Repurposing content allows you to extend the life of your original pieces and reach a broader audience without constantly creating new material from scratch. According to HubSpot, 40% of marketers plan to invest more in content repurposing in 2024. Here’s how you can effectively repurpose content:

• Cross-Platform Sharing: Modify your content to fit different platforms. For instance, turn a blog post into an infographic for Pinterest, a series of tweets, or a video for TikTok.
• Update Old Content: Refresh older content with new information, images, or insights to keep it relevant and improve its SEO performance.
• Content Diversification: Convert webinars into blog posts, podcasts, or eBooks. This not only maximizes the reach but also caters to different audience preferences.

Step #8: Develop a Customer Service Plan

Incorporate a robust customer service strategy within your social media efforts. Social media platforms are increasingly used for customer service inquiries and support. According to research, 1 in 5 social media users contact a brand through social DMs for customer service each quarter. Here’s how to manage this effectively:

• Dedicated Support Channels: Consider creating separate social media accounts specifically for customer service to streamline responses and manage inquiries efficiently.
• Automated Tools: Use chatbots to handle common queries and provide instant responses. Ensure there are clear instructions on how to escalate issues to human representatives when necessary.
• Response Time: Clearly state your support hours and average response time in your social media bios to manage customer expectations.
• Engagement: Actively engage with customers by responding to their comments and messages promptly, which can significantly improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Step #9: Build Online Communities

Fostering online communities can significantly enhance customer engagement and loyalty. Platforms like Facebook Groups, YouTube Community tabs, and TikTok’s subscriber-only features provide opportunities to create dedicated spaces for your audience. Here’s how you can build and nurture these communities:

• Exclusive Content: Offer exclusive content or early access to products and services to community members.
• Active Participation: Regularly engage with your community by initiating discussions, polls, and live Q&A sessions.
• User-Generated Content: Encourage community members to share their experiences and content related to your brand, fostering a sense of belonging and advocacy.

Step #10: Utilize Social Media for E-Commerce

Leverage social media platforms to drive e-commerce sales directly. According to recent studies, nearly 47% of US consumers have made purchases through social media . Here’s how to integrate social commerce into your strategy:

• Shoppable Posts: Use features like Instagram Shop, Facebook Marketplace, and Pinterest Product Pins to make your products directly purchasable from your social media posts.
• Customer Reviews and Influencer Partnerships: Build trust by sharing customer reviews and collaborating with trusted influencers who can endorse your products.
• Interactive Features: Utilize features like Instagram Stories, TikTok challenges, and YouTube live streams to showcase products in an engaging and interactive manner.

Social Media Marketing Services from TechArk

Creating and maintaining a strong social media strategy can be rewarding, but it requires ongoing efforts to be effective. If you don’t have the time or knowledge to tackle your social media marketing needs, we can help!

TechArk provides social media marketing services in Hampton Roads and beyond. We’ve helped businesses build strategies that work and get results. If you’re interested in how we can maximize your business potential, contact us today to learn more!