How To Develop a Simple Social Media Plan for Your Business

Almost every business must have some social media presence in order to stay relevant in today’s market. Small business owners can quickly be overwhelmed by the number of platforms and best practices for each one. When this happens, they wind up spending far too much time trying to navigate social media and burning out before they gain much traction.

If you have already run scared from social media, all is not lost. The best part about social media is that its memory is short. You can get started with a strategy that is not at all overwhelming, and no one will ever know that you were gone. Follow these simple steps to design the best social media strategy for your business.

Identify Your Audience and Where They Hang Out

Your business does not need to be on every social media platform. You only need to be where your ideal clients spend time. Once you do the ground work to build your marketing persona, you’ll have a good idea of which platforms will give you the best reach. If the platform that fits your ideal client is one that you don’t know very well, it may help to take a course or hire someone to manage your account.

Next, drill down on your ideal client’s demographics, purchasing habits, and other preferences. These factors will help you determine what kind of content is likely to catch their attention. Also, set your own goals for the results you want. Are you using social media to grow brand awareness, generate leads, move people to your website, or make a direct purchase?

Some questions to answer in this phase include:

• Who do I want to notice my content?
• What action do I want them to take when they do?

Learn What Already Works and Make It Your Own

Most likely, your competitors are already producing content on the same platforms you will launch your social media strategy. Analyze their approach and take note of how often they post, their calls to action, the tone or language they use, what kind of interaction they get, and what multiple competitors have in common. Also, look for popular hashtags, memes, media, and trending words or topics. Consider doing the same research on complementary businesses that have a similar target audience.

Once you identify what other businesses are doing, sift through the options to pick and choose what appeals to you. Your content strategy must be your own, but your market research will give you a great starting point. Keep in mind that you may need to stretch out of your comfort zone a bit. Don’t rule out practices that seem intimidating or awkward. Instead, think about why they are effective for other businesses and challenge yourself to move past the discomfort to give it a try in your own style.

Some questions to answer in this phase include:

• What is already being done in my industry?
• How can I incorporate these concepts to fit my style?

Build a Schedule and Calendar that You Can Keep

The most authentic social media strategy in the world won’t support your business if you can’t maintain it consistently. A content calendar is an organizational tool that will help you post consistently. When you post on a regular basis, potential clients will see more of you and become more inclined to take the next step.

Templated calendars usually allow you to see a whole month at once and may include holidays and popular “day of” or “month of” awareness campaigns that provide easy content. Once you plan your content for one month, that process should be easy to repeat. Ideally, you’ll produce a full month of content at a time. You can still create spontaneous content anytime you want, but the planned work will keep your account on track even when you’re working on something else.

A social media scheduling tool allows you to publish your content as far ahead as you’d like. But it’s important not to set it and forget it. Social media algorithms want to see you engaging in natural activity on your account. Spend time on the platforms interacting with other accounts on a regular schedule. And always interact with anyone who engages with your posted content!

While developing social media content is work, it does not need to be overwhelming. The time you invest to produce high-quality content on the platforms your ideal clients visit will produce an amazing return on investment if you stick to your plan. If you need help doing market research, planning a strategy, or even executing your plan, contact us for a consultation. Mottofy Marketing works alongside you to implement your business’s best social media plan.