How to create a Social Media Strategy? A Step-by-step Guide

Think about the #ShotOniPhone campaign by Apple or #ShareACoke launched by Coca-Cola. While the former highlights breathtaking user pictures and unleashes creativity globally, ShareACoke swaps the classic logo for “Share a Coke with” and a person’s name on the bottle. Where’s the catch? Social media marketing. A social media marketing strategy is everything you plan to do and hope to achieve. It lets you know whether you’re right on track or falling flat. The more pertinent your plan is, the more effective it will be. So, in this article, we’ll walk you through a seven step plan on how to create a social media strategy that lets you stay ahead of your competitors. 

Step 1: Set goals that are specific and attainable 

To understand how to create a social media strategy, you need to realize that without clear objectives, you’ll be flying blind. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. For instance, aim to boost your Instagram following by 50 new followers weekly. With specific and practical goals, you’re not just dreaming; you’re achieving real results. Focus on the figures that count. This includes leads, website referrals, and conversion rates. Use paid campaigns for brand awareness and organic posts for engagement. Align your social media objectives with your broader marketing strategy to prove your worth and secure backing from higher-ups. 

While you’re reading this article jot down at least three social media goals right now, and see for yourself, if those are attainable. Also, if you’re starting from scratch, incorporating corporate video production might be one of the smartest goals to include in your strategy. Video content offers a dynamic and visually compelling way to convey your brand message, capture audience attention, and differentiate yourself from competitors. This significantly boosts engagement and leads you to an unmatched social media marketing success in no time. 

Step 2: Learn about your audience 

The second primal step of how to create a social media strategy is to learn well about your audience – the more, the better. We’re standing today in the age of “Human Brands”. Gone are the days of impersonal corporate entities with one-sided broadcasting. If you want to bring your brand to market sounding like a faceless corporation with no personality, you’ll fish out of water and won’t last long. According to The Sprout Social Index, the main reason cited by 68% of consumers for following a brand on social media is to stay updated on new products or services.

Understanding your audience demographics, preferences, and purchasing behaviors is crucial for converting social media fans into loyal customers. For instance, a retail brand could develop personas based on various factors such as demographics, buying motivations, common objections, and emotional needs. Again, luxury buyers might not respond to straightforward sales ads on Facebook but may engage with exclusive in-store event invitations. So, rely on real-world data rather than assumptions. 

Who does this well? Red Bull. They have cultivated a distinct brand identity associated with energy, adventure, and extreme sports. By aligning its image with the interests and lifestyles of its audience, Red Bull creates a sense of belonging and connection. They sponsor a wide range of events and athletes, particularly in extreme sports and youth culture. These sponsorships allow the brand to engage directly with its audience in environments where they are most passionate and receptive.

Step 3: Conduct thorough research on your competitors 

Chances are, your rivals are already utilizing social media, presenting an opportunity for you to glean insights from their strategies. But how to create a social media strategy out of it? Perform a competitive analysis to identify your competitors and discern their strengths and weaknesses. By doing so, you gain valuable insights into industry norms, aiding in the establishment of your own social media objectives. For instance, if a competitor excels on Facebook but neglects Twitter or Instagram, you may opt to concentrate on platforms where your target audience is underserved, rather than competing head-to-head. 

Additionally, engaging in social listening offers another avenue for monitoring the competition. By tracking your competitors’ social media accounts and relevant industry keywords, you can observe any strategic shifts in their approach. You may uncover noteworthy posts or campaigns—either successful or unsuccessful. Keeping a close watch on this information allows you to assess your own goals and strategies effectively.

Step 4: Conduct a social media audit 

The fourth primal step of how to create a social media strategy is to conduct a social media audit. This allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of your current social media usage. Take a moment to assess your ongoing efforts by considering several key questions: 

• What strategies are yielding positive results? 
• What are the areas for improvement? 
• Who is engaging with your content on social platforms? 
• Which social media channels are preferred by your target audience?
•  How does your social media presence stack up against that of your competitors? 

Your audit should provide clarity regarding the purpose of each social media account. If the purpose isn’t evident, consider whether it warrants retention. It might require strategic redirection or could be outdated and no longer beneficial. Also, as part of the audit, be vigilant for counterfeit accounts using your business name or product names without authorization. These impostor accounts not only pose a threat to your brand but also risk diverting followers who rightfully belong to you. Take action by reporting them and consider verifying your social accounts to reassure your audience of authenticity.

Step 5: Choose the right social network 

When determining which social platforms to utilize, it’s crucial to establish a tailored strategy for each. We suggest: 

• Facebook: For acquiring new customers through targeted advertising. 
• Twitter: For interacting with the industry influencers. 
• LinkedIn: For engaging current employees and attracting fresh talent. 
• YouTube: For providing educational and supportive content to existing customers. 
• Instagram: For fostering brand affinity among existing customers.

Given that 44% of Generation Z consumers utilize social platforms to inform their purchase choices, it’s imperative to ensure your channels are fully optimized for social search. Ensure your profiles are set up or optimized to align with your strategic objectives. This involves completing all profile fields, incorporating relevant keywords for search optimization, and utilizing appropriately sized images for each network.

Step 6: Curate a social media content calendar 

To learn how to create a social media strategy, you will need a well-chalked out content calendar. Your social media content calendar should not only include scheduled content but also allocate time for spontaneous engagement with your audience. Develop a posting schedule that outlines when and what type of content you’ll share across various platforms. If you’re beginning with little to no content and unsure about the types to post, consider the 80-20 rule:

• 80% of your posts should aim to inform, educate, or entertain your audience.
• Reserve 20% for directly promoting your brand.

By spacing out your posts appropriately and publishing them at the right times, your calendar helps maximize their effectiveness, covering both regular posts and those tied to specific campaigns. Once your calendar is established, utilize scheduling tools or bulk scheduling to prepare posts in advance.

Step 7: Test, evaluate, and adjust 

Your social media strategy holds immense significance for your business, but perfection isn’t achieved on the first attempt. As you put your plan into action and monitor outcomes, you may discover that some tactics fall short of expectations, while others exceed them. Hence, the last primal step of how to create a social media strategy is to test and retest continuously. Besides utilizing analytics tools provided by each social platform, employ UTM parameters to trace visitor movement on your website, pinpointing which social posts generate the most traffic. 

Regularly reassess, experiment, and iterate based on incoming data. Continuous testing enables you to discern effective strategies from ineffective ones, facilitating real-time refinement. Treat your strategy as a dynamic document, regularly revisiting and adjusting it to align with evolving goals, tools, and plans. 

Takeaway

If you’re with us this far, rest assured our blog on how to create a social media strategy has ticked all your boxes. And so does Brandshark. Ignite your brand’s journey with us, the ultimate destination for top notch video production services. As a premier video production company, we’re proficient at transforming your ideas into captivating visual stories. Let us be your guide from concept to creation, unlocking the full potential for your brand!