Getting Started with a Social Media Plan
It’s 2020 and businesses, large to small, are still overwhelmed by Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. Getting started and knowing what to do and what not to do when using these sites does not always seem cut and dry. But, with a few tips starting to use social media for your business can be easy, even fun, most importantly it can open up the possibility of new opportunities and business growth. Here are seven tips to help you navigate the social media waters in a manageable and effective way when just starting.
Lurk, Listen, & Learn
Watch what successful brands similar to your business are doing. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, get started on a new social media site by signing up and then watching the pros, or at least the people who have been using the site for a while. Each social media site has a very unique set of nuances, it is a smart move to lurk, listen, & learn the ins and outs before deciding how you will leverage the social media site for your business.
Be Business & Brand Goal Oriented on Your Social Media
You will need to align your social media approach to your business goals. What do you want to accomplish with social media? Are you interested in generating leads, finding colleagues to collaborate with, establishing yourself as an expert in your industry? Clarify your goals and objectives by using smart goals, and then plan progress checks once you get started so you can make sure you're on the right track.
Create a Social Media Time Budget
You could easily spend hours each day getting up to speed on the popular social media sites. While that may be a good way to learn the ropes, you probably don't have the time, energy or interest in putting so much of your time into social media. Instead, create a time budget that limits your social media time to a daily or weekly total that you can fit into your schedule fairly easily.
Choose One Social Media Platform to Start With
Most small businesses that are active in social media participate on more than one site, but trying to do too much too fast can not only be overwhelming but it can also prevent you from learning how to effectively use each site. Choose one site to start with and focus your attention there first before moving onto others.
Outline Your Approach
Your social media plan is a tactical component of your marketing strategy. If you are business goal oriented then this platform should serve a specified business goal. If your goal is to show expertise and gain thought space leadership, you should focus on providing an industry-related news feed, case studies you have done that ganer huge insights, market trends and predictions, ect. Combine this with your brand identity (how you speak, the tone, consistent visual identity, and now you are cooking. Outline your intended approach and work it into your goals as you get started.
Complete Your Social Media Profiles ... Consistently
Your social media accounts must have a full and detailed profile. Profile fields can include a bio, websites, blogs, location and a headshot. Fill everything out, no exceptions. This should be the same throughout all your content, it is a part of the foundations of your story, drill is in your audience's head.
Once you complete your profiles, keep it up-to-date! Keeping your data consistent and current across all of your social media sites will aid in recognition, broader reach, and ongoing communication with the same contacts on multiple sites.
Use a Social Media Dashboard
One of the biggest challenges with social media is time management. Social media dashboards, such as Hootsuite, Coschedule, Buffer can help you manage your social media time more effectively. These platforms have the ability to set up alerts and notifications, create groups, skim activity quickly, and schedule updates so you can automate some of the social media processes. While you won't want to over-automate, social media dashboards can make the process of using social media for business smooth and efficient.
Many people are just starting out in using their social media for business. Don’t stress it not rocket science, all it takes is a plan and consistency. Go at your own pace and always think business goals first!