Whether you’re an expert communicator or feel a bit anxious every time you press the ‘post’ button, it’s no secret that there are specific rules when it comes to social media. If you aren’t utilizing all the great tools and power that social media has to offer, you are missing out on what’s necessary to take your business to the next level. When you leverage social media in your marketing mix, you begin to grow and expand the reach of your business. Here are 5 tips:
Know Your Audience
The best way to amplify awareness of your brand and hit your business goals is to know exactly who you are targeting. Knowing your target audience or developing customer personas is also crucial for social media. Before you jump into social media, make sure you ask yourself, “Is social media the best way to reach my customers?” When it comes to your target market, the messaging and visuals should be tailored to the customer persona you are trying to reach.“The clearer you are about your target demographic, the better you’ll be able to appeal to your customers. The less you know about your target demographic, the less likely you’ll be able to succeed through social media.”
Post on Relevant Social Networks
Whether you use social media or not, everyone knows that each social tool has a different purpose and tone. Not all social channels work for every brand. It’s important to find out which one works best for your company and stick with it. “While there are multiple benefits to each social media tool, investing time and money in ones that won’t give you the kind of ROI you need would be a waste. Figure out which platforms align well with your business, and then put all your energy into getting the most out of them.”
Be Consistent in your Content
Have you ever seen brands get off topic on social media with their content? Have you noticed brands that post here and there but not consistently? When this happens, it often disrupts the way your audience and followers will view your brand. You want to make sure you’re always posting with a consistent brand voice—from your very first post! “You should also be consistent in your messaging, tone, and the aesthetics of your brand across all of your social networks. Consistency in content delivery will help to build your brand identity and increase brand awareness.”
2020: What’s New & Hot in social strategy
There are tons of new trends out for the new year when it comes to a social strategy. “Ephemeral content is something that is available only for a short duration and disappears afterwards. Instagram and Snapchat Stories are perfect examples of this type of content.” This is where we see the majority of social media engagement happening this year. In today’s day and age, most people have a short attention span. Short engaging content is very high in demand right now and it’s sure looking like it will stay that way for some time. Niche social platforms are currently booming as well. Social networks such as TikTok have quickly emerged in competition with the dominant players. These types of platforms are gaining popularity among younger demographics; which could be noteworthy if Gen-Z is your target audience. Video content will continue to dominate in 2020. “According to a Cisco study, by 2022, 82% of all online content will be video content. This clearly shows how important it is to start utilising video content to stay relevant in the social media domain.”
Set SMART Goals to achieve your desired business outcomes
According to Hootsuite, “a social media audit will help you record all your existing social media accounts and programs in one place. You’ll also get a sense of your current level of performance, which you can use as a baseline.” Once you determine your baseline, consider implementing theS.M.A.R.T. goal framework to measure your success. The acronym stands for Specific: Be clear about your goals, Measurable: Make sure you have a way to measure your improvement, Attainable: Your goals should always be within reach, Relevant: Make sure that your goal setting ties back to your larger business objectives, and Timely: Include a timeframe for completion of your goal so you know when to check in on your success.
Having a robust social media strategy is a huge component of the larger marketing strategy in the digital era. It’s important to stay up on what’s trending, but more so to set clear goals for your company to measure if social media is contributing to your brand’s success. Following these 5 tips will get you on the right track for leveraging social media for your 2020 marketing strategy.
Author: Laci Johnson
