Social Strategy

Now that you know some of the big social networks out there, how do you get started. 0:00 An important part of an effective online presence is consistency especially in branding. 0:04 So even if you don't plan on using them right away, it's advisable to create accounts 0:11 on the major social networks to keep others from grabbing your preferred user handle 0:16 especially if it's a competitive one with commonly used words. 0:20 In the long run, this will help your messaging and help users find you more easily. 0:24 Beyond your brand name and image, ensure the voice of your content is consistent as well. 0:29 How you design your website and content can inform your initial ideas 0:35 about the content you'll share across social networks. 0:40 Very often, you want to share links to newly published content 0:44 including blog posts, product announcements, and more. 0:47 Therefore, it's wise to create a content calendar guiding you as to when and where 0:50 you should publish, ensuring you've cover everything you need to when you need to. 0:57 Now, let's consider our shirts from Mike's store. 1:01 If we were opening a store to the public for the first time, 1:05 we'd certainly want to get the word out across social media. 1:08 We'd publish information on our website or blog first, 1:11 then we'd link to this content on social networks to bring interested people back to the site. 1:15 We could start a fan page on Facebook, encourage people on Twitter 1:20 to sign up for notifications, or even share pictures of the shirts on Pinterest. 1:24 Keep in mind that publishing the exact same content on every network 1:29 won't have as strong and effect as tailoring your message for each one. 1:34 Publishing duplicate content will signal users that they don't need to follow you 1:38 across multiple networks, so don't make that mistake--mix it up. 1:43 If you've already written a bunch of content, 1:48 take some behind the scenes pictures or videos of your product, 1:50 your team, location, whatever else might be interesting, 1:53 and post it on a network like Instagram or YouTube. 1:57 Be imaginative and put yourself in the shoes of your fans and customers. 2:00 What would they like to see here and read about 2:05 when it comes to your company and products? 2:08 But don't feel like you have to jump into every platform all at once, 2:11 trying to figure out where all these pieces fit in to your strategy can be overwhelming. 2:15 So map it out. 2:20 Consider a phased approach where you start by establishing your presence 2:22 on two or three platforms, build up your following, then promote new initiatives on other networks. 2:26 However, what you must keep in mind at all times is what you hope to 2:32 accomplish from these efforts whether it's sales, exposure, followers, or some other metric. 2:37 Your goals must be reflected in your strategy as you roll out content or a campaign, 2:43 you must monitor the results to figure out what works best and what doesn't. 2:49 Keep in mind that certain goals like sales or newsletter signups 2:54 may not be possible on Facebook or Twitter pages, 2:58 so always drive them back to your site and make the reward worth their while. 3:01