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Social Strategy

3:07 with Dan Gorgone

Before you jump into any social network, it's important to have a strategy. Figuring out what you want to accomplish on each one is important because not all networks are created equal. An effective social strategy requires consistency across platforms and dedication to your goals.

Things to Consider

  • What specific business-related goals are you trying to accomplish through your social media efforts? How are you trying to reach these goals?
  • If your company is present on more than one social network, do you have the same name and branding on each one?
  • Do you post the exact same content across multiple networks? If so, is there a way you can alter your content to better fit each one?
  • Do you have a content calendar for posting to each social networks? If not, how do you decide when and what to post?
  • How do you know if people came to your site through social networks? Do you have stats that show this data?
  • 0:00

    Now that you know some of the big social networks out there, how do you get started.

  • 0:04

    An important part of an effective online presence is consistency especially in branding.

  • 0:11

    So even if you don't plan on using them right away, it's advisable to create accounts

  • 0:16

    on the major social networks to keep others from grabbing your preferred user handle

  • 0:20

    especially if it's a competitive one with commonly used words.

  • 0:24

    In the long run, this will help your messaging and help users find you more easily.

  • 0:29

    Beyond your brand name and image, ensure the voice of your content is consistent as well.

  • 0:35

    How you design your website and content can inform your initial ideas

  • 0:40

    about the content you'll share across social networks.

  • 0:44

    Very often, you want to share links to newly published content

  • 0:47

    including blog posts, product announcements, and more.

  • 0:50

    Therefore, it's wise to create a content calendar guiding you as to when and where

  • 0:57

    you should publish, ensuring you've cover everything you need to when you need to.

  • 1:01

    Now, let's consider our shirts from Mike's store.

  • 1:05

    If we were opening a store to the public for the first time,

  • 1:08

    we'd certainly want to get the word out across social media.

  • 1:11

    We'd publish information on our website or blog first,

  • 1:15

    then we'd link to this content on social networks to bring interested people back to the site.

  • 1:20

    We could start a fan page on Facebook, encourage people on Twitter

  • 1:24

    to sign up for notifications, or even share pictures of the shirts on Pinterest.

  • 1:29

    Keep in mind that publishing the exact same content on every network

  • 1:34

    won't have as strong and effect as tailoring your message for each one.

  • 1:38

    Publishing duplicate content will signal users that they don't need to follow you

  • 1:43

    across multiple networks, so don't make that mistake--mix it up.

  • 1:48

    If you've already written a bunch of content,

  • 1:50

    take some behind the scenes pictures or videos of your product,

  • 1:53

    your team, location, whatever else might be interesting,

  • 1:57

    and post it on a network like Instagram or YouTube.

  • 2:00

    Be imaginative and put yourself in the shoes of your fans and customers.

  • 2:05

    What would they like to see here and read about

  • 2:08

    when it comes to your company and products?

  • 2:11

    But don't feel like you have to jump into every platform all at once,

  • 2:15

    trying to figure out where all these pieces fit in to your strategy can be overwhelming.

  • 2:20

    So map it out.

  • 2:22

    Consider a phased approach where you start by establishing your presence

  • 2:26

    on two or three platforms, build up your following, then promote new initiatives on other networks.

  • 2:32

    However, what you must keep in mind at all times is what you hope to

  • 2:37

    accomplish from these efforts whether it's sales, exposure, followers, or some other metric.

  • 2:43

    Your goals must be reflected in your strategy as you roll out content or a campaign,

  • 2:49

    you must monitor the results to figure out what works best and what doesn't.

  • 2:54

    Keep in mind that certain goals like sales or newsletter signups

  • 2:58

    may not be possible on Facebook or Twitter pages,

  • 3:01

    so always drive them back to your site and make the reward worth their while.

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