Killer Tips for a Powerful Social Media Strategy

Social media, love it or hate it, can be the difference between life and death for a business, public figure, or even a work relationship. After all, you need to keep your customers updated on what’s going on so they know when to show up, what they can expect to spend, and what to look forward to when they arrive. And office mates can stay in touch with one another, making sure to coordinate events and meetings properly to ensure great results as the weeks and months go on.

Therefore, it’s important to make sure you’ve got something of a grasp on your social media strategy. Let’s review some ideas so you can make your profiles conducive to profit, productivity and people.

 

• Examine Your Current Strategy

 

The best way to make sure you’re killin’ the social media game is to examine whatever it is you’re currently doing. So, go though the content you’ve put up over the year and see what made your audience interested and what bored them to death.

You will most likely collect a ton of data, so make sure you have some measures of assessment for it. Categorize your content and then measure how each one performed. For example, did infographic content beat video content?

You can use various platforms to help you tag and organize your content and measure its results. Sprout Social, for example, helps with this immensely. You can even export data from social media platforms and use said info in your measurements.

Your primary goals of your Content Strategy examination are:

• Increase quality and production of the content that is engaging your readers and making impression
• Refine the stuff that is not reaching your audience

What you find may surprise you!

2. Make an Investment in Social Media Content Creation

Now that you know about your social media content strategy, you are going to see some ways you can improve on whatever content you have used in your posts on social media and even in your ads. It is a good idea to spend a little time and money in content creation for the most effective social media marketing.

You can do all kinds of things: Video shoots, colorful and informative graphics, photo shoots, and more. The idea is to take lessons that you learned from your examination of your past year in social media and use them to make more of what your followers want to see.

We know not everybody has a Bill Gates budget. So, if repurposing content is something that you need to do, don’t worry about it. Many people are not going to call you out on repurposed content. If you do have the budget to create some fresh material for your social media front, go for it-videos, especially, are a huge win.

Be sure that you do research on your industry to make sure you’re staying current with the latest trends in video creation. And make sure to hire a videographer who knows his or her stuff-gone are the days when a cell-phone video would generate good results. You can even put a call out for people in your office who own great video equipment to come forth for a great resume builder and a chance to break up the routine workday.

3. Behold, the Power of Influencers

Ten years ago, if somebody told you that a social media influencer could mean success or failure for an industry, you might have got some laughs. But, the matter is all too serious. For instance, consider the deaths of beloved celebrities like Prince or Bob Marley. Influencers who acknowledge these and other talented individuals may generate sales and brand loyalty. Today, that is more true than ever. Just as a great celebrity promotes a soft drink or sports equipment, a social media influencer can really ignite a brand.

Influencer marketing will likely change shape over the coming years, but right now it is hot like fire. So long as you clearly define your expectations, thoroughly vet your desired partners, and provide a clear outline on what you will deliver, you should have a successful time working with an influencer.

Literally ANYBODY can build a platform and their personal brand. So, you will find yourself faced with a lot of shady people and unrealistic individuals who claim they are social media marketing gurus that want hefty payments for their services, even with no performance data to boast. Don’t blindly jump into a partnership.

Connect with influencers who are important to your brand or industry. See what kind of content they create. See how much engagement and participation that content actually generates. Do not be afraid to ask for analytics and numbers about this info. Anyone worth their salt in the influencer game will be happy to show what they can do for you.

4. Compare Stats With Your Competition

Much like we examine the stats of athletes when choosing our fantasy football teams, you should absolutely keep an eye on the stats of your competition. Doing this will help you gain insight and ideas about how to approach your own strategy. Ask yourself the following as you examine their output: What are they doing well? Could I use one of their ideas but put our own spin on it, and therefore make it even better? Don’t think of this as lacking creativity or trying to copy what others are doing. Think of this as a means to see what opportunities exist for your brand. You never know what might surface in doing this.

Remember, though-appearances can be deceiving. What looked like a million-dollar idea may not have panned out the way they wanted it to, and vice versa. You never know what budget went behind a particular idea, or what kind of strategy they are running. So, don’t jump into an idea when your information is incomplete. Just examine what they’re doing, see if it’s a good fit for you, and then see what you can do to make it your own. A little competition is the spice of life and healthy.  

5. Be Adaptable and Open To Change

Water takes the shape of whatever vessel it is poured into; it kinda goes with the flow. You too should learn to be adaptable and update your strategy as you need to.

Consider Snapchat. When they introduced their “Stories”, Instagram immediately jumped on the bandwagon as well and implemented a feature just like it in 2016. Facebook, meanwhile, was rolling out the option to livestream. Content produced in real time suddenly became the “thing” and even three years later, it’s going strong.

Many other marketers got right into the fray and started livestreaming their product demos, Q&A sessions, presentations, and other content, which increased awareness and trust among followers and investors.

Even professional organizations like the Radiological Society of America conference were streamed by GE Healthcare via Facebook Live. In doing so, important takeaways and attendance was clearly communicated. This is not to mention that over 20,000 views were had on that video from members in their community, no doubt granting a sense of privilege and reassurance in an otherwise highly regulated and exclusive space.

So what’s the takeaway? It’s simple: Give yourself some leeway and embrace the tech that is coming down the pike. When it comes time to re-evaluate yourself and see how you’ve been doing in your social media performance and habits, base your tweaks and revisions on the following areas:

• Social media trends-keep abreast of platform updates, emerging platforms, changes in algorithms, and any other capabilities.
• Niche Trends-Your demographics may change, and therefore so will the angle you use when it comes to social media. Younger audiences will appreciate the use of new tech, whereas older audiences may be okay with older practices.
• Your Unique Strategy-Be sure you keep an eye on your tone, voice, and topic selection as well as your publishing times, visual style, and such so that you are always publishing content that suits your followers in the best way possible.

Whatever you do now, don’t get too attached to it. It will likely change the following year. Embrace it-after all, that’s the name of the game and the key to staying on top!

6. Post Often And Always

Here’s a classic but a relevant one-you just have to be consistent and routine with your posting depending on the platform. Some platforms like Instagram don’t move as fast as Twitter, so you may not have to publish so often. But, make sure you’ve got a schedule and you stick to it.

Ask yourself:

• How often will I post on each channel?
• What content will I put on each one?
• How can I schedule these posts so that I am working with an influencer?

Don’t get lost and forgotten because you aren’t publishing enough! You have a lot of competition.

In Closing

Sure, some strategies have been done to death. But you can definitely keep things fresh and interesting, so long as you’re open to change, enjoy new ideas, and are not afraid to put your own creative spin on an idea from a competitor. Be open and adaptable and you will find your social media image succeeds with flying colors.