8 Simple steps on how to create a social media marketing strategy in 2022

What is a Social Media Strategy

A social media strategy is a detailed outline indicating your social media goals, tactics to use, and how to measure success. 

It summarizes what, when, why, and how to post on social media. A specific and detailed social media plan will give the best results.

How to create a social media marketing strategy

A practical social media strategy will help your brand identify the right customers and help you select which social media channels you will give attention to. If you understand how to make an effective social media strategy, you will be on the right track to achieving your social media marketing goals.

Here are steps to follow to create practical social media marketing strategies.  

1. Define your starting point

First, understand your current position on social media. Analyze your profiles and those of your competitors to understand what is working and what is not working. 

Perform a social media audit to see how you have been performing, how you have been creating content, and the channels you have been using to communicate to assess growth and opportunities. 

2. Set social media goals

Setting goals allows you to understand your intentions on social media. It tells you what you want to achieve with your marketing campaigns. There are various reasons why brands use social media platforms. They include; brand awareness, lead generation, driving traffic and sales, building a loyal following, providing customer service, becoming a thought leader in the industry, and creating demand for the products.

3. Identify your target customer

Understanding your target audience is very vital for an effective social media strategy. The ideal customer will influence the type of content you create. 

Outline and research your target audience according to demographic and psychological data such as age, occupation, income, interests, pains, problems, obstacles, habits, likes, dislikes, objections, and motivations. 

Identify your buyer persona-the ideal customer that will represent the target audience. 

4. Research competition

Researching your competition gives an idea of what is working to integrate those tactics into your own effort. It also allows you to improve your strategy. The competition research should outline the content your competitors publish, engagement rates, keywords, tone, strengths, weaknesses, pricing, location, culture, and branding. 

5. Set marketing objectives

Marketing objectives define how you will start your marketing campaigns to achieve results. 

To set clear objectives, use the SMART approach that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

For example, you can aim to increase your engagement rate on Facebook per post by a certain percentage after six months.

6. Choose social media channels

Choose the platform that will bring returns to your business. First, know which social media channels your target audience frequently uses. Then check the social media channels that suit your brand image. 

After selecting social media channels to use, learn the requirements and features of every social media platform. 

7. Decide the best content to create

Content is the backbone of your social media marketing strategy. Choose the right content to create that resonates well with your target audience. The content should be unique and diversified according to the social media platform requirements. Have various types of content in your strategy like mixing informational, inspirational, news events, promotional, entertaining, and influencers’ post.

8. Implement your strategy

An effective social media marketing strategy will require a team aligned with your marketing plans and business goals. 

The people to work with should understand your social media marketing strategy. Involve all the interested parties like your boss or client in your plans to ensure they approve the work. 

Define your workflow with specific tasks, then choose people who will perform those tasks. 

Businesses that need online visibility need to develop a practical social media strategy. Do you need help creating a social media strategy for your business? Emails us charity@eczar.co.ke or DM +254 786 939099