How to Create a Social Media Strategy for Your Business

Social media can be a useful tool in your marketing arsenal, however it’s important to get clear on the who, what, when, where and why before you get started.   

Without a social media strategy many businesses will start out posting with gusto, only to peter out within a few weeks or months when ideas run dry and doubt starts to creep in. Unsure of what they should be posting and when, and spending too much time trying to work it all out while juggling other tasks, it often gets shifted to the ‘too hard basket’.  Maintaining a presence on social media takes both time and energy, so having a clear strategy is the key to success.

Simple steps to create a social media strategy for your business

1.  Work out your why 

Just because everyone else seems to be “active on social” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right decision for you or your business. The first step in creating a social media strategy is to get clear on what you hope to achieve. Having clear goals makes it easier to know where you’re heading and why, and from there, the next steps will help you figure out how. Maybe you want to build brand awareness or advertise your products or services. You might be all about creating a community of likeminded people or attracting new employees. Maybe you have more than one goal, or perhaps you’re already working to a marketing strategy and social media is simply another platform to execute it.

2. Know your audience 

You may already have a loyal and well-established customer base and know your audience well, or you may be growing your business and looking to attract new customers. Establishing who they are, where they hang out online and what type of content they’re likely to engage in, will help determine where to focus your energy.

3. Check out what others are doing

What are your competitors up to on social media? What platforms are they on? What type of content are they posting? What gets the most traction for them? Are there industry bodies or other people in your field you should be following and engaging with? Do you have suppliers or associates you can connect with to leverage your combined reach? Remember, social media isn’t a one-way street – it’s not only what you’re posting, but who your business is interacting with.

4. Set the tone 

You might already have a clear brand strategy and be rock solid on the voice of your business, but even if you don’t, it’s important to consider how you’re going to talk to your community. Is your tone laid back and friendly? Are you playful or cool? Do you use humour and not take yourself too seriously? Or is it important to demonstrate an air of professionalism to build trust with your audience? Make sure your tone is in line with your brand’s values.

5. Where to post

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, X … where to post ties in closely with what to post. Once you’re clear on your goals and know where your audience are likely to hang out, knowing where to focus your energy shouldn’t be too difficult. If your business lends itself to beautiful imagery such as design, architecture, art or product based businesses, then a visual platform such as Instagram could work well. If your goal is to assert yourself as an industry leader or attract B2B opportunities then maybe LinkedIn is the place to be. Where you decide to post will determine what you post. It’s also possible (and advisable) to adapt your content so it can be shared across multiple platforms.

6. What to post

If you’ve established your why and are clear about what you want to achieve, then by the time you get to this step, it should be smooth sailing. If you have a product based business you might choose a mix of lifestyle or in-situ images, customer testimonials or posts which outline features or benefits. If you work in a service based business such as landscaping then before an after photos or short instructional videos could be a good way to show off your work and demonstrate your expertise. Be realistic about what you can create. There's nothing wrong with starting small and building on it.

7. How often to post

How often to post on social media will depend on the type of business you have and what your goals are. For example, if you’re promoting or covering an event, you’ll want to ensure you’re posting multiple times a day or week in the lead up to the event. If you’re a product based business and have a sale on then you’ll want to ensure your posts (and ads) support your targets. Creating a social media schedule for the month ahead will help you plan out exactly what you want to post and when. It’s important to remember that if you’re managing your social media yourself you need to ensure what you plan to do is manageable. Three posts a week is a good start.  

8. Who’s doing what 

It’s important to decide who’s going to be responsible for creating your monthly social plan, creating and scheduling content, setting up ad campaigns, responding to questions or comments from your audience and managing your community. Maybe you’ll manage it all yourself, or outsource the bits that aren’t your bag. Remember, even if you outsource your social media, you’ll still need to invest time and energy into it to ensure its success. You know your business best and are an integral part of the solution.

There is no right or wrong way to “do” social media (although, every now and then we’ve seen a few doozies). Like any strategy, you need to take stock regularly, assess what’s working and be open to tweaking things that aren’t. Your strategy should be organic and evolve – just like the platforms you’re posting on.  

If after reading this, the thought of creating your own social media strategy seems overwhelming, get in touch. We offer a range of services to help you get started, or a full service of doing it all for you.