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12/20/16 post featured image

How To Create a Solid Social Media Strategy

Social media strategy is just that… a strategy.

Just like most things, social media without a solid strategy is likely to fail. If you simply dive into it with wide arms and eyes closed, don’t expect much. Before even venturing into social media it is important to develop a plan. More importantly, a plan that you can hold true to!

But, how do you do that?!

That is exactly why I am here. And why I wrote this post. For people just like you.

Do you want to be successful on social media?! Then it's time to get down and dirty with a solid social media strategy that will boost your online presence.

There are many tips and tricks you can read on the internet about how to create a successful online presence. Or even better, you might read a title that says: How to Gain 1,000+ Followers in a Week. I even wrote about how I gained 1.1k Instagram followers in a month! And I didn’t gain those followers by magic! I worked my butt off to do it.

If you take just 1 thing away from this post today, let it be this. If someone says they can help you gain thousands of followers in a short period of time (like a day)… run. They are most likely lying and taking advantage of the “Wow” factor of their marketing strategy.

In reality, maybe they can get you that many followers. But it won’t be the ones you want. And it won’t last.

So do you actually want to learn how to create a successful social media strategy? If so, go grab a cup of coffee and stay awhile. I’m about to share some of the best tips to help lead you to a long lasting social media success.




5 Tips to Create a Solid Social Media Strategy

1. Pick the right platforms

There is a common misconception that you need an account on every social media channel. It is said that this will expand your visibility and reach. But, if you are on every platform you are more likely to be overwhelmed and overlooked.

Each platform requires a different style of posting. Sometimes even a different style of business.

Facebook is great for videos, where Twitter is best for gifs and 1 liners. Instagram is great for high-quality images. And Pinterest is best for articles, recipes, and DIY projects.

With this begin said, Facebook is more of an accepting platform where almost anyone can create a successful account. Twitter is best for News Channels or fast paced industries that need to create a lot of content in a day. Instagram is great for photographers, restaurants, and just about anyone that has a lot of high-quality images to share.

Lastly, Pinterest is without a doubt best for bloggers. No matter the topic, there is always room for more articles to be shared and circulated through the platform. Pinterest is a place to find information and learn something new. So go ahead, share your knowledge!

Now, I only mentioned 4 popular platforms available today. There are many other options to choose from. But it is my recommendation to start with 1 or 2 of these mentioned above.

2. Establish your brand image

Now that you know what platforms that start with, it is time to establish your brand image. This starts with your audience. This is who you are writing all your posts for. So you need to know who your audience is, what they like, and what they want to hear from you.

Once you know this, then you can decide how your posts are going to sound, look, and feel. It is important for your accounts to have a cohesive feel that accurately portrays you or your company.

Are you going to only post behind-the-scenes images? Are you going to provide informational posts? Or maybe, it will become a community with posts shared from different followers.

All these different styles of posting all depend on your audience and what you establish is your brand image.

So before you share the first Welcome post, make sure you have your brand image in mind.




3. Create a content calendar

I will say this time, and time again. A content calendar is critical to your online success! This is the backbone of your social media strategy. It holds the plan in place and allows for much-needed consistency.

One of the major problems with social media is that accounts quickly become ghost lands. It sounds like a great idea at first. Create a social media account to increase visibility and communications with the audience.

But without a plan to consistently post, you are likely to fall behind. And even forget to post altogether.

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN!

When you are creating a social media strategy, make the content calendar an important element.

My tip is to create monthly content calendars. At the beginning of each month, determine how often you post and what gets posted. Then you have to do list that you can easily follow on a daily basis!

But if you want to make your life even easier… check out tip 4!

4. Schedule posts

Most people don’t realize that you can schedule posts days or weeks in advance.

You don’t have to be on social media all the time, waiting for the right time to post. There are several tools you can use to help manage your content so that you stay true to the content calendar.

My favorite tool to use is Buffer. And the best part is that it is FREE! Yeah, you heard me. This site allows you to link together all of your social media accounts and schedule posts for each of them. It makes managing your social channels easier than ever!

If you are a social media manager, this platform is great as well. You can upgrade to 1 of the 2 paid services and connect as many accounts per platform that you need. But you certainly do not need to be an account manager to use this tool.

So go to the site and sign up! … I’m not kidding. Do it!




5. Engage with followers

Lastly, it is extremely important to engage with your followers. This might not seem like it should be part of the social media strategy… but it is.

You need to plan to respond to comments. If you ignore people, they are likely to get uninterested, or even think you are rude or disrespectful.

Also, take some time like and comment on others’ posts. And even find more people that might be interested in your account. This allows you to expand your reach and visibility to people that might not go searching for you. Helping grow your social media presence, and audience, in the long run.

With all the being said, plan to spend at least a half hour a day on these tasks. It is critical to growing engagement and starting a relationship with your followers. Completing a well-rounded social media strategy.

For more tips and tricks on how to create an honest following, read my post about it here!

Conclusion

I’ll leave you with this. Creating a social media strategy takes time. It is not a once and done task, but instead a process that will develop and change as time goes on.

Remember to take some time at the beginning or end of each month to evaluate your social media efforts. Then adjust the plan accordingly.

There is no one-size-fits-all social media strategy. But follow these 5 tips and you are on your way to creating your own success.

 

Do you want to be successful on social media?! Then it's time to get down and dirty with a solid social media strategy that will boost your online presence.

Have more questions about how to create a social media strategy? Comment below or send me a message at [email protected].


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About the Author

The Content Bug - Cath Headshot 4Why, hello there! I’m Cathrin, the creator of The Content Bug. But since we are already virtual best friends, you can call me Cath. After working in the digital marketing industry, I decided it was time to share my love for online content creation, social media, and SEO with the everyday hustlers of the world… like YOU! You can almost always find me at a local coffee shop writing, reading and working on new things for The Content Bug. But when I have some free time, I love hanging out with my dog, going to a yoga class, and being outside. Stay connected with me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter to see what I’m up to!

 

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