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10 Step Plan to Social Media

When running your business everyone is telling you that you need to be on social media. However, social media can be a lot to take in all at once. This is more so the case when you are a one-person business or just starting out. Here at The Little Marketing Company, we think that there are ten must-haves for social media planning.

This is our 10 step plan to social media;

  1. Define Goals

As with everything in business, you need to set a goal. That way, you know when you have achieved what you want to achieve. By setting out your goals, you will have direction. This will help you think about what content you will share, why and what you want it to achieve.

  1. Your Audience

Take the time to think about your target audience. Think about the social media platforms they will be using, what they want to see, and what makes them tick. By understanding your audience, where they are and what they will engage with, you’ll quickly be able to build an engaged audience for your business, via social media.

  1. Right Platforms

As we touched on in the last point, you need to post on the platforms where your audience will be. Many business owners make the mistake of signing up to all the platforms as they think this boosts their awareness. However, this can be a pointless and time-consuming task. You need to make sure your target audience is active in the platform. You then need to create the right content for that platform and the needs of the audience.

  1. A Content Bank

Now you know where to post and what to post, you can think about creating your own content bank. Look at all your marketing materials, online and offline. Consider how these can be used online via your social media platforms. Start creating and sourcing content that supports your goals and objectives. This will save you so much time and stress in the long run!

  1. Hashtags

By using the right keywords and hashtags, you’ll have a better chance of reaching the right audience. There are lots of tools out there to help you find the right hashtags and keywords for your business and audience.  Don’t make the mistake that many business owners make of putting a hashtag next to every word or using their business name as the hashtag.

  1. Schedule The Content

When you have your bank of content, hashtags and keywords ready, you need to start scheduling it. Look at your objectives and the amount of content in your bank. This will help you decide how often to post and when to post it. While it is great to schedule content, make sure you post some things live to. This helps balance your social media, making sure that you are current and real.

  1. Social Tabs

Social tabs will save you so much time. There are lots of different tools out there, and everyone will have a different favourite. You can add links to your other social media profiles, so your audience who already knows and loves you can go follow you on your other social media channels. You can do the same for your favourites! Try a few different platforms out to see which one works for you and which one you find is the best for your needs and platforms. Ask others for advice and recommendations too.

  1. Track Your Analytics

Warning: This is Addictive! It’s really important to see if what you are doing is working. Remember that it’s not going to happen overnight. By tracking your analytics, over a few months, you can see which posts are interesting. You can also see which days and times get more engagement. By tracking your analytics, you can not only see what works, but you can use this to improve your social media posting going forward too.

  1. Self-Audit

Put dates in the diary when you will self-audit your social media. This is a chance to see if you are meeting your goals and objectives. If you have exceeded targets, then look at setting new goals. Use the self-audit to ensure you are consistent across all channels, and if you need to reconsider some postings or create more of another.

  1. Competition Watch

Keep an eye on the competition. There is so much you can learn by watching your competition. See what your competition do well and look at what doesn’t work for them too. Never copy what your competition is doing, but use this for inspiration instead.

 

Hopefully, you have found our 10 step plan for social media useful. If there is anything you are not sure of or anything we can help with – please just ask. http://littlemc.development-dashboard.co.uk/contact-us/