Marketing on social networks involves executing a series of actions through social networks to generate business opportunities.
The results of marketing on social networks translate into positive aspects for the brand, which can include: audience increases, converting interested people into potential customers, building consumer loyalty, and having an effective communication channel to connect with the audience, among others.
So what is the #1 way a company can be successful with social media marketing? The first thing is to have a plan. Without a plan, the actions would be disorganized, and without logic. It is about thinking about the objective, the actions, how to reach that goal, and choosing the strategy, among other aspects that we will see below.
Set goals
At this point, we are going to define what we want to achieve with the brand’s presence on social networks. The objectives are what will later help us measure if our digital marketing actions are performing well and if the investment is successful.
Each objective will require a different approach and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success.
It is important that those objectives that you are going to capture to act in networks are aligned with the general objectives of the brand and do not forget to integrate what you are doing offline.
Know your competition
Chances are, your competitors are using social media and that means you have the opportunity to learn from their actions and incorporate these lessons into your marketing plan.
When you research your competition you can obtain information about:
- Identification of competition and characterization.
- Actions they carry out: the good and not so good; that serves as an example to improve, enhance yours or not to do them.
- Data about the public.
- Sector information: hashtags, keywords, trends.
- Business opportunities.
- Success stories that serve as muse.
Furthermore, we can highlight that one form of analysis is to use the SWOT system (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats).
Know your audience
They say that one way to get to know each other is through coffee. So in this part of the plan, we suggest that you have a coffee and start getting to know your audience, the recipient of the messages you are going to produce.
Tailor your content to resonate with them, making your posts more relatable and engaging.
The rule is directly proportional, the more you know them, the better performance your publications will have. In this way, you will produce quality content that excites your audience, attracts them, and converts them into leads. The correct characterization of your audience will also help when defining the strategy.
Choose the Right Platforms
Not all social media platforms are created equal. Select the platforms where your target audience is most active. For instance, B2B businesses might find success on LinkedIn, while visual brands may thrive on Instagram. Don’t spread yourself too thin, focus on the platforms that align with your goals.
Self-analysis
At this point it is about analyzing your networks, the content you are communicating, which network has the best performance, what types of content generate the greatest interaction, what you are not communicating, and what the audience says.
This self-analysis serves to improve, optimize, resolve, and enhance marketing actions, as well as to know if all the social networks that I have in operation are working or if any of them are failing.
A social media account is a communication channel that needs content and behind it is the audience that expects effective and efficient communication. So, if you can’t answer, it’s better not to be there.
Leverage Paid Advertising
Organic reach on social media is limited, and paid advertising can help you reach a larger and more targeted audience. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer robust advertising options, including demographic targeting, retargeting, and budget control.
Create a calendar
It’s time to find the right moment to communicate what we plan. The purpose of the calendar is to distribute the content coherently, harmonious with your objectives, and at the same time organize the publications, and the work.
To put together the calendar we recommend that you use the Excel sheet and if you upload it to the cloud, even better, because it is always accessible and you can share it when you need it.
It must contain: the month, day, and actions, you can also include the copy, the detail of the image, the URL to which you are going to link, on which social network you are going to share, and to what objective it responds.
Measure
Not because it is the last, this point is the least important, but quite the opposite: it is the one we have to focus on. With it, we will be able to know if our actions and marketing strategy have been successful, need adjustments, or if they did not work. We recommend that you carry out periodic checks to evaluate what you are doing and adjust what is necessary while the process lasts.
At this point, it is necessary to measure using values of effectiveness and productivity of the actions, rather than focusing on likes and comments. The main thing is to evaluate performance. The best way to measure post engagement is through the number of times the post is shared or saved.
Stay Updated and Evolve
The social media landscape is constantly evolving. Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and features on each platform. Experiment with new content types and strategies to keep your audience engaged. Adapt to changes in algorithms and user behavior to remain relevant.
Effective social media marketing requires a strategic approach that begins with goal setting and audience understanding. Choose the right platforms, create engaging content, leverage paid advertising, and actively engage with your audience.
Utilize hashtags, analyze your results, and be ready to adapt to changes in the social media landscape. By following these nine tips, you’ll be well on your way to harnessing the power of social networks for your marketing efforts.
The key is to use social networks as tools for the growth of your brand because they offer us an alternative to marketing in an effective, integrative, and successful way.
