For any company, deciding how to advertise online is a big deal, and part of that is figuring out what to say on social media.
So, should a company even bother with social media? The answer is yes, but only if you do it right.
A good plan for what to post on social media helps make people aware of your brand, lets you connect with customers (when you’re selling something or helping them after a purchase), and makes your company more visible online.
These days, social media is often where people first find out about a company.
If you don’t take the time to plan what you’re going to say on social media, you might miss out on chances to connect with people when it matters, like when you’re trying to attract customers through online marketing. Here are some tips for making a simple, polished, and effective plan for what to say on social media.
1 – Definition of Objectives
First, let’s figure out what we want to do before we decide how to do it.
Are we trying to tell people about a cool new product, or do we just want them to know about our brand? Do we want to keep our current customers happy or find new ones to add to our list (that’s called lead generation)?
Setting goals is the first thing we need to do. The choices we make here will help us see how well our plan is working, and it keeps us focused on the main messages. This way, we don’t waste time and energy on things that don’t matter.
2 – Who Are We Talking To
Let’s make sure we really understand who our customers are.
If we want to talk to younger people, do we know what they like and are interested in? And if we want to connect with folks over 65, do we know which ways they prefer to get information?
This is the second important step: getting to know the people we’re talking to (or want to talk to), our audience.
How do we do it? There are lots of tools we can use, like surveys, looking at market info, and checking the data the company already has. The goal is to build a clear picture of who we’re talking to.
3 – Which Social Channels to Choose
“But do we really have to use TikTok? Isn’t that just for dance videos?”
Deciding which social media platforms to use depends on the people we want to talk to or reach.
No social network is ever really “dead” (except maybe Facebook, right?), and none are too crazy for advertising (hello, TikTok!).
If you’ve followed the first two pieces of advice we gave you, the choice of which social media to focus on should make sense. Don’t let so-called social media experts influence you without understanding your company and message. Some might say things like, “Don’t bother with LinkedIn or Facebook, they’re done. Trust me, Instagram is your best bet now, even if it’s mostly ads. Go for TikTok, and you’ll grow like crazy right away.”
The truth is, there aren’t social networks that “don’t work” anymore; there are just messages that aren’t timed or targeted correctly.
4 – Create an Editorial Calendar in Advance
Once you’ve set your goals, identified your audience, and chosen your social media channels, it’s time to make a plan.
Even though unexpected things can pop up, and other tasks might come in, it’s best to create a plan ahead of time. Knowing what and when to post helps you handle your message and deal with any last-minute issues.
For the plan itself, break it down for each social media platform. Find a way to talk that fits each platform and adjust it based on what’s happening that day. Most importantly, try to balance talking about your stuff (like products and services) with things that your audience will find useful (like solving problems or explaining things related to your company).
Create a plan with different sections that look different and sound different. This adds variety to your plan. Mix things up with videos, pictures, drawings, and detailed images for deeper info. Oh, and have you thought about starting a company blog? It could be a good way to save time on your social media plan too.
5 – Analyze the Results
The social media plan doesn’t finish when we hit the post button. It’s ongoing until we start planning for the next month (or quarter, depending on what we decide).
Looking back at what we put on different social media is important. Did we achieve what we wanted? If we aimed for clicks, likes, and comments, why did we mostly share videos (which usually get more views)?
Picking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and checking our results, especially based on our choices, helps us figure out what worked and what didn’t. This also helps us plan better for the future.
Don’t wait. Start now to regularly and carefully figure out what social media plan works best for your company. And if you’re still unsure, we’re here. Just reach out!
