Social media is continuously evolving and growing. It seems like every day, we hear about new algorithms, strategies, objectives, best practices, and the list goes on. Without a solid, consistent plan, it is easy to get lost in the fast-moving world of social media. Here are a three practices to keep consistent in your ever-changing social media marketing plan.
Consistently Keep Up Your Social Presence
If you think about how you nurture your body to keep yourself strong with sustenance, think about content being the sustenance to nurture your social media presence. Meaning, you need to be keeping your organic efforts strong, as well as paid, by feeding it content. Consistently follow the 80/20 rule of social media. Use your paid advertising as the 20% (to promote) and your organic posting as the 80% (to inform, educate, and entertain your audience!)
Some good ways to stay consistent with posting quality content are; map out a plan and create a content calendar, set time aside each week to schedule your posts, and have a person on your team dedicated to feeding the social media beast. But remember, always stay consistent with your brand voice too!
Include engagement in this as well. Be sure that you are consistently responding to your audience when they engage with you. If they tweet at you, write a stellar review, or have a complaint, be there to respond promptly! They will love you for it. It humanizes your brand and creates a personality, which is essential on social media.
Consistently Align with Your Objectives
If you examine companies that really rock their social media, you will see that every post, blog, article, or video they make aligns with their objectives, and their brand voice. Some of my favorites are REI, Burton, Whole Foods, and Keep It Wild. They tell their stories in a creative way, with their objective in mind. Whether that is brand awareness, raising awareness for a cause, or solving a problem for their followers (i.e. what to make for dinner, how many miles to hike a day on a through hike, etc.) What we can learn from companies like these, and so many more, is that each and every post should consistently have a purpose that relates back to your brand and objectives. Don’t think too much into it though, and make it fun! As long as it aligns with your business’s personality, it works!
Consistently Listen, and Get to Know Your Target Audience
Consistently listening is an essential part of the planning process. Before becoming part of the conversation, you must listen to what people are saying. Listening can help you determine a number of valuable things to use for your overall strategy. Such as;
- The tone of your audience, or how do your customers naturally interact with each other? What language do they use, and how can you participate in the conversation?
- Where do new opportunities present themselves? How can you address your customers’ wants and needs? People openly ask, “where can I buy” and “can anyone recommend” across social channels all the time! Yet, companies rarely respond.
- What are users saying about your competitors? What are your competitors are saying/doing, and who they are targeting?
- What are consumers saying about the overall industry? Is the conversation about your industry positive or negative, what do people frequently talk about, and what topics interest them the most? This provides great insight on creating valuable content for your audience.
In conclusion, the only true constant in social media is that it’s always changing. So, while staying flexible and ready to change your tactics is essential for survival, being consistent is also essential to stay grounded in your social media strategy. It is a balancing act, and keeping certain practices consistent will keep you from getting lost in the rapidly changing landscape of social media!
About the Author
Janette Conwell is a Social Media Specialist at PCG. She loves being in the industry because it inspires her and plays a role in connecting the world. Her approach to Social Media Marketing is a blend of strategic planning and creative thinking.