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Social Media: You need a plan
Social Media is everywhere and according to a recent report by Forrester Research more than four in five US online adults use social media at least once a month, and half participate in social networks like Facebook.
Additional reports from the Marketing Executives Networking Group, MENG, indicates that 80% of businesses will be using social media by 2010 but most still consider themselves beginners and in the experimental phase.
If you are new to social media, this is good news. You are not alone.
And for those of you who already use social media and have seen positive results you know that navigating the landscape requires a solid foundation.
Quite simply if you are new to social media or a seasoned expert “You need a plan.”
< Check out this slideshow by brandinfiltration.com
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As social media continues to grow in popularity and evolve a plan will be essential. The following provides the basics you will need when creating your plan:
- Determine Goals – First you must determine your goals and objectives. What are you trying to accomplish? Whether you are looking to build brand equity or to sell more widgets it will be critical to define this from the beginning.
- Measure – How do you measure success? Establish metrics that tie back to your objectives. Traditional metrics such as increased traffic counts are a good start and important due to the potential benefits of this increased traffic. Does increased traffic lead to higher sales? Other metrics used include number of interactions or comments; others sharing your content across the social landscape; acquisition of fans, friends and followers; and improved search engine rankings. It is up to you to decide what those thresholds are and how to calculate the benefits.
- Integration – How does social media fit into your current marketing program? All of your marketing efforts including social media must work together. If your company already has a strong voice and image you will want to carry that across all media channels.
- Define Target Community - When creating your social media plan you will want to design your plan around your target community. Using demographic information such as gender, age, income and education will provide you with a basic profile but you must also consider who your customers really are (psychographics). What are their interests, hobbies, attitudes, beliefs and lifestyles? What moves them? You might be surprised.
- Listen and Learn - Sometimes the hardest thing is to actively listen to what people have to say about your business and your competitors. This step is often overlooked but plays an integral part in the success of all of your marketing. It not only prepares you to address any issues but also provides an opportunity to highlight assets and things people like about your business. In addition to learning what your customers are saying it also allows you to get to know the places in which they spend time and learn the rules of these places. As Twitter says.. "You want to join the conversation."
- Choosing your Network - Some networks and tools will be more appropriate then others. Make sure the networks you choose will help you meet your goals. For example, MySpace has provided us with some of today’s most popular musicians but this might not be the best place to look for an accountant however LinkedIn might be. Also, when choosing your network it is Okay to start small and experiment a bit before committing to too many sites.
Social Media will continue to grow in popularity as more people and businesses adopt this technology and come to rely on it for information, news and social connections.
Use these tips to create your own social media plan and take advantage of the opportunities that await you and have fun.
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