Think social media isn’t that crucial to your brand? Think again.
Here’s just a few numbers to consider when thinking about social media:
96% of small businesses utilize social media.
The U.S. social media advertising market has reached $95.7 billion.
Social media ad spending increased 140% between 2019 and 2024.
And get this: Some 83% of marketers report that social media has increased their brand exposure.
Pretty much everyone is doing it…and when done right, social media can build visibility, earn trust and drive real results for your brand.
So, are you doing it the right way?
Start With the Right Social Media Platforms
Targeting the right platforms is obviously one of the most important decisions you’ll make here.
You don’t need to be everywhere. You need to be where the people you want to reach are spending their time.
Instagram is a major player for brands, particularly when it comes to awareness, engagement, traffic, leads and community building. But that doesn’t automatically mean Instagram is the right answer for your business.
Each social media platform has its own audience, tone and strengths.
For the younger audiences on TikTok and Instagram, tying content into lifestyle and entertainment can be a bonus, as can snappy (dare we say cool) copy, images and videos.
Facebook reaches a broad range of age groups and can be a great place for community-level engagement, company news and events.
LinkedIn is quite a bit more buttoned up. For B2B companies and professional services, it’s an especially useful place to convey thought leadership, industry expertise, company news and career-related content.
The trick is figuring out where your audience is and then creating content that actually belongs there.
Don’t Just Post to Post
Once you decide which platforms make sense, you need a strategy for each one.
You don’t want to simply throw posts against the proverbial wall to see what may stick.
Before you post, think about what you’re actually trying to accomplish.
Do you want more people to know your name? Are you trying to drive traffic to your website? Explain a complicated project? Position someone on your team as an expert? Recruit employees? Build stronger relationships within your community?
Figure out the goal first. Then build the content around it.
Find Your Niche and Stick With It
Your team needs to come together on messaging, timing, creativity and analytics.
But you also need to figure out what you have to say that people actually want to hear.
Maybe that’s industry expertise. Maybe it’s a behind-the-scenes look at your projects. Maybe it’s explaining complicated topics in a way normal humans can understand. Maybe your people and company culture are the story.
Find your niche, be consistent and give people a reason to keep paying attention.
And remember: Quality is much more important than quantity.
Posting five times a week doesn't do much for your brand if none of the posts actually say anything.
Play It SMART
When you’re building a social media strategy, play it SMART.
That means being:
Specific: Define exactly what you want to convey and what you want your social media efforts to achieve.
Measurable: Track your progress through the KPIs and metrics that actually matter to your goals.
Attainable: Be realistic about what you can accomplish based on your time, team and resources.
Relevant: Make sure your content aligns with your brand and larger business and marketing objectives.
Time-based: Establish deadlines and a consistent cadence so your team knows what needs to happen and when.
And don't get too caught up in follower counts.
Depending on your goals, engagement, website traffic, inquiries, newsletter sign-ups or even the conversations sparked by your posts could tell you a whole lot more.
Make Social Media Part of the Bigger Picture
Social media shouldn't exist in its own little bubble.
The strongest content connects back to your overall brand, website, public relations strategy, media coverage, newsletters and thought leadership.
A blog can become a LinkedIn post. A project announcement can become an Instagram carousel. A media placement can become social content. A question you keep hearing from clients can become your next video.
One good story can go a long way when you know how to use it.
At Fletcher Media, we help brands figure out what they should be saying, where they should be saying it and how social media fits into the bigger communications picture.
Or, play it even SMARTER and give us a zero-obligation call to talk about how we can help you help yourself.
