Why You Need a Social media Strategy

Social media is constantly changing but it’s here to stay which means no matter how large or small your business is, you need to have a social media presence. In today’s world, those who don’t have a presence online tend to see their businesses start to fail.

Your customers are shopping online and interacting with their favorite brands and each other through social media. But having a presence isn’t enough.

Trying to build an online presence without a defined social media strategy can be very counterproductive and a waste of your time. You’ll find yourself just trying to post – without knowing what to post and that will lead to seeing no return on your time and efforts with social media marketing.

Reasons why you need a social media strategy for your business or brand

Save time and be more creative

When you have a written, defined, social media strategy you shouldn’t have any questions about how often to post, what types of content to post, and your cadence online. Just knowing what you are doing saves you time. You don’t have to think about it every time – just quarterly when you review your strategy!

With some time freed up, you’re able to spend time enhancing your presence online by creating campaigns such as user-generated photo contests, giveaways, using Instagram Stories, and going Live on Facebook and Instagram.
Understand your target audience

Do you really know your target audience? Part of your social media strategy will include looking at your target audience and getting a clear picture of who it is you’re talking to. We’ll look at their demographics, the psychographics, and even where they are hanging out online. If your target audience is on Facebook and you’re spending all your time on Twitter – you’re clearly missing each other (and wasting your time)! We’ll also uncover what types of content they prefer to consume. If you don’t have a crystal clear vision on who your target audience is – you’re not going to be able to sell to them.
Analyze your customer needs

Just by the nature of social media, it’s one of the best places to get feedback about your business in real time. Your customers will talk about you, message you, and take part in the conversation online. Being able to follow and respond will help you appear caring and responsible which will help customers feel good about your brand. You’ll also be able to watch their conversations and see what they need from you.

Are they asking the same questions over and over again? This might mean your website is confusing or you need to do some form of education around the topic. Are there any themes around what your community is talking about? This could give you some ideas for new offerings.

Participating in the conversations online (and even sitting back and just listening) can tell you a lot about the state of your business, your industry, and your customer’s needs.
Stay competitive

This might be the most important reason. It helps you stay ahead of the competition. With your daily/weekly/monthly posts planned, you get to concentrate on tieing your other marketing efforts together to help you stand out in your niche. With a strategy, you’re able to analyze competitor analytics month by month, what they’re doing online, what’s working for them and not working, while staying consistent. This is huge!
Consistency with your brand Strategy

Having a social media strategy that ties in other elements of your brand such as your brand voice, key colors, tone, and message will help you have a cohesive online presence.