If piecing together a successful social media strategy feels you with dread – where do you even start? Then you’re in luck! We’ve called upon the expertise of marketeer Sumaia Free to share a user-friendly top 10 guide to a successful social media strategy that helps your business grow.
We’ve split this guide into a three-part weekly series to help it all sink in – stay with us! Part two: Know Your Audience, Competitor Research, Leverage the best platforms for your business, Increase engagement, Improve brand reputation, Think about your content banks… read on for more!
6. Keywords and hashtags
Keywords and hashtags are how potential customers can discover you. Think about what someone who may be interested in your product or service may be searching for and incorporate these keywords into your captions. It’s also worth putting together hashtags for each of your content banks so you have these ready to go!
7. Encourage conversation
Unlike other marketing channels, social media is all about community and the best way to utilise your platforms is by encouraging a two way conversation. Engagement is key to how the algorithm ranks you and ultimately how your page performs so try and look at what will make your audience take action and respond to your posts. Polls are a great way to engage your audience, try asking your audience for input.
8. Video is king
Search engines and social media algorithms favour video content and a recent survey has shown that the number of businesses using video as a marketing tool has increased by 41% since 2016. With the rise of TikTok and more recently, Instagram Reels, consumer needs have evolved, and for many, video is the new norm.
The shift is particularly prominent in Gen Z audiences, with 71% of Gen Z-ers watching more than three hours of online videos every day! The format of video content has also changed, with short videos (under 3 minutes) driving the most engagement. In today’s fast paced world, content that is easily digestible has never been more important – as a general rule, you have 3 seconds to stop a user scrolling.
92% of mobile users watch video content with the sound off, therefore subtitles are the best way to optimise your content. With 90% of consumers watching video on mobile, adding subtitles is a must to ensure your content can be consumed on the go.
9. Outreach
While it is time consuming, outreach needs to be part of your strategy. Engage with potential customers’ posts. Look at your hashtag bank and like posts which are using the same hashtags as you. You can also target people by location, look at people who are tagged in locations near to your business and engage with them. Follow potential customers and comment on their posts to put your brand on their radar and encourage them to follow you.
10. Measure and monitor
Keep track of what is working for you and adjust your strategy accordingly. The best way to look at what your audience wants is to listen to them and track what content is helping you meet your objectives.
Share your thoughts in the comment box below!
Sumaia Free is an Account Manager at CEEK Marketing. She is currently based in London at CEEK’s Soho headquarters. Sumaia has been in the marketing industry for almost 6 years and has experience in omni-channel strategies. Her favourite channels are social media and content marketing. You can find her at www.ceek.co.uk | @ceekmarketing
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