5 Reasons Why Having a Social Media Strategy Matters

What is a social media strategy? A social media strategy is your map, your how-the-f-do-I-do-this for all things social. The more specific the better. It is your instruction manual for how to reach that shiny goal that you have in your mind turn it into your reality. In other words, a social media strategy is what is going to help make your wish come true. And who are we? We’re your fairy godmother in business form. Here’s why you need a social media strategy for your business. Sharing isn’t always caring No two businesses are the same. It might be an obvious statement but it’s true. And it’s exactly why you can’t just copy/paste your friends social media strategy and use it as your own. This approach could even harm your business muddling your brand message and brand voice in with theirs, and at best you won’t be achieving your business goals or full potential. We aren’t the type of people that settle are we? Recite this mantra; we want the best and we deserve the best. Not to say that there aren’t going to be similarities between social media strategies. 100% there are. There are universal rules that everyone should follow. Like when you’re releasing a major blockbuster film don’t just use the drop-down menu in Word and choose any old font. It’s the same for socials. Don’t copy something off the internet or choose something just because it’s quick and easy at the time. There are rules. There are things we know already that are more likely to work and not work. The Facebook algorithm loves video content. Paid ads can see incredible return. Your copy matters. Quality visual content matters. We know you know. What a social media strategy does is research the perfect recipe for your business’ online presence, so you know exactly how much you need and what content is going to work best. It is optimised for yourbrand.

Go where your customers are and speak their language

It is likely that your customers are hanging out on either Facebook, Instagram or both. Australian audiences love Facebook and the ‘gram with approximately 15 000 000 monthly active users signing into Facebook and 9 000 000 monthly users scrolling through their IG feed. However, these are not the only two platforms that exist and it may not be where majority of your audience spends their time online. Our job (or your job if you decide to do this for yourself) is to do your research. Dig deep. Ask your children what platforms the other kids in their class are using (hello learning all about TikTok). Ask your friends what platform they like most and why. Where are the grandparents hanging out? Post in groups. Reach out. Get social. Hit up Google and do general research on each platform. Finally, when you’ve found out where your people are, figure out what content is going to resonate with them the most. Are there any major trends that your audience follows (who else watches the bachelor?!). What words do you need to use so that your audience understands you and enjoys the conversation. Build your consumer journey Social media is the place to lead your potential customers from a cold audience, to an audience warmed up to your brand and ready to purchase. Customers don’t immediately buy things. First, they need to be aware of their problem/need/want and then ideally you want them to think of you when they are looking to solve it. You want to be front of mind. Social media is the place to do that because it is free and accessible. The entire consumer journey can take place online or it can begin online and be finalised in person. It depends on your business and what you’re selling. As we mentioned earlier, no two businesses are the same. Investing with purpose

A social media strategy will give you the peace of mind that you are investing your hard earned money with purpose. Facebook ads can be your best friend or worst enemy. Understanding the demographic and psychographic of your audience will mean that you get to see that return on investment that much sooner. Understanding the data that is collected from each campaign and being able to effectively analyse it is going to see your return on investment skyrocket. Optimise baby Keeping up with the industry is a full-time job. I mean, that’s why we exist right? No but really. The algorithms are constantly changing, new features are added to platforms (how’s everyone going with IGTV?), TikTok videos are trending (who ever thought that would be a thing?!). It can be overwhelming, especially when your analytics start to falter. Because they will. Most organic content just doesn’t get the reach it used to. A social media strategy is important because it is there to keep you sane when you feel like pulling out your hair, keep your goal visible and help you to continue to re-evaluate and optimise your socials.