On social media channels, marketers can use cleverly designed features to promote their brands effectively and cost-free. As of late, with more than 4 billion monthly users, it’s no wonder why social media gains so much traction from businesses.

If you are looking to join the most successful markets and compete with others to promote your brand, you will need all the help you can get. Below we will outline steps and tactics you can take to ensure that your social media strategy is robust and cost-effective.

Realistic social goals and KPIs should be set

Many companies set out to be social media stars without understanding their purpose or the goals they are trying to achieve. If you are able to outline your goals early on, you can deploy your strategy much more efficiently. Furthermore, when crafting your marketing strategy always pay attention to your set key performance indicators (KPIs). 

You should start by looking at your business plan and consider how your social media goals will complement it. While everyone wants to gain millions of followers within the first month, it is important to set realistic goals that are achievable. 

Slow and steady wins the race, but in this case, slow and organic wins the race is more applicable. Opting to grow your Facebook or Instagram followers organically will ensure that you are building a community rather than just a passive following.

Select the right social media channels

Although it may seem like a great idea to invest all your resources in every social media platform, this can lead to a waste of resources and time. One of the best ways to grow your social media followers is by recognizing where your brand is most at home and what types of content work best for you.

While most businesses can benefit from being on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are also great options if you want to employ creativity. LinkedIn is a great tool for ensuring your business is seen by potential and current employees as well as investors and potential partners. However, it may not be the best place to find customers. 

Compare your content 

It’s easy to find inspiration by looking at what your competition is doing. See what content is doing well on social media and what type of content is a complete failure. This way you will be able to find the perfect balance for your content strategy.  

While it is important to create unique content for your brand, you should also be able to learn from other companies who are performing well in the digital marketing field. 

Keep it real 

Social media is all about authenticity, especially if you are a B2C company. Your content doesn’t have to be perfect. But what you can do is show the human side of your brand by sharing behind-the-scenes content, and letting your audience know about your team.

People look for emotional connections when they visit social media sites. Make sure that you create content that people want to see. 

Posting relevant articles or content from your industry is one of the best ways to be present on social media platforms. This approach is quick but will not attract your audience’s attention. To maximize your chances of success you can mix up your content strategy by including fun posts, visuals, behind-the-scenes teasers, and much more.

Engage your audience

It’s not enough to just pump out content and wait for people to notice you. You have to get out there and participate in online conversations that are relevant, trendy, and bring value to your customers. 

In addition to that, you also need to respond to direct messages and comments on your posts in order to establish a better relationship with your audience.  If you feel like involving your audience in your marketing strategies, you can always opt to leverage user-generated content. 

Furhtomre, you can build a whole customer support platform on your own social media channels. Instead of paying a third party to take care of your social service tasks, you can do it yourself, and rather quickly, through direct messages on social media.

Final thoughts

Social media has many benefits and businesses that aren’t leveraging social media features and lagging behind. If you haven’t already incorporated social media into your marketing strategy, make sure that you do. If you’re still wondering how to build your social media strategy refer to our post and implement the tips we shared.