Social Media Plans: Where do I start?

One of the first steps to tackling your social media strategy and ensuring success is a social media plan.  Ask yourself these questions:

Who will be responsible for monitoring our social media presence?

How will we monitor our presence?

Where are our audiences in the social media hemisphere?

Who are our industry influencers?

How do we engage them?

Answering these questions will help you narrow the seemingly limitless possibilities for social media engagement. Successful social media plans are qualitative not quantitative. Focus on these four simple basics:

1. Listen constantly.  As you become more successful in leading social media engagements, don’t forget what got you there in the first place. Continue to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry (and your audience) by continuing your listening activities.

2. React either online or offline, when necessary.  When your audience speaks, react. You’ve engaged them, they are now taking part in the social media conversation, keep going. The key to continued engagement is to react quickly. In an instance where you find a negative review or comment, reply, then ask to take the conversation offline. Discuss the situation and try to find a resolution that is suitable for your and the customer. Develop an SOP for future monitoring and response to negative comments online.

3. Focus your attention on where your audience is.  If your audience is on Facebook, go there, if not, don’t waste your time. It’s as simple as that.

4. Engage with industry influencers.  You’ve determined who the influencers are in your industry, now engage them. Comment on their blogs. Ask questions. Be seen on their social media activities. It will help to establish yourself as an expert and raise your online presence in the process.