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Questions for Students in Social Media Marketing

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Questions for Students in Social Media Marketing

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Whether you're just getting started with social media marketing, or you're an experienced marketer, there's always something new to learn. Asking the right questions can improve your chances of success and help you avoid costly mistakes. In order to help steer you in the right direction, we've compiled a list of some common social media questions you might be dying to ask.

1. Do I Have to Be on Every Social Network?

Answer: No.

Here's why: As tempting as it is to increase your visibility by jumping on every social network, a lot of times it's too much to take on. Instead of creating accounts just for the sake having a profile, get strategic with the networks you choose.

An easy way to figure out which social networks to be on is by simply asking where's my audience's attention? If they're not on Pinterest, there's no need to spend a bunch of time and energy there. Check out our social media marketing guide to help decide which network is best for your brand.

Another good litmus test for which networks to choose is by asking yourself what value you can bring to the network. If you can't create content that people on the network want to see, put your efforts elsewhere.

For instance, if you have the time and resources to make outstanding videos, then you should definitely have a presence on YouTube so you can share those videos across the networks your audience loves most. If you don't have the bandwidth for video production, get off of YouTube and don't feel guilty about not being there.

Remember, you don't have to take on everything at once. Start out with one or two profiles. If you see success and have time to expand, then slowly add other networks.

2. Do My Social Media Handles Have to Be Consistent?

Answer: Yes.

Here's why: Not only will it be easier for you to promote your social media handles if they're consistent, but it will also be easier for fans to find and tag you. When usernames are different across every network, it can get confusing. If you Tweet an Instagram image but you have two different usernames, it complicates things. Inevitably, someone will tag your Twitter name on Instagram or your Instagram name on Twitter and you'll miss opportunities for engagement.

Today it's not only domain names that matter; usernames are just as, if not more, valuable in terms of digital real estate. Sites like Knowem tell you whether or not your desired username is available across multiple networks.

If your first choice isn't available, don't despair. Get creative. And it's okay if your social media usernames are slightly different than your URL. What's more important is that your usernames are consistent across each network. For instance, the toothbrush subscription company Quip was unable to get the username Quip on social media. So instead, they used GetQuip and kept it consistent across all their social channels.

If your exact username isn't available, don't sweat it. Use an alternative like "Companyhq" or "getCompany." One thing you should avoid is adding numbers, characters, underscores or phrases that have nothing to do with your business. Keep your usernames as simple as possible.

3. What Type of Content Should I Share?

Answer: The type of content your audience wants to see.

Here's why: It all comes down to knowing your ideal customer. If you have a solid understanding of their lifestyle, desires and pain points, it will become much easier to create or find relevant content they're likely to enjoy and share.

Beyond that, start following influencers in your industry who create outstanding content and share their stuff. Or you can use it to inspire you to write a few blog posts or conversation starters that riff off the topic or expand upon it. You can also search relevant hashtags or check out what's trending on Twitter and Instagram to understand what people are talking about right now, then join in on those conversations.

Idea generation is the hardest part, so let your audience do it for you. Talk to your followers or ideal customers and ask them what they would like to see. You can also ask your employees to contribute one blog post per month. When you divvy up the work, it becomes less stressful and more thoughtful.

4. How Often Should I Post?

Answer: It depends.

Here's why: Your posting frequency depends on your resources and audience. Your goal is to get quality content that your audience will love in front of as many eyes as possible. Never sacrifice quality for quantity.

It's better to put nothing out there than to publish content that's subpar. If that means you can only post on Facebook three times per week-but they are three really good posts that get a lot of engagement-that's perfectly acceptable. Just find a consistent schedule that you can maintain.

If you're struggling to publish on a consistent basis, you can always repurpose content. For instance, if you made a YouTube video, take 30-second segments of it and post them on Instagram. Old blog posts can be Retweeted with new phrasing and imagery.

In fact, you can set a strategy in which every blog post gets shared across every network on day one, a repeat on Twitter on day three, a repeat on Facebook on day eight and so on.

If you share the same content across networks, each post should be phrased differently. For example, LinkedIn doesn't use hashtags, so you wouldn't want to copy and paste something from Twitter. An infographic might perform better on Pinterest than on Facebook.

You'll have to track what kind of content and format does best on each network using social media analytics software. Take that data into consideration when publishing on each platform.

5. What's the Best Time to Post?

Answer: It depends.

Here's why: We actually have an entire post on the best times to post to social media. The reality is there is no single best time to post. It all depends on the network you're using and when your audience is most active.

It's going to take a little trial and error to get your timing down. A good idea is to use Sprout to schedule your content to be shared at different times and days of the week.

Then dig into your analytics to see which posts are getting the most engagement to get an idea of when the best time to post is for your audience, on each specific network.

6. How Do I Get More Followers?

Answer: By giving people a reason to follow you.

Here's why: Regardless of which network you're talking about, it's the quality not quantity of followers that matters. You need followers who will actually engage with your content, not just add to your follower count.

Since people are bombarded with content from all over the place, you have to give them a compelling enough reason to follow you. You're not just asking people to follow you. You're asking for their attention which is a limited resource. Why should they give their attention to you instead of someone else?

There are plenty of ways to earn their attention. For instance, Taco Bell gets people to follow them on Snapchat by sharing exclusive content that fans can't see anywhere else.

Another approach is to share exclusive industry news and events. This tactic works particularly well on Twitter because 86% of users use it to get news. NFL insider Ian Rapoport gained over 1 million Twitter followers by being a reputable source of the latest news in the NFL.

At this point, the calf injury that sidelined #Falcons DE Dwight Freeney for today's practice is not considered serious, source said.

- Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 2, 2017

Another popular tactic is to share coupons, deals and giveaways exclusively for social media followers. National Geographic recently launched their Wild to Inspire Instagram contest where users had to submit videos that showcase wildlife or people making a difference for animals in the wild.

Beyond that, using appropriate hashtags ( especially on Instagram) and potentially partnering with influencers for co-marketing campaigns to expand your reach are great ways to get engaged followers. Also, Remember that social media is a conversation, not a broadcast. Respond to your followers and interact with them. Go where they are. Get involved.

7. Does Social Media Affect SEO?

Answer: It can, but indirectly.

Here's why: One common misconception about social media and SEO is that getting your content shared on social media will help improve your rankings. Google has flat out stated it doesn't count social shares in its algorithm. Social shares are easy to manipulate, so they aren't the most reliable metric to decide the value of a piece of content.

However, social media can still help your SEO efforts indirectly. You can use social media to network with influencers like bloggers, editors and journalists. These are all people that can potentially link to your website in their own content, which can help your SEO.

By using social media to build relationships with the right people, you can even land guest blogging or interview opportunities. Just be cautious of spamming people. You don't want to come right out the gate begging people to link to your content. Instead, build relationships organically by liking, sharing and replying to their content. Build familiarity first, then when the time feels right look for an opportunity to work together.

8. Should I Connect With Everyone?

Answer: No.

Here's why: You don't always have to "follow back" on Twitter or Instagram or accept every LinkedIn request. Why? Because you're curating a network. Who you follow says as much about your brand as who follows you. It's ok to be selective about who you follow.

Here are some ideas on who to follow:

Users you're genuinely interested in hearing from

Influencers you're trying to build a relationships with

Loyal customers

People who frequently engage with you on social media or share your content

The downside of following a bunch of people is it makes it difficult to sort through your feed and see the most important messages like mentions of your brand or products. A good workaround is to use a social media management tool to manage your incoming messages. Sprout's Smart Inbox makes it extremely easy to isolate messages that require a response.

Also keep in mind that you don't have to follow people to engage with them. You Like Tweets or Instagram posts or leave comments whether you follow them or not.

9. Should I Pay for Social Media Advertising?

Answer: Probably.

Here's why: On a platform like Facebook, you have to "pay to play" in many cases. In 2016 alone, organic reach dropped 52% for publishers. And with Twitter and Instagram following in the footsteps of Facebook with an algorithmic feed, it's becoming increasingly difficult to get your content seen organically.

Whether or not you decide to try your hand at social media advertising will depend largely on your budget. If you can afford to spend some money to promote content on social media, it might be worth experimenting with. Decide on how much you're willing or able to spend first, then create an advertising strategy within it.

Facebook is by far the most popular platform marketers use for social media advertising. In Social Media Examiner's Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 84% of respondents said they use Facebook ads. However, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram (via Facebook), YouTube and other networks offer advertising as well. Feel free to test out different platforms to see which works best for you.

In addition to getting engagement on your posts and growing your follower count, you can also use social media advertising to generate leads, grow your email list or get more eyes on a piece of content.

10. Do I Need an Editorial Calendar?

Answer: Yes.

Here's why: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

An editorial calendar is a necessary step in bringing your strategy to life. It can help you stay on track and consistent in messaging across various networks. It can also help you create quality content by planning ahead. When you see the entire month across all networks in one place, it's easier to edit the copy for strength and consistency.

Also, when you're planning ahead, you have a better chance of maximizing your impact on social media. You'll have time to plan a distribution strategy for any upcoming content, instead of doing everything as it happens. For instance, if you know you're going to launch a contest or sale at the end of the month, reach out to influencers in advance and gain some momentum.

Content will be more likely to go viral if you've already lined up influencers to Tweet about your product launch or big announcement the same time you do. Check out this post that outlines four steps for creating a social media editorial calendar.

11. What's My Social Media ROI?

Answer: The amount you earned from your social campaigns, minus the amount you invested.

Here's why: Social media ROI can be a tricky subject, and 41% of companies say they have no idea whether or not their social efforts are paying off at all. But calculating the ROI isn't as difficult as you might think. Read our guide on how to measure social media ROI for a complete step-by-step walk-through.

Keep in mind ROI might look different depending on your goals. If you're using social media to get leads, your return won't be the same as it would if you were using it to build brand awareness.

12. I'm in a "Boring" Industry, Do I Still Need Social Media?

Answer: Yes.

Here's why: Social media isn't just reserved for athletes, fashion brands and retailers. When it comes to marketing, your goal is to reach your target audience where they're paying the most attention. And for the past 10+ years, that has been social media. A whopping 78% of Americans have at least one social media profile, so there's a strong chance your target customers are on at least one of the major networks.

If you're unsure which network to reach your audience on, we've compiled a list of the demographics of some of the most popular social networks. That'll give you a nice starting point, but also make sure you dive in and get familiar with any network you're interested in joining.

Remember, social media isn't an advertising platform for you shout your message as loudly as possible. Instead, use it as a platform to educate and entertain your audience.

For instance, taxes are about as boring as it gets for most non-accounting people. But H&R Block puts together fun social media campaigns that don't make you cringe at the thought of tax season.

13. Is It OK to Share Promotional Content?

Answer: Yes, but don't overdo it.

Here' why: There's a fine line between using social media to promote your brand, and spamming. If every other Tweet from your company is promoting your products and services, you risk losing your audience. Our Q3 2016 Index found that posting too many promotions is the most annoying action brands take on social media.

Not only that, but 46% of people are willing to unfollow a brand for sending too many promotional messages.

There's no magic ratio of promotional to non-promotional social media content you should share. You'll have to find the right cadence for your audience. To be on the safe side, aim to share much more non-promotional content than promotional.

14. Do I Need a Social Media Management Tool?

Answer: Yes.

Here's why: Native social media apps are great for personal use. In fact, it's what they were made for. But as a business, your needs are a little different. You often need to schedule content in advance, look at in-depth analytics to measure performance and work in teams. The native social media platforms weren't built for that, which is the reason why social media management tools like Sprout Social exist.

If social media is an important part of your business (it definitely should be) then you need the right tools to work more efficiently and effectively.

15. Should I Outsource My Social Media Marketing?

Answer: It depends.

Here's why: For brands that don't have the resources to put together social media campaigns from scratch, working with an agency can be a smart move. Social media agencies understand the nuances of different networks, and can often help you be much more effective.

On the flip side, you don't want to take a completely hands-off approach. That's why often times social media agencies prefer to work with clients, rather than completely take over everything. Nobody knows your brand like you, so you should always have a hand in your social efforts. But there's nothing wrong with getting help from specialists.

Have a question that's not answered here? Comment below or Tweet us and we'll see if we can answer it for you. Remember, there's no such thing as a dumb question, so ask away!

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15 Common Social Media Questions & Answers

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Whether you're just getting started with social media marketing, or you're an experienced marketer, there's always something new to learn. Asking the right questions can improve your chances of success and help you avoid costly mistakes. In order to help steer you in the right direction, we've compiled a list of some common social media questions you might be dying to ask.

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Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard

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A social media marketing strategy is a summary of everything you plan to do and hope to achieve on social media. It guides your actions and lets you know whether you're succeeding or failing.

The more specific your plan is, the more effective it will be. Keep it concise. Don't make it so lofty and broad that it's unattainable or impossible to measure.

In this post, we'll walk you through a nine-step plan to create a winning social media strategy of your own. We've even got expert insights from Amanda Wood, Hootsuite's Senior Manager of Social Marketing.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the practice of using social media channels to sell or promote a brand, product or service.

Social media marketing helps businesses:

Increase brand awareness

Build engaged communities

Sell products and services

Measure brand sentiment

Provide social customer service

Advertise products and services to target audiences

Track performance and adjust larger marketing strategies accordingly

What is a social media marketing strategy?

A social media strategy is a document outlining your social media goals, the tactics you will use to achieve them and the metrics you will track to measure your progress.

Your social media marketing strategy should also list all of your existing and planned social media accounts along with goals specific to each platform you're active on. These goals should align with your business's larger digital marketing strategy.

Finally, a good social media plan should define the roles and responsibilities within your team and outline your reporting cadence.

Creating your own social media marketing strategy (video guide)

No time to read the whole article? Let Amanda, Hootsuite's own Senior Manager of Social Media Marketing, guide you through our free social media marketing strategy template in less than 10 minutes:

How to create a social media marketing strategy in 9 steps

Step 1. Choose goals that align to business objectives

Set S.M.A.R.T. goals

The first step to creating a winning social media strategy is to establish clear objectives and goals. Without goals, you have no way to measure success and return on investment (ROI).

Each of your social media marketing goals should be SMART: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and t ime-bound.

Psst: If you need examples of smart social media goals, we've got you covered.

Track meaningful metrics

Vanity metrics like number of followers and likes are easy to track, but it's hard to prove their real value. Instead, focus on things like engagement, click-through, and conversion rates.

For inspiration, take a look at these 19 essential social media metrics.

You may want to track different goals for different social media networks, or even different uses for each network.

For example, if you use LinkedIn to drive traffic to your website, you would measure click-throughs. If Instagram is for brand awareness, you might track the number of Instagram Story views. And if you advertise on Facebook, cost-per-click (CPC) is a common success metric.

Social media goals should align with your overall marketing objectives. This makes it easier to show the value of your work and secure buy-in from your boss.

Start developing a successful social media marketing plan by writing down at least three goals for social media.

"It's easy to get overwhelmed by deciding what to post and which metrics to track, but you need to focus on what you want to get out of social media to begin with," says Amanda Wood, Hootsuite's Senior Manager of Social Marketing. "Don't just start posting and tracking everything: match your goals to your business, and your metrics to your goals."

Step 2. Learn everything you can about your audience

Get to know your fans, followers, and customers as real people with real wants and needs, and you will know how to target and engage them on social media.

When it comes to your ideal customer, you should know things like:

Here's a simple guide and template for creating audience/buyer personas.

Social media analytics can also provide a ton of valuable information about who your followers are, where they live, and how they interact with your brand on social media. These insights allow you to refine your strategy and better target your audience.

Jugnoo, an Uber-like service for auto-rickshaws in India, used Facebook Analytics to learn that 90% of their users who referred other customers were between 18- and 34-years-old, and 65% of that group was using Android. They used that information to target their ads, resulting in a 40% lower cost per referral.

Check out our guide to using social media analytics and the tools you need to track them.

Step 3. Get to know your competition

Odds are your competitors are already using social media, and that means you can learn from what they're doing.

Conduct a competitive analysis

A competitive analysis allows you to understand who the competition is and what they're doing well (and not so well). You'll get a good sense of what's expected in your industry, which will help you set social media targets of your own.

It will also help you spot opportunities.

Maybe one of your competitors is dominant on Facebook, for example, but has put little effort into Twitter or Instagram. You might want to focus on the social media platforms where your audience is underserved, rather than trying to win fans away from a dominant player.

Use social media listening

Social listening is another way to keep an eye on your competitors.

Do searches of the competition's company name, account handles, and other relevant keywords on social media. Find out what they're sharing and what other people are saying about them. If they're using influencer marketing, how much engagement do those campaigns earn them?

Pro tip: Use Hootsuite Streams to monitor relevant keywords, hashtags and accounts in real-time.
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As you track, you may notice shifts in how your competitors and industry leaders are using social media. You may come across new, exciting trends. You might even spot specific social content or a campaign that really hits the mark-or totally bombs.

Use this kind of intel to optimize and inform your own social media marketing strategy.

Just don't go overboard on the spy tactics, Amanda advises. "Make sure you aren't ALWAYS comparing yourself to the competition - it can be a distraction. I'd say checking in on a monthly basis is healthy. Otherwise, focus on your own strategy and results."

Step 4. Do a social media audit

If you're already using social media, take stock of your efforts so far. Ask yourself the following questions:

What's working, and what's not?

Who is engaging with you?

What are your most valuable partnerships?

Which networks does your target audience use?

How does your social media presence compare to the competition?

Once you collect that information, you'll be ready to start thinking about ways to improve.

We've created an easy-to-follow social media audit guide and template to walk you through each step of this process.

Your audit should give you a clear picture of what purpose each of your social accounts serves. If the purpose of an account isn't clear, think about whether it's worth keeping.

To help you decide, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is my audience here?

2. If so, how are they using this platform?

3. Can I use this account to help achieve my goals?

Asking these tough questions will keep your social media strategy focused.

Look for impostor accounts

During the audit, you may discover fake accounts using your business name or the names of your products.

These imposters can be harmful to your brand-never mind that they're capturing followers that should be yours.

You may want to get your accounts verified too to ensure your fans know they are dealing with the real you.

Here's how to get verified on:

Step 5. Set up accounts and improve profiles

Decide which networks to use

As you decide which social networks to use, you will also need to define your strategy for each.

Benefit Cosmetics' social media manager, Angela Purcaro, told eMarketer: "For our makeup tutorials ... we're all about Snapchat and Instagram Stories. Twitter, on the other hand, is designated for customer service."

Hootsuite's own social team even designates different purposes for formats within networks. On Instagram, for example, they use the feed to post high-quality educational infographics and product announcements and Stories to cover live events or quick social media updates.

Pro tip: Write out a mission statement for each network. A one-sentence declaration to keep you focused on a specific goal.

Example: "We will use Twitter for customer support to keep email and call volumes down."

Or: "We will use LinkedIn for promoting and sharing our company culture to help with recruitment and employee advocacy."

One more: "We will use Instagram to highlight new products and repost quality content from influencers."

If you can't create a solid mission statement for a particular social media channel, you may want to ask yourself if it's worth it.

Note: While larger businesses can and do tackle every platform, small businesses may not be able to - and that's ok! Prioritize social platforms that will have the most impact on your business and make sure your marketing team has the resources to handle content for those networks. If you need help focusing your efforts, check out our 18-minute social media plan.

Set up your profiles

Once you've decided which networks to focus on, it's time to create your profiles. Or improve existing ones so they align with your strategy.

Make sure you fill out all profile fields

Include keywords people would use to search for your business

Use consistent branding (logos, images, etc.) across networks so your profiles are easily recognizable

Pro tip: Use high-quality images that follow the recommended dimensions for each network. Check out our always-up-to-date social media image size cheat sheet for quick reference.

We've also got step-by-step guides for each network to walk you through the process:

Don't let this list overwhelm you. Remember, it's better to use fewer channels well than to stretch yourself thin trying to maintain a presence on every network.

Step 6. Find inspiration

While it's important that your brand be unique, you can still draw inspiration from other businesses that are great on social.

"I consider it my job to stay active on social: to know what's trending, which campaigns are winning, what's new with the platforms, who's going above and beyond," says Amanda. "This might be the most fun step for you, or the hardest one, but it's just as crucial as the rest of them."

Social media success stories

You can usually find these on the business section of the social network's website. ( Here's Facebook's, for example.)

Case studies can offer valuable insights that you can apply to your own social media plan.

Award-winning accounts and campaigns

You could also check out the winners of The Facebook Awards or The Shorty Awards for examples of brands that are at the top of their social media game.

For learning and a laugh, check out Fridge-Worthy, Hootsuite's bi-weekly awards show highlighting brands doing smart and clever things on social media.

Your favorite brands on social media

Who do you enjoy following on social media? What do they do that compels people to engage and share their content?

National Geographic, for example, is one of the best on Instagram, combining stunning visuals with compelling captions.

Then there's Shopify. The ecommerce brand uses Facebook to sell themselves by showcasing customer stories and case studies.

And Lush Cosmetics is a great example of superior customer service on Twitter. They use their 280 characters to answer questions and solve problems in an extremely charming and on-brand way.

Hey lovely! 💕 We are sorry to hear how much you are missing Scrub Scrub Scrub. We will make sure our team knows you'd love to see it back on the shelves. In the meantime, check out Magic Crystals for a similar scrubtastic feel 😍💜

- Lush North America (@lushcosmetics) October 15, 2021

Notice that each of these accounts has a consistent voice, tone, and style. That's key to letting people know what to expect from your feed. That is, why should they follow you? What's in it for them?

Consistency also helps keep your content on-brand even if you have multiple people on your social media team.

For more on this, read our guide on establishing a compelling brand voice on social media.

Ask your followers

Consumers can also offer social media inspiration.

What are your target customers talking about online? What can you learn about their wants and needs?

If you have existing social channels, you could also ask your followers what they want from you. Just make sure that you follow through and deliver what they ask for.

Step 7. Create a social media content calendar

Sharing great content is essential, of course, but it's equally important to have a plan in place for when you'll share content to get the maximum impact.

Your social media content calendar also needs to account for the time you spend interacting with the audience (although you need to allow for some spontaneous engagement as well).

Set your posting schedule

Your social media content calendar lists the dates and times at which you will publish types of content on each channel. It's the perfect place to plan all of your social media activities-from images, link sharing, and re-shares of user-generated content to blog posts and videos. It includes both your day-to-day posting and content for social media campaigns.

Your calendar also ensures your posts are spaced out appropriately and published at the best times to post.

Pro tip: You can plan your whole content calendar and get recommended best times to post on every network based on your past engagement rate, impressions, or link click data in Hootsuite.

Determine the right content mix

Make sure your content strategy and calendar reflect the mission statement you've assigned to each social profile, so that everything you post is working to support your business goals.

(We know, it's tempting to jump on every meme, but there should always be a strategy behind your social media marketing efforts!)

You might decide that:

50% of content will drive traffic back to your website

25% of content will be curated from other sources

20% of content will support lead-generation goals (newsletter sign-ups, ebook downloads, etc.)

5% of content will be about your company culture

Placing these different post types in your content calendar will ensure you maintain the right mix.

If you're starting from scratch and you're not sure what types of content to post, try the 80-20 rule:

80% of your posts should inform, educate, or entertain your audience

20% can directly promote your brand.

You could also try the social media content marketing rule of thirds:

One-third of your content promotes your business, converts readers, and generates profit.

One-third of your content shares ideas and stories from thought leaders in your industry or like-minded businesses.

One-third of your content is personal interactions with your audience

Don't post too much or too little

If you're starting a social media marketing strategy from scratch, you may not have figured out how often to post to each network for maximum engagement yet.

Post too frequently and you risk annoying your audience. But, if you post too little, you risk looking like you're not worth following.

Start with these posting frequency recommendations:

Instagram (feed): 3-7 times per week

Facebook: 1-2 times per day

Twitter: 1-5 times per day

LinkedIn: 1-5 times per day

Pro tip: Once you have your social media content calendar planned out, use a scheduling tool to prepare messages in advance rather than updating constantly throughout the day.

We might be biased, but we think Hootsuite is the best social media management tool. You can schedule social media posts to every network and the intuitive calendar view gives you a full picture of all your social activity each week.

Step 8. Create compelling content

Remember those mission statements you created for each channel in Step 5? Well, it's time to go a bit deeper, a.k.a. provide some examples of the type of content you'll post to fulfill your mission on each network.

If you're not sure what to post, here's a long list of social media content ideas to get you started.

The idea here is to:

Keep your content aligned with the purpose of each network;

Show other stakeholders (if applicable) what kind of content they can expect to see on each network.

This last point especially will help you avoid any tension when your colleagues want to know why you haven't posted their case study/whitepaper/blog post to TikTok yet. It's not in the strategy, Linda!

Ideally, you will generate content types that are both suited to the network and the purpose you've set out for that network.

For example, you wouldn't want to waste time posting brand awareness tweets if you've designated Twitter for primarily customer support. And you wouldn't want to post super polished corporate video ads to TikTok, as users expect to see short, unpolished videos on that platform.

It might take some testing over time to figure out which type of content works best on which type of network, so prepare to update this section frequently.

We won't lie: content creation isn't as easy as everyone not on the social team seems to think. But if you're struggling, Amanda suggests going back to basics.

The first question to ask is: is there cohesion between your content types? Is your content providing value? Do you have a good mix of entertaining, or educational content? What does it offer that makes a person stop and spend time? Creating a few different content pillars or categories that encompass different aspects of storytelling for your brand, and what you can offer your audience is a good start.

This brings us to Step 9.

Step 9. Track performance and make adjustments

Your social media marketing strategy is a hugely important document for your business, and you can't assume you'll get it exactly right on the first try. As you start to implement your plan and track your results, you may find that some strategies don't work as well as you'd anticipated, while others are working even better than expected.

Look at performance metrics

In addition to the analytics within each social network (see Step 2), you can use UTM parameters to track social visitors as they move through your website, so you can see exactly which social posts drive the most traffic to your website.

Re-evaluate, test, and do it all again

Once this data starts coming in, use it to re-evaluate your strategy regularly. You can also use this information to test different posts, social marketing campaigns, and strategies against one another. Constant testing allows you to understand what works and what doesn't, so you can refine your social media marketing strategy in real time.

You'll want to check the performance of all your channels at least once a week and get to know the basics of social media reporting so you can track your growth over time.

Pro tip: If you use Hootsuite, you can review the performance of all your posts on every network in one place. Once you get the hang of checking your analytics, you may even want to customize different reports to show specific metrics over a variety of different time periods.

Surveys can also be a great way to find out how well your social media strategy is working. Ask your followers, email list, and website visitors whether you're meeting their needs and expectations, and what they'd like to see more of. Then make sure to deliver on what they tell you.

Finalizing your social media strategy

Spoiler alert: nothing is final.

Social media moves fast. New networks emerge, others go through demographic shifts.

Your business will go through periods of change as well.

All of this means that your social media marketing strategy should be a living document that you review and adjust as needed. Refer to it often to stay on track, but don't be afraid to make changes so that it better reflects new goals, tools, or plans.

When you update your social strategy, make sure to watch our 5-step video on how to updating your social media strategy for 2023:

Social media strategy template

What's next? When you're ready to put your plan into action, we're here to help...
Save time managing your social media marketing strategy with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you can easily:

Plan, create, and schedule posts to every network

Track relevant keywords, topics, and accounts

Stay on top of engagement with a universal inbox

Get easy-to-understand performance reports and improve your strategy as needed

Try Hootsuite for Free With files from Shannon Tien.

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How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy [Template]

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Creating your social media marketing strategy doesn't need to be painful. Create an effective plan for your business in 9 simple steps.

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Larry Lynne Antiques

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Melby Music