A social media strategy is only as good as all of the elements and tactics that make it up. In that way, it’s not unlike your Thanksgiving dinner.
To thank you, our followers and users, for being such a big part of everything we do, we’ve created a handy Thanksgiving infographic to help you plan and improve your social media efforts.
Here’s everything you need on the table for a successful perfect social media strategy:
In more detail:
The meat
This is the centerpiece. It’s what everyone leaves the meal talking about. The heart of the meal, the meat is your content. You might still succeed if other elements in your strategy falter, but if you do a bad job with the content, there is no chance you’ll succeed.
Great content is what attracts new followers and keeps existing ones around. It’s what allows you to generate leads and convert followers into clients. It’s what gains you recognition and makes your brand sharable. You can’t take the meat lightly. It is the most important part of your social media strategy.
Learn how to improve your content marketing
The gravy
Offer incentives to loyal followers. That could mean a discount on your product, but it doesn’t have to. Incentives could come in the form of loyalty programs, contests, or great insider tips and tricks. This is the gravy, the extras that turn followers into brand ambassadors on social media.
Learn more about building brand advocacy
The speciality
No matter how hard they try, no one has been able to create a stuffing that I’ve enjoyed more than my mom’s. Whether you’re an individual or a business, you must have some subject areas or verticals that you consider your speciality. Focus your social messaging on these specialities. People follow you with an expectation that they’ll receive content about a certain topic or topics. Dont’ be the restaurant Tweeting about politics, or the bank talking about philosophy.
The variety
While the speciality is important, people still crave variety. A Thanksgiving meal of only stuffing wouldn’t go over well. Stick to your area of expertise, but present information in a variety of ways on a variety of social networks. Use video and images frequently to better engage your users. Experiment with other formats, from quizzes to landing pages, gated and ungated content. Think of a fresh angle on an often-repeated story. This variety will help you keep things interesting for existing followers.
The conversation
While not a part of the meal, every Thanksgiving dinner and every social media strategy needs good conversation if it’s to be considered a success. Silence is a path to failure on social media.
Social media engagement should be undertaken daily. This includes social media support, answering questions and complaints, but also engaging in regular conversation with dedicated followers.
Learn how to improve your social media engagement
The feedback
How do you make this Thanksgiving better than last years? You ask for feedback, and don’t repeat your mistakes. On social media, tracking your successes and failures allows you to constantly improve your accounts. Analytics tell you which messaging and campaigns work, and which need to be reworked or rethought. Plus, literally asking for feedback from your followers is a great way to prove that you’re listening and that you care what they think. You might even be surprised by all the positive responses you’ll receive.
Discover our guide to social media analytics
The classics
Your social media strategy should be part of a broader marketing plan that includes everything from emails to events. Though social media is essential, it’s also important not to ignore these traditional channels. Instead, you should be finding ways to make them work in tandem. Make social media a part of your events. Promote your email list through Twitter. It’s like adding a new vegetarian dish to go along with your classics, the potatoes and cranberry sauce.
The kids’ table
Sure the adult’s table was where you wanted to be, but the kids table was fun and entertaining. Everyone needs a little bit of fun in their social media marketing. Humor and excitement makes profiles more engaging and relatable, while breaking up the drier lead generation content. Don’t be afraid to sit at the kids table once in a while.
The leftovers
Social media allows you to reuse well-performing content again and again. See what content works on each of your social networks, then hit it again at a different time or target a new audience. Even take something that worked well on Facebook and make it into a YouTube or Instagram video. Use content to its fullest and don’t leave anything behind. You’ll find it simple and effective, not unlike your holiday leftovers.