6 Step Social Media Plan to improve SEO

by Minakshi Srivastava Online Marketing Manager

Social media marketing activities, whether by marketers or in-house SEO teams, are based on a ‘need to do something on social media’ basis.

There is no focus on the goals to achieve, what should be done or how it should be managed. The result: a lot of effort, but with minimal or no results. Using social media for marketing has to include a focused approach, based on a plan.

There are many who make customer acquisition the main purpose of their social media activities, but with no definitive plan. Again, the results are squandered opportunities, no profits, loss of time and, more importantly, reduction in social media activities, or even complete disengagement after a while.

Therefore, a proper plan should be created on social media engagement, which is part of an overall business strategy and has the buy-in of Senior Management.

Step 1: Create an Executive Summary

A short summary of business with how and why social media can help; you should aim to include the following:

§ Aim of business

§ Business or Revenue Model

§ Products & Services

§ Your Target Audience

§ Reviews of Current Marketing Efforts

Step 2: Define Social Media Goals

If you do not have a goal with defined specifics, then it’s like shooting without taking aim!

Social media goals based on metrics which are purely number specific are meaningless. For example if, as a business owner, you use one of the following metrics…:

§ More Likes on Facebook

§ More YouTube views

§ More Twitter Followers

…then you are letting social media define your goals instead of your business.

You need to engage your clients/customers/audiences, and that’s what social media marketing is all about. However, one question remains: engagement based on what criterion?

§ Interactive engagement

§ Allowing customers to solve their own issues

§ Only engaging clients/customers on positive issues

§ Controversial engagement on an issue where you take a position which is not mainstream

Social media goals should be specific for your business, actionable, measurable and easily manageable by you or your team. Depending on your business model, social media goals will vary.

However, here is a list of some very specific social media marketing goals that you may like to consider, after following steps 1 and 2 above:

§ Do research on a new product/service using a social media platform

§ Generate targeted traffic by engaging clients/customers on social media

§ Launch a new product and create buzz through social media

§ Use social media to increase awareness of an event, thus increasing registration

Step 3: Set a Budget!

Social media marketing campaigns require long term commitment. Therefore, relevant resources have to be allocated to manage it, and a budget must be agreed upon.

You need to make sure that the budget takes in to account any cyclical movement in your industry, so that your campaigns remain well funded through these crucial periods.

Step 4: Your Social Media Message

The success of your social media message depends on how you interact with your target audiences. Therefore, it is imperative that you spend time doing research before jumping in!

Your audience must be understood by type, age, why they need your product/service, income and location. You can then direct your social media marketing campaign in a focused manner.

Step 5: Best Social Media Tools

Here is a summarized review of the top social media sites to help you select the best tools for your campaigns. It is essential to select the correct social site, as part of your on-line social media marketing/communications plan:

Social Site	No of Users	Demographics	Marketing/Communication Model
Facebook	More than 2.38 billion users	25 - 34 years old 51% of teens use Facebook	Build a community of customers
Twitter	261 million International Twitter users	26-34years old 40 percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 years old use Twitter	Real time interaction
LinkedIn	LinkedIn has 575+ million users	Popular with the 25-49 age group 154 million American workers have LinkedIn profiles	B2B social networking tool and now with content publishing and sharing facility
Pinterest	More than 291 million active Pinterest users	26-44 years old 85 percent female	Sharing stories via pictures

Step 6: Content-Planning, Delivering & Executing

The hardest part of managing a social media marketing strategy is creation and delivery of unique and engaging content. This may sound daunting but, if planned properly, it can be easily manageable.

Properly planned and executed social media marketing campaigns will yield tangible results for the business.

So what is your content strategy?

Here is a list of questions which will help you to create your content strategy;

§ What do you want to write about? Specific topics and types of content i.e. a short blog post type-a detailed post on your top 3 products/services

§ How frequently do you wish to write? Daily/weekly/monthly etc. Do you have relevant resources to deliver the targeted frequency?

§ How do you respond to social engagement from your clients/customers? Would you only respond to positive comments, or deal with negatives as well?

§ How do you achieve more client/customer engagement? By asking questions to your audience?

§ What events can you plan to increase social engagement? A competition perhaps?

§ Will you use your e-mail list? You can direct your customers to your social media sites like Facebook.

Summary

Creating brand awareness, customer/client growth or you directly engaging with customers; doing it all on-line is now easily manageable. Social media marketing is an excellent route for achieving all three goals. For this to succeed you need a strategy, an executable plan and commitment.You can also contact SEO Company to improve your Social Media.

A social media marketing plan, when correctly executed with the determination to provide valuable content, will result in sustainable growth and very high ROI.