Have a social media plan that’s not working out and wondering what the most common issue with social media marketing plans is? Or, perhaps you’re starting from scratch and you want to learn how to put one together properly?
Well, there are various approaches to design your plan. One of the best ways of discovering what’s best for your brand is by learning from the mistakes of others.
Below are some of the most common issues with social media marketing plans that could be impacting your success. So, before rushing to draft and brainstorm, keep these don’ts of social media strategies in mind.
What is a social media marketing plan?
Social media has become a central part of customer-brand interactions. Some businesses even function fully online! Anybody trying to increase brand reach knows that social media is a must. Contrary to what some people think, though, making the best of social media platforms is not just about posting content.
So, why do businesses market via social media? Different businesses have different goals for their platforms. To build their brand, reach their audience, get better profits, improve website traffic, etc., a social media marketing plan is needed.
When creating such a plan, there are fundamentals to consider. For example, goals, platforms, and content type are all important things to think about when creating any marketing plan.
These don’t sound especially difficult, so where do people go wrong?
What are the common issues with social media marketing plans?
Not Having A Plan At All
Winging it? Not the best idea if you’re trying to optimize your online hustle. Having a plan is Social Media Marketing 101. It helps you avoid posting inauthentic content or posting just so your feed isn’t dead quiet.
It also helps you stay on top of your game. A clear plan, with goals, posts, deadlines, can help you keep track of what works and doesn’t.
At the same time, don’t be too rigid! It’s good to have a plan but social media is all about going with the flow. Keep up with trends and current affairs. Adapt!
No Customer Engagement
It’s very easy to focus on posting, posting, posting. Brands can end up forgetting about the people who see your posts. The keyword is SOCIAL. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter. They’re all about people and engagement!
- Don’t rely too much on automated posts (More on Preppr’s awesome social media planner later).
- Keep track of what your followers are posting.
- Tag them if it’s relevant.
- Most importantly, respond to comments and mentions.
Engagement makes your brand relatable and humane, so it’s important to factor this into your plans.
One Size Fits All Approach
Not all platforms are right for your business. People go to Pinterest to find cute how-tos or crafts. LinkedIn is more formal – a space for professional networking.
Know where you can find your audience and how to reach them. For example, a small, local restaurant may be more suited to creating Facebook and Instagram pages than a LinkedIn page.
Using all social media platforms will cut into time and resources. So, focus on specific platforms to make sure you target the right audience and create relevant content!
Not Tracking Progress
It’s pretty useless to set a goal with no way of measuring progress. Analytics programs and apps make keeping track soooo easy. They can show you how many clicks a post gets, how many people came to your site from a post, and tons more. If you don’t track how you’re doing, you can’t know if the plan is working.
Using analytics can also help you with other issues on this list. They can identify platform audience demographics to help you decide which platforms to use. You can use them to monitor your KPIs and they can help you see which forms of customer engagement work for you.
Measuring The Wrong KPIs
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) also help you measure progress. You must set your KPI’s depending on what goals you want to achieve. For example, If you want to make more sales, you might want to increase your conversion rate (the number of people that visit your pages and buy something).
It’s important to set the right KPIs, though. This is one of the most common issues found in social media marketing plans. Instead of how many new followers you have (and other vanity metrics), you want to measure the stuff that actually impacts your business. If you track the wrong KPIs, you won’t know if you’re getting anywhere.
Being Inconsistent
Consistency is the name of the game. First, you need to shape your brand identity. Language, visual design, brand values – these all add up to what your followers think of you.
Your plan must establish a familiar relationship between your brand and audience. Remember, social media is a conversation!
Second is post consistency. Unless you’re ‘Queen B’ Beyoncé, then you probably can’t get away with just dropping a post every 6 months.
Posting regularly is essential! Luckily, Preppr’s social media scheduling tool makes it super easy! Draft, plan, schedule, and publish content all in one place!
Having all hands on board
Having keen and proactive employees is amazing, but not everybody needs direct input on your platforms. With too many people managing your social media accounts, things might end up with some inconsistency and confusion. This does not work for the consistency agenda!
Include a manager or team in your social media marketing budget. Knowing who is responsible for what is very helpful if changes need to be made.
Getting started
Keeping your social media on-fleek is not as easy as it seems. But it can be! Just remember these tips:
1. Define your goals and Key Performance Indicators. And use Analytics to measure them.
2. Choose platforms that work for your goals and your brand.
3. Be consistent! (But also go with the flow…)
4. Establish a team or a social media manager.
5. Finally, don’t sleep on Preppr’s automation app. Use it to stay on top of your content!
Now, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get planning!
Comments are closed.