Answer me this:
Where are you now?
(the gap)
Where do you want to be?
What needs to happen in the gap is your social media strategy, in other words, the plan of action.
First of all (in case you’re wondering) why should your brand even be on social media?
1. Your customers are there
2. Influences customer behaviour
3. Reputation management
4. Social listening
5. Top of mind
6. Reach more people than you thought possible
7. It’s cheap!
1. Your customers are there
Just take a look at these statistics. 89% of Dutch people between the ages of 20-39 use Facebook, more than half use it daily. Instagram usage is on the rise.
2. Influences customer behaviour
People who like a brand will buy more of its products and recommend it to their friends. How much people like a brand is subject to influence. Aside of the brand needing to follow through on its promise of product, the added value of a brand is created by certain imagery, messages, affiliations, colours etc., this is also known called ‘branding’. Social media is just an extension of the branding process. Which brings me to: reputation management...
3. Reputation management
Social media allows the communication to flow easily between customer and brand. It also has a very low threshold factor, meaning that customers, when pleased or displeased, the step is a lot smaller to voice ones opinion. This can be a daunting experience when a customer has a (public) complaint but it gives the brand the opportunity to manage its reputation by turning that upset customer into a happy. By doing it publicly on social media other (potential) customers will see how professionally the complaint was taken care of, and in turn have a positive feeling towards to the brand.
4. Social listening
When you launch a new product or change your restaurant menu, your customers will have an opinion. Before social media, their opinions were difficult to gage, often only reflected in sales. When your customers are on social media, all you have to do is read the comments to know how they’re feeling and thinking. This is also great place to get new ideas for your brand by staying aware of your customers’ needs and challenges.
5. Top of mind
Your customers look more at their smartphones than they do a billboard. By being in the places they are, you will able to reach them efficiently. Using the right type of post can trigger an action.
6. Reach more people than you thought possible
Your customers on social media all have their own friends, who in turn have their friends, etc etc. It’s incomparable to a store on the corner of street relying on foot traffic.
7. It’s cheap!
Never in the history of advertising has it been so cheap (basically free) to reach your customer. Even the price for Facebook ads is 1,000 times cheaper (and more effective) than more traditional print / advertising methods. So why would you not take advantage?
Now, back to the most common challenges I hear:
“I don’t know what to post” or “I’m posting but nothing is happening”
This comes down to the need for an effective social media strategy.
What does a social media strategy involve?
Firstly, you identify where you are now and where you want to be.
Is it more traffic to your website? Do you want to create a community? Have more activity of your page?
Secondly, identify what is needed to reach that goal. It’s also important to keep in mind how you will measure your social media success. For example, it can be sentiment, reach, organic likes.
What are the key components of an effective social media strategy?
1. Target audience
You have to identify who your target audience is, and really know them.
2. Social media platforms
Which social media platforms are best for your brand?
What do you personally enjoy using? Where are your target audience found?
3. Tone of voice
How do you address your target audience? With humour? Do you use emojis?
4. Content
In a nutshell, effective social media content consists of 2 factors:
1: It's authentic.
2: It has value.
The authentic factor is just right under your nose. Post what you do have, not what you wish you had. Posting inauthentically will result in running out of content in no time…worst of all, your audience will see right through it
Value can take different forms - you can provide value in the form of information, or social value in the form of participation and community.
5. Knowing what works
This is mainly acquired through experience and observing other successful brands.
6. Knowing what is possible
Social media platforms are constantly updating and adding new features. To fully take advantage of the platforms you need to be in the loop. You simply can’t utilize what you don’t know is there.
Want to know what a social media strategy can do for you? Any questions or suggestions?
Join our mailing list or send an email to info@spotsstripes.com
I’ll get in touch with you ASAP
(Nederlands kan ook!)