Create the most effective social media marketing plan
There is a vast sea of social media information out there. Experts are everywhere and there are so many opinions on best practices and tactics.
Not only that, but the platforms themselves are constantly changing, whether it’s adding new features, increasing character limits, or changing the rules.
That’s why I’ve created this guide to help you understand how to set social media goals for 2020. This article is especially great for you if you’ve never taken stock of your marketing campaigns or created goals.
Throughout this process, it is very important to be honest about your successes and failures. It’s okay to admit that some of what you’ve done has been wasted effort, which is why we’re here.
Here is my 3-step process for setting social media goals for 2020:
1. Check your reports
Keeping reports is a must if you want to properly assess the effectiveness and efficiency of what you spent time sharing online. There are many ways to set up a report, but if you need direction and inspiration, Smartsheet has a free social media report template to get you started.
You need to learn to look beyond the number of impressions and understand how your content is actually performing. Do people like it, share it, comment on it?
Pay close attention to metrics like engagement – this valuable information is like your prospects telling you what they liked or didn’t like. So keep that in mind when planning your 2020 content.
For example, I make an effort to share valuable content every day on our Twitter account.
From Twitter to Facebook, every platform offers free analytics on profile performance, so use it!
This free report helps you see what you’ve shared that worked and what didn’t. Look for topics that visitors and followers have been consistently interested in, and share more of that content in the future.
If you are up for the challenge, you can do some paid promotion for your business. Remember, you can always contact us and let us handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on running your business.
We are constantly on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram. And we keep up with the latest trends and tips and love to analyze reports and statistics!
2. Study your analytics
Yes, you want to look forward, but you also need to look back. You can share content from left to right, but unless you’re directing visitors to your website, you’re not serving your purpose. You want to drive people to your site, where hopefully they will engage more and buy a product or service from you.
Google Analytics is a free tool provided by Google that is key to planning your social media in 2020. It shows you how your social media actions drive traffic for your business, broken down into many relevant statistics.
To view these results, navigate to your Acquisition for Social section and then click on Network Referrals. You can select the previous year as the date range. You should then be able to see how many people have clicked on your posts and subsequently landed on your website.
Read 5 Social Media Marketing Tips for 2020
Is marketing on social networks no longer working for you?
Wondering what you should change to get better results?
In our Teatime Tip: Marketing for Busy Entrepreneurs, I share 5 valuable tips so you can learn what works, what doesn’t, and what you need to focus on more. Read more on our website.
3. Set your goals
The first two steps should give you an idea of where you are, and now it’s time to create your plan. You have a great idea of what type of content worked, what platforms your target audience is on, and where you should focus your efforts in the coming year.
Other things you need to do to reach your goals:
- Track the growth of your followers month by month. If you are not gaining new followers throughout the year, you need to look at why that is.
- Keep an eye out for seasons when your content is most popular on a particular platform. For example, Pinterest trends show increased usage in the summer and around Christmas, with big dips in the spring and fall.
- Only share content that has value. You want to sell without scaring people away. You also want to give people non-sales resources like blogs, inspirational quotes, events, whatever makes sense for your brand and audience.
For example, I share articles, events, and news on our company’s LinkedIn account.
The biggest mistake you can make is allowing your marketing campaigns to become a chore, rather than a positive part of your business. When you’re having fun, you’ll find yourself sharing more engaging and interactive content.
As you set your goals for conquering social media in 2020, keep in mind that you may not achieve all of them. That’s not a flop! As long as you’re prepared with a solid social media marketing plan and what you share is authentic and honest, then you’ll be doing a great job!
