How to Create a Social Media PlanBy Dexter Patterson

Always create your plan with a target audience in mind

What social media platforms is your audience using?

Pay attention to the content they consume

Listen and deliver value

Step 1 : Define Your Audience

What social media platforms is your business currently

using?

◦ Where are you having the most success?

◦ Analyze and evolve

Determine the analytic tools you will use to measure

success

◦ This article from Buffer provides tons of great options

◦ https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-analytics-tools

Step 2: Conduct an Audit

Set realistic goals

◦ Ex: Post to Facebook 5 times a week

◦ Ex: Gain 100 new Twitter followers in a month

◦ Ex: Engage with everyone that likes, comments or shares your content

Make sure the social media plan matches the overall

branding and marketing of the company

Adjust if goals are not being met don’t give up!

Step 3: Set Company Goals

Not all social media platforms make sense for every

business

Pick 1-2 social media platforms and do them well

◦ Branding must be consistent across all platforms

Each platform has it’s own community norms so pay

attention to those norms during the planning process

Step 4: Choose your platforms

If it isn’t broke don’t fix it

◦ Pay attention to the people doing social media well

Use industry best practices and adapt them to your

audience

◦ Great resource: http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

Step 5: View the Competition

Determine the types of content you will use

◦ Multi-media approach that utilizes not only text-based content but photos, infographics,

video, etc.

Determine the frequency of your posts

◦ Min. 5 times a week on all platforms

Organic vs. Paid Promotion of Content

◦ Target ads on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to ideal customers

Pick a scheduling tool like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social

◦ Picking a social media management tool all depends on the size of your business and the

budget

◦ Great article with a variety of social media management options

http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-tools/favorite-social-media-management-t

ools-for-small-business/

Automate the posts but not the actual conversation

Step 6: Create a Content Calendar

Focus on providing value to your audience

◦ Listen and find the pain points of your audience

◦ Turn them into advocates for your brand by helping them

◦ Consistent engagement will eventually lead to sales

Step 7: Selling Not Primary Goal

Dedicated teams with assigned roles perform best

◦ Buy in from the top is great but not always realistic until you deliver

results

◦ Consistency amongst the team is the key to long-term success

Step 8: Social Media is a team effort!

If you have any other questions I’d love to help!

Check out my blog at http://www.drpmarketingsolutions.com

Find me on Twitter @drpatterson2

Thank You!