Your Social Media Deserves a Plan

Your Social Media Deserves a Plan

On Facebook we frequently touch on the subject on the difference between a professional in social media and an amateur.  As many of us, who have been in this industry for years, have seen many times someone thinks running a social media campaign is done the same way as running personal social media accounts.  But what the experts in this field know – is that the component of marketing so many campaigns fall short in is the plan.

Social media is a fluid entity, always moving and evolving. Because of this it’s necessary to consider different aspects of each piece of an effective campaign.  Planning out a successful social media campaign requires the creativity, knowledge and skills to visualize, communicate, create, and execute the campaign in every stage.

Creativity   Not only do online campaigns have to be worded correctly but they also require the visual appeal to catch the eye and hold the attention of the targeted audience.  Proper planning will ensure that all components of the campaign are consistent with not only the message but the brand.

Knowledge   Because things are always changing it’s imperative that a campaign be planned by someone with the knowledge to know not only the rules of online platforms but also the best times to push selective content, as well as what components of the campaign are most effective where. Throwing everything out at once, or saturating all outlets with the same repeated key words, phrases, and information may become overly redundant to your audience and in turn can backfire quickly. Knowing what to say when and where comes from knowing how each platform works and having the experience in using that to the clients advantage.

Skills  Having the creativity and knowledge to plan and create an effective campaign means nothing if there’s not the proper team in place to make sure that every piece is properly executed.  It’s required that a campaign have the care and attention needed so that there are no missed parts or pieces so the client receives the fullest benefit of their time and investment.

Take a look at what your current social media outlets look like – do you feel you’re sending a clear and consistent message? Is the voice of your company in line with the images and graphics being shared? Are you feeling like there’s thought and reasoning behind what you’re seeing being posted on behalf of your company? These questions should tell you if your marketing team has a plan in place for you, and if that plan is being executed with creativity, knowledge, and skill.