19.Jun.2012
4 Steps to an Effective Social Media Strategy
At DefinedLogic we follow a four step process to help our clients develop their social media strategy.
- Definition
- Discovery
- Development
- Delivery
In today’s blog I’m going to discuss the first two steps, Definition and Discovery.
Step 1 – Definition
A social media strategy should always be a part of your overall marketing plan and must always align with current marketing goals and objectives.
Therefore, it’s crucial to define the following:
- Mission Statement – define the Mission of the Organization, the reason for being
- Vision Statement - define the Vision, what you are aspiring to be
- Marketing Objectives – define the Goals (brand awareness, sales, customer loyalty, etc.)
- Situation Analysis
- How do people view your company? Listen to your customers, take surveys, read customer reviews, and use online listening tools.
- Conduct a company S.W.O.T. analysis
- Strengths (What do you do well? What makes you unique?)
- Weaknesses (What are you not doing well?)
- Opportunities (What can you do to improve?)
- Threats (What could go wrong?)
- What can you invest? Resources, staff, time, etc.
Step 2 – Discovery
The next step is to document your current process.
- Identify current assets – website, blogs, social media channels, email lists, mobile apps, etc.
- Identify potential new assets – new social media channels (Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr)
- Review and evaluate effectiveness of prior marketing initiatives – mailing lists, flyers, social media, print/digital ads, etc.
- List upcoming marketing opportunities – promotions, sales, sponsorships, events, etc.
- Determine resources – including budget, time, staff, technology, etc.
In my next post I’ll discuss the last two steps Development and Delivery as well as what channels you should be using.
