Elements of a Successful Social Media Marketing Strategy

Social media marketing has become an instrumental method of marketing in today’s digital age. Eighty percent of Americans have a social media profile on some platform in 2021, and an increasing reliance on the internet to maintain interactions makes social media more influential than ever.

The vast majority of Fortune 500 companies, nearly 97%, utilize social media marketing on at least one platform and find it to be a valuable resource for promoting initiatives and foster communications with stakeholders.

The key to social media marketing is to have a detailed and inclusive strategy. What elements should be in your marketing strategy? Here we will outline several important elements to include.

Key Elements of Social Media Marketing

Choose the right platforms

There are numerous social media platforms available today, but not all of them reach the same audience. Facebook is still the most widely-used social platform, with 71% of Americans using it at least once a day. Instagram is a favorite of teens and young adults, while LinkedIn has steadfastly remained a platform for professionals and networking. Twitter is most popular with adults between 18-29, and 75% of B2B businesses market on Twitter.

Be sure to do some research into which audience you identify as your target and choose the appropriate platforms that will best reach them. You may even find that multiple platforms are fitting for your marketing purposes.

Utilize the power of advertising

Social media advertising can be a consistent way to reach your target audience amidst constantly changing algorithms. It is important to tailor the messages to each platform and understand the different methods of advertising.

Most platforms allow you to create audiences that you can then use to get your social content in front of your specific demographics.

Adopt a mobile-first approach

Social media is focused more toward mobile-use than desktop or laptop formats. Pew Research Center data shows that 97% of Americans own a smartphone, and 15% of American adults own a smartphone but do not have traditional home broadband service.

With the majority of Americans relying on smartphones for internet access, keeping a mobile-first strategy in mind while creating social media content can enhance your presence online and makes your business seem modern and relevant.

Create a social media calendar

Using social media for business is different than personal use. Creating a calendar that outlines what you should post and when is one of the best ways to have a successful strategy. It makes your posts seem more thought out than if you were to post on a whim.

Having a calendar can help you visualize how your content will appear, and can help you plan certain posts around specific times, like holidays or special events your business plans to host.

Develop a social media budget

Social media advertising can require some funding, so create a budget that you would like to stick to when it comes to getting your ads online. You can also boost individual posts on social media, which also must be paid for, but can increase the reach of your posts and puts it in front of more eyes.

Just like with anything else, having a budget can help you understand where your dollars will best be spent.

Use high quality images and graphics

Including high quality images and graphics on your social media platforms makes your posts eye-catching and shareable. Visuals are extremely important, so make sure yours reflect your business and the quality of your work.

Engage with followers online

Responding to comments, reviews, and likes can increase the trustworthiness of your business. It shows that your company is committed to your customers’ experience and sees them as individual people rather than just consumers.

Creating a successful social media marketing strategy might seem like a lot of work, and that’s because it is. If you can’t allocate a sufficient amount of time or resources to your strategy, you might benefit from partnering with an agency to fill in the cracks.

Whether you decide to take on your own social media marketing or partner with a marketing agency, you should develop a thoughtful strategy that will best help your unique business. It’s one of the best ways to draw people to your business and can help you grow.

Thanks for reading!
Laura