Developing a Social Media Strategy

Before diving headfirst into a social channel, you’ll need to think some things through. What’s the account’s mission? Have you determined a voice? How will you measure success? For those looking to start from the ground up or revive a stagnant account, consider these questions before you begin posting for the world to see. The clearer your strategy, the better ROI:

Mission Statement: What is the intent of this account? What does it hope to accomplish?

Prospective Audiences: Who will follow this account? What do you know about this audience, i.e., what are their motivations, what moves them? How can you find out more? Consider listing primary and secondary audiences.

Key Followers: Who will you follow? Who are the influencers in your desired audience? Who would you like to follow this account?

Sources of Content: From where will this account obtain content?

Content Types: What types of content will you need (photos, videos, web links, etc.)?

Cadence: How frequently will you post?

What tone and voice will you adopt? (e.g., informative, formal/informal, use of jargon, etc.) Consider listing personality adjectives you’d like to convey via your voice and tone.

What does success look like? How will you know if this account is successful?

Relevant Metrics: What metrics will you report on? How frequently?

Management Oversight: Who will manage this account? Who is the backup manager? How frequently will you check in, i.e., over the weekend, non-work hours? Who will supervise or have final authority over content?

Brand Hashtags: Which hashtags will you use often, if any?