What’s your plan?

Although this post at Simply Business is older, it still contains a great deal of incredibly helpful direction. Not only is it quite thorough and dense in it’s direction, it also has hyperlinked content within the interactive guide located at the site to fill in the points.

A couple of things that we’d like to add or would change: the order of the chart and addition some steps. For instance, Step 4 is goals and strategy. If you haven’t thought anything about that, or haven’t yet figured out social media in your communications plan, stay away from steps 1-3. The technology and technique come after you have integrated your organizational goals, mission, and strategy as it pertains to mediums.

Additionally, how are you going to choose which platforms to use? Do your research on the demographics of your client base, and that of your potential client base if your changing or increasing your reach. Lastly, beware of the “campaigns” draw. Social media is based on relationship. Having campaign events may not be the best social media strategy, particularly if you don’t integrate that well within the context of your client relationships. Use with caution; this is not a broadcast media platform. Any effort -campaign or otherwise- should be thoughtfully intentional. Even if your content is very different on different platforms, it should be such because you understand your demographics and strategy to keep itĀ integrated.

How to use the guide:

1) Click hereĀ 
2) Go to ‘Start’
3) Move through each of the questions and follow the ‘yes’ or ‘no’ arrows as appropriate
4) Want to learn more about a particular topic? The bullet points are links to resources. Simply click on whatever takes your fancy and the resource will open in a new tab.

Let us know if this is helpful, and how it shapes your social media communication!

social media strategy
Click image to open interactive version (via Simply Business).