All Digital Marketers Should Have This Social Media Marketing Checklist

  • By Harry Miller
  • 14-11-2018
  • Digital Marketing
social media marketing
According to Review Trackers, 91% of retail brands in America make use of at least 2 social media channels. Social media has become prime real estate for advertising everything from Spectrum internet plans to local eateries. In total, there are over 3 billion people worldwide who actively use social media. Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat all attract users for distinct reasons. While the specifics of advertising on these channels may vary, there are certain core facts that hold true everywhere.
 
A definitive social media marketing checklist
Social media marketing really took off over the past decade. In fact, it has emerged as a field in its own right. There are tons of freelancers on Fiverr and UpWork who can manage your social media campaigns. For nominal fees, of course. There are also accomplished professionals who have a history of running successful social media marketing campaigns. But like most people, you probably prefer to handle SMM yourself. Imagine if you had a cheat sheet of key points to keep in mind. Here is our checklist for budding digital marketers working on social media campaigns:
 
1. Define your SMM objectives
2. Always keep your audience in mind
3. Come up with engaging content
4. Mix up organic marketing with paid SMM
5. Always engage with people
 
Sounds simple enough, right? As obvious as this checklist may seem, you will be surprised at how many people fail to follow it. Read on to find out why these points are key to your social media marketing.
 
Define your SMM objectives
Without a clear idea of where you want to be, you probably won’t ever get there. This doesn’t only apply to road trips and life, but to social media as well. The first step to running a successful social media campaign is knowing what you want to get out of it. Knowing what you want to achieve defines the strategies you will use to get there. There are a number of possible SMM objectives, such as:
 
- Building brand awareness
- Increasing sales
- Driving more traffic to your website
 
There can be other objectives as well, differing from brand to brand and industry to industry. Clearly defining your objective is important for you to determine how you will proceed. All your social media strategies will hinge on this important point.
 
Always keep your audience in mind
So you now know what you hope to achieve on social media. Everything you do should aim at that, obviously. But your target audience must always factor in. Every action you take on social media should take into account your target audience. You should ask yourself why you are putting up a specific thing, a Facebook update, an Instagram story, a Snap, etc. If this does not fit well with your audience, don’t put it up. It doesn’t matter how bulletproof you might think it is. If it is not something that your target audience will receive well, do not post it. The ultimate goal of your social media presence is to engage your target audience. You don’t need everything you post to be a sales-focused post. Instead, post things that speak to your audience. Things your audience can relate to are more likely to get a response than the generic sales or promotional content. In fact, even the type of social media platform you choose should focus on your audience. Do some research and find out which mediums your target audience prefers the most and use them. No matter how good your content, if you’re posting on the wrong platform, you will never get the desired results. Always keep your audience at the core of your strategies.
 
Come up with engaging content 
This is probably something you know already, but these days, content is king. So now you know what your target audience is. The next step is deciding what to post. There is no definitive answer to this. There is no one right kind of content above all others that is going to work. The right content varies by brand and industry. So how do you come up with the right content? You keep the first two steps in mind. Create content that is in line with your objectives and is likely to resonate with your target audience. Here’s a mini-checklist for posting the right content:
 
- Post regularly and consistently
- Keep mixing up the type of content you post 
- Vary between blog posts, videos, infographics, and other means
- Create and follow a content calendar for social media
 
Mix up organic marketing with paid SMM
So you’ve defined your objectives, understood your audience and come up with original, engaging content. But are you still not getting the desired response? That’s because you have made a very common mistake and put all your eggs in one basket. An organic approach to social media marketing is great, but not enough to get you anywhere on its own. You want a good ROI, and for that, you need to mix up your marketing approach. There’s so much content on social media that it is staggering. And it's all vying for visibility. Which means that the content you post faces stiff competition. At this point, it's obvious you need a little extra effort. This is where social media advertising comes in. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram let you post tailored ads for specific audiences. This ensures you are getting your message out to the right people. The best thing about social media advertising is that it is relatively easy to target an audience and very easy to track performance. For the best return on your investment in social media, maintain a balance between organic and paid marketing.
 
Always engage with people
It’s called social media for a reason. It is not a place for organizations to engage with other organizations. It’s a place where the content you post is visible to real individuals. These individuals are the ones who are going to like, comment and share your posts. If you get lucky and people start engaging with your posts in this manner, don’t waste the chance. Make sure you are engaging with people you attract on social media. This is the best way to build lasting relationships with people. There’s a reason why the Spectrum customer service page puts out fast responses to queries. Be social on social media and create a good impression on people who show interest in your brand.
 
There you have it, our checklist for social media marketing to help you succeed in your efforts. If you feel there are other points that should be included here, email us your suggestions.

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Author

Harry Miller

My name is Harry Miller, and I am a Relationship coach, Yoga maestro and Blogger. I try to present my critical take on the latest socio-cultural trends that dominate the blogosphere.

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