The temptation to increase your social media presence is tremendous – and you’re not alone if you’re feeling overwhelmed by social media. However, being everywhere on social media – trying to be all things to all people – leads to fatigue and overwhelm. Stretching yourself too thin without a social media marketing strategy is ineffective for generating new leads, converting consumers, or building a devoted following. Instead, let’s look at how to build a long-term social media marketing strategy — without being overwhelmed. Even if you haven’t been very active on social media, use this as an opportunity to start your social media marketing campaign from scratch and create an engaged following.

Examine Your Starting Point:

Before you go headfirst into developing a long-term social media marketing strategy, you need to take a step back and analyse the situation.

Log into your current accounts and look at your followers, how frequently you publish material, and if anybody is commenting or liking what you’re doing. Make a note of any content that received more attention than others, as well as any pieces or updates that did not do well. You should begin to notice trends indicating which channels are resonating with your brand and audience and which are delivering mixed results. Set up a spreadsheet to keep track of your social media platforms, the number of followers and admirers, and any notes you want to preserve.

Channels can be chosen at your leisure:

The good thing about developing a long-term social marketing strategy is that you don’t have to be everywhere at once. Instead, it is in your best interest to select channels depending on where your target market or audience is most engaged. If you want to reach CEOs aged 30 to 64, don’t get on Snapchat and try to create a following. Instead, visit LinkedIn, where 61 per cent of members are under the age of 35. Meanwhile, bloggers and brands aimed at 18- to 29-year-old women who enjoy stylish apparel will prosper and grow their following on Instagram. If you’re not sure where to begin, look to discover where your rivals are spending their time. If your competitors have big, engaged Facebook Pages and consistently update their material, chances are your audience is on Facebook.

Determine Your Goals:

Set defined goals for your social media marketing strategy from the outset. Using social media to engage customers with the purpose of converting them into paying customers for a product will look very different from attempting to increase traffic to your company blog. Outline specific goals for each social media outlet you want to use.

You can better construct your plan once you’ve determined your objectives. Using social media to increase engagement and revenue may need the publication of additional case studies or instructions on how to utilise your product. Meanwhile, engaging readers so that they read your blog and subscribe necessitates the publishing of interesting articles, films, or infographics that aid serendipity.

Emphasis on Engagement:

At the end of the day, a successful and long-term social media strategy is all about continuing interaction, not gathering followers and fans. As a result, your social media marketing strategy should centre on capturing someone’s attention span through connecting with them. This may keep people returning for more from your social media platforms – and your business – time and time again. Begin by sharing engaging material, commenting on their posts, participating in Twitter conversations, and being present and available. The value of these individual encounters will accumulate over time.

Keep It Organic:

Growing an engaged and devoted social media following, or growth hacking your way to social success, is not a quick fix. It takes time and effort to build a following. A contest may provide a short boost in followers, but after the promotion is done, you’re likely to lose those followers. Concentrate on organic growth that is consistent with the character of your brand. If you own a travel gadget store, focus on connecting with fellow travellers and gadget enthusiasts on the social media platforms where they spend the most time. Share useful ideas, participate in their online discussions, and share your finest material. The following you gain organically will grow over time.

Analyze Your Results:

Your social media marketing plan will be meaningless until you measure your results and examine your social media ROI. You’ll never know if you’re resonating with your core Twitter followers and generating maximum engagement, or if Snapchat is where you’re getting the best results. Take the time to track how many new fans and followers you’re gaining, as well as how many interactions you’re having with them. Next, examine your website statistics or Google Analytics integration to determine which social networks are driving visitors to your site. There are several ways to assess achievements, but when you’re just getting started, it’s vital to keep things basic and uncomplicated. You don’t have to sift through a sea of spreadsheets and statistics to get your social media marketing strategy up and going. Simply set out a few minutes each week to assess where you’re receiving the greatest traction and implement modest, incremental changes. Set aside additional time once a month to examine what’s working and what isn’t in order to fine-tune your strategies.

Engage Your Followers Using Sustainable Social Media:

Social media should represent your brand’s authenticity, express your voice, and establish a relationship with your audience or ideal target market. It’s difficult to be everything to everyone, but you can utilise social media channels to reach out to people who want to hear and accept your message. At the end of the day, focus on connection development and consistency to develop a long-term social media marketing strategy that will keep your company expanding.

We at The Social Lions help our clients create a sustainable social media strategy and we can help you do the same. Get in touch with us to curate a tailored social media strategy that can help you boost your social media presence.