At its core, social media is an opportunity for you to interact with both your existing customers as well as potential new customers.
A strong social media strategy allows you to give your customers improved customer service, whilst at the same time providing you with an additional means of growing your brand, engaging with and being discovered by a new audience.
The best part is…to set up and manage a social media page is completely free, which is another reason why so many companies have flocked to networks such as Facebook and X. In one location, you could have access to thousands – if not millions – of potential customers.
So, if you want to start social media marketing for your brand, but not sure where to start, we’re here to help you create a social media strategy that takes your marketing to new heights.
So how do you decide which social media platforms to use?
1. Research your buyer personas
Your products and services won’t appeal to everyone – so rather than trying to target everyone with your marketing activities you should understand exactly who is more likely to find your business appealing in order to focus your efforts on reaching them.
This is called developing a buyer persona. A buyer persona is essentially a profile of the characteristics, demographics and needs of your ideal customer. When possible, you should use data gathered from your marketing and sales activity to help create an accurate buyer persona.
Tip: If you don’t know where to start, try HubSpot’s Buyer Persona tool or our downloadable worksheet.
2. Find the right social media platform
Having researched your buyer personas, you should have an idea of which social media platforms they are likely to use based on their age and interests. This means you can focus your efforts on the platform(s) likely to be the most effective.
Here’s a quick rundown of social media platforms out there, and which buyer persona they match best.
Facebook is versatile and appeals to a wide range of demographics, making it suitable for both B2C and B2B marketing efforts. It’s especially effective for brands aiming to engage with a broad audience and build community.
LinkedIn is primarily geared towards professionals and businesses, making it ideal for B2B connections and networking. It’s the go-to platform for businesses looking to establish thought leadership, recruit talent, and generate leads within professional circles.
Instagram is highly visual and popular among younger demographics, making it perfect for B2C brands, especially those in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food industries. It’s effective for showcasing products, engaging with followers, and creating a visually appealing brand image.
X (Twitter)
X is a platform known for its real-time conversations, news updates, and quick interactions. It’s suitable for both B2C and B2B marketing, particularly for brands looking to engage with a tech-savvy audience, share timely updates, and participate in industry discussions. It’s also great for dealing with customer enquiries and complaints.
TikTok
TikTok has gained immense popularity among younger audiences for its short-form video content. It’s particularly effective for B2C brands targeting Gen Z and millennials, offering opportunities for creative storytelling, viral marketing, and brand awareness campaigns.
3. Post the right content
Posting on social media is a type of indirect marketing and so you should focus on providing useful information that builds trust and loyalty for your brand. Yes, ultimately the aim of your activity is to drive customers to your business but if every post is purely an ad to get them there you won’t see any growth or customer loyalty.
When researching your buyer personas you will have developed an understanding of the aspirations and struggles your ideal customers have – use this knowledge to create content that shows them you can help them achieve their aspirations or solve their problems e.g. a bakeware store might share videos of high-end cake-decorating techniques that appeal to amateur bakers.
You should also post content on social media that aligns with the shared values you have with your customers e.g. an eco-friendly clothing store might share statistics and infographics about the impact of the clothing industry on the environment that appeal to people interested in sustainability.
4. Come up with a schedule you can stick to
It’s all well and good saying that you’re going to be able to put a post out every single day – but if you can’t do that consistently, neither the social platform algorithms nor your followers are going to see the value in your content.
Instead, it’s better to start with a lower commitment and build up to more frequent posting as you become more comfortable with the platform. As long as you’re posting something at least once a week, you should continue to reach your followers.
Create a calendar that you can use to plan your posts in advance and help you stick to your posting schedule.
5. Recycle content & posts
Just because you’ve put a post out once, it doesn’t mean you can’t put it out again!
Repurposing old content and images for new emerging trends or in new contexts is a savvy strategy to maximise the value of existing assets. By revisiting past content, businesses can breathe new life into their materials and stay relevant in ever-changing landscapes.
Repurposing content allows you to extend the lifespan of your investments, saving time and resources while maintaining a consistent brand voice and message.
Hire a social media marketing agency transform your business
Social media should be an integral part of your digital marketing strategy, whether you’re looking to build a following through organic posts or sell directly through social ads.
Sometimes it’s better to leave it in the hands of trusted experts. Regardless of your objectives or industry niche, we have the expertise to elevate your social media strategy to new heights. For help developing your social media strategy feel free to get in touch with our team.
