Social media is receiving a lot of attention among consumers and businesses, as they look to tap into this powerful new media.  The incredible growth of Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and others has resulted in new pools of potential customers and new methods to target, reach and convert them.

EquiBrand uses a structured, disciplined approach to assist clients in developing and implementing effective social media marketing strategies and plans.  We address the following questions, which drives social media marketing plan development:

Key issues to address:

• Category role: What role does social media play in your category today, and how might that change over time? Clearly, social media has different applications by business category, so it’s key to consider this in up-front planning

• Target audience: How and why are customers and potential customers interacting with social media today?  What sites do they frequent, how do they communicate, what questions do they have?

• Company objectives:  What do you want to accomplish with social media?  What are the underlying marketing objectives – to drive awareness, convert customers, retain customers, increase referrals?  Any one of these objectives may result in a drastically different social media strategy and plan, so carefully consider these questions

• Strategic Plan – What approach will you take to meet the needs and interests of your audience in order to meet your own?  Is your goal merely to have a presence on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter (which could be a viable objective) or are you planning to invest in a comprehensive driving idea program that integrates social media, web, and traditional offline channels?

• Social Media Tactics and Tools – What social media marketing tactics and corresponding technologies and tools will you use to implement the plan?  Then, which particular media sites within these?  There are many decisions to consider.

• Metrics – How will you measure and monitor success according to the objectives you’ve identified?

• Start with a plan, not tactics.  A good place to start is answering the questions that are asked earlier.  The answers to these will go a long way in helping develop the strategy

• Listen first, respond second.  Successful social media marketing programs involve “getting” and “giving”.  Initially, you should spend more time getting information, so you’re equipped to give your readers something of value

• Commit resources to be successful.  Having a dormant social media program – with gaps of weeks, months and longer between blogs or posts, is all too common.  To avoid this, you need to be very clear about who, what, where, when and how content will be created. This is perhaps the single biggest issue that dooms social media marketing programs

• Integrate social media marketing with other digital efforts, and plan and track accordingly, which requires a confirmed touchpoints strategy and plan

EquiBrand can help develop the social media marketing objectives, strategy, plan, tactics and measurement processes.  Contact us to discuss your needs.