Make A Marketing Plan

Almost one-third of the world uses social networks regularly, according to eMarketer. Social media networks provide a great way to increase brand awareness and engage with new and existing customers however many entrepreneurs are guilty of very basic social media marketing mistakes.

However, without a social media marketing plan, you can spend your whole day on social media with little to show for it. As an entrepreneur, every action you take on social networks should be a part of a larger social media marketing strategy.

That means every post, reply, like, and comment should all be guided by a plan that’s driving toward business goals. For new entrepreneurs, this might sound complicated and unnecessary, but if you take the time to create a comprehensive social media strategy, the rest of your social efforts should follow naturally.

A lot of businesses have the habit of going into social media with no marketing plan or guidelines for growth and as a result, spend countless hours without results, for this reason many businesses end up using the help of a Digital Marketing Agency to boost brand awareness, while also avoiding common marketing mistakes.

“A great social media strategy is never set in stone. It is a constant work in progress that changes when necessary.”

Common Social Media Marketing Mistakes

The biggest mistake most entrepreneurs make is going into social media without a specific plan. Your social media marketing plan should contain an audit of your current accounts, a list of SMART goals and a set of tools you need to accomplish those goals.

To create your social media marketing plan, you need to know how to know your ideal customer and how to find your target audience.

Mistake #1 – Not Knowing Your Audience

As part of your social media marketing strategy, you need to be as specific as possible when it comes to your target audience. For example, if you identified your market as teenagers that’s a start. However, it is better to hone it down to a teenager that enjoys music, and is about to go to college and prefers Facebook over other social networks and enjoys camping.

Mistake #2 – Setting The Wrong Goals

How will you determine if your social media marketing efforts are successful? I am not just talking about gaining more followers, I am talking about making money. After all, it is hard to rationalize spending time and money on something that isn’t improving the bottom line. A few metrics to consider measuring are:

  • List Growth
  • Impressions
  • Conversion Rate (to list or purchase)
  • Time Spent on Website
  • Reach
  • Brand Mentions
  • Sentiment
  • Shares
  • Likes

Mistake #3 – Not Reporting and Adjusting

Most entrepreneurs make the mistake of creating a single strategy and sticking to it regardless of the results. Even the best social media marketers rely on trial and error. This may be the most important step when it comes to succeeding on social media. It might seem basic, but tracking your results, analyzing the data and then making tweaks to optimize them is crucial.

Take the necessary time up-front to consider your social media marketing strategy. Feel free to connect with us if we may be a resource!

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