How to Develop a Social Media Strategy

As mentioned in the previous blog Three Keys to Social Media Implementation, using only a couple platforms to start, making a guideline to stay focused, and developing a social media strategy are necessary for implementing social media the right way. This blog post outlines how to develop the initial strategy needed to start using social media. The best way to build a social media strategy is to break it down into three easy steps (or questions):

1. Who am I targeting? What social media platforms do these people use? What types of content do these people like?
2. What are my main objectives of using social media?
3. What will I do to meet these objectives?

For this example, lets use an up and coming photographer as an example:

Joe Blow’s Photography Services

Joe Blow is a 22 year old male, interested in making a photography business. He’s noticed most of his clients are girls who want cool photographs for their instagram account, and they’re willing to pay him cash to get them. He wants to get his business on social media to gain a follower base and grow his business.

1. Where do I need to be? (Social Media Platform)

Who am I targeting? Girls, lets say 18-24 years old

What social media platform do they use? Instagram & Facebook

What types of content do they like? Cool photos of nature, other models, art…

Finding social media demographics can be time consuming, but simply google searching “Social Media Demographics” will lead you to lots of articles about various platforms and their users. Also, just get your thumb ready and scroll. Search platforms with relevant hashtags to your business and it will uncover a ton of insight.

2. What are my main objectives of using social media?

For Joe Blow, I would say gaining followers & building his portfolio will be the major objectives. Because its not rocket science to do the math that more followers = more post views = more potential clients.

3. What will I do to meet these objectives?

By this, I am referring to the actual content you are going to post. By this step, you have your instagram page all set up, you’ve got some of your friends following you, but you have no posts. In order to engage with your target audience, what the heck am I supposed to post? As a photographer, Joe Blow should be posting his own work as it happens, reposting his friends/other work he likes, events he is attending, etc. Another key is he should be tagging the models he is working with, and keeping his account unlocked. This way, when working with a model that has 10 times the amount of followers he has, people can click on the photos the model is tagged in, and will be driven to the photo that Joe Blow took.

The strategy I shared with you today was a basic example of how a local photographer could effectively move his business into the instagram market. By keeping the three easy steps in mind and doing some basic planning, you will be able to have a focused mind in what you want to be posting, and successfully develop your business’ online presence!

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