Pract•ad•goal is a word host Heather Holloway created. It is the sum total of the words ‘practical advancement goal.’ Her intention with this podcast is to teach women entrepreneurs how to advance their careers with practical social media marketing advice.
Social media is a powerful concept. Connecting people around the world, its made our world smaller and our empathy deeper. Companies can use social media for marketing their business and building their brand. While all companies want to create a more substantial base, not all will do it in a way that translates to tangible results.
Brands must be intentional, creative, and smart when building their social platform. Without a focus and clear mission, social media will do nothing for a company and may even damage its reputation.
Wasted Time
Every day, companies are shooting themselves in the foot by committing large amounts of resources to a failed or floundering social plan. Creating too little traffic or creating an unmanageable campaign are both marketing sins. Some businesses may even have large followings that do not convert to profits. Instead, use your time as wisely as possible and focus on results.
Don’t Be a Copycat
Like traditional marketing, social media is its own version of marketing your message and brand. While some brands sail bow-first into the rough head wins of social media, you should take care and make decisions that support your message. Mimicking another company’s approach to social media will feel inauthentic and scattered. You’ll find that your plan will not only die quickly, but you may even feel wholly disenfranchised and want to give up on this valuable marketing strategy altogether.
It’s Called Social Media
Though social media is a form of marketing, it is different from Mad Men era ads that attempted to convince companies to buy a product through clever delivery. Instead, social media relies on the connections companies make with their customers. That’s the social component that many companies forget. Take the time to build up a base and invest in those connections.
Results Focused
Like any other tool, social media helps create something powerful. But you have to put in the work. Take the time to make goals focused on results and follow a strategic plan. You’re also going to need to get comfortable with self-promotion that sells your brand and your product or service.
Constantly Reassess
After putting your social media campaign into play, spend time reevaluating how effective the plan actually is. Do your likes, follows, and engagement translate to profits, or is your work falling flat somewhere along the line? If the plan isn’t working, and you do not see results, make changes. Don’t linger for too long on a campaign that isn’t working. Remember, focus on the results, not creating a social media campaign that imitates others you’ve seen. Being distinctive draws in your customers.
Set SMART Goals
As you begin creating your campaign, start by setting SMART goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Let’s take a look at how to create these goals.
- Specific: Think of a goal that is singular in its purpose. Make it as straightforward as possible. You should be able to state your goal in a short, simple sentence.
- Measurable: You want a goal that you can measure and track over time. You will want data that you can use to track your progress toward meeting your goal. This is also known as a Key Performace Indicator (KPI).
- Achievable: Be honest about this one. Make sure this is a goal you can actually make happen. Working toward an unrealistic goal will frustrate you and waste your time.
- Relevant: As you consider your goal, make sure it makes sense for your brand. Is there a better goal to focus on that is more applicable?
- Time-bound: Give yourself a “due date” because, without a goal that is bound by a specific time, you’ll feel tempted to put it off instead of actively working toward the goal. Also, if you don’t have a target, how do you know if you hit it?
With this mission in hand, use all your social media marketing efforts to attack this goal.
Optimize!
The longer you participate in social media marketing, the more aware you will become about how different platforms and features will most support your business and impact your goals in the most meaningful ways. Of course, you’ll get better at this over time, but always keep your eye out for ways to optimize your marketing campaigns.
We’re Here to Help!
All of this information may feel a little overwhelming, and if you are new to social media, that is entirely understandable.
If you’re interested in social media marketing for your brand, click the button below, and my team of experts and I will help you evaluate your current situation and identify areas for improvement. Then you’ll have a clear plan of action for taking your digital marketing strategy to the next level!
Subscribe to Practadgoal Talk
