Why should a business have a social media strategy?

Figuring out what your business goals are for social media and tracking them will help you to create posts that support your goals.

It’s always a good idea to have a strategy instead of going by the seat of your pants. This way, you can plan what to post, when to post, keep on brand, and be consistent in posting. Failure to be consistent is one main reason social media accounts stop growing.

Having a strategy also helps to save time in the long run. Spending a little time each week planning and scheduling out your posts for the next few weeks or even months can be a huge help. Scheduling also helps with the daily writer’s block of what to post each day. This way, they can spend a little more time thinking about what to say and analyzing what’s working on your channels.

Having a strategy also helps you to target your audience more effectively. Part of your plan can include plugging in audience engagement elements (like polls or open-ended questions) into your updates so that you can get a better handle on your audience’s pain points, and how you can provide value to solve them.

Last, but certainly not least, having a strategy can help you stay ahead of the competition. With daily posts planned, you can concentrate on those fine details which help you stand out from everyone else in your niche. You’ll be able to analyze what’s working, start developing your brand story and voice, and establish a distinctive look and feel for your accounts, all while remaining consistent and providing value to your audience.

Social media is for being social and engaging with your followers and fans. Each platform has its own set recommendations for how often to post. Many tools can help you plan out and schedule posts/videos making the time spent more productive. A business could spend a half-hour each week planning and scheduling posts to automatically post to the channels. Set aside a little time each day to engage with and answer questions from their followers. Some great tools include Buffer, Later.com, and Facebook Creator Studio.

If this sounds overwhelming, here’s some advice on when it’s time to hire a social media manager.