Once you’ve taken a look through the major social networking sites, started some profiles, thought about developing a consistent tone and voice, and set some concrete, real world targets for what you’d like to see happen in your business as a result, it’s time to get down to the fun part… actually doing something.
But with social network marketing, even this can be a challenge. Why? Because there’s so much to do that it can easily become overwhelming, even for the most organized company. For that reason, it’s better not to dive right in – you need an action plan to follow.
Now, if you’re working with a reputable online marketing partner, there’s a good chance they’re going to create an action plan for you. But if they don’t, or if you’re going it alone, I’m going to share with you a few insider techniques on how to get yours going.
Here is exactly what you need to do to make your social network marketing plan fly:
Decide exactly what you’re doing. If you’ve decided that Facebook is the way towards profits for your company, then use that as your biggest social networking tool. If you are incorporating Twitter, a blog, or other tools, write them down. The point is to draw a line from your time invested to future profits, and then stop worrying about the rest.
Create a schedule. As I’ve mentioned, consistency is a big part of social networking. Not only does it keep you current in the eyes of your peers and customers, but it can help you take advantage of those search engine optimization benefits that are so valuable.
Decide how often you’d like to post or update your social networking material. Be ambitious but realistic; you’ll have much better results with any of these sites – and really, any marketing activity in general – by treating them like a sprint, rather than a marathon.
Assign tasks. With a list of targets in the schedule, it’s time to figure out who is going to be taking care of each job. At smaller firms, this might be just a few people, or even a single individual. At a bigger company, there might be a combination of internal employees and outside consultants. The particular mix isn’t important; what matters is that everyone who’s playing a part in getting your social networking effort off the ground knows what they’re supposed to be doing. Having vaguely assigned jobs is a good way to make sure they never get done… and that’s the quickest way to never get anything out of your social network marketing.
As the duties are divided, it is a good idea to put one person in charge of overseeing the project. Again, this might be an outside marketing consultant, but if it isn’t, make sure it’s someone who can spur others into action. It also helps if they are someone who is good at spreadsheets or notebooks, so they can be a focal point for keeping track of your progress. Which brings us to…
Closely monitor your social networking results. Over time, one of the best things you can do for your social media marketing effort is tracking the results. Again, this is fairly basic as far as promotional strategies go, one that people tend to overlook when they’re having so much fun with sites like Facebook. And so, it’s important to point out once more that keeping your ear to the ground is absolutely critical when it comes to your social networking success.