3 simple steps to a solid social media strategy

11/7/22

Face it: 2023 will be here before we know it.

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram — are your accounts ready for the new year?

The time for refining your social media strategy is today. Otherwise, you risk a reactive approach and, worse, spans of radio silence sprinkled throughout the year.

Whether you are preparing to take your first steps with social media marketing or building upon an existing plan, here’s how to enter 2023 with a solid strategy:

Step 1: Evaluate your existing social media channels

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” While there’s some debate over the source of that quote, there’s no denying the truth behind it.

Instead of letting your social media marketing plan putter along on autopilot, take this opportunity to evaluate your tactics from the prior 365 days. Most social media programs have built-in analytics that will allow you to track the number of interactions for each post, pic and video. If your engagement scores are as sad as a snowman in summer, it’s time to try something new.

Refer to your website analytics report as well to see which social media channels and posts resulted in the most traffic to your bank website and, better yet, resulted in conversions.

Step 2: Tweak your social media tactics

Once you’ve gathered the data, it’s time to apply your findings to next year’s plan. Here is a handful of questions you should ask yourself for each of your social media channels:

• If I have a high level of engagement, can I increase the frequency of posts?
• What types of content get the most interaction? Can I increase those?
• What types of content get the least interaction? Can I eliminate those?
• If I have a low level of engagement, is it possible that posting at another time of day or different day of the week could get better results?
• If there isn’t a return on investment, would I be better off deactivating this account altogether?
• Are there other social media platforms that are worth exploring? (Maybe it’s time to attempt TikTok or prepare for whatever becomes of Meta?)

The first rule for social media marketing is go where your audience is. Refine, reduce channels as necessary, and reinvest in emerging opportunities that seem promising.

Because technology is always changing — with new channels popping up and others dropping in popularity — you should review your options annually, at the very least. Monitoring trends throughout the year and adopting new features along the way is even better.

Step 3: Create your social media calendar

Now that you know which social media channels and content types get the most bang for your buck, you can start scheduling what to post and when.

Here are a few kinds of content to consider:

• Big company announcements
• Events (upcoming, live, and recaps)
• New products and new services
• Special promotions
• Testimonials
• Tips
• How-to videos
• Answers to FAQ
• Holiday messages

Bonus tips

This is also a good time to review your individual profiles for each social media account. Update descriptions, prune dead links, resize images, and so forth.

Remember to repurpose content from your comprehensive marketing plan whenever possible. For example, if you have a blog post scheduled, be sure to link to it from all appropriate social media channels.

Keep an eye on your competitors’ accounts. Avoid their mistakes, emulate their successes, and siphon inspiration whenever possible!

Need to plug a hole? You can always share content posted by others, such as announcements from the local chamber of commerce or financial news outlets. And remember to monitor your interactions, engaging with those who engage with you.

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! Try something completely different. Tinker with paid/boosted posts. Your social media calendar, in conjunction with your overall content marketing calendar, shouldn’t be set in stone. If something doesn’t work, change it along the way — assess and adapt.

At the end of the day, you can’t enhance what doesn’t exist. Start with a solid, strategic plan, and begin 2023 with your best foot forward.

Any questions? Let’s talk!