10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Building a Social Media Strategy

Have you been staring down your New Year’s resolution to “create a social media strategy” for over a month now? Are you not sure where to start, or even what a “strategy” means? Consider this your sign to plan a date for your own personal social media brainstorm. Social media strategies can look like a lot of things, but there are a few pieces they all have in common - one of these is that they all look at how to make an impact on your audience. Every good strategy starts with great questions, so we’ve laid out ten of our favourites to help you optimize your approach to content creation.

1. Who is your target audience?

We need to get really specific about who we’re talking to online. Once you know who you want to use your product or service, try to get deeper into their mindsets. Think about your audience’s demographics, interests, and online behaviour to tailor your content to resonate with your target audience. The better you know them, the more you can create content your audience wants to see and share, leading to a goldmine of engagement for your brand. If you’re not sure how to figure out what it is your audience wants to see, try dropping a few search terms or hashtags into different social media platforms’ search bars and see what pops up. 

2. What are your goals?

The social media game has changed. These days, success comes from building engaged communities more than large follower counts. You need to know what success is to you - it could be brand awareness, lead generation, or community engagement. Having simplified end goals for your efforts will help to guide your strategy. You’ll also be able to recognize which metrics mean the most to you. For example, if your goal is brand awareness on Instagram, track metrics like reach and impressions. If you are focused on lead generation, pay attention to click-through rates and conversions from links.

3. Which platforms are right for you?

You don’t have to be everywhere all at once. Sometimes you don’t have to be on a platform at all. Not all social media platforms are created equal. Identify the platforms where your target audience is most active and tailor your strategy accordingly. If you’re a visually oriented brand, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest may be ideal for you. For B2B businesses, you may want to shift more effort into LinkedIn.

4. Is your profile optimized?

First impressions matter. When people enjoy your content, their next step is tapping over your profile to learn more. Just like a dating profile, you want to let people know the key facts about your brand. Make sure your profile is complete, featuring a professional profile picture, an engaging bio, and relevant links to your website.

5. What content resonates with your audience?

Your content is for your community. Analyze past content to understand what resonates with your audience so you can continue to create what they love. If you’re feeling stuck, think about what you would talk to your customers about at dinner. This will help you explore themes your brand has in common with your customers so you can create content that will engage and start conversations. Experiment with different formats such as images, videos, and infographics to keep your content diverse and engaging. Don’t forget to inject personality to keep your feed feeling social.

6. How often should you post?

Consistency is key – but so is running your business. If you’re doing your social media alone, be sure to pick a posting schedule that is easy for you to stick to. Showing up twice a week consistently is better than showing up every day and then ghosting for a few months because you’re burnt out. Establish a posting schedule that aligns with your availability, and your audience's online habits and ensures a steady flow of fresh content. And, if you need a helping hand to show up more, we know some people who can help.

7. Are you engaging with your audience?

Social media is a two-way street. The days of post and ghost are gone – if they were ever really here to begin with. Respond to comments, messages, and mentions promptly. Actively engage with your audience to build a sense of community around your brand. This can include dedicated time each week to see what your audience is up to and genuinely engaging with content that you enjoy. If you want to keep track of specific customers, like VIPS, consider adding them to a favourites list so you can utilize the time you have to engage wisely.

8. Are you using analytics to your advantage?

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but your analytics can tell you a lot more. Use the analytics tools provided by social media platforms for insights into the performance of your content. Adjust your strategy based on what the data tells you about your audience's preferences. If you notice a specific type of content consistently performs well, adjust your content calendar to include more of that format. Setting a review date at the end of each month will give you a chance to get comfortable with your analytics and refine your strategy over time.

9. Have you embraced visual storytelling?

Playing around with content can help boost your creativity. With the growth of video over the past few years, storytelling has become a key skill. Leverage the power of visual storytelling through eye-catching graphics, videos, and interactive content to capture and maintain your audience's attention.

10. How are you adapting to trends?

After fine-tuning your profile and feeling confident about your audience, you can focus on getting creative with your content and following trends. We don’t recommend jumping on everything but getting creative with timely memes or making your version of a rising trend (like January’s in/outs list or the “we’re X, of course we” videos) can help increase your visibility and create inside jokes with your community.

Understanding who you’re serving, the impact you want to make, and how to consistently approach your social media will significantly benefit your brand. These ten questions are not just a one-time list, but a guide you can keep coming back to when you need to remember your why. Good luck with your big social goals this year!