Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+ and anyone else. The networks are now part of our personal lives and our work and have become indispensable to develop brand marketing campaigns and initiatives to increase business or attract more customers.
Whatever the case, the promotion through networks is quite easy to make and involves a limited investment with respect to the resonance that these media can offer. The networks are ideal tools for personalized, original and creative promotional strategies and make them reach our target audience.
But to seize the opportunities that the media give us, we must know and plan a strategy that takes into account the specificities of each network dynamics.
What are the Steps for Planning Our Strategy?
Set Objectives
Do we want to expand our network? We strengthen the brand? Does increasing engagement with users? I promote a campaign? I increase traffic to our website? We must be clear about what we want to achieve before you start.
Formulate Strategies
Having outlined the objectives, we must define the overall strategy to achieve the overall results of promotion, and specific strategies, i.e. each of the activities that make up our plan of action.
Select which Network to Use
This is one of the key steps of our strategy. You need not be present on all networks: networks are not homogeneous, each network is unique, has its characteristics, its style and its audience. Therefore it is appropriate to choose the most appropriate depending on the objectives to be achieved networks.
Analyze the Content
Besides choosing the network, you have to select and adapt the type of content for each network: you cannot post the same interchangeably on all networks, but should be studied to see what content best conforms to each network. For example Twitter for the shortness of messages (140 characters) is ideal for short and striking, claim or share links yet. Facebook is paid to publish varied content that allows you to mix and diversify the type of contributions and covers a wider audience. Google+ prefer quality content and information, LinkedIn is useful to contact professional circles as Pinterest and Instagram focus more on images, photographs and visual content.
Define a Communication Protocol
First of all you have to choose a definite style and tone, as the rest of corporate communication and our type of business. Another key aspect is the consistency between verbal and visual communication, so you have to design an interface for social networking and ensure that avatar, photo, bio and profile generally are homogeneous, plus complete and current. A full profile and attention to detail communicates professionalism and consistency of brand.
Analyze the Results
Monitor progress and verify the arguments that receive more visits, clicks, shares, like etc, and which networks perform best, to learn from our mistakes and increase the benefits of our online presence.
Success in networks depends on a set of content, timing and frequency of publication of contributions. Aspects that can be easily arranged if we have a well-developed plan of action and deep knowledge of the means available.