“Post on social media”, they say. but what informs your social media content?

Dear Entrepreneur,

Social media is a powerful platform to elevate your impact.

But do you have a solid social media strategy that is imperative for business success?

We normally coach businesses and while at it, we find that social media isn’t fully utilized to its full potential by those organisations doing amazing work.

Here are actionable insights into creating business-aligned social media #strategies that can drive growth and foster meaningful connections.

Let’s go;

1. The Role of Social Media in Business Strategy Social media is a critical component of your overall business strategy. Effective use of social media can enhance brand awareness, engage your audience, drive traffic, and increase conversions. As noted by many experts, aligning your social media goals with your overarching business objectives is essential for success. This remains true for a CEO, a CMO, or a social media manager, understanding this alignment is crucial.
2. For your social media strategy to be effective, it must be aligned with your business objectives. This means setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) objectives. For example, if your business goal is to increase brand awareness, your social media goal might be to gain 2,000 new followers on Instagram over the next three months. If the business objective is to drive traffic to the website, focus on increasing the number of website visits through social media channels by a certain percentage.
3. Practical Steps for Social Media Strategy; a) Audience Research. Use social media analytics to gather demographic data about your followers, such as age, gender, location, and preferences. This data will help tailor your products and content to better suit your audience’s needs. b) Engage Your Audience. Foster meaningful connections by responding promptly to comments and messages. Participate in conversations that are relevant to your industry. c) Content Calendar. Develop a content calendar to manage and schedule your posts. Balance promotional content with informative and entertaining posts to keep your audience engaged. d) Use of Tools. Utilize tools like Loomly or AI-based content planners to streamline your strategy and ensure consistency. e) Performance Analytics. Regularly analyze the performance of your social media campaigns. Adjust your strategies based on what works and what doesn’t.

4. Faisal shared two compelling case studies, Nike’s ‘Dream Crazy‘ campaign and Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke‘ campaign. Both campaigns were successful because they connected with their audience on a deeper level. Nike’s campaign stood by social causes, while Coca-Cola’s campaign personalized the customer experience. These examples demonstrate the importance of authenticity and engagement.

5. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a double-edged sword. As Faisal points out, using AI can make you more efficient, but over-reliance can make your content feel sterile. The key is to use AI to enhance your strategy without losing your brand’s voice. Remember, AI should assist you in being creative, not replace your creativity.

6. Finally, align your social media efforts with your broader business goals, engage meaningfully with your audience, and continuously optimize your approach based on data analytics.

Share insights you’ve gained along your journey, two else should we best align the two, social media strategy and #business goals?