Social Media Management for Beginners and Pros
Whether you are just getting started, or if you are a professional social media manager there seems to be a wide open ocean of information, tools, and strategies to choose from. It is easy to drown in choices. I have found that when you have an undertaking that is large, unruly, and ever changing you need to have a solid structure to work from. Here is my structure for social media management whether for business or personal use in 5 simple steps.
Step 1: Figure out what your goal is. This may seem simple, but actually it is one of the things that keep people from being successful. I will tell you right now that social media can suck up time like nothing else. If you don’t have a clear and well defined goal you are seeking to get out of your efforts then you will end up falling into a bottomless pit of social media management until your eyes start twitching. Don’t be vague, if you want to create an audience, how big, and what kind of audience? If you want to sell your business or service, what service to who? Getting specific will give you details you will need to formulate a social media management strategy. If there is no details, there is no point.
Step 2: Understand the social media tools. Each platform has strengths and weaknesses and knowing them will help you know which tool is right or better for reaching your goal. These are the pieces you need before getting to step 3. Learn about them by reading blogs about what they are and what they do. (We have many such blogs) You don’t have to know every tool and platform, but a good start is to understand what the main platforms do and what people use them for.
Step 3: Form a Strategy. How are you going to meet your social media goals? To me a social media management strategy is about finding the best way to do things. We can all take the long slow road, but good strategy is key to getting there with the minimum effort in the shortest amount of time. If you did step 2 you should find tools that will help you find better ways to “get there”.
Step 4: Make a plan. OK you got the goal, you found the tools you are going to use, you have a strategy and now it is time to put it all together into an actual plan. Now Stop! I know right now many of you are acknowledging these steps but you won’t actual go through with it. I can tell you right now that knowing about goals and plans is not equal to having them. Successful people do the things that everyone else knows about but doesn’t do. Make a plan, if it isn’t worth taking a few minutes and writing out them honestly you don’t want to achieve it.
Step 5: Measure everything. If you aren’t measuring it, you can’t manage it. Don’t treat this like the treadmill that you bought and never used. Again success builds here, if you took the time to actually make a goal and make a plan, then take the time to track it. If you track it you can hold yourself accountable, predict future outcomes, and know when and what you need to change while knowing what is working and what it not. This is key for social media management.
There you have it. So simple less than 2% will do it. So powerful those 2% will understand the real value of it. Social media isn’t about finding the new tool or site. Social media isn’t about having a Facebook page or making a custom background. Managing social media is about using the internet and technology to do something of value to you and to others. Whether you want to find friends to chat with, grow your business, or create influence, These 5 steps will keep you moving towards success. By the way, this is why people also sometimes hire someone to manage their social media for them, a professional can take a look at your goals, form a plan and then help execute it, and who said money can’t buy happiness?
All the best to you as you tackle social media management, and let me know how this has helped you I would love to know what you think. If you need help, got a question, or want to hire us then give us a call 509-362-1966 or visit our website.
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