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Successful Social Media Strategy &

PlanningHow can organizations effectively incorporate social media into their business?

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IntroductionCompanies have caught on to the far-reaching, positive effects of social media for their business.

Largest and greatest tool available for marketers and organizations.

Revolutionary connection with customers, sales prospects, media, partners, co-workers and recruits.

Manage brand reputation, influence public perceptions, and compete with the “big guns.”

Establish thought leadership, augment traditional marketing campaigns, and enhance search engine optimization.

Do some planning, however, before integrating social media into day-to-day routines.

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Securing Internal Buy-In

Social media represents both opportunity and risk. The following steps will assist you in demonstrating that real opportunity exists, and that the risks are manageable.

Opportunity

Risk

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Step 2: Research the MarketplaceDetermine where you should participate and where the opportunities are. Ask yourself the following questions:

Where do your existing and

potential customers play?

Where are your competitors

participating? How?

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Where Do Existing and Potential Customers Play?

“Listening tools” give you a good idea of what’s being said about your company online, where messages are posted, and where users spend time.

Google Alerts: http://www.google.com/alerts

Google Blog Search: http://blogsearch.google.com/

Mention: https://en.mention.com/

SocialMention: http://www.socialmention.com/

Topsy: http://topsy.com/

Twitter Search: http://search.twitter.com/

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Step 3: Where to Concentrate Your Efforts

Starting out, it’s difficult to participate on every social media site. Begin by focusing on a select number of sites to ensure a respectable presence.

The most important sites to consider are:

1. Facebook

2. Twitter

3. YouTube

4. LinkedIn

5. Google+

6. Pinterest

7. Blogs

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What next?Which sites you use depends on your business type. Use your customer-listening research to determine where to concentrate your efforts.

Once you have determined the best networks to join, get to know how they work.

Learn how social media and industry leaders are interacting and engaging their customers within the space.

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Step 4: Plot Objectives and Strategy

What are you looking to get out of this investment today and in the future? What steps do you need to take to make it happen?

Expand brand or product awareness Build community

Qualify fans and convert them to customers

Improve customer satisfaction

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Step 5: How To Measure EffortsDetermine what would be a “win” for your outlined objectives, and how it will be quantified and connected to the bottom line.

Definitions of “win” may include… Number of fans, followers, readers. Number of video or other content views. Volume of user comments posted. Retweet or peer-sharing statistics. Comment or retweet resonation. Engagement. Media coverage / impressions. Advertising click-through rates. Company website traffic statistics. Quantity of new qualified leads or sales. Volume of customer service issues handled.

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Step 6: Dedicate Appropriate Resources

Social media marketing may be low-cost, but it needs time. Someone has to monitor what is being said about your organization and your competition.

A company can leverage social media in different ways depending on: organization size, extent of participation, its resources, and the provisos of stakeholders.

For smaller organizations, one employee either full time or part time is necessary. Large companies may engage a social media department.

User activity varies by geography. Global organizations may opt to dedicate resources in each region for best results.

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Step 7: Who Should Represent the Organization?

Who will be the face and voice of your brand? This decision should be influenced by business objectives and can take many forms.

The CEO (or other high-level executive).

The marketing department.

The company mascot.

The intern.

Separate identities for each distinct customer interest.

Multiple individuals.

Your customers.

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Step 8: Weigh Whether to Allow Employee Participation

The true impact of social media access on employee productivity is still uncertain.

Nucleus Research, July 2009: Productivity decreases an average of 1.5% within companies that allow full access to Facebook on company time.

Recent study by Evolv suggests that employees who use 1-4 social media sites per week stayed at their jobs longer than peers, and those who used more than 5 demonstrated higher sales in less time.

Another recent study by a Professor at Warwick School of Business found that employees who used various types of social media and digital communication tools were more creative and collaborative at work, and thus more productive.

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Step 9: Set Parameters

Employee access does not need to be strictly all or nothing.

Various limits can be established.

Clearly communicate: Exactly what is allowed. Any steps needed to gain access. How to monitor activities. Repercussions for rule-breaking.

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Drafting Your Social Media Policy

Social media policy should apply to everyone in the organization. Even after hours, when people are identified as employees of your company, they will be perceived as representatives of your organization, so invent a guide for their online interactions.

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Preparing Your Organization

Even for companies that do take the time to document all the rules, staff education and training is key to a successful social media program.

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Managing Public Relations and Crisis Situations

Effectively preserving your brand’s online reputation involves establishing credibility ahead of time, rapidly and diplomatically responding to customer issues and complaints, and paving the way for efficient crisis control.

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Conclusion

Creating your own social media program requires time and effort, but the investment will make for a successful program.

What you have learned:

Resources to help you overcome resistance from your company.

How to appoint your social media team.

Tips for creating your own social media policy and for managing your social media program, or any crisis that may come up.

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