A social media consultant will tell you that there is no denying that social media marketing is important. After all that is what we do for a living. Social media is all the rage right now, especially for entrepreneurs, start ups, celebrities or those with a personal brand, but what if that doesn’t apply to you? What if you are in professional services or B to B services? What if your business is more traditional, let’s say law, accounting or finance? Is there a space for you in social media and more importantly, how can you tell if social media is right for your business?
Let’s face it, social media has a low barrier to entry. That makes it cost-effective to start a social media marketing strategy, but as any good marketing consultant will tell you, a campaign without a strategy is a waste of your time. Before you jump head on into the social media pool, ask yourself why, how and what.
Become Your Own Social Media Consultant in Five Easy Questions
As I sit down with a new client or evaluate a strategy with an existing client, I ask five easy questions to help us determine the why, how and what. Ask yourself these questions before you start a new strategy.
1.Why do I want to be on social media? If you answer is “because everyone else is”, remember what your mother told you in elementary school. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean you should. Be more specific on why you want to be on social media and why you need a social media consultant. What are you hoping to get out of a social media campaign (clients? attention? SEO?)? Ask yourself this basic question before you even get started and you’ll see a much better return on your investment at the end.
2.What do I have to offer? So many companies and clients focus on what social media has to offer them that they forget it is a two way street. What do YOU have to offer your larger audience? It’s not a philosophical question, just a question of content. Content is king online and if you aren’t providing valuable, interesting and useful content to someone, no one will pay attention. What is it you hope to offer? Who will create the content- you or the social media consultant?
3. What time do I have to engage in this strategy? This is a two pronged question- are you in it for short-term achievements or long-term goals? Look at your answer to #1 and decide if it is feasible to see results in 30, 60 or 90 days or if you’ll need something more long-term. Getting on social media for 30 days will do virtually nothing for your SEO, but engaging in a “likes” campaign on Facebook during a particular month may double your followers. Ask yourself what time do you have to engage in the campaign. Are you going to be hands on? Do you want to tweet or post daily? What time commitment are you willing to put forth (it is ok to say none! that’s what social media consultants are here for!)
4.How will I measure value? This one may require some expert assistance. ROI or value is a hot topic among social media consultants these days, with everyone proclaiming themselves an expert. Determine what metrics will be most valuable to track based on your business and your goals. Will a 10% increase in Facebook “likes” achieve your goal? If not, focus on other metrics. Perhaps you are looking to get a retweet from a certain client or engage a prospective client on LinkedIn. Knowing what success will look like for you will set expectations from the beginning.
5.Will this coordinate with my other marketing and advertising efforts? Social media consultants like to put themselves on a mountaintop, but the fact is we do not work alone. Just as in advertising, public relations or traditional marketing, a well coordinated effort is more effective than multiple agencies and multiple messages. Before launching on a social media program, ask yourself how it will coordinate with your other efforts. Many social media consultants work in tandem with marketing and PR firms, so make sure the consultant you bring in is willing to work on a team.
Asking yourself these questions before you start will help you develop a plan. A social media consultant is a great partner and can help walk you through these questions and answers before putting together a solid social media strategy.
