Defining Your Social Media Objectives

Social Media Series - Part 1 of 6

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Social media is one of the best tools for your business. When you sign up, you get a free platform to post about your company, earn followers and engage with customers. While you'll need paid features like promoted posts to get the most out of the platform, social media offers an affordable way to gain more customers than ever before.

However, signing up for Twitter and Instagram isn't enough. You'll need to set goals and develop a strategy to reach the widest audience. If you don't set goals, your social media remains stagnant--you'll make posts, but they'll only get one or two engagements. A strong marketing strategy boosts your follower count and earns you the coveted "Verified" status.

Social Media Goals for Your Business

Broad goals like "Make more sales" are hard to define. When you set specific goals, you can break them down into smaller steps and set a timeline. Review these social media objectives examples, then figure out what's right for your business.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

You can't make sales if customers don't know that your business exists. To generate leads, you'll need to increase brand awareness to attract an audience and direct them to your website. As your brand gains popularity, people view your brand as a legitimate business that they can trust.

Increase brand awareness by keeping an active social media presence. When your brand becomes popular enough, you'll qualify for verification, which cements your status as an established business. Use promoted posts and advertisements to reach people who don't follow you and display your logo and color scheme prominently in your posts.

2. Engage with Your Customers

Your audience wants to feel like you're listening. When you engage with your customers, you'll increase brand loyalty and build a following. In a sense, you'll become a friend instead of a faceless corporation. You'll also show customers that you care when they have an issue, like a product defect or broken link on your website.

Engage with your customers by responding to their comments, liking their posts, and encouraging feedback. When someone leaves a positive review, thank them for their time. Host giveaways and offer sales that make your customers feel appreciated. If you haven't already, set aside time each day to respond to customers on social media--it's one of your biggest tools.

3. Gain Social Media Followers

When customers click on your social media page, they'll immediately glance at your followers. The more followers you have, the more legitimate your brand appears to be. Which business would you trust more: one with over 10,000 followers or one with a dozen? Your follower account is nearly as important as the posts themselves.

Boost your follower count by using targeted hashtags, engaging with customers, posting on a daily basis, promoting posts, and focusing on your target audience. Take advantage of features like small business hashtags reels to get the most out of your presence. As you gain momentum, you'll earn more followers just because of your high follower count.

4. Find Your Target Audience

Who are you marketing your business to? If you post with no target audience in mind, half your visitors won't be interested in your business. For example, if you sell a smartphone app but market yourself exclusively on Facebook, you'll reach an older audience instead of the younger generations who would buy your product.

Evaluate your product or service, then figure out your target audience. Consider the age, gender, location, and lifestyle that corresponds to your business. Next, market your business to this demographic. This could involve using different hashtags, joining social media groups, or altering your writing style.

5. Maintain Your Reputation

Positive word-of-mouth generates more leads. When a customer tells friends and relatives about your business, they'll visit your website and generate sales. After they have a good experience, they'll recommend your business to more people, increasing your presence in the social stratosphere. Essentially, it's free marketing--all you have to do is maintain your reputation.

To build your reputation, maintain a professional social media presence. You can joke around a little, but never argue with customers or treat the account as your personal social media page. Use correct spelling and grammar, and share crisp, high-quality photos and illustrations.

Follower engagement goes both ways. When you reach out to followers, they'll reach out to you, 

6. Encourage Follower Engagement

‍Follower engagement goes both ways. When you reach out to followers, they'll reach out to you, building a professional relationship. Your customers will take an active role in engagement instead of passively following you. Once they've built that relationship, they'll have increased brand loyalty.

Encourage your customers to interact with you by asking questions, suggesting hashtags, and retweeting them when they post about your business. Simply asking customers how their day is going encourages social interaction. Don't overshare details about your personal life--just keep a professional distance while giving your followers personalized attention.

7. Earn Positive Reviews

If they've never worked with you before, customers glance at the reviews to see if they can trust your business. A portfolio of four- and five-star reviews prove that you sell high-quality products and take care of your customers. Positive reviews give customers the extra push that they need to buy your service.

Encourage customers to leave positive reviews when they have a good experience. Don't sound pushy or demanding--just point out that their feedback helps other customers make a decision. Thank customers for their reviews, and invite them to work with you again. They'll walk away feeling good about your business.

8. Gain Market Insights

To run a successful business, you need to watch market trends. Use social media to gain insight into the current market. When you know what's popular, you'll adjust your marketing strategy to reach the current audience. You'll also stand out among your competitors that lag behind.

View trending topics and hashtags for your target audience, then tailor your social media presence around these trends. For example, during the holidays, you could offer holiday promotions or invite customers to talk about their travel plans. View your successful competitors, and see what they do to earn their followings.

9. Boost Website Traffic

Traffic doesn't always equal sales, but the more traffic you get, the higher your conversion percentage will be. More traffic boosts your rankings in the Google search engine results, bringing more customers to your website. As your site gains popularity, you'll rack up views and earn even more conversions.

Feature your website prominently in your social media bios. When you post on social media, link to your website and share relevant pages. Refresh your website periodically, and let customers know about your rebranding. Buy a high-quality domain that's concise and memorable to drive more traffic to your website.

10. Generate Leads

Like website traffic, leads don't automatically convert into sales. However, leads give you the chance to follow up with customers and potentially close the sale. Since they took the time to contact you, customers will remember you over your competitors. This increases the chance that they'll come back later.

Encourage customers to reach out to you even if it's just to ask questions. Feature the contact form prominently on your website, and share your email address and phone number if applicable. If you're selling a service, offer free consultations. A video chat gives you the chance to answer questions and make your sales pitch.

How to Set Social Media Marketing Goals

To start, evaluate your current situation. Many social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter come with free built-in analytics tools. Study your performance, and figure out which posts earn the most engagements. Use this information to figure out where you can improve.

Next, ask yourself what you want to achieve. Do you need more social media followers? More positive reviews? More conversions? See where your business is lacking, then make a plan to achieve your goals. If it feels overwhelming, focus on one goal at a time. You'll always have time to enhance other parts of your marketing strategy.

Check out your competitors' social media pages to see what makes them successful. The most popular pages often have crisp graphics, clear captions, and professional customer engagement. They feature their brand and website prominently so customers know exactly where to go. Sales and promotions encourage participation from customers who might not be interested otherwise.

Once you've figured out what you need, talk to a digital agency like E-Marketing Associates about building your strategy. You'll implement your plan over the next several weeks to steadily build your momentum. Keep checking out your analytics to see what works and make adjustments accordingly.

Talk to a Digital Agency

Managing your social media is a full-time job in itself. Instead of hiring more employees, talk to E-Marketing Associates about social media management. Our social media software offers scheduled content, lead generation, analytics, a built-in content library, and the ability to post content on every account from a single dashboard. Reach out to us to learn how we make social media management easy.