The Social Media Start-Up Kit

Are you building a social media presence? Whether you are starting from scratch or reinventing your brand, there are some basics to think about when you are going to build your brand.

1. What is your purpose?

Why are you creating a social media presence? Because everyone else is doing it? Because it is cheap and “easy” marketing? These aren’t always good reasons to start. There must be a purpose behind your accounts. Is it to create new business? Tell a story? Highlight products? Think long and hard before starting.

2. Audience

This should be an obvious one. Who are you trying to reach? And don’t say everyone. That is never the answer. If you are a local craft store, your audience may be people within a 10-mile radius who have “arts,” “crafts,” “DIY” as interested on Facebook. If you are a university, its probably 25-50 mile radius and targeting people between 16-25 years old. Much like your original business plan, this is important to define.

3. Pick the correct platform(s)

Not all social media is created equal. Demographics are different. Posting style is different. If yo are a news organization, Twitter is likely your best fit because of the immediacy of the platform. If you are a DIY person, Pinterest is likely better suited because it is image-based and sharing is a key component of the app.

4. Content, content, content

What would you post about? Do you have a library of images? Your content has to be something your audience cannot get anywhere else. Keep them coming back for more and keep it varied. Articles, images, videos, etc.

5. Be consistent

Do you have enough content to be consistent? If not, you need to find creative ways to do so. Also, what will your posting schedule look like? It’s important to think about when, not just what. Using platforms like HootSuite or Sprout Social will help organize your posting schedule and you will be able to post weeks in advance.

6. Be responsive

Good customer service is incredibly important and when someone can reach you by commenting on a picture or sending a DM on Twitter, responding in a timely manner is important. Even if the response is you don’t have all the information. Transparency can go a long way in building trust with your audience.

7. Keep social media in line with all other marketing

DO NOT SILO SOCIAL MEDIA. While you may have more traditional ways of marketing (direct mail, email, newsletters, etc.), social media should not be treated as a side note. It needs to play an equal part in your marketing strategy. It has the potential to reach a larger audience than any of your traditional means. And the content itself should be the same, yet, different. Remember, the earlier point of understanding your audience and your platform.

Other helpful articles:
7 Hard Truths About Social Media Marketing – Forbes.com

Zack Farmer is the Digital Media Manager for the Advancement Office at Saint Mary’s College of California.