As Sir Winston Churchill puts it- “He who fails to plan is planning to fail”!
If you are about to post something tomorrow on Facebook and you are at a loss as to what to put up, then you surely are lagging behind. In the absence of a sound strategy, you will fail to deliver a successful social media strategy.
The Social Media Content calendar
Now imagine a Social Media content calendar featuring all of your upcoming social media posts, the social channels you wish to post on, timings, hashtags, and your target audience.
It may seem unnecessary to have content planned weeks before getting it posted. But, planning out your content enables a more strategic approach to your online presence.
-
Identify appropriate content
You first need to understand the social media content strategies across different social channels. What is a hit on Facebook might not be the same on Twitter. If you create content without having an insight as to what resonates, you risk alienating your target audience.
-
Mix it up
Incorporate several content streams in your calendar and identify the different ways to post content. Instead of repeated product posts, try animated content including videos and gifs to put across your message. The easy way to measure this variety is to allot specific days to specific posts.
-
Event dates
Importantly, reference any event dates that may be relevant to your industry. A quick Google search will also bring up any National Awareness Days or Holidays which often tend to be more trending on social channels.
-
Frequency
Mostly, quality wins over quantity and performs better than poor content throughout the day. Social Media Marketing has transformed the online marketing world into a content-heavy industry and if you don’t stand out, you risk getting lost in the crowd. Remember, it all depends on your brand and what works for your industry.
-
Timing
You can’t just post content on social media whenever you feel like it. It depends upon your business and industry. Know your brand’s optimum time by testing your content and you’ll see your engagement rates soar.
While planning out content in advance ensures smooth operations, it is also pivotal to remain alert to the latest online trends and incorporate them in your content communication.