Let’s talk about social media…

Done well and used as an integral part of a coordinated marketing programme, it can have a profound effect, in a very short time, and at a reasonable cost.

Take the case of a business we teamed up with recently — let’s call them Company Y. A successful company in their sector, they came to us with an all-too-common problem: great products, first-class service but, when it comes to brand awareness, punching well below their weight.

Like many companies, Company Y had been running their own social media across LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. (After all, how hard can it be?!)

Unfortunately, by their own admission, they had been doing it “pretty poorly”. Posts were haphazard, infrequent, and unfocused. There was no structure, no strategy and, importantly, no understanding of what would appeal to the quite different audiences for each platform (one size does NOT fit all).

Having immersed ourselves in their business we agreed on a structured approach designed to build the company profile by focusing on its scale, capabilities, competence, and technical excellence.

Step 1: Starting a brand analysis

We started by conducting a brand analysis. What did the company do? What were its key selling points? What was its target audience? How can they make their mark on social media?

We used competitor analysis to review what was, and wasn’t, working in the sector. Where were the gaps our client could fill to increase brand awareness.

With clear goals in mind, we brainstormed content ideas that would truly engage the target audience, taking our client’s business to new heights.

Step 2: Setting a target

When it comes to measuring the success of a social media campaign, an obvious but essential indicator is the number of followers. In this case, because Company Y operates in a mature and very niche market, it was agreed that an ambitious but realistic target — for the first 3 months of the campaign — would be set at a 20% increase in X followers and a 10% growth on LinkedIn.

The clear target gave them a benchmark to measure their progress and success throughout the campaign.

Step 3: Creating a tone of voice

People buy from people… but X, Facebook, and LinkedIn are all used for different purposes. It’s important to tailor your messaging accordingly across each platform. That’s where defining your brand voice comes in — the foundation of a successful social media strategy. Maintaining a consistent and recognisable brand voice across all platforms builds a brand identity, and creates trust among your audience. We helped our client define their brand voice, which reflected their values and resonated with their audience.

Step 4: Building a social media presence

Having identified some powerful topic areas and developed a unique brand voice, we created a tailored programme of messages to captivate audiences across all three platforms. We worked with Company Y to identify specific topic areas and create a content plan that addressed these subjects, showcasing their industry expertise.

Step 5: Posting consistently

To establish peak posting times, we analysed when the target audience was most likely to be online and maintained a posting pattern during those peak times to sustain high reach. After all, if you post on social media and no one’s around to see it, does it make a sound? Posting regularly and predictably also helped establish their brand as a reliable source of information for potential customers.

Step 6: Engaging regularly

The content may have been scheduled, but it didn’t end there! Engaging with your audience is every bit as important. Social media is a collaboration tool, and if you don’t engage with your audience, it can be seen as indifferent and even egotistical, harming your brand’s reputation. We wanted to help them convey that Company Y was genuinely interested in its audience. By engaging regularly with existing followers, potential customers, and people in the industry, we raised the profile of the company on each platform.

Step 7: Reviewing results

With the campaign forging ahead, we kept a close eye on the results and tested the response to achieve optimum frequency and identify topics of greatest interest. We tracked key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of followers gained, engagement rates, and website traffic from social media. By taking a data-driven approach, we were able to fine-tune the strategy and achieve the best possible results.

If you need expert advice on your social media campaign, get in touch with our team today: mail@jkc.co.uk