Social Media Audit: Business Planning & Strategy
Audit Report by More In Media
Diving into any kind of venture without a clear plan sets you up to fail. Do you have a social media business plan? A social media strategic plan? Have you done a social media audit? Have you taken a good look at what you are doing for your business, social media wise?
No one plans to fail, but most fail to plan.
If you are like most business owners, you’ve set up several social media accounts and are engaging with friends and family. Maybe you are strongly represented on LinkedIn. Maybe you have a Facebook Fan Page because your restaurant is well established and all current customers have ‘liked’ your page. Maybe your Twitter account is used to follow the likes of Charlie Sheen, Steve Martin and Lady Gaga. Maybe your 12-year old set you up on YouTube and you’ve uploaded family vacation and holiday videos.
How are you using social media to further your business?
In order to use social media for driving traffic to your website and ultimately, driving customers to buy from you, you need a comprehensive, business and strategic, social media plan.
Social Media Managers can and should do some planning for you, as well as with you. A quick analysis can reveal your strengths, your weaknesses and how and/or where you can improve your social media engagement to firmly establish your overall social media presence.
The following social media platforms should be looked at during your social media audit and should be included in your social media business planning.
Branding
- Consistent branding of all your social media outlets
- Recognizable branding
Website
- Use of images and video
- Use of social media icons to connect with other social media platforms
Blog
- Engaging the right audience
- Correct use of keywords for optimum SEO
E-Marketing
- Inclusion of social media icons on all communication
- E-mail opt-in forms prominently displayed on all social media outlets
- Share real-time, relevant information with your fans
- Offer one on one, personal interaction with your brand
- Follow the right people and be followed back
- Be part of dialogue, not just monologues
YouTube
- Set up your own channel and connect it to other social media outlets
- Use video to engage your audience in conversations
- Update your profile often
- Join up to 50 groups and engage with those business contacts
Once you have a plan put together and written up, don’t forget the most important aspect of planning: execution! Strategic planning will not be beneficial if it sits in a drawer in your desk, or in a file on your computer.
Set your weekly, monthly and quarterly goals and transfer those tangible goals to your business calendar. Review your social media business plan quarterly and mark your goals as ‘met’, if applicable. Meet with your social media manager quarterly or yearly to review the current social media plan and how you are meeting your goals. Continue to conduct yearly audits to update your social media business plan.
Please tell us if you have a social media business plan and how that is working for you. We would love to hear your comments.
As always, feel free to connect with us directly via dorien@moreinmedia.com
About Dorien Morin-van Dam
Dorien is owner and social media marketer at More In Media. Dorien enjoys social media training, educating and consulting and is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. In her spare time, Dorien manages five kids, two dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.
July 7, 2011 blog, branding, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media Audit, social media manager, Strategic Planning, youtube
I know I should have a plan…but nope. Thanks for the reminder, though. If you come up with a cool calendar app for scheduling this stuff, I will buy it
Laurie recently posted..Reinvent Yourself and Let Your Light Shine
All I can say is thank goodness you understand this stuff so well and keep all my various company social media accounts connected and dynamic. I’m not sure how you make it all work like a well-oiled machine, but thanks for doing it.
Paul Morin recently posted..Focus – Beware Shiny Object Syndrome (SOS)
This is a great outline and because it’s simple, people can easily read it and can go through the list and complete the tasks. Will retweet with my followers and share with FB fans. Thanks for the post!
Donna Saliter recently posted..Facebook Foible a Blessing in Disguise
Great info that everybody trying to reach an audience should use. Now about setting that schedule… something I have not stuck to. I am just so random. But, that doesn’t mean that I won’t really try to be more consistent. Just keep reminding me. Thanks Dorien.
Thanks for this post! It’s beautifully laid out with actions we can easily follow.
Sherrie
Very interesting entry, I look forward to the next! Thx for share
Dorien,
Thanks for the reminder to be consistent in my social media marketing. Up until now I don’t have an official plan but after reading your post, I will make a greater effort to include this important marketing piece in my business.
Elllene
P S I’m printing this post and including it in my day to day files.
Hi Ellene,
glad to have been of help. The busier I get, the more planning it takes to keep it all running smoothly. I do these audits for my clients or prospective clients and it always makes me look back at my own plan. Great idea to print it out and keep it handy. I make it a habit to open all my social media platforms in the AM when I turn on my computer and check back to them periodically throughout the day. That helps me to not forget to post, respond or tweet. Good luck on your ventures.