Designing your Social Media Strategy

When it comes to using social media, preparation matters. You have to conduct research to define the best channels to reach your intended audiences. Before your first tweet or post you should have explored social media to get a sense of such things as client issues, where your business might fit and what competitive forces are also using the medium.

Over the course of preparation you need to create a content plan; craft calls to action; define the resources you will need and identify and schedule the tactics you will use. You will quite likely need to experiment a bit by monitoring conversations determine which social media channels work best for you.

I believe your success using social media starts by designing a strategy. Here is a list that can guide you in pulling your strategy together.

Elements of a Social Media Strategy

1. Define a Purpose – expressing the reason why you are using social media

e.g. a call to action for a cause

2. Set Goals - that are long term and the main action to your purpose

e.g. position your organization as an authority

3. Set Objectives - that are short term, tangible and measurable

e.g. Reach more of your audiences, donors, volunteers, professionals and stakeholders

4. Define audiences – such as: international, national, regional, local

e.g. public, professionals, practitioners, policy and program decision-makers and influencers

5. Identify the Benefits of Use - to answer why are you using social media in context

e.g. Leverage public networks to facilitate information sharing/knowledge exchange

6. Set Key Content Areas - to focus on those relevant to your mandate

e.g. emerging issues and events

7. Strategic considerations

Risk of User

e.g. Liability issues related to the use/potential misuse of content shared through social media

Capacity to Deliver

e.g. resources to manage this type of communication

8. Governance and Oversight – ensuring structure, policies, and leadership to effectively manage social media tools

e.g. information management: security, privacy

9. Define roles and responsibilities - Who is responsibility to do what?

e.g. role of the communicator

10. Planning and Design - articulating how you will deliver and collaborate

e.g. Ensure message alignment with other communication channels

11. Legal considerations – a list any liabilities for using social media

e.g. protecting information

12. Execution and Maintenance – explain how you manage your social media activity

e.g. Monitoring and responding to discussions and reaction to posted subject matter

13. Evaluation and Measurement - detailing the metrics that will be used to determine if the activities are meeting expected outcomes

e.g. Use analytics tools and metrics to monitor and evaluate

14. Establishing Terms of Use for each social media channel - in order to ensure a respectful and open dialogue

e.g. define expected behaviours, consequences for inappropriate use