As a manager of a digital marketing team, I am often approached by other business owners asking me how to get started on social media, what to do and what to focus on? What I often hear are lots of vague questions and there is a real sense of the unknown when it comes to digital marketing. It's not hard to see that there is a significant knowledge gap in understanding the difference between using social media for personal use versus for successful business outcomes. Knowing the difference between using Facebook to connect with family and friends, and how to get the most out of the social network for business goals and objectives is a skill that is fast becoming central to core business. Social media is not a passing trend or craze. Customers expect to receive exceptional service on social media. It's where they are spending their time and they expect brands to connect with their interests, engage and respond to their comments, as well as provide engaging content.

The good news is you don’t need to be a digital expert to begin to set up a social media strategy that works. The best part about social media is that anyone can do it. The trick is knowing how to do it well. Over the next few articles, we'll work through the foundations of setting up a killer social media strategy. I'll be releasing topics separately to get you started. Each topic will be a guide for you to do some necessary preparation, and dare I say it, homework. As you read through each article keep in mind two things: 1. The foundations will make or break your social strategy; and 2. When it comes to digital, nothing is set in stone. What does this dichotomy mean? It means, take the time to set your social strategy up properly, but be nimble enough to shake the foundations to the core if things change. Shaking things up may happen often or rarely, to do this you'll need to act on data and insights which we will step you through in the Measuring Success article.

The 'Getting started' process

Starting a social media strategy takes vision, knowledge and an understanding of the platform/s that you are going to operate on. While social media is fast-moving, accessible and available for anyone to get started on, it is important to take the time to know your audience and objectives, before jumping into platform selection and content development.

To get started, think about your vision. What are you trying to achieve? Why are you wanting to achieve it? Go make a coffee or go outside and just spend some time imagining what you want your social media strategy to look like. Is it an online community with lots of conversations, or perhaps its a visual masterpiece of engaging content that gets people talking and interacting. Maybe it's more formal or professional in its networks, content or tone. Whatever it is, keep this idea in mind as you work through the next six topics.

step 1: starting your social media strategy

At this stage you might like to write down your high level ideas. Don't worry so much about how you lay these ideas out, the point of the process is to begin to visualise what your social media strategy may look like. You might find inspiration visually and start a vision board on Pinterest, you might prefer the classic black ink on plain notebook paper, or you might use post-it notes on a wall in your office or home. 

Step 2: write it down

Regardless of your preferred brainstorming format, make sure you write down or record all your ideas in a place that you can come back to. Don't leave it all in your head where it might get lost with all of life's clutter. Writing it down is also a great way to solidify ideas in your mind, helping you to be clearer on what you are hoping to create.

step 3: take the time to think

No matter how you do it, the point is to take time to think. This is how good strategies start. Make sure you enjoy the process, this is the fun part where you can dream without limitations. Once you are happy with your ideas, have a time out. Walk away from your thoughts and see what resonates. And if you still have any questions or need some help getting started feel free to contact me.

In the next six topics, I'll step you through the basics of developing out your social media strategy with tangible aspects that will get you started, or help you improve your existing social media presence. Be sure to connect on social or subscribe to stay in the know when lastest topics are released.

upcoming topics

1. Audience
2. Objectives
3. Channels/Platforms
4. Content
5. Content Management and Governance
6. Measuring Success: Metrics and Insights