A single X post can spark a revolution. A viral meme can push an average citizen into the global spotlight. And a single Facebook or Instagram post can help brands rake in thousands of extra dollars in minutes. There’s power in social media, and to harness it, you’ll need to create a social media marketing strategy like no other.
Social media isn’t just a playground for creativity and fun. The latest social media statistics show it’s become an essential tool for business. It lets you directly connect with your target audience to hold conversations, get instant feedback, and showcase the human side of your brand.
Behind every viral sensation lies something more: strategy. Just like any successful business venture, winning big on social media requires careful planning and execution.
Let’s start by developing your social media marketing strategy so you can turn casual scrolls into meaningful interactions.
Contents:
Social Media Marketing Plan Definition
Why You Need a Social Media Marketing Strategy
How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps
Social Media Marketing Strategy Example
Creating a Social Media Strategy with Meltwater
Social Media Marketing Plan Definition
We define a social media marketing plan as a roadmap for building meaningful connections on social media. It’s a combination of your audience, goals, social channels, and content that will combine to reach the right people.
Why You Need a Social Media Marketing Strategy
Imagine going out in a boat without a compass. It’s easy to see how to head out into open waters. But once you’re there, you’ll likely float along aimlessly.
It’s the same with social media marketing. Your social media marketing plan isn’t just a checklist of tasks. Instead, think of it as the steps you take to reach a desired outcome. You have an idea of what you want to happen, and the plan will help you achieve those goals.
That said, plans aren’t set in stone. They provide guidance rather than hardwired steps. In some cases, you’ll need to veer off course to take advantage of trends that will help you stay relevant. You can build flexibility into your social media strategy so you’ll always be on the move.
TIP: Trendjacking help take your social media marketing strategy to the next level. Download our free resource The Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking to learn more!
How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps
Before you start posting on social media all willy-nilly, take a little time to create a plan. Your plan will become your social media marketing plan template that you can use in the future. This helps you avoid skipping important details.
Let’s look at the steps involved in creating a social media marketing strategy.
1. Set goals for social media
Every great social media marketing content strategy starts with clear, measurable goals. Think about what you want your posts to achieve: Increase brand awareness? Drive website traffic? Make immediate sales? Gain more followers?
Social media can do all of these things and more. Set goals upfront so you can create content that aligns with these goals.
Your goals will be the roadmap for every decision you make in your social media marketing plan.
2. Research your target audience
You need to know who you’re speaking to on social media. Otherwise, your content might not resonate.
Start by doing some social media research. Look at demographics like age, gender, location, and interests. Dig deeper into their social media behaviors, such as which platforms they use, when they’re most active, and what type of content they engage with.
You can also use Meltwater’s social media research tools to learn more about audiences and behaviors on each social channel.
3. Choose the right social media networks
With so many social media channels available, it’s important to focus on the ones where your audience already is. You don’t have to be everywhere to be successful on social media. Focused efforts will help you save time and resources while making an impact.
Let’s look at some social media marketing examples.
- LinkedIn is ideal for a B2B social media marketing strategy since it targets professionals.
- Instagram and TikTok work well for younger audiences (Gen Z).
- If you’re promoting your blog or have a tangible product, consider Pinterest.
- YouTube only caters to video content creators.
- Don’t forget about social media podcasts, which can help you reach your audience using an audio format.
Being selective about your channels lets you invest more time and resources into making a strong impact rather than spreading yourself too thin.
4. Analyze your competitors
Competitor analysis is a part of any marketing plan. Take a look at what your competitors are doing on social media.
- What content formats do they use?
- How often do they post?
- What does their social media strategy look like?
- Are they getting engagements?
- Are they running paid ads?
Understanding their strategies can put yours into perspective. For example, maybe they’re posting frequent content but not getting engagement. This is your chance to create higher-value content.
TIP: Check out our how-to guide to performing a competitor analysis, complete with a free template!
5. Create a social media content calendar
Your calendar is where all of your social media content ideas live. Calendars help you stay a few steps ahead and know what you’re going to post at any given time.
Many content creators plan their social media calendars one to three months in advance. Make sure you add some flexibility in case you want to jump on a new trend or topic.
TIP: Our free social media content calendar template will help you start planning out your posts in no time!
6. Develop your social content
With a calendar in hand, you can start creating content that you’ll post to your social channels. Your posts should align with your brand voice and goals.
If you’re just getting started with a social media marketing content strategy, aim to create a variety of content types. This will help you learn what your audience likes or doesn’t like. Then you can create more of the types of content they engage with.
Examples include:
- Blog posts
- Behind-the-scenes posts
- How-to videos
- Dance challenges/other types of challenges
- User-generated content
- Single images
- Infographics
- Product reviews
- Product-focused posts
Keep in mind that different types of content work better for certain industries than others. For example, a social media marketing strategy for eCommerce will contain a mix of product- and non-product-related posts.
7. Measure success with KPIs and metrics
Social media management tools like Meltwater will help you optimize your posts, track engagements, and show which posts delivered on your expectations. Key performance indicators (KPIs) will show you whether your plan is hitting the mark. Examples include engagement rates, follower growth, website traffic, conversions, and click-through rates.
Most social media platforms offer analytics tools to track these metrics. But you can also use third-party tools like Meltwater for more in-depth insights.
Social Media Marketing Strategy Example
Using the steps above, let’s look at what a social media marketing strategy example might look like for an urban clothing company.
Their goal is to increase brand awareness among fashion-conscious Millennials and Gen Z. They want to boost their Instagram and TikTok following by 25% over the next six months, driving traffic to their website and converting visitors into customers. (This is Step 1 of the plan.)
Based on their current customers and social media followers, the company learns their audience consists of men and women aged 18-35 who are active on Instagram and TikTok. They love streetwear, sustainability, and brands with personality.
These consumers value authenticity, look for fashion inspiration from influencers, and often shop online based on trends they see on social platforms. (This is Step 2.)
We already know the audience uses TikTok and Instagram. In Step 3, we can dive deeper into how to use these channels. For example, Instagram will feature high-quality product shots and influencer partnerships, while TikTok will show styling tips, challenges, and behind-the-scenes videos.
During competitor analysis, the brand looks to companies like Zara and ASOS. They notice that:
- Competitors post frequently with a mix of product features, influencer collaborations, and lifestyle content.
- TikTok challenges are a major engagement driver.
- Instagram Reels and Stories work well for flash sales and new product launches.
Based on this intel, the resulting content calendar looks like this:
- Monday (Instagram Post): Outfit Inspiration for the Week—featuring their latest collection.
- Tuesday (TikTok): Fun behind-the-scenes look at the design process or warehouse activities.
- Wednesday (Instagram Story): Influencer takeover, showcasing how they style UrbanVibe pieces.
- Thursday (Instagram Reels): Sustainable fashion tips with their eco-friendly line.
- Friday (TikTok Challenge): Launch a dance or styling challenge encouraging users to show off UrbanVibe pieces.
- Saturday (Instagram Post): Customer Spotlight—reposting UGC of happy customers wearing their clothes.
- Sunday (Instagram Story): Poll for next week’s content ideas or sneak peeks of upcoming products.
The calendar will also mark important dates for product launches, sales, and social media holidays like "National Denim Day."
The brand will use the calendar to create content, then use built-in social media analytics and social media management tools like Meltwater to track KPIs and metrics.
Creating a Social Media Strategy with Meltwater
Meltwater provides a strong foundation to create, launch, and manage your social media marketing strategy. We empower brands and businesses with insights into audiences, trending topics, engagement rates, and more, all from a single source of truth.
Our platform makes social media management easier by letting you create and schedule posts ahead of time and know when to post them. You can remove much of the guesswork and let our data-driven platform lend a hand.
Learn more when you request a demo by filling out the form below!
