Social Media Marketing Strategy: 4 Steps to Creating a Social Media Marketing Strategy

If you want to grow your brand or level up as a marketer, developing a social media marketing strategy is essential. Here’s one way to do it — in five steps.

In today's world, creating a fresh social media plan is key to boosting your brand's reputation and success.

Starting social media marketing without a plan is like throwing a new years party without knowing who you've invited or what they enjoy. It's like preparing a dish without knowing the tastes of your guests. Without understanding your goals, audience, and the type of content that engages them, you're essentially hosting a party blindfolded, wasting time cooking and unsure if anyone's having a good time. 

Here are four questions before diving into social media’s world, planning your strategy:

1. Why does your business need social media?

Your goals should align with your business objectives. Focus on a few key goals, ensuring they're specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to your business, and have a set timeframe for achievement—following the SMART approach helps in setting clear, achievable targets. For instance, it could mean increasing brand awareness or driving website traffic, using metrics like follower growth or engagement rates to measure success.

The first thing to ask is: Why use social media? Is it for promoting products, getting more website visitors, or helping customers? Your social media goals should match your main business goals to make sure it's worth being on social media. This way, your social media efforts help your business succeed. 



2. Who are you trying to reach? 

Once you know your 'why,' let's focus on 'who'—your target audience.

Understanding your audience's demographics helps shape your social media strategy. Creating marketing personas is a great way to do this. Ask questions based on the five Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) plus one H (How):

• Who are they? (job, age, interests)
• What interests them? (entertainment, information)
• What are their goals and challenges that your content can help with? 
• Where do they hang out online? (TikTok, Instagram…)
• When do they seek content like yours? (weekdays, weekends)
• Why do they consume this content? (for learning, staying updated)
• How do they consume it? (reading posts, watching videos)

If your business has been running, you might already know your audience. Connect with your sales or customer support team for valuable insights. For a deeper understanding, talk to customers who fit your ideal profile. Asking these questions can give you valuable insights about your audience.

3. What are you going to post and where?

Once you've understood your audience and their needs, it's time to decide what to share on social media. This begins with defining your content pillars, which are central themes or topics around which your content revolves. These pillars, tailored to your audience's interests and goals, guide your content creation, keeping it focused and engaging across different platforms. Analyzing competitors' social media strategies can be insightful, helping you identify successful platforms, content types, and strategies to learn from or avoid.

Next, choose where to post your content. Not all social media platforms might fit your brand, so pick the ones that match your audience's likes. Knowing where your audience hangs out and why they're there helps decide where to put your focus. Also, understanding how each platform's algorithms work helps create content that your audience enjoys, sticking to your main themes to stay consistent and relevant.

4. When are you going to share?

Once you've sorted out all the essential details, it's important to figure out the best times for posting. You can use Kuasar Video's dashboard to discover the ideal moments for sharing reels and choose the best days for posting. Not only using Kuasar Video, creating a content calendar can also help you to prevent overworking and also provides you with a structured plan.

For example: 

The Instagram algorithm loves new, fresh content, so posting when your followers are active is crucial. A recent post tends to appear higher in users' feeds than an older one. You can check it from instagram insights. 

Being timely is one of the easiest ways to boost your post's chances of success. But remember, it's also important to know your goals. Are you aiming to raise awareness, increase engagement, or drive traffic? Understanding what success means for you and when you've achieved it in the past is a valuable guide for your overall posting strategy.

In simple terms, after analyzing data from various brands, it concluded that the best days to post are typically weekdays, specifically during the following times:

1. Before work (6 am - 9 am): This makes sense as many people browse Instagram during their morning routine. 
2. After work (5 pm - 6 pm): People often check their Instagram feeds when they're heading home after work. 
3. Lunch hours (12 pm - 2 pm): Posting during lunch breaks is also a good opportunity since people tend to have some free time then. 

On the contrary, weekends are not the best days to post on Instagram because most of your audience is usually occupied with their personal activities. However, you can still post content on weekends, but it's advised to do so before 2 pm.

If you find yourself frequently asking, "When is the best time to post today?" Here's a more detailed breakdown of the recommended posting times (in Pacific Standard Time) for each day of the week:

1. Monday: 9 am to 10 am 
2. Tuesday: 9 am to 10 am 
3. Wednesday: 5 am, 11 am, and 3 pm 
4. Thursday: 12 pm and 5 pm 
5. Friday: 9 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 6 pm 
6. Saturday: 8 am to 12 pm
7. Sunday: 10 am to 2 pm

5. Wrapping It Up

Creating a successful social media plan is essential for your brand's success.

Without a plan, it's like hosting a party without knowing your guests or cooking without their preferences. To craft a great strategy:

1. Set clear goals aligned with your business objectives.
2. Know your audience well—what they like, when, and where they hang out online.
3. Define what you'll post and pick the right platforms.
4. Determine the best times to share your content.

Great news! Your social media strategy is ready for action…But wait, it's not a done deal; it's an ongoing process. As you put your plans into motion, keep an eye on your SMART goals through analytics. They'll show if your tactics are working or need adjustment. Remember, your strategy evolves as your social media presence grows. You can use Kuasar Video too since it follows the trend too, with that you will be one step ahead from the new viral challenges! It's all about continual improvement.

Q&A:

Q: What role does Kuasar Video play in social media strategy planning?

A: Kuasar Video provides insights into optimal posting times and days for sharing content, enhancing strategic planning. By offering a dashboard for discovering prime moments to share reels and providing structured plans through content calendars, Kuasar Video streamlines the process, aiding in preventing overwork and maintaining a consistent posting schedule.

Q: How can Kuasar Video assist in maximizing social media presence?

A: Kuasar Video's analytics and scheduling features enable users to identify trends, stay updated on viral challenges, and remain ahead in content creation. It supports continual improvement by helping users adapt strategies based on performance metrics, ensuring an evolving and effective social media presence.

Q: Is Kuasar Video suitable for adapting to changing social media trends?

A: Yes, Kuasar Video remains adaptable to new viral challenges and trends by providing insights into audience preferences and behaviors, allowing users to adjust their content strategy accordingly. It supports agile planning by offering optimal posting times and content scheduling, ensuring users stay ahead in the dynamic landscape of social media.