Given the vast array of tools at the disposal of the SME, where should one start with regards to planning, selecting and implementing social media into the marketing campaign? Unlike what was alluded to above, it is not as simple as creating a Facebook page.
IndEco Strategic Consulting Inc & Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc (2012) developed a social media handbook and its guidelines are easily applicable to any business. They developed the 10 key steps to launch. They are as follows:
1. Enlist social media champions – As previously stated, lacking ability or expertise when attempting social media is inexcusable. Dedicated personnel are need to manage the marketing. Staff either has to be hired or trained.
2. Build the business case – While many social media tools and resources are free to use, the time and work necessary to manage them is considerable. There can also be other associated costs depending on the platform chosen. Therefore, it is critical that there is clear justification for implementing a social media marketing strategy. A SWOT is useful here.
2. Set clear goals – This is important, particular given that social media activity is highly measureable. With this in mind certain goals may include:
a. Increasing traffic to the home website by 40%
b. Enhance brand awareness by 30%
c. Increase sales by 5%
d. Communicate with customers on a daily basis
4. Select platforms – E.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger
5. Prepare an implementation and evaluation plan – This section contains:
a. Implementation - Project goals, content, marketing efforts, guidelines, resource allocation.
b. Evaluation - Impact evaluation. Aims to quantitatively assess the changes that can be attributed to your utility’s use of social media platforms using key metrics. This is achieved using platforms such as Hootsuite, Cotweet and Tweetdeck.
There is a model know as the pillars of media measurement that can be used to identify what metrics will be used to calculate elements such as awareness. A slightly adapted version two of my classmates developed is below.
IndEco Strategic Consulting Inc & Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc (2012) developed a social media handbook and its guidelines are easily applicable to any business. They developed the 10 key steps to launch. They are as follows:
1. Enlist social media champions – As previously stated, lacking ability or expertise when attempting social media is inexcusable. Dedicated personnel are need to manage the marketing. Staff either has to be hired or trained.
2. Build the business case – While many social media tools and resources are free to use, the time and work necessary to manage them is considerable. There can also be other associated costs depending on the platform chosen. Therefore, it is critical that there is clear justification for implementing a social media marketing strategy. A SWOT is useful here.
2. Set clear goals – This is important, particular given that social media activity is highly measureable. With this in mind certain goals may include:
a. Increasing traffic to the home website by 40%
b. Enhance brand awareness by 30%
c. Increase sales by 5%
d. Communicate with customers on a daily basis
4. Select platforms – E.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogger
5. Prepare an implementation and evaluation plan – This section contains:
a. Implementation - Project goals, content, marketing efforts, guidelines, resource allocation.
b. Evaluation - Impact evaluation. Aims to quantitatively assess the changes that can be attributed to your utility’s use of social media platforms using key metrics. This is achieved using platforms such as Hootsuite, Cotweet and Tweetdeck.
There is a model know as the pillars of media measurement that can be used to identify what metrics will be used to calculate elements such as awareness. A slightly adapted version two of my classmates developed is below.
6. Join the conversation – This involves creating accounts on the platforms and interacting with the consumer.
7. Drive the conversation – Using content such as posts, video uploads, comments etc.
8. Build up your fans/followers – Achieved primarily through effective engagement.
9. Manage your social media portfolio – Use social media dashboards to monitor all associated social media statistics. E.g. Hootsuite
10. Update your social media strategy – Revisit the social media strategy at least yearly.
This seems like an extensive amount of work? Is it really a worthwhile marketing endeavour for an SME? An article I discovered on Digital Doughnut (2014) seems to indicate so.
7. Drive the conversation – Using content such as posts, video uploads, comments etc.
8. Build up your fans/followers – Achieved primarily through effective engagement.
9. Manage your social media portfolio – Use social media dashboards to monitor all associated social media statistics. E.g. Hootsuite
10. Update your social media strategy – Revisit the social media strategy at least yearly.
This seems like an extensive amount of work? Is it really a worthwhile marketing endeavour for an SME? An article I discovered on Digital Doughnut (2014) seems to indicate so.
IndEco Strategic Consulting Inc & Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc 2012. Social Media Handbook, Toronto: IndEco Strategic Consulting Inc.