Do you wish to increase the efficacy of your social media marketing strategy? Good! It is now time to make it happen. A defined strategy offers you the focus you need to say "no" to ventures that don't match your objectives in a market with more competition, content, and networks than ever before.

That is why we developed a complete guide on developing a social media marketing strategy from the ground up. This advice will be handy whether you are new to social media or want to double-check your goals for 2024.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms like as Instagram, X (previously known as Twitter), and Facebook to promote and sell your brand.

If your company creates a new product and plans to promote it on social media, you are engaging in social media marketing. You communicate with your clients via comments when you employ social media marketing. Social media marketing also includes the creation of fascinating content that promotes your brand's beliefs and stories.

This kind of marketing necessitates the use of social media management skills and tools. Social media marketing should be designed in the same way that the rest of your marketing strategy is.

Set goals that are acceptable for your business.

Your goals should be the starting point for developing your social media strategy. Whether you want to expand your team, get a larger following, or build a more engaged community, identifying your social goals is the first step toward accomplishing them.

In any event, your goals will dictate your social media marketing strategy, as well as the amount of time and energy you'll need to dedicate to your campaigns.

Example social media goals for 2024 and beyond

What matters most is that you set realistic social media goals. We recommend setting small objectives that will allow you to grow your social activities in a responsible and cost-effective way.

Here are some examples of social media marketing goals that businesses of all sizes and shapes could pursue.

1. Increase brand awareness

Creating brand recognition requires making your name known. According to The prout Social Index, 68% of consumers follow a firm on social media to stay up to speed on new products or services.

Instead of only distributing promotional messaging, create a wonderful blend of authentic content that shows your brand's voice and story. Consumers do not see enough creative, non-promotional content from brands on social media, according to the Sprout Social IndexTM.

In this TikTok video, Sani, a family-owned clothing manufacturer, portrays a day in the life of the brand's founders while on business in India:

2. Generate leads and sales

Followers do not buy by accident, whether online, in-store, or directly via your social profiles. For example, are you notifying customers about new products and promotions? Do you have your product catalog linked to your social media profiles? Are you giving your followers exclusive deals? You may earn money by utilizing social media.

3. Grow your brand’s audience

Obtaining new followers necessitates determining how to convey your brand to folks who have never heard of you before. Increasing your audience also requires recognizing the most relevant debates about your brand and industry. Sifting through your social networks is almost impossible without monitoring or listening for certain keywords, phrases, or hashtags. Keeping an eye on these interactions helps you to rapidly expand your core audience (and reach neighboring groups).

4. Provide holistic customer care

According to the Index, reacting to customers on social media is the most memorable thing a company can do, according to more than half of consumers.

Although 76% of consumers expect immediate responses, providing outstanding customer service requires more than just responding swiftly. The expectations of customers have evolved. 70% of consumers want firms to provide a holistic experience that includes personalized solutions suited to their unique customer care needs.

This suggests that when it comes to customer service, firms must experiment with messaging and content. Is there a mechanism in place for dealing with @-mentions and comments, for example? Do you have canned responses to commonly asked questions? Is your company open to user-generated content and hashtags? Customers may be your best cheerleaders if you give them a cause to be.

5. Drive traffic to your site to illustrate ROI of social efforts

According to the Sprout Social IndexTM, 46% of marketers want to examine the return on investment (ROI) of advertising spend in 2024 in order to relate the value of social to business goals.

That's the end of it. If you are determined to create leads or traffic to your website, social media may be of assistance. Keeping track of conversions and URL clicks, whether via organic promotional posts or social ads, will allow you to better assess the ROI of social media.

Any combination of these goals is permitted and may aid you in determining which networks to target. When in doubt, keep your strategy to social media marketing simple rather than complicating it with too many objectives that may distract your focus. Select one or two to rally your soldiers behind.