Social media takes time. Whether you hire an agency to strategically manage your social media channels or you take a more DIY approach, the time commitment remains. As I worked through goals for 2014, I gave much thought to how we, as an agency, approach social media for our clients, our organization, and each of us individually. I asked questions such as:
- Which metrics should we use to relate tangibly back to ROI for clients?
- How should our reporting adapt?
- How much time should we spend on social each day, week, and month?
- Which social channels are most important for each of our clients and our agency?
- How can we further customize each social channel?
- How can we best customize social media goals for each client, tailored to each channel?
There’s a lot to think about. Personally, I am in attack mode. I want 2014 to be the year that we see influential relationships multiply and flourish. This year as an agency and personally my goal is to be more relationship-focused and active within the social media space.
Phase 1: Passive Participation.
When we started in the social media space as an agency, we really focused on populating each of our profiles with information relevant to our target audience. We wanted to be present on each social media channel. We’ve accomplished this. We are regularly sharing content on a daily basis via Facebook, Twitter, Google +, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. (We haven’t done much with Instagram yet, but that’s in the works!)
Our past approach would be classified as a more passive participation within social as we chose to broadcast our content and experiment to uncover which content held the most value for our target audiences.
Phase 2: Active Engagement.
Now, we’re on to the next phase in our social media strategy. This year we’re focused on becoming a more active participant by investing significant time to build engagement, get to know influencers, and build a solid relational foundation.
This approach will take a significant time investment from me and my team. We’re ready and willing to do what it takes to grow in this new year. To do this, we plan to learn from those who have gone before us, apply what we learn as we go and keep trying until we find our mojo.
Put in the Time: (Eventually) Reap the Rewards
I’m currently reading Ctrl + Alt + Delete by Mitch Joel and it is syncing perfectly with our social media goals for 2014. It’s a fabulous read and I highly suggest you check it out. He is a marketer that invested (and continues to invest) significant time into blogging, social media, and regular podcasts. As a result, he has reaped the reward of a multitude of brand evangelists.
What are your social media goals for 2014? Do you feel you invest too much time or not enough time within the social media space?
