Developing a social media strategy may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.

People connect to stories, so strategising a social media campaign is an opportunity for you to tell a story in a cohesive and compelling way, regardless of whether you’re trying to reach policymakers or the general public – or a different audience entirely.

If we break down the most basic components of a strategy, you’re left with simple questions that need to be addressed: who, what, where, when, why and how.

Any strategy, whether it’s for a giant multinational campaign or a smaller niche campaign, should be designed with these questions in mind.

Let’s explore these key questions and how they relate to your strategy:

1. Why = your goal and benchmarks

The very first thing you should establish when developing a social media strategy is your goal – what are you hoping to achieve with your campaign, and why do you want to run this campaign in the first place?

You’ll want to make sure that it is a SMARTER (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluated, Reviewed) goal that clearly states the raison d’être of your campaign.

After all, everything you do in your campaign should be in service to your goal. If something isn’t working or doesn’t align with what you’re trying to achieve, it’s best to switch gears and refocus.

2. Who = your target audience

Next, you’ll want to identify your audiences. This is one of the most important parts of building a strong social media strategy, but often one of the most overlooked.

It’s crucial to keep in mind who you are trying to reach with your messages, otherwise the entire campaign will fall flat – or be largely ignored.

Having a strong understanding of who your target audience is, as well as what they care about and how/where they spend their time on social media, can make a monumental difference in how your campaign is received.

3. Where = your channels

Once you’ve identified what you want to achieve and who you want to target with your campaign, it’s time to determine which channels you should use to get your messages to the right people at the right time.

This can also impact the kind of content you want to create for your campaign, as social media channels have different features and parameters (Twitter’s character limit, for example).

This one is pretty self-explanatory, especially if you’re running a campaign with a public affairs focus in mind, it will likely be shared on channels like Twitter and LinkedIn. Or, hey, if you’re feeling extra creative, there’s always TikTok!

4. How = your messaging

Now it’s time to perfect those key messages! It’s easier said than done, but your messaging needs to be two things: simple and clear.

People are much more likely to remember one strong message than several overlapping messages, so try to avoid diluting what you’re trying to communicate because you’re trying to fit 10 different points into one message.

This also helps your ideas breathe a bit – and will come in handy when we develop our content in the next step.

5. What = your content

Once your messages are crisp and clear, we can develop content around said messages. Fortunately, with all of the different features available on social media channels, you can create infographics, GIFs, quote cards and more.

However, one of the most effective and engaging ways to reach your target audience is through the power of video. And if you want to take it a step further, people-first videos are going to perform even better.

By identifying the right people for any given campaign, such as subject experts or executive leadership, it allows you to create content that reaches your audience in a thoughtful, approachable and authentic way.

Plus, it’s much easier to get buy-in and excitement from your team when they can easily connect with the narrative of the campaign. Showcasing the passion they have in their work and offering them a platform to share that passion is a surefire way to get people not only involved, but actively engaged with the campaign.

6. When = your timing

Finally, this step has more to do with your posting consistency than about pinpointing the perfect moment in the day to post.

While posting at 10.00 in the morning instead of 22.00 at night will probably lead to more engagement on your content, timing is less of a make-or-break variable compared to the earlier days of social media.

Most channels’ default feed view includes content that the algorithm thinks is most relevant to you – depending on the channel, this could mean that you see a one-day-old tweet or a six-day-old LinkedIn post sitting at the top of your feed.

One thing that can make a huge difference, however, is how often you post. Engaging and posting regularly are two of the best ways to get your messages out to the right people and grow your following.

Learn more about creating a social media drumbeat and consistent posting in the clip below – and happy strategising!

Header image: Midjourney prompt: twitter logo :: blue, black, pink :: graffiti style –ar 16:9