Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn: What’s Your SMM Goal?
Before tackling social media marketing (SMM), managed services providers (MSPs) should have a goal in mind. While many MSPs understand the benefits of leveraging social media platforms for marketing, they may not understand how to get to their end goal. They should develop a strategy that outlines immediate goals, future goals, and expectations. Here's how to dive into social media, without hitting the bottom of the pool.
Before jumping into social media, take a step back and decide what you're looking to get out of it. Are you looking to generate leads, market your brand, or provide customer support? It's imperative to understand your mission; don't set yourself up for failure.
Outline the following points in your SMM plan, leaving space for additional thoughts:
- Immediate goals — What are you looking to accomplish in the near future? Do you want another place to announce new solutions or would you rather provide customer assistance? Which platforms will you use? Don't shoot for the stars early on. Decide where you want to be in the next couple of months and go for it;
- Guture goals — Where do you want to be in a year from now? Did you reach your immediate goals? Analyze the results of your strategy. Is your company benefitting by being on Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) or should it focus its efforts on Twitter? Don't be afraid to get rid of an account. Create new immediate and future goals; and
- Expectations — What do you expect to get out of each account? What do you want from your team executing your social media strategy? Take the time to share your expectations with your team, so they know what you want from them.
Social media is only worth your time if it works for you. Some platforms work better for some MSPs, while other platforms work better for others. Find what works best for you and leverage it. Don't be afraid to scrap a platform in order to make way for another.
How have you benefitted from social media and which platforms have you leveraged the most?
