Social media strategies beyond content plans

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Content plans have driven the desire to see our content distributed through advertising channels, influencers, competition channels and just about any other medium we can find. An over prioritisation of content plans has led marketing professionals to believe that the value of a social media strategy is all about impressions, comments and likes.

Single essence of online presence

Content plans definitely have their place in the eco-system of a social media strategy, however, for many it’s become the single essence of their online presence and this is concerning.

I recently had the opportunity to speak at The Sunday Times Next Generation Conference about this exact issue. I want to share a few ways that we can break beyond the content plan in our social media strategy and start making the most of this incredible technology that our customers use every single day.

SA youth's favourite brands revealed in 2018 Sunday Times Generation Next survey

14 Jun 2018

To form the foundation of these ideas I need to state these primary insights about people and social media:

• Social media is a crowded environment.
• People use brands to build their own brand.
• The post-truth era has degraded trust in information. More than ever, a consumer’s perception becomes their truth.
• The power of social media is not in likes and comments. The power in social media is that it builds relationships.
• Content plans push us towards distribution thinking. Distribution thinking does not build trust, which is the bedrock of good relationships.

Now, with these insights in mind, let’s dive into the strategies that can break your social media strategy past the content plan.

Framework 1:

Social media strategies beyond content plans: Apply the 80/20 rule

Mike Saunders  13 Aug 2018

Framework 2:

Social media strategies beyond content plans: Improve the trust equation

Mike Saunders  28 Aug 2018

Framework 3:

Social media strategies beyond content plans: Nurture advocacy

Mike Saunders  20 Aug 2018

Framework 4:

Social media strategies beyond content plans: Embrace the mosh pit

Mike Saunders  4 Sep 2018

Framework 5:

Are you the cause of your negative sentiment online?

Mike Saunders  4 Nov 2015