Social media posts get stuck in individual fragments, there is no clear direction and results are not in the event of a rise. The problem? No strategy and a lack of focus and consistency. In this blog we dive into the pitfalls of social media and how you develop an effective strategy that does work.

Why a social media strategy is essential

Social media is not just a stage to call what you are doing. It is a powerful means to position your brand, increase your reach and convince your target group. But without a strategy, social media becomes a collection of individual posts without an impact. A good social media strategy helps you:

• To convey your message clearly and consistently;
• To reach the right target group at the right time;
• To use time and budget efficiently;
• Achieve your goals.

Yet it goes wrong at many companies. How is that?

Common mistakes in social media strategies

1. No clear goals : many companies post without knowing what they want to achieve. Do you want more visibility, followers or sales? Without concrete goals you don't know if you're on the right track.
2. Inconsistency : posting daily for a week and then not heard for months? Using a loose, cheerful tone in one LinkedIn and a formal tone in the other? Or sharing ad hoc current events about your company without a common thread? This kind of inconsistency causes confusion and an incoherent image of your brand.
3. Focus on sending instead of connecting : companies often use social media as a one -way channel. Just talking about your products or services is not enough and ensures that your audience drops out.
4. No insight into the target group : posting without knowing who you want to achieve is like shooting with hail. You not only miss the right target group, but also the opportunity to really make an impact.
5. Lack of creativity : The use of images that do not match the umbrella brand identity , along with boring visuals or photos and videos of poor quality, ensures that your posts do not stand out between the competition.

How companies do use social media effectively

Suppose you are a sustainable milk supplier. Instead of just promoting your products, you tell the story behind your brand. Share how you work with local farmers, why sustainability is important and how customers contribute to positive change. Storytelling connects and makes your brand human. It ensures recognition and involvement, exactly what you need on social media.

Ensure a distinctive brand identity . By implementing this look in every post, story and campaign, construction T The brand of recognisability. From use of color to tone of voice, everything must be right. This ensures trust and loyalty with your target group.

The steps for a strong social media strategy

1. Determine your goals : What do you want to achieve with your social media? Think of goals such as increasing brand awareness, generating leads, binding customers, or attract talent.
2. Know your target group : understand who you want to reach and adjust your content to their interests, needs and behavior. Make detailed profiles of your ideal customers and/or employees. Think of demographic data, interests, challenges, needs and the type of content that appeals to them.
3. Determine core message: what do you want your target group to think, feel or do when they see your content? Determine the values ​​and unique positioning that must come to the fore in your messages.
4. Themes and topics: What are you going to share? Choose overarching themes and topics for your posts that match the needs of your target group and your business goals. Then ensure a clear structure by linking a frequency to these themes.
5. Channel choice and types of content: on which platforms is your target group active? Focus on the channels that have the most impact, such as LinkedIn for B2B or Instagram and Tiktok for B2C. Also determine the types of content that are relevant to your brand : think of blogs, videos, infographics, polls, customer stories or Behind-the-Scenes Content.
6. Be consistent : ensure a consistent tone of voice, look and frequency. Make a content calendar and work where possible ahead by planning posts to save time.
7. Use Storytelling and enter into the interaction : Tell stories that touch and your brand passed. Also increase involvement by interacting with your target group. Respond under your own posts and those of others.
8. Measure and optimize : analyze your social media results and continuously improve your approach. Use Analytics to discover what works and does not work.

Get out of the issues of the day

Prevent your social media channels from being only filled with current events and business updates such as vacancies, anniversaries or internal events. By stepping out of the issues of the day and sharing valuable, relevant and fascinating content, you will stay top-of-mind with your target group and construction to a sustainable relationship.

You come up with this relevant content by focusing on the themes and topics that you have chosen. Consider, for example, sharing expertise, inspiring customer cases, market trends or practical tips that help your target group immediately. Link a clear frequency to this, so that you continue to communicate consistently and strategically with your audience.

A social media strategy never stands on its own

An effective social media strategy does not stand on its own. It is not an isolated part of your marketing, but an essential extension of your umbrella business strategy, brand strategy and content strategy . When these strategies seamlessly connect with each other, a consistent and recognizable brand experience is created. Your brand thus becomes more consistent, more recognizable and more relevant for your target group. Moreover, this integration ensures that you achieve more results with less effort, because you do not have to reinvent the wheel each time.

Social media as a magnet for talent

Social media is not only a powerful means to address customers, but also an essential platform for attracting and binding talent. Employees want to commit themselves to brands that radiate a clear identity, mission and culture. This is a huge opportunity to present your organization as an attractive employer.

By sharing authentic stories about your corporate culture, successes of your team or how your employees make an impact on social media, construction is on a strong employer brand. Show what makes your organization unique and why people want to work here. Consider sharing 'Day-in-the-Life' videos, inspiring career opportunities or concrete initiatives in the field of sustainability and inclusiveness. This can be an important part of your social media strategy.

The construction and a strong employer brand requires a thoughtful and consistent approach. Read in this blog how you can get started with your employer brand.

Ready for a social media strategy that works?

At Vandeez we know how to use social media to reach your target group and achieve your goals. We are happy to think along with you to set up a social media strategy that does produce results.

Do you want more information or just spar with us? Contact us .