Social media as a whole can seem extremely daunting. It can be hard to know where to start when there are so many platforms and correlating strategies available. However, with the right outlook and some base level knowledge, you can start creating content that will engage and motivate your audience.
There are many factors at play when trying to cultivate an audience on social media. Since this is a broad and far-reaching topic, we will start out with the basics. In this guide we will focus on finding your social media purpose, identifying your target audience, and tailoring your content to meet that audience’s needs.
Your purpose on social media will be largely dictated by your chosen industry or profession. Every industry has different end goals, for example, a boutique’s end goal on social media is to drive conversions in the form of sales. On the other hand, a nonprofit may want to inform as many people as possible about their message or services. Whatever your end goal is, make sure that it is quantifiable so you can measure past versus present performance.
Identifying your target audience is the next vital step in creating a successful social media marketing plan. Your target audience will be determined by your chosen industry, along with a few other factors. Age range, gender, marital status, and income level are just a few of the many elements that make up your target audience’s demographics. It is important to understand what categories your audience falls into in order to create content that they will understand and connect with.
Engaging your audience should be a top priority when taking on a social media marketing role. This can be done by identifying and meeting the needs of your audience. Social media platforms are competitive, and if you do not grab your audience’s attention or provide some kind of value to them, your page will not garner the attention you desire.
A great way to identify and meet your audience’s needs is to not only identify their demographics, but also potential psychographics. Psychographics are the attitudes, aspirations, and potential opinions of your target audience. Psychographics allow us as social media marketers to dig deeper into the minds of consumers. With this extra layer of knowledge, you can better understand what content will drive action from potential viewers. Our goal is not to merely scratch the surface, but make a lasting impact on those that follow your page.
We hope you gained some insight from reading this brief beginner’s guide on social media. Knowing your target market and putting yourself in their shoes will help ensure effective audience communication. Of course, this is only a piece to the larger puzzle that is social media marketing. Please contact us for more information on how to maximize your potential on social media. We aim to create effective conversion driven content for our clients that will help them target and communicate with their audience.