Developing a Successful Social Media Content Strategy

Developing a successful social media content strategy is vital for establishing a strong connection with your audience.

 

But one of your challenges as a business owner is that you have limited resources and busy schedule. Managing your social media presence often take a backseat, harming your brand’s reputation.

 

Here at Results and Co, we assist SMEs like yours to overcome these obstacles.  We take a unique approach by using the StoryBrand method, ensuring engaging content and conversions. 

 

Develop a successful social media content strategy through:

1. Aligning Goals and Intentions
2. Audience Analysis
3. Crafting a Brand Narrative using the StoryBrand Method
4. Competitor Insights
5. Content Selection and Creation
6. Organising and Scheduling Content
7. Monitoring and Optimisation

 

By following these steps and embracing the StoryBrand approach, as practised by Results and Co, you can develop a social media content strategy that aligns with your business goals and resonates with your audience.

 

 

Most importantly, it will set you apart from your competitors.

 

Step 1: Aligning Goals and Intentions

Staring at your screen, wondering why your social media efforts aren’t yielding the results you want. It’s not just about posting; it’s about aligning your goals and intentions. 

 

How to Define and Align Goals

 

Start with the Why

Before diving into metrics and KPIs, ask yourself why you’re on social media. Is it to build a community? Increase sales? Boost brand awareness? Your ‘why’ will guide your goals.

 

Be S.M.A.R.T

Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This isn’t just a catchy acronym; it’s a formula for success.

 

Check-in Regularly 

Goals aren’t set in stone. As your business evolves, so should your goals. Regularly revisit and realign them.

 

Example: A Small Business Targeting Increased Engagement

Imagine you’re running a local coffee shop. Your goal is to increase engagement on your social media posts by 20% in the next three months. Here’s how you’d align that goal with intention:

 

Goal: Increase comments, shares, and likes by 20%.

 

Intention: Foster a community of coffee lovers who are excited to engage, share their experiences, and connect over a shared passion.

 

Action Steps:

• Share behind-the-scenes content about sourcing and brewing.
• Host weekly Q&A sessions about coffee.
• Encourage followers to share their coffee moments using a branded hashtag.

 

Step 2: Audience Analysis

You know that feeling when you craft a post you’re proud of, but it falls flat? It’s like speaking to an empty room. 

 

The key to filling that room is understanding your audience. Let’s explore how to do that.

 

Understanding Your Audience: A Deep Dive

You post a content that you think should resonate, but it doesn’t. It’s not that your content is bad; it’s that you might be speaking to the wrong people.

 

When you know exactly what your audience wants, what they care about, and what keeps them up at night, you’ll be able to know the right words and content that will speak through your audience. 

 

How-To Analyse Your Audience:

• Listen: Use tools to understand what your audience is talking about.
• Ask: Don’t be afraid to ask your audience directly through surveys or comments.
• Analyse: Dive into analytics to see what content performs best and why.

 

Creating Great Audience Personas

• Start with Demographics: Age, location, occupation – these basics help you form a picture.
• Dig into Psychographics: What are their interests, values, and challenges? This is where you connect on an emotional level.
• Build a Persona: Create a fictional character that embodies your typical audience member. Think of this as your customer avatar, a person you’re communicating to when crafting content. 
• Iterate and Evolve: Your audience will change, and so should your personas. Keep them updated.

 

Example: Audience Analysis for a Fitness Brand

 

Imagine you’re running a fitness brand. Here’s how you’d analyse your audience:

 

Goal: Increase engagement with workout videos.

Audience Persona: “Fitness Fiona”

Demographics: 25-35, urban, working professional.

Psychographics: Values health, struggles with finding time to exercise, seeks quick and effective workouts.

Pain Points: Lack of motivation, and confusion about what exercises to do.

Desires: A supportive community, and easy-to-follow workout plans.

Action Steps:

• Share short, effective workout videos.
• Host live workout sessions with Q&A.
• Create a community hashtag to encourage sharing progress.

 

Understanding your audience isn’t just about knowing who they are; it’s about knowing who they want to become and how your brand fits into that journey. 

 

It’s the bridge between your goals and theirs, and it’s where genuine connection happens.

 

Step 3: Crafting a Brand Narrative (StoryBrand Method)

Here is how we do our strategy differently, making your content more engaging than doing it in a traditional way. 

 

Now that you know your audience. It’s time to create a brand narrative using the StoryBrand approach.

 

StoryBrand is a marketing framework that helps businesses clarify their brand message by using the elements of storytelling. 

 

Created by Donald Miller, the StoryBrand framework is based on the principle that people understand and connect with information through stories.

 

Here’s a breakdown of the key components of the StoryBrand framework:

 

The Hero (Customer): 

This represents the customer or the target audience. They are the protagonist of the story, with desires, goals, and challenges.

 

The Problem: 

This identifies the main problem or conflict that the hero is facing. It’s something that the brand’s product or service can help solve.

 

The Guide (Brand): 

The brand acts as the guide or mentor in the story, offering wisdom, tools, or services to help the hero overcome their problem.

 

The Plan: 

This is a clear and concise plan that the guide offers to the hero, outlining the steps they need to take to achieve success.

 

The Call to Action: 

This is a direct and compelling invitation for the hero to take action, whether it’s buying a product, signing up for a newsletter, or engaging with the community.

 

The Success: 

This paints a picture of what success looks like for the hero if they follow the guide’s plan and take action.

 

The Failure: 

This outlines the consequences or what’s at stake if the hero fails to take action.

 

The StoryBrand Framework can help you craft a compelling narrative for your social media posts that connects. It serves as your reference for all your social media posts: 

 

How to Apply StoryBrand to Social Media Marketing

• Speak to the Hero: Your social media content should always speak to the customer’s desires and challenges, not just your product features.
• Show the Journey: Share stories that show the transformation from problem to success, with your brand as the guide.
• Call to Action: Every post should have a clear, compelling call to action, whether it’s to read a blog, join a community, or buy a product.
• Consistency is Key: Your brand’s story should be consistent across all platforms, reinforcing the narrative.

 

Example: Creating a Brandscript for a Non-Profit Organisation

 

Imagine you’re working with a non-profit, Here’s how you’d create a Brandscript:

• Hero: Individuals passionate about environmental conservation.
• Problem: Feeling overwhelmed by the global environmental crisis.
• Guide: The non-profit organisation that’s offering education and actionable steps.
• Plan: A clear roadmap to make a personal impact.
• Call to Action: Join a local cleanup event, donate, and share awareness.
• Success: A cleaner, greener community.
• Failure: Continued environmental degradation.

 

Step 4: Competitor Insights

You’ve felt that nagging doubt, wondering how your competitors are outperforming you on social media, haven’t you? It’s not about copying them; it’s about learning from them. 

 

Learning from the Competition

The How-To:

• Identify Key Competitors: Look for businesses in your industry that target a similar audience.
• Analyse Their Content: What are they posting? How are they engaging?
• Understand Their Success: What’s resonating with their audience? What can you learn from it?
• Evaluate Their Performance: Use tools to gather data on their reach, engagement, growth, etc.
• Identify Opportunities: What are they missing? Where can you stand out?
• Document Your Findings: Keep a record to refer back to and update regularly.

 

Example: Analysing Competitors in the Tech Industry

Imagine you’re in the tech industry. Here’s how you’d analyse competitors:

Goal: Increase brand awareness among tech enthusiasts.

Competitors: Identify key players who are engaging well with tech-savvy audiences.

Content Analysis:

• What types of content are they sharing? (e.g., tutorials, product reviews)
• How are they engaging with their audience? (e.g., Q&A sessions, community hashtags)
• What’s their growth rate?
• Which posts are getting the most engagement?
• Are they neglecting a specific platform where your audience is active?
• Is there a content gap you can fill?

Action Steps:

• Develop content that fills the identified gaps.
• Engage with the community in a unique way that sets you apart.

 

Step 5: Content Selection and Creation

Understand your audience. What do they want to see? What answers are they seeking?

 

Diversify your content. Mix it up with videos, infographics, polls, and more, and stay authentic. Authenticity resonates. Be genuine in your messaging.

 

How to Choose and Create Diverse Content

 

Content Pillars 

Identify key themes or topics that resonate with your audience and align with your brand.

 

Choose the Right Content Types

From blog posts and videos to podcasts and infographics, diversify your content to cater to different audience preferences. Choose the platform where your audience is. 

 

Keyword Research for SEO Blogs and Social Media Captions

• Use tools like SEMrush or Google Keyword Planner.
• Identify high-volume, low-competition keywords.
• Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content and captions.

 

Repurposing Blogs:

• Turn blog posts into infographics.
• Create short video summaries for platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
• Use snippets as tweets or LinkedIn posts.

 

Example: Content Strategy for a Travel Blog

 

Imagine you’re running a travel blog. Here’s how you’d strategise:

 

Goal: Engage and inspire wanderlust among readers.

Content Pillars: Destination guides, travel tips, personal travel stories.

Content Types:

• Blog Posts: Detailed guides on destinations.
• Videos: Vlogs of travel experiences.
• Infographics: Packing lists or travel stats.

 

Keyword Research:

• Identify trending travel destinations or commonly asked travel questions.
• Incorporate these keywords into blog titles, meta descriptions, and social media captions.

 

Repurposing Content:

• Post the pictures from your destination blog on Instagram.
• Create a Pinterest pin for travel infographics.
• Share personal anecdotes as Instagram stories or Twitter threads.

 

Step 6: Organising and Scheduling Content

 

The How-To:

• Map Out Key Dates: Identify important dates, events, product launches, or seasonal trends.
• Align with Goals and Audience: Ensure content aligns with your goals and speaks to your audience.
• Balance Content Types: Mix in different content types to keep things fresh and engaging.

 

How to Design and Utilise a Content Calendar

Choose a Platform: 

Whether it’s a spreadsheet or a tool like Buffer, find what works for you.

 

Define Content Categories: 

Break down content into categories like blogs, videos, promotions, etc.

 

Schedule Regularly: 

Consistency is key. Plan daily, weekly, or monthly posts based on your audience’s preferences.

 

Incorporate Keywords and SEO:

Plan SEO-optimised blogs and social media captions using insights from keyword research.

 

Monitor and Adjust: 

Regularly review and adjust your calendar based on performance and feedback.

 

Example: Scheduling for a Retail Brand

 

Imagine you’re managing social media for a retail brand. Here’s how you’d schedule:

 

Goal: Drive awareness and sales through engaging content.

Content Calendar Insights:

• Seasonal Promotions: Schedule posts around holidays, sales events, or seasonal trends.
• Product Showcases: Regularly feature products with engaging visuals and compelling captions.
• Customer Testimonials: Share customer reviews and stories to build trust.
• Educational Content: Offer styling tips, product care guides, etc.

Action Steps:

• Use tools like MeetEdgar to schedule posts at optimal times, as mentioned in the URL insights.
• Repurpose blog content into social media snippets, as learned from the content creation insights.
• Monitor performance using analytics, making adjustments as needed.

 

Step 7: Monitoring and Optimisation

 

Posting content and hoping for the best, but never quite knowing what’s working and what’s not is like shooting in the dark. 

 

Continuous Improvement: Monitoring and Analysis

There are instances you might wonder why some posts soar while others sink. It’s not a lack of effort; it’s a lack of understanding.

 

Imagine having clear insights into what resonates with your audience, what drives engagement, and what converts. That’s the power of monitoring and optimisation.

 

The How-To:

• Set Clear Metrics: Define what success looks like for you, whether it’s reach, engagement, clicks, or conversions.
• Use Analytics Tools: Platforms like Google Analytics, Buffer, or SEMrush can provide valuable insights.
• Analyse Regularly: Weekly or monthly analysis helps you stay aligned with your goals and audience.

 

How to Track and Analyse Performance Metrics

 

Identify Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): 

 

What metrics matter most to your goals? Is it follower growth, engagement rate, click-through rate (CTR), or sales?

 

Utilise Tracking Tools: 

Use tools like Google Analytics for website traffic or platform-specific insights for social media.

 

Analyse Content Performance: 

Look at what content types, themes, or posts are performing best.

 

Adjust and Iterate: 

Use insights to refine your strategy, content, and scheduling.

 

Example: Optimisation for an E-commerce Site

Imagine you’re managing social media for an e-commerce site. Here’s how you’d optimise:

 

Goal: Increase traffic and conversions through engaging social media content.

 

Monitoring Insights:

• Track Traffic Sources: Identify which social platforms are driving the most traffic.
• Analyse Conversion Paths: Understand what content is leading to sales.
• Monitor Engagement Metrics: Look at likes, comments, and shares to gauge resonance.

 

Optimisation Steps:

• Refine Content Strategy: If video reviews are driving sales, create more of them.
• Adjust Posting Times: If insights show higher engagement during evenings, schedule posts accordingly.
• A/B Testing: Test different captions, visuals, or calls to action to see what works best.

 

This is a step-by-step guide to developing a successful social media content strategy. It’s a roadmap that takes you from where you are to where you want to be.

 

This isn’t just about information; it’s about transformation. It’s about turning your social media from a platform into a powerhouse, from a tool into a treasure. And you don’t have to do it alone.

 

Schedule a call with a StoryBrand Guide today, and let’s turn your story into success. 

 

Let’s turn your potential into performance, and your social media into a symphony of engagement, connection, and growth.