Tips for Building a (Better) Social Media Plan for 2024
As the end of 2023 is furiously rushing to meet us, it’s a common time of year to (either consciously or not) reflect on your personal and business decisions over the last eleven months. One area where we see business owners and teams try to cut corners is often social media. We know how those internal conversations go, sometimes because we’re in the room when they’re happening:
Post to LinkedIn? I’m already there, so no problem.
Keeping in touch with our audience on Facebook? I’ll post a few pictures - easy.
Create a strategy on Instagram? I can add some hashtags.
It’s not bad to do the bare minimum (something is better than nothing, right?), but the key differences between how you navigate social media as an individual and as a business are subtle - but important - shifts that most people don’t consider. Because, let’s be honest, when you have a regular to-do list that only seems to get longer by the day, posting to LinkedIn is (and shouldn’t be) on your radar until probably while you’re trying to fall asleep at 11:30pm.
So as we get to the end of another year, now is a good time to look back and ask yourself two questions: 1) How successful was my social media presence? And 2) Was it worth my extra time?
Know What You Are Measuring
There were some important shifts in social media in 2023. Marketing analysts discovered - or revealed - “The Silent Community” on LinkedIn. The findings were that most users on this platform don't interact or engage with the content they see. Metrics have adjusted for this, with social media strategists looking for “views” versus impressions or reach. The assumption is users at this metric level are not just scrolling by (which is measured in an impression) but are reading and taking in information even if they aren’t actively engaging with a “like” or comment.
If you are looking at your numbers and you aren’t sure if they’re “good” or not, each channel will give you a benchmark for how “similar” profiles look online. However, we recommend taking this with a grain of salt. Each of these channels want you to spend more time on them, and their goal is to make you feel like you’re not doing enough. Here is where a third-party platform for social listening can come in handy. You can keep your finger on the pulse of what audiences are actually talking about in your industry - and which competitors they are engaging with most.
Furthermore, if you don’t have any clue whether your metrics are “better” than they were at the beginning of the year, now is a good time to set quantifiable goals for 2024. If you are looking for more brand awareness, consider how you will measure “eyeballs on content” and what will count as a “win” or “conversion” especially when you can’t rely on engagement.
Quantify Your Hours
Yes, posting to social media can take just a few minutes. If you’re being really lazy, and don’t care about tagging other people/brands, using appropriate hashtags or especially tailoring your tone for each channel, it could take less than that. But the reality is, just knowing you need to post to social media is one more item that takes up mental space alongside every other thing you need to do that day or week. Even if you’re smart and schedule your posts days or weeks in advance, creating a bulk upload of content including graphics or photos will easily take half a day. When I started my business, I used my own social media as a marker for how long it took to create content that was up to my standards. And, to be honest, I definitely approach my business’ social media much more lightly than I do our clients, but it still takes me close to 3.5-4 hours every month.
Now, I block out one morning or afternoon each month - as a recurring event on my calendar - to know that I need to get this done if I want my social media to remain active. Think about all the other things I could accomplish in those hours (I know I have). Not to mention, if it’s a particularly chaotic week with client requests or another platform that has gone down, sometimes those posts aren’t completed until well after business hours - and the dedication to their quality shows.
Build on Your Success
It’s likely that you didn’t reach all of your goals this year, especially with the one task everyone hates - staying consistent on social media. But that’s OK. With the rise of AI this year, and ever-evolving scheduling systems, there are time-savers that will help you craft and post content if you have the discipline to make it happen. It’s almost like you don’t have an excuse…
Here are three tips to consider as you build a social media plan for 2024:
Start with where you have the most engagement. I know, I know, I just said don’t worry about engagement. But if you consistently see, month over month, more likes on one channel versus another, perhaps it’s time to cut that additional channel. Ask yourself: Am I receiving any benefit by being on here if no one is interested or even seeing my content?
Use an AI system to help you outline at least six months of content for your content calendar. Be sure to use prompts that are specific to your industry and your business goals and edit the content so it fits in your tone and voice.
Discuss the needs of your entire leadership team. Social media is no longer “nice to have.” It has become an integral part of business development supporting every part of your business from sales to H.R. Find out what your team needs in 2024 and determine how social media - and the story you tell there - can help achieve those goals.
Although it may feel like social media is an uphill battle - and there are boulders tumbling down on you as you climb - it’s not insurmountable. Small gains are still gains. Consistency is key. Besides, if you don’t start climbing the mountain today - you’ll be exactly where you were this time next year.