Social Media is a very powerful tool and a great way to reach new fans, while at the same time engaging with existing followers. But it's not always as easy as it sounds. While there is no "correct way" to go about managing your social networks, there are many different approaches and strategies available to help achieve your goals. Some of the most common strategies may seem simple but are often overlooked by the drive to push out as much information as possible. Instead, these tactics should be incorporated into your social media marketing plan.

Consistent posting to your social media outlets is a great way to both increase engagement with your brand and keep your brand at the top of your fans' minds. One of the best ways to ensure that you stick to a routine posting schedule is to use a third-party platform, such as Hootsuite, which allows you to schedule messages in bulk ahead of time.

Once a routine posting schedule has been established, the next step should be to determine the type of content your brand puts out. Depending on your audience, this is a decision that should be outlined in your social media marketing plan. Based on the underlying algorithms of each social media platform, the platform you choose will determine the effectiveness of your message. Recently, there has been an emphasis on video content via Facebook and Instagram, as fans are most likely to engage with video over photos and articles. One of the biggest mistakes marketers make is to use social media as a channel to broadcast news. While it is always a good idea to promote your own brand, fans will get tired of seeing the same promotions and advertising posts and eventually will stop engaging with those posts. Instead, marketers should focus on current and relevant topics that relate to their business, as this will generate more engagement.

After implementing your social media marketing plan, how do you ensure that it's effective? Unfortunately, there is no way to analyze all conversions and analytics, yet there are alternatives that can help you gauge your return on investment. Facebook does a great job helping marketers understand how effective their content is using a wide array of analytics. However, that doesn't imply that you should be content with the metrics Facebook provides. Instead, marketers should be constantly testing out new markets, audiences and strategies. The most effective way to test these variations is through A/B testing. A/B Testing is something most marketers overlook, either because they don't understand the importance of testing or they are unaware of its existence. Using A/B Testing can help you better understand your fans, how to reach them, how to engage with them, and when to reach them, along with other important factors.

Now that you have a few tips and tricks under your sleeve, go rock the social media world by generating new fans and increasing engagement! Need help? Contact Alternative Strategies at (619) 858-0322. We will help you promote your business through social media, so you can start building a social-friendly landscape that leads to a higher success rate for your brand!