Include These Steps in 2011 Social Media Planning

2010 was the year that many businesses ditched the training wheels and dove into social media. From what we witnessed, the impact and results of social media efforts directly correlated with the time invested in pre-planning initiatives. Clients who experience the most success with social media campaigns were those who planned in advance, obtained buy-in from C-suite members, set clear expectations, and monitored results.

Those who experimented with social media in 2010 without a clear plan will find it hard to achieve success in 2011 without a review of expectations and a firm understanding of how to accomplish goals. Although it has only been 12 months since we launched our social media planning guide (it seems like a lifetime ago!) the nine stages we recommend have produced satisfying results for clients of all social media experience levels. Review the steps for social media success in our guide:

• Evaluation: What social media channels are right for YOU
• Implementation: Setting up accounts and monitoring tactics
• Content Development: Create a strategy aligned with corporate messaging and marketing goals
• Customer Acquisition: Seek out appropriate individuals to invite as fans or followers
• Monitoring, Metrics and Tracking: Identify the appropriate tools for internal or external monitoring

Promotion and reputation management strategies, combined with training and reporting processes round out the nine steps.