Social media is continuously evolving as a business hub for businesses whether small or large. Now, marketers have the possibility to reach a wider audience without any boundaries. The only required thing is a good and effective social media strategy.
It should cover all the necessary things and deliver the results. This is the point where most people fail to produce the desired outcomes. I have also faced such challenges in the early stages of my SMM career.
Thus, I know how frustrating it can be when you work so hard but are unable to reach the final destination. That’s why I am here with this guide to help you create a fully functional strategy that will help you achieve success on social media platforms.
How to Create a Social Media Strategy?
In the under section, I have mentioned some important points and highlighted their details. You should understand them properly. In this way, you can create a social media strategy that will help you achieve all the targeted goals.
1 – Set Clear Objectives
Firstly, you have to set clear objectives related to what you are creating your social media strategy for. This smart framework will enable you to create a successful path to achieve your goals. Nevertheless, you have to make sure that your objectives are:
- Specific: Clearly resonate with what you want to achieve.
- Measurable: Establish metrics to track progress.
- Achievable: Ensure your goals are realistic.
- Relevant: Align your goals with broader business objectives.
- Time bound: Set deadlines to achieve them.
Examples of Objectives:
I have mentioned some examples of objectives in the section below. These are usually the ones I set for my strategies.
- Increase brand awareness by growing followers by 20% in six months.
- Drive website traffic with a 30% increase in social media referrals.
- Enhance engagement rates on Instagram posts by 15% within the next three months.
2 – Understand Your Target Audience
A successful social media strategy is only possible when you know about your target audience. You have to perform research to find some metrics. It will let you learn the demands and preferences of people. Generally, these key metrics are:
- Demographics: Includes age, gender, location, and language.
- Psychographics: Here, you have to note their Interests, values, and purchasing behavior.
- Platform Preferences: It is important to understand where your audience spends their time online.
The best way to get these metrics are the built in tools of different social media platforms and through surveys. Additionally, you can utilize the potential of tools like Google Analytics for more accurate outcomes.
3 – Choose the Right Platforms
In the previous section, I talked about learning the platform preferences of the audience. It is because not all people use the same. Thus, businesses also have to switch to the platform that their audience mostly uses.
Similarly, businesses also have a way of promoting content on social media. I have highlighted the primary aspects of the top social platforms here. You should check which one matches your brand’s style. In this way, you can create a successful social media strategy.
- Instagram: Ideal for visual content, especially for lifestyle, fashion, and food brands.
- TikTok: Great for short-form videos and younger audiences.
- LinkedIn: Perfect for B2B companies and professional networking.
- Facebook: Suitable for community building and older demographics.
- Twitter (now X): Best for timely updates and customer service.
- YouTube: Essential for long form video content and tutorials.
Pro Tip: Here, I am giving you a pro tip that I have learned through my experiences. You should only focus on 2 or 3 platforms maximum. It would be better to improve the content quality on them instead of managing all the mentioned ones.
4 – Conduct a Social Media Audit
If you are already using social media for business and marketing purposes, it would be best to conduct a thorough audit. This approach will enable you to understand the areas where you are dominating as well as give insights into the zones that really need improvement.
While there are so many metrics, I have enlisted one of those that you have to consider essentially to get the results. These are:
- Follower growth
- Engagement rates (likes, shares, and comments)
- Content performance (most and least engaging posts)
- Competitor activity
Many tools are available on the web that can help you in this regard. Hootsuite, Sprout Social, and Buffer are counted among the big and easily accessible names.
5. Develop a Content Strategy
A complete social media strategy involves considerations about your content strategy as well. It should align with the objectives of your business along with resonating with the preferences of your audience. Key components include:Â
a. Content Types
Content type plays a vital role in determining the success of your social media strategy. Therefore, you have to incorporate a mix of different content types. It will help you understand the content which usually appeals to the audience. Also, you can meet the preferences of a wider audience. The important content types are:
- Informational Posts: Industry news, tips, or FAQs.
- Entertaining Content: Memes, funny videos, or relatable stories.
- Promotional Material: Product launches, offers, or discounts.
- User Generated Content (UGC): Reviews, testimonials, or customer photos.
b. Formats
Gone are the days when all kinds of content holds the potential to attract an audience. Now, only specific formats are functional and effective in engaging the users. You have to use these formats as they are highly effective in 2025:
- Short Form Videos: TikTok and Instagram Stories and Reels are the best short-form videos.
- Interactive Content: Polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions are the primary formats of interactive content.
- Live Streaming: Live stream helps you earn real time engagement.
c. Posting Frequency and Timing
Next, you should determine the number of times you have to post on each platform in a specific period of time like a week or month. I usually follow the frequency schedule enlisted below:
- Instagram: 4 to 5 times per week
- TikTok: 3 to 5 times per week
- LinkedIn: 2 to 3 times per week
You can use the built in analytics of different social media platforms to identify the optimal posting times according to the preferences of your audience. It will enable you to improve your engagement rate.
6. Engage With Your Audience
Lastly, you have to engage with your audience to create a social media strategy that will bring all the ultimate success. It not only helps you build relationships with people but also opens the way to long term benefits.
Here are some of the key tactics that you can opt for to enhance your engagement rate. I have tried and all of them proved to be immensely effective.
- Respond promptly to comments and messages.
- Host giveaways or challenges to spark participation.
- Share user-generated content to engage the community.
Pro Tip: You have to ensure personalized interactions by addressing users by their name or referencing their specific queries. Also, continuous interaction will enable you to stay updated with modern trends and requirements.
Final Thoughts
These are the details about how to create a social media strategy in 2025. I have mentioned all the points you have to consider. Whether you are a small business owner or marketing a larger enterprise on different social platforms, you have to understand the preferences and requirements of your audience.
In this way, you can determine the right content type. It would be best to focus on short reels and interactive elements as both are best to engage the audience. Further, you should interact with the followers on a continuous basis. It will let you know about their preferences and requirements and stay updated with the latest trends.
