In today's fast-moving digital environment, businesses are in a struggle for attention. People receive messages throughout the day, and therefore, it becomes necessary to have some effective strategy to reach the desired audience. Such a strategy is known as a media strategy. With an effective media strategy, you'll choose the right channels for your message, create valuable content, and spend your marketing dollars more wisely.
Being a marketer with several years of experience, I knew for sure that a proper media strategy can transform an unknown brand into a famous brand. In the discussion to follow, we are going to debate key media strategies and examine in detail the example of a media strategy. We will be talking about how to create a social media marketing strategy which fully meets your business goals. By this, you will be able to drive more people and have a better result for your marketing.
A media strategy is a plan that shows exactly how a certain company will use different media vehicles. It can be but may not be limited to TV, radio, podcasts, social media, websites, and many more. The overall objective of a media strategy would go to include reaching the right audience, with the right message, at the right time.
But why would that be important? Well, it can be your brand's maker or breaker. If you advertise your products or services on websites that your audience simply doesn't frequent, well, you are somewhat wasting your time and money. On the other hand, when you know exactly where your audience likes to hang out online or offline, you can place your ads and content there. In that case, you are seen and remembered.
An effective media strategy reaches the people who are most likely interested in your product or service. You can learn about your audience based on age, location, interests, or buying habits.
When you use the same core message on multiple channels, people begin to trust you. They view you as one single, cohesive, reliable brand. That gets them thinking about you when they're ready to buy.
By choosing the channels that fit your audience, you save money. You are also more likely to see measurable outcomes. That means a bigger bang for your marketing buck.
A good media strategy sparks conversations and loyalty. The more your customers are engaging with your brand through social media or other media, the closer they feel to the brand.
Every business has a different purpose. Someone has to raise their sales whereas others want to create brand awareness or improve the loyalty of their customer. Whatever your purpose is, there are some general media strategies which you can always adapt and use. Some of the practical and time-tested techniques follow which you can also use.
Merge online and offline methodologies. You may do local newspaper adverts, which is traditional media, and at the same time do social media ads, which will be digital media. In such a way, you may reach segments of your audience; some people still read physical newspapers, while others use online media. You get more audiences when you blend traditional with digital.
Before running any ads, study your audience's habits. When are they online? Which social networks are they currently using? You can use tools like Google Analytics or even insights provided by social media itself to gather such information. When you have the data, then you can put your energy into where it matters. That way, if a channel is not converting into sales, you can shift resources to a website that is converting.
The quality of the content is a vital ingredient in any media plan. The examples include blog posts, videos, podcasts, and info-graphics. This content either entertains or educates your audience without merely trying to sell to them. This can, over time, make you an authority in your niche.
Influencers already have an audience that is already listening to them. If they can convey your message, it could appear much more authentic than a standard advertisement. Just ensure that you utilize influencers whose values are in alignment with your brand's values. For instance, a fitness brand might find a suitable partner in a personal trainer with a large Instagram following.
Regardless of how many channels you use, it's best to have a consistent look and message for all of them. Use the same brand colors, fonts, and tone of voice. This makes your brand look more professional and memorable.
Marketing is constantly changing. What is effective today will not necessarily attract them next month. Always try new things: new ideas, new ads, new mediums. Track metrics on clicks, shares, and conversions. Then, adjust your strategy based on what you learn.
With that in mind, let's look at an example of a media plan so you can see better how you might complete your plan. The example will provide you with a sense of how each may be included in an actual campaign.
Increase awareness of a new software tool by 20% within three months.
Small business owners aged 30-50 whose businesses need basic-level accounting.
Money and time saved by the software. Customer Testimonials, Short Demos, and Quick Tutorials.
Free Trial Sign-ups, Website Traffic From LinkedIn Ads, Email Open Rate.
Overall 12 weeks. Product Launch - Week 1, Core Campaigns - Weeks 2-10, Analysis - Weeks 11-12.
This sample begins with discovering the clear purpose for the plan; in this case, raising awareness of a certain product. Then, it identifies who the audience is, where that audience is most active, and defines what will be created and how success will be monitored. Beyond that, it highlights the timeline aspect, which keeps the team accountable.
You will get a step-by-step plan for a fictional environmentally friendly clothing brand, as follows:
Run several Instagram and Facebook ads, showcasing the brand's most iconic T-shirts, focusing on the eco-friendly material and ethical way they are made. Target those users who follow any pages related to eco-friendliness or show an interest in that lifestyle.
Partner with three social media influencers who are popular for promoting eco-friendly products. Give each a brief to develop unique content, for example, "a day in the life" using GreenThreads clothing. Provide each with a discount code to track which produces the biggest revenue.
Post behind-the-scenes videos on YouTube. Let them have an idea of how the raw materials are sourced and how the clothes are manufactured. This adds transparency and helps to win the confidence of potential clients. Use short, descriptive copy and catchy headings to attract the attention of viewers.
Create a weekly newsletter related to styling tips, customer success stories, and links to newly written blogs. Offer a 10% discount to new joiners so that they can make their first purchase.
Arrange a mini pop-up event in the high-traffic shopping zones of the city. Let the prospective customers feel the apparels physically and get to see themselves some of the products for assurance. Note e-mail addresses to seek feedback for tuning the campaign in the future.
This chart demonstrates how multiple channels might be integrated in order to grow the revenue and audience of a brand. It also demonstrates the power of tracking granular metrics. The instant you put a number on your outcomes, you're able to see what's working, what's not, and where you need to get better.
A social media marketing plan helps you prioritize the most useful sites and informs your strategy as you schedule posts, design advertisements, and negotiate with influencers. Here's how you can get started building a basic plan for social media marketing:
Are you trying to build brand awareness, drive sales, or generate more leads? Select objectives aligned with your overarching business goals. Be specific, too, like "Increase Instagram followers by 20% in two months."
Consider who you are trying to reach. What are their interests? When during the day are they most likely to be on social media? Knowing your audience guides which platforms you'll use. If your audience is strictly business, for example, then LinkedIn is probably where you want to go. If your audience is very visually-oriented, you may be better on Instagram or even Pinterest.
Not all the sites are equal. Choose ones that actually help your business. If you have fewer resources, then focus on one or two sites to get started. Don't over-extend yourself when you only have a few employees.
Plot key subjects or topics your followers will be interested in. It can be tutorial content, behind-the-scenes looks at your business, or product information. A simple content calendar will help you stay regular.
Social media is a two-way street. Pose questions to followers, build polls, even conduct contests, or host live Q&A sessions. Feedback from such interactions guarantees a loyal base and your brand to be more accessible.
Monitor likes, shares, comments, and any direct messages you get. Evaluate your follower growth over time. Take note of which posts do the best. Use those insights to guide your future content.
To give you an idea of what this looks like in practice, here is a short social media strategy example:
By writing to a schedule and tracking outcomes, you're able to find out what works best. Slowly but surely you will build up a decent amount of dedicated followers who not only know your brand but trust it too.
Give an overview of your plan. Include important objectives, target market, and platforms you'll be active on. Keep it short, one page or less.
Indicate what you want to achieve. You might want to gain 1,000 new followers on Instagram within 3 months or to increase your online sales by 10%. Indicate, too, the KPIs you will monitor: for example, engagement rate or conversion rate.
Include any research you've done. Include statistics on user/audience behaviour and demographics. For example, if you know your audience loves to watch/view short videos, include that.
Outline the channels that you will be using - Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc. Then describe your content. Educational posts, entertaining polls, or 'how-to' product videos?
Provide an approximate budget for any tools, influencers, or ads required. Then, sketch out when each component of the plan will occur. It may be a 3-month or 6-month timeline. Milestones keep everyone on the same page and track progress.
Describe how you will measure success. Include any analytics tools or methods you will use. Discuss how often you will be tracking metrics and at what stage you might alter the plan if things aren't happening the way you might have desired.
To present this proposal, a social media strategy presentation gives the visual impact. Use a social media strategy template to bring consistency into the slides. Show charts of how audiences could grow or sample posts to get ideas flowing. Visuals make it easier for people to understand your plan.
Creating a good media strategy does not occur overnight. You must plan, create, test, and refine. Some final tips to guide you:
Be it a social media strategy template or a detailed social media marketing plan, if your business needs a robust media strategy, then the staff here at YBM is ready to help. We are good at creating plans that earn attention and turn those clicks into customers. We can guide you through every stage of content creation and channel selection, even show just how to write a social media strategy proposal that makes their eyes light up.
Call YBM today and find out how we can get your brand noticed, in front of the right people. Let's develop a media plan that grows your business and makes your marketing dollar work!
