Like most people do this time of year, we have been taking a look at the events of the past year, and are planning for the year to come. As we make our own marketing resolutions for 2015, we thought our readers might also benefit from some suggestions.
Below you'll find our Top 10 Social Media Resolutions for marketers, small business owners, and anyone who wants to make 2015 their best year yet on social.
1. Jump on the social ads bandwagon.
It's no secret that Facebook has made it harder and harder this year for brands to reach their audiences with organic content. There are lots of things you can do to combat this, but if you're really serious about growing your reach, it might be time to throw a few dollars at social ads. Get your feet wet with one or two ads and see how effective targeting the right audience can be.
2. Take a fresh look at your social profiles.
Has it been awhile since you took a look at the visual aspects of your social profiles? The beginning of the year is a great time to freshen up your look, check for consistency across profiles, and put your best foot forward on social. Bonus: you'll generate feed stories for fans to engage with when you add a new Facebook cover photo, profile pictures, Twitter cover photo, custom tab image, etc.
3. Master your social analytics (If you haven't already).
When all you want to do is find some interesting content, schedule your posts, and move on with your day, poring over your social media analytics can seem like an arduous task despite its importance. In those moments of resistance, it can be helpful remind yourself that if your posting strategy is not based on historical data, the time you are spending creating posts is car less productive. So resolve to take a quick look, even just once a week, and learn at least one thing from your content's performance.
4. Try something new!
Do you have a social media account that seemed like a good idea at the time but you have not touched since signing up? Maybe Instagram, Snapchat
, or even Ello? Maybe it is time to show a little love to that platform you didn't have time for in 2014. Just make sure that it coincides with your overall 2015 social strategy plans! If you feel like you're doing a great job on the major US networks, maybe this year would be a good time to explore a top platform from elsewhere in the world!
5. Break down the communication silos
Because as marketers we tend to adopt new strategies as technologies become available, it can be tempting to keep each marketing channel in its own little silo. However, integrating your marketing communications across print and digital, email and social, and whatever other means you use to communicate can have major benefits for both your brand and your bottom line.
6. Return favors and build relationships
You know that little burst of excitement that comes when you get an alert that someone has retweeted you, given you a plus one, or shared your post? Well, you're not the only one who likes that feeling. It can be tough when we're busy with other things to stop and take a moment to follow or favorite, but if we just check those alerts and go back about our business, we're really missing out on the 'social' part of social media. So next time you get a notification that someone has boosted your content on social, take a moment to return the favor and you'll build lasting (and mutually beneficial) social media relationships.
7. Don't just settle for the status quo
How can you ensure that 2015 is your best year ever on your various social platforms? Test some stuff! Yes, it takes longer in the short term to create two versions of a post or social ad, but you'll get far more bang for your buck in the future if you've tested your way into your social media strategy!
8. Go back and actually read your Facebook 'save this link' articles
Earlier this fall when Facebook introduced the ability to save articles for later, many content marketers (us included) rejoiced. No more hoping to find an article later, or remembering to save it in some other program - just one click, and it went in the vault. The problem is, once those articles are saved, they are out-of-sight and out-of-mind. But you saved them for a reason - whether for personal development or content marketing - so set up a time each day or week to go back through the content you've curated for yourself!
9. Update your social media community guidelines
Like any responsible social media marketer and/or small business owner, you clearly already have a social media policy or set of guidelines written down (right?). But as platforms change and new tech becomes available, it's wise to revisit the policies laid out early on and make sure that all your bases are still covered. These policies can govern social communities, as well as your employees' conduct if they have social profiles connected to your business.
10. Solidify your social media goals for 2015
In a perfect world, everyone would have a set of clear-cut, thoughtful goals laid out before they even signed up for a social media account. But since that is not always the case, take the new year as an opportunity to sit down and really think about the purpose of your social media profiles. One easy way to prompt yourself to take this on? New Facebook CTA buttons! The purpose of call-to-action buttons is to tell your audience what exactly you want them to do - and picking from the seven currently available options is a great opportunity to force yourself to decide what that is.
We hope you find this list helpful as you embark on yet another year in the social space. Thanks for reading our tips and advice throughout the year, and here's to a successful 2015!