#EllaExplains how being strategic on social media can make it simpler

Here's another instalment on my new series of posts #EllaExplains to help small businesses to have a more strategic approach to their social media marketing.

As I'm sure you're aware, merely posting on the platforms is not going to create and foster those all important relationships which will encourage people to take notice, keep coming back and eventually buy from you.

Successful marketing relies on knowing who your target audience is and the brilliant thing about social media is that there is a wealth of information out there about who is liking and following your accounts. It's time to make use of these golden nuggets of info by delving into your social media insights.

Go to your Insights pages on your platforms and the data there will give you details your audience such as:

• age
• gender
• location
• shopping habits
• interests
• when they are online

Use this information to start building profiles of what typical members of your target audience are like. These pen portraits will become more and more familiar to you as you add more details to them and, more importantly, you start to create and share content which appeals to them.

Remember posting relevant, informative and entertaining content which taps into your audience profiles is much more likely to get engagement from them. It will also deter you from developing the ‘posting for the sake of posting’ mentality, which sadly a number of small businesses fall into the habit of doing. No wonder then that they are disappointed with the outcomes and begin to regard the tool of social media as taking up too much time and energy. 

With a well thought through, carefully prepared strategy with measurable and achievable targets, social media marketing can be a whole lot simpler.