Goal Setting for Social Media Growth: A Step-by-Step Guide for Marketers

The reason I think most marketers in their early stages fail is due to not having a solid goal aligned. My story was the same until I tried answering three questions and created a goal aligned to them:

1. What am I trying to achieve?
2. How am I going to achieve it?
3. When do I want to achieve it?

These three questions formed the foundation of my goal-setting. To make it a structured plan, I used the SMART goal-setting method by brainstorming with the following questions:

Specific

• What do you want to accomplish?
• Why do you want to accomplish this?
• Who is involved?
• Where is it located?
• Which resources or limitations are involved?

Measurable

• How much? / How many?
• How will you know when your goal is accomplished?

Achievable

• How will you accomplish this goal?
• How realistic is this goal?
• What would be the biggest challenge in achieving this goal?

Relevant

• Does accomplishing this goal seem worth the effort?
• Is now the right time for this goal?
• Am I the right person to achieve this goal?
• What will be the costs and rewards?

Time-Bound

• How far will you have progressed toward your goal by tomorrow?
• Where will you be 1 month from now?
• Where will you be 6 months from now?
• When should your goal be accomplished?

Note: SMART is an acronym that will guide us in creating the best possible goals by making them detailed and practical. It stands for (S) Specific, (M) Measurable, (A) Achievable, (R) Relevant, and (T) Time-Bound.

If you’re starting out, you can also use this method for brainstorming. Find the attached template for SMART goal setting here: SMART Goal Template . Remember, goal setting is personal. It’s up to you to figure out what your business or brand needs. Take your time with each step as you start writing your goals.

PS: All the questions above may not be suitable for every business. They are just a guide to get you started, so choose wisely.

Let’s Understand the Concepts Through a Practical Example

To help you better understand the SMART goal-setting framework, let’s walk through an imaginary yet practical example:

Imagine a café owner running a new café called Creek Pod in Bangalore approaches a social media marketer for help. The café has an in-house video team to produce content, but they need a strategy to increase their Instagram followers. Their main goal is to grow their followers from 1,000 to 50,000 within a year.

Now, let’s break down this situation using the SMART goal-setting method combined with this story:

1. Specific

The marketer starts by clearly defining the goal. In the SMART framework, specificity means answering detailed questions about what exactly needs to be achieved.

• What do we want to accomplish? Grow Creek Pod’s Instagram followers from 1,000 to 50,000 in 12 months.
• Why do we want to accomplish this? Creek Pod needs to raise awareness in the local area and attract more customers. A strong Instagram presence will help build brand recognition and drive foot traffic to the café.
• Who is involved? The marketer will develop and guide the social media strategy, while Creek Pod’s in-house video team will create and edit video content based on the marketer’s guidance.
• Where is it located? The café is in Bangalore, so the marketing strategy will target a local audience.
• Which resources or limitations are involved? Creek Pod has a video team and a budget for both organic and paid content promotion. However, they need strategic input to maximize engagement and reach.

Example: Specific Goal: Help Creek Pod grow its Instagram following from 1,000 to 50,000 over 12 months using local-targeted campaigns, video content, and paid ads.

2. Measurable

Next, the marketer ensures the goal is measurable by defining clear benchmarks to track progress.

• How much/many? Creek Pod aims to grow from 1,000 to 50,000 followers, meaning they need to gain 49,000 new followers over 12 months.
• How will we know when the goal is accomplished? The goal will be met when Creek Pod’s Instagram reaches 50,000 followers. Monthly follower growth will be tracked to ensure the plan stays on course.

Example: Measurable Goal: Gain 4,100 followers per month, checking progress monthly to stay on track for 50,000 followers in one year.

3. Achievable

Here, the marketer assesses whether the goal is realistic based on the café’s resources and current standing.

• How will we accomplish this goal? The plan includes producing regular high-quality video content, running targeted ad campaigns, and partnering with local influencers to attract a larger audience.
• How realistic is this goal? The goal of 50,000 followers is ambitious but achievable with a well-executed strategy. The combination of organic and paid growth tactics will support this.
• What is the biggest challenge? Maintaining consistent follower growth and engaging the local Bangalore audience will be the biggest hurdles.

Example: Achievable Goal: By using Creek Pod’s in-house video team to create engaging content, leveraging paid ads, and working with influencers, the goal of 50,000 followers is attainable.

4. Relevant

It’s important to confirm that the goal is relevant and aligns with the café’s broader business objectives.

• Does accomplishing this goal seem worth the effort? Yes. Growing Instagram followers will increase local awareness, drive customer visits, and build Creek Pod’s reputation in the area.
• Is now the right time for this goal? Yes, since Creek Pod is newly opened, it’s the perfect time to create buzz and establish a social media presence.
• Am I the right person to achieve this goal? Yes, the marketer is well-positioned to guide the strategy. They have experience in handling social media growth, while Creek Pod’s video team will handle content creation. This collaboration will ensure effective execution.
• What will be the costs and rewards? The rewards will include increased foot traffic, higher revenue, and better brand recognition in the local area. The cost will mainly involve time and financial investment in service charges, social media advertising and content production.

Example: Relevant Goal: This goal is highly relevant because growing Creek Pod’s Instagram following will help attract new customers and increase foot traffic to the café.

5. Time-Bound

Finally, the marketer establishes a timeline for achieving the goal and sets interim milestones for tracking progress.

• How far will we have progressed by tomorrow? By tomorrow, the marketer will have started working on the content calendar and ad strategy.
• Where will we be 1 month from now? In one month, Creek Pod should have gained around 4,100 followers and will review engagement on posts and ads.
• Where will we be 6 months from now? In 6 months, the goal is to have reached 25,000 followers, halfway to the target, and evaluate if any adjustments to the strategy are needed.
• When should the goal be accomplished? The goal is to reach 50,000 followers by the end of the 12-month period.

Example: Time-Bound Goal: Achieve 50,000 followers by the end of 12 months, with monthly goals of 4,100 new followers to track progress.

Final SMART Goal for Creek Pod:

• Specific: Grow Creek Pod’s Instagram following from 1,000 to 50,000 by engaging the local Bangalore audience with high-quality video content and paid ads.
• Measurable: Gain 49,000 new followers over 12 months, with monthly milestones of 4,100 new followers.
• Achievable: Use the café’s in-house video team, influencer collaborations, and paid campaigns to reach the goal.
• Relevant: Building a large Instagram following will increase Creek Pod’s local visibility and foot traffic.
• Time-Bound: Reach 50,000 followers within 12 months, with progress checked every month.

Conclusion:

By using the SMART goal-setting framework, the marketer can develop a well-structured and achievable plan for Creek Pod’s social media growth. The clear milestones and strategic focus ensure the café is on track to reach 50,000 Instagram followers in one year.

What’s Next?

Congratulations on completing this chapter on goal setting! Your journey is just starting. In the next section, we will explore branding and design. We’ll discuss how to create a strong brand identity and design elements that connect with your audience. Get ready to build a brand that stands out and makes an impact!