It’s no longer a choice for businesses who want to succeed with their online presence to start being social, and how to make a social media marketing plan has become mandatory. Whether you are a newcomer looking to make an impact or a brand with a presence that is looking to grow its audience, the right approach to social media can help you take things to another level.
This roadmap helps guide the process, producing a fail-safe social media marketing roadmap. By the time you’re done, you’ll know how to make a social media marketing plan that establishes clear goals, chooses the best platforms for your audience and crafts the type of content that captures attention and inspires engagement.
Define Your Goals
All good plans begin with simple, clear objectives. Without it, you’re basically navigating the world with no compass.
What do you want to achieve?
And before you start putting out content, ask yourself: what is it that I want to achieve with this campaign? Following are some common objectives set by businesses through their social media strategies:
- Increase brand awareness
- Drive website traffic
- Drive leads and conversions
- Build a community
And these goals must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). If your goal is, “I want more followers,” change it to: “I want 1,000 new followers on Instagram in 3 months.”
Setting specific objectives is the first step in learning how to make a social media marketing plan that truly works.
Know Your Audience
The success of your digital marketing over social media can be attributed to knowing who you are talking to. Without understanding what your target demographic looks like, your content may fall short.
Create Audience Personas
Create thorough profiles of your target customers. These profiles often include:
- Characteristics
- Psychographics
- Online Habits
So if you’re trying to reach Gen Z, your strategy might center on TikTok and Instagram, with bite-sized video content at the heart of your approach. For professionals targeting other professionals, LinkedIn is still a primary platform.
Utilize Analytics
Use platform-specific analytics tools (such as Facebook Insights or Instagram Insights) to find out what sort of content and messaging is already hitting it off with your current audience.
Understanding your target demographic is essential when figuring out how to make a social media marketing plan that resonates with the right people.
Pick Platforms That Make Sense to Your Objectives
But not all writer platforms are of the same quality, and straining to be all-powerful over them all has a way of watering things down. Here’s how to determine where to put your energy.
Know Which Strengths Each Platform Possesses
- TikTok
- Twitter (now X)
Find the Platform That Your Audience Is Using
For example, if you’re trying to reach Millennial parents, Instagram and Pinterest could beat out TikTok.
Platform selection plays a strategic role in how to make a social media marketing plan that aligns with your business goals.
Develop Engaging Content
Content is both the soul and the heart of your social media marketing strategy. The goal is to produce posts that tug at an emotion, amuse, educate or lead the reader to take an action.
Content Pillars
Examples:
- Educational Content
- Sales and Offers
- Participatory Content
- User-Generated Content
Adapt for Each Platform
- Short-form video for Reels, TikTok, YouTube Shorts
- Snippets for LinkedIn
- Lifestyle shots for Instagram and Pinterest
Plan a Content Calendar
Consistency is key. Employ a content calendar and plan posts at least a month out. Automation tools like Buffer, Hootsuite, or later.com can ease the process.
When you’re planning content pillars and adapting per platform, you’re applying a core principle of how to make a social media marketing plan that performs consistently.
Measure Performance
There’s no formula for what works best on social. Testing, measuring and optimising your strategy will give you a simple way to get better.
Metrics to Track
- Engagement Rates
- Follower Growth
- Click-through Rates
- Conversion Rates
Monitor and Adjust
Regular reviews once a week or once a month can show you what is working and what you should perhaps keep to a minimum. Are your videos that much better at spurring engagement versus your static posts? Double down on video content.
Knowing what to measure — and how to respond — is a major part of how to make a social media marketing plan that adapts and grows over time.
Bonus Tips from the Master of Social Warriors
- Use influencer marketing
- Interact with your audience
- Tinker with paid ads
Each of these bonus tactics can elevate your understanding of how to make a social media marketing plan beyond just the basics.
How to Make a Social Media Marketing Plan (Recap)
Social media marketing is not something you just throw together and hope it sticks — it takes attention and work. While setting specific goals, understanding your audience, choosing the right platforms and creating engaging content, you are well on your way to digital success for your brand.
Keep in mind that social media is not only about posting; it is a tool for meaningful engagement with our audience. Are you ready to ramp up your strategy? Start with the first step: how to make a social media marketing plan.
