Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or just starting out, if you run a small business, you need to create a social media content plan
I meet lots of small business owners who tell me they don’t know where to start with their social media content plans, so they just post whatever they can think of whenever they have a moment.
While I think it’s great that they’re at least trying to attract new clients, without a plan, it’s a bit like creating an Italian banquet for a group of people when you don’t know:
- how familiar they are (or not!) with Italian food
- what food allergies or intolerances they may have
- how many vegetarians there will be
- how adventurous they are and
- whether or not they’re hungry.
One single dish isn’t going to suit everyone. In the same way, a single post isn’t going to appeal to everyone. Creating a social media content plan means that you can cater for all these different people at different times.
What is a Content Plan?
A content plan is a strategic roadmap that outlines:
- who your idea client is
- what you will say to them
- how you will talk to them
- when you’ll talk to them and
- the action you want them to take.
If you think you don’t need a plan and that your content is for ‘everyone’, this is what I call ‘Shouting into the void’.
Why create one?
A content plan:
- Is efficient as it ensures your content reaches the right audience.
- Saves Time as your content creation process is streamlined.
- Ensures Consistency as you have a steady flow of content.
- Ensures Relevance because your content is aligned with your customers’ interests.
- Achieves Business Goals by directly supporting your marketing objectives.
Your plan should focus on your ideal customer
It’s tempting tothink about your customer in terms of demographics. For example, the woman in the picture to the left could be described as a middle-class professional woman aged between 25 and 35 with two children.
But that woman’s needs change depending on what’s going on in her life. This is where we get into the psychographics of the customer – how they’re feeling, what they want, what their values are.
When this customer has two pre-schoolers and is looking for a hairdresser, she might want a hair salon that:
- is really quick, so she can get in and out fast and back to her children
- is child-friendly for the times when she can’t get childcare
- uses low peroxide or organic hair products so her kids aren’t affected by the treatments she has.
These needs are very different when these children are older and at school. This customer is still in the same demographic, but her needs have changed. She might want a salon now that offers services that allow her some ‘me’ time, such as:
- a luxurious spa-style treatment
- child-free appointments
- other beauty and wellness services.
Content Pillars and the Sales Funnel
You’ve probably heard of the sales funnel. It’s how we show the customer journey from completely unaware to ready to buy. So, you need to align your content with where your potential customers are in the sales funnel according to your own ‘content pillars’.
At the Top of the Funnel, you write content that is around storytelling, tips and inspirational content.
Middle of Funnel content includes posts around problem solving, social proof and results you’ve achieved for your clients.
The Bottom of the Sales Funnel includes content that talks about sales and promotions, uses themes such as scarcity and urgency and has strong product offers.
Where should you post?
I suggest you choose one platform where your clients are most active and learn how to use it effectively.
- Instagram loves ‘Ugly’ videos – you know, people with bad camera use saying ‘I can’t believe what just happened today!’
- Facebook loves inspirational and aspirational posts
- YouTube is great for instructional content
- LinkedIn loves valuable content, like business hacks and tips. But it also likes abit of fun
- X (formerly Twitter) thrives on engaging and, increasingly these days, provocative content
- TikTok is created just for fun, engaging videos (and to provide the Chinese government with lots of stats about you. True!)
When & How to Distribute Content?
Create an annual calendar to plan your content distribution around key events and industry-specific dates. If you’re a retailer, you already know that you have pretty much an event each month to hang your promotions on. The big ones include:
Personal Journey Milestones
- Having a baby
- Divorce
- Buying a home
- Planning a new business
Industry-Specific Dates
- Conferences
- Awards
- Training
- Elections
Common Events
- Christmas
- Stock-take sale
- Back to school
- Valentine’s Day
- Easter holidays
- Mother’s Day
- End of Financial Year (EOFY)
- Christmas in July
- Mid-Winter Sales
- Father’s Day
- Halloween
- Cup Day / Spring Racing Carnival
- Christmas….
Measuring Success
Of course, you also need to track your content’s performance. This doesn’t have to be expensive or use fancy software. You can tools like Google Analytics (which is free and easy to use) or, if you prefer a more analogue approach, use a simple pen and paper to measure your success.
What you want to do is see if your posts are resulting in increased:
- Engagement: How many likes, shares and comments are you receiving?
- Leads: Are any of these engagements turning into requests for quotes or discovery calls?
- Web Visits: Has there been increased traffic that aligns with your posts?
- Orders: This might be obvious, but have your sales increased?
Again, just choose one element to track and slowly increase your tracking as you become more familiar with what works and what doesn’t.
Key Takeaways
- Start small and review your progress regularly.
- Go where your clients are and step out of your comfort zone.
- Identify your ideal client – both demographics and psychographics
- Tell stories to show how you help them.
- Get organised and measure your success consistently.
Thanks for reading to the end… and happy content planning!
Reach out
If you’re finding this a little overwhelming, don’t despair. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Reach out or book an obligation-free call and we can start work on how to tie all your content together…and reach the right customers.
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