How to Create a Winning Social Media Marketing Strategy [Free Template]

In today's digital-focused market, having a strong presence on social media is crucial for any business looking to thrive. It allows you to connect with potential customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales, all at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing methods.

Plus, it’s proven to be successful. According to an article from Forbes, “76% of social media users have purchased something they saw on social media,” and “the average CTR of ads across social media was 1.21% in 2022.”

But we understand that, as a busy entrepreneur, you may not have the time, money, or expertise to invest in social media marketing strategies. That's where Semrush Social comes in, an easy-to-use platform is designed to simplify social media management.

In this article, we'll share tips on creating a winning social media marketing strategy, and how Semrush can help you create one and make your life easier.

What Is a Social Media Marketing Strategy?

Social Media Marketing Strategy is a plan that outlines your goals and tactics for using social media to promote your business and engage with your target audience.

Having a solid social media marketing strategy in place can help you save time, money, and effort by allowing you to focus on the most effective tactics for your business. It also helps ensure consistency in your messaging across different platforms.

How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy In 9 Steps

Creating a social media marketing strategy may seem daunting, but with Semrush's easy-to-use platform and our 9-step guide, you'll be on your way to success in no time. So grab your pencil and get ready to learn!

Step 1. Choose Goals That Align to Business Objectives

The first step in creating an effective social media marketing strategy is to define your goals. These should align with your overall business objectives. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic, or generate leads? Identifying your goals helps you measure the success of your efforts. Look at your business plan and determine what you want to achieve through social media: boosts brand awareness, bring in new customers, or engage your existing ones.

Step 2. Learn Everything You Can About Your Audience

Understanding your target audience is crucial for any marketing strategy. Think about what you need to focus on in particular. Is it their age, location, or interests? 

This information helps you create targeted and engaging content that resonates with your audience. You can also use Semrush's Audience Insights report to gain valuable insights into your audience's demographics, interests, and online behavior.

Step 3. Get to Know Your Competition 

If you're uncertain about how to begin with your social media strategy, consider examining the tactics used by your competitors. It's straightforward to do this: simply input their names while setting up your Social Tracker. You can add as many as 20 different competitors, giving you a broad spectrum of strategies to review and potentially implement.

This gives you ideas for your content and helps you identify any gaps or opportunities in the market that you can capitalize on. It also gives you an idea of what works and what doesn't in your industry.

Step 4. Do a Social Media Audit

If you already have social media accounts set up, it's essential to do a thorough audit using Semrush Social. This helps you identify which platforms are working for your business and which ones may need more attention. 

It also gives you insights into audience demographics, engagement levels, and top-performing posts. Use this information to refine your strategy and focus on the platforms that are most beneficial for your business.

Step 5. Set Up Accounts and Improve Profiles

Optimizing your profile includes having a clear and engaging bio, using high-quality visuals that represent your brand, and ensuring all necessary information such as website links are included. This makes it easier for potential customers to find and connect with you.

Step 6. Find Inspiration 

Sometimes, coming up with content ideas can be a challenge. But the AI-powered Social Content Ideation tool can help you find inspiration by generating strong content ideas across a variety of topics and helps create that content for specific social media networks.

Some other great places to find inspiration are industry publications, trending hashtags, and your customers' questions or feedback. These options ensure your content stays relevant and engaging for your audience. 

Step 7. Create a Social Media Content Calendar

Consistency is key when it comes to social media marketing. We recommend creating a content calendar using Semrush's Social Poster. This feature allows you to schedule posts in advance, so you don't have to worry about posting every day manually. 

Your content calendar should include a mix of promotional and informative posts, as well as engagement tactics like polls or user-generated content. Make sure to plan for holidays and special events relevant to your business.

Step 8. Create Compelling Content

With the rise of social media, consumers are bombarded with content from all directions. To stand out from the crowd, your content needs to be compelling and engaging.

If you want to save time while consistently growing your social networks with posts that match your brand’s look and feel, try using the Social Content AI suite:

• Brainstorm with AI: Just add your URL, and receive back a plan with +100 social post ideas/day, categorized by topics.
• Generate copy: The AI crafts posts for you based on your URL and chosen topic in seconds.
• Stand out visually: Instantly craft unique images for your posts that match your brand's look and feel with AI.
• Reshape: Not quite right? Edit and refine any content piece, whether generated by you or AI. Your vision, perfectly realized.

Don't be afraid to get creative with your content! Experiment with different types of posts such as videos, infographics, or user-generated content to see what resonates best with your audience.

Step 9. Track Performance and Make Adjustments

The beauty of social media marketing is that it allows you to track your performance and make adjustments in real time. Semrush's Social Poster offers analytics and reporting features that help you understand how your posts are performing.

Keep an eye on metrics such as engagement, reach, and click-through rates. These insights help you understand what's working and what needs improvement in your strategy.

If a particular post or campaign isn't getting the desired results, don't be afraid to make changes. Try out different types of content, posting times, or target audience demographics until you find the winning formula for your business.

Social Media Strategy Template

How do you create a social media strategy for a small business?

To help you get started, we've created a free social media marketing strategy template you can download and use with Semrush. It includes all the essential elements of a successful strategy, such as:

• Goals: Identify what you want to achieve through your social media efforts. This could be increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, or generating leads.
• Target Audience: Define who your ideal customer is and where they spend their time on social media.
• Platforms: Choose which social media platforms are best suited for reaching your target audience.
• Content Strategy: Determine the type of content (e.g., images, videos, blog posts) that resonates with your audience and aligns with your brand.
• Content Calendar: Plan when and how often you post on each social media platform.
• Engagement Strategy: Decide how you want to interact with your followers, respond to comments and messages, and build relationships through social media.
• Analytics: Set up tracking tools to measure the success of your strategy and make adjustments as needed.
• Tools: Choose the right tools to help you execute your strategy efficiently. Semrush Social is here to assist you. From generating post ideas to creating content and graphics for all platforms using AI, scheduling, and planning your content calendar well in advance for the entire month, we've got you covered. 

You can use this template as a guide and customize it to fit your specific business needs. Try it here. 

FAQs

What Are Some Social Media Marketing Strategies? 

There are various social media marketing strategies, but some popular ones include:

• Creating engaging content that resonates with your target audience
• Utilizing hashtags to reach a wider audience and increase visibility
• Collaborating with influencers or other brands to expand your reach
• Running paid advertisements on social media platforms
• Engaging with your audience through comments, messages, and shares
• Hosting contests or giveaways to increase engagement and brand awareness
• Using social media analytics to track your progress and make data-driven decisions

While all of these strategies can be effective, it's important to choose the ones that align with your business goals and target audience.

What Is Best Social Media Marketing For Small Business?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The "best" social media marketing strategy for your small business depends on your target audience, industry, and business goals. 

However, some of the most popular platforms for small businesses to target in their campaigns are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These platforms have a large user base. They also offer various advertising and engagement options tailored to your business's needs.