We are more than ready to kick 2020 to the curb and start fresh. While keeping New Year’s resolutions may seem a little difficult right now, there is something motivating and invigorating about approaching this year with a fresh perspective and plans for success. When it comes to digital marketing, a great place to start is your social media, and specifically, your social media strategy.
Of course, you probably already have a finely-tuned plan. But when was the last time you reviewed it, made changes, created corresponding content, and thoroughly cleaned out all your accounts? Content strategies aren’t stagnant, and platform profiles aren’t one-and done. They should be revisited at least once a year. This kind of review is key to properly plan future content that aligns with your messaging, keep your social media presence on-brand, and help you grow.
Luckily, we’ve compiled some reflections and suggestions for your social media strategy so you can get into 2021 on the right footing.
Examine last year’s performance
The first step to take your social networks to the next level in 2021 is to analyze your performance from the past year. Ask yourself, did you reach your social media goals for 2020?
An easy place to start is with the numbers. If you have a list of measurable goals or KPIs, look back and compare those stats with your end-of-year analytics. What goals were hit or missed?
On the creative end, audit your social media accounts to be sure it aligned with your goals and messaging missions. Is the content you created engaging, relevant, and on brand? The information you get from these assessments is helpful for wrapping up any 2020 progress reports, and essential to plan your 2021 social media strategy.
From this deep dive into last year’s content, you can form an understanding of what worked, what didn’t, and what areas you want to focus on or improve in 2021.
Plan a strategy that supports your goals
Once you’ve reassessed your strategy, it’s time to plan.
Like with most things, proper preparation is key to effective planning. The farther in advance you can plan content, the more time you have to make sure everything aligns with your strategy and key messaging. Plus, if an event pops up or gets cancelled, or there’s a forgotten birthday or surprise award, you’ll easily be able to readjust your content plan.
Start by planning your content a month in advance, and keep tabs on any potential changes week by week. As great as planning in advance is, try not to go too far out at the risk of missing trends, or timely news. There’s a delicate balance between planning and staying relevant.
While planning, take the extra effort to make your content more on-brand, with your company’s unique voice and personality. Not only will keeping an eye on that branded look make your content more aesthetically aligned, it’ll be more engaging. And while we have reliable platforms to create content for, make room to step out of your digital comfort zone. Try your hand at livestreaming, TikTok, IG Reels, or any other medium you might be a little scared to try. Greeting 2021 with a bold, fresh, and well-organized content plan will set you up for success.
Dust off your social media accounts
Lastly, but very importantly, get your social media accounts ready for the new year. You can have killer content, but if your customer-facing profiles aren’t updated and optimized, you could be undermining your goals. Use this list of recommendations to give a refreshed face to your platforms, and support your social media strategy and brand voice.
- Revamp your social media look and feel with new profile and cover pictures.
- Optimize your branding with matching logos, images, and colors across your channels.
- Update platform-specific bios and informational fields—addresses, hours, telephone numbers—with the most accurate and up to date information. Fields vary by platform, so make sure you’re following best practices for each one.
- Follow new up-and-coming accounts, and unfollow irrelevant, inappropriate, or deactivated ones. You’ll see what sticks out when you scroll through your feed.
- Archive old or irrelevant content—like old team members, old content, old focuses. You may not want to delete these items permanently, so archiving is always an easy option.
- Make sure all key links are working properly and direct users to the right page.
If you approach 2021 with a revitalized strategy, clear goals, effective planning, and a little housekeeping, you’ll be sure to start off on the right track.
Happy content planning!
