How To Effectively Scale a Rock-Solid Social Media Channel Plan

Algorithms are the blood that runs through all social media channels. It’s what makes us appear relevant, and what decides which content to show up and how the engagement should go. Though different from paid or sponsored posts, algorithms help make the experience in a specific platform worth it.

Algorithm updates happen regularly, and these could make or break one’s campaign if not incorporated or studied carefully. No matter what marketers do to keep up, social media is particularly harsh especially with its rules, value judgments, and audience reach that can change anytime. So how can this translate to your social media campaign’s success? The best way to establish a rock-solid campaign is to flesh out a detailed channel plan.

Content Marketing Institute defines a channel plan as “an advanced directive for how your brand can and should distribute its content marketing efforts on rented channels like social media, and what you expect to achieve.”

By having these in mind, you can effectively map where your content needs to be pushed into or where a specific type of content should come from.

It’s a common practice for social media managers to churn out content for all channels. It doesn’t matter what kind of content it is; as long as you post them everywhere, there are more chances for it to maximize its potential reach. But that’s not the case when it comes to having a rock-solid social media campaign. You’re not helping your campaign push beyond its potential, you’re only stagnating it.

Before you can execute your social media marketing campaign, it pays to have a grounded place to build up from—that’s where content strategies come into play. These two things have to be married to each other and not dictated by the latter. Your content plan always has to come first.

So, in order to start an effective social media channel plan, here are a few things you need to keep in mind.

Evaluate the right social media channels

“The nature of each channel and the engagement preferences of its core community will play a major role in deciding whether your content is a good fit.” Before deciding to join a platform, you have to understand its inner workings and how the channel works before you can jump in and start meaningful conversations. You cannot go in blind. Have an idea of the channels you’d want to use based on your content marketing plan. After that, figure out how and where each of these could fit into your list of possible channels.

With your shortlist in mind, the evaluation should go along the lines of knowing the audience and how they use the platform. How would you adapt to it? Make sure that by choosing a platform, it should complement your objectives and give you the right results.

With your content on hand, choose which among them could be suitable for the channel’s environment. The right tone and voice should be considered as well as how often you should put out your content.

If you’ve done everything you could and it turns out that it doesn’t work. Leave it and look for other channels with resources that could help you stand out more.

Know what your audience needs and how to deliver it to them with lasting value

Scott Aughtmon of Content Marketing Institute made a checklist of the types of content that audiences crave for, and it couldn’t be more helpful in creating a social media channel plan. While having the right type of content is important, it pays to know what people need too. One would think that marketing is a way for us to bring people what they think they need. This sounds promising, but there’s no value in it if that’s your only goal for your social media campaign. You’d have to make meaningful content that they need and want.

Do they ever get tired of it?
Will they always have time for it?
Is it unforgettable?
Is it shareable?

• Trends are your best friends. What’s going on around you? Are there any big innovations that are making rounds on a specific platform that your content can adapt and create conversations with? What do the algorithms say about your probability of hitting the right audience with your organic reach?

• Social Issues. Information on current events are readily available anywhere you look. The Philippines is currently plagued with issues of politics, gender equality, labor malpractices, and widespread corruption. Will these issues translate well for your content if you capitalize on it? A brand that aims to inform and spark conversations drives more value and meaning than a brand that solely wants to sell and be heard.

Start Building Your Plan

After all the research is done, it’s time for you to pick up from that vast trove of information and build your social media plan. Of course, as with any marketing model and feasibility study, make sure you have your target reach within that specific platform, your goals in the channel, the topics that you’re sure will generate buzz, formatting, the frequency of content generation, and your brand’s tone. These would make your initial steps into the platform as solid as it can be, helping you get a grip on how to execute it perfectly along the way.

Now, no matter how good you plan for your social media campaign, it can’t be as rock-solid without considering the proper strategy, a clear system, and a scalable approach. If you want to capitalize success on social media, our team at Linkage Outsource can help you identify attainable goals and execute your campaign with the necessary tools and metrics.

Let’s tailor your plan beyond sales and move towards something that drives value and meaningful engagement.