As with most business ideas, social media can only be used most effectively when there’s a solid strategy shaping it. However, many businesses don’t understand how to create a social media strategy that will truly work and help improve their standing within social communities. And even for those who do understand this, it’s often hard to stick to your strategy and implement it effectively in a marketing channel that’s so fast moving. So to help with this, here are three tips that will help any business that’s struggling to create and execute on a social media strategy to have a stronger social following.

Social media icons on smartphone

Get on the Right Platforms

Social media is a very broad term. There are tons of social platforms out there that businesses could take advantage of from a marketing standpoint. The trick is finding the ones that are most suited for you, your business, and your customers.

Scott Levy, a contributor to Entrepreneur.com, shares that businesses would do well to choose three social platforms that fit well with you and then work those specific platforms intensely. This means focusing all your social energy on just these three platforms so you don’t stretch yourself too thin or waste your efforts in social arenas that don’t match well with your purpose or audience. Working just these few platforms and connections will help to strengthen both your followings and your understanding of social media marketing.

Be Consistent in Schedule and Voice

When it comes to social media marketing for businesses, consistency is key. Consistency with regards to a posting schedule and your voice are two areas many businesses struggle with. Luckily, there is software you can use to help make the scheduling of your social posts much easier and more streamlined. Having a consistent voice, however, takes a little more attention.

According to Kevan Lee, a contributor to Buffer Social, businesses should have a consistent voice and tone for their social posts. Lee suggests thinking about your voice as your mission statement and your tone as the application of that mission. Once you have those guidelines nailed down, be sure you’ve shared your plan with anyone and everyone who will be posting for your businesses on these social channels so as to always keep your voice and tone consistent regardless of who’s executing the actual work.

Seek to Create Individual Relationships

A good social media strategy should help your business create stronger relationships with individuals, not just your followers as a whole. While direct marketing strategies like SMS or texting are great ways to speak directly to specific customers, you can also do the same thing with social media.

When speaking directly to specific people on social media, Hootsuite suggests for companies to make sure they listen more than they talk and that they tell the stories of the people they create these relationships with. Both of these strategies will prove to those you’re speaking with and those you’re speaking to that you value their relationship with your businesses, encouraging other customers to work to cultivate their relationship with you as well.

Social media is an area no business can afford to ignore in today’s marketing arena. Use the tips mentioned above to strengthen your social media game and see improvement in your followings today.