If you want to succeed in marketing your business, you need to get your message in front of your audience - wherever they are.

Today, as our social landscape is continually being altered by the fast-paced world of online networking, more and more brands are turning to social media marketing to get in touch with their customers.

Social media is one of those things that everyone knows how to use, but very few know how to use well. If you take the time to follow these steps and establish a social media strategy, you'll be that much closer to a loyal, passionate customer base that'll grow organically.

1. Clarify your motives.

What do you want to get out of an effective social media campaign? Do you want to connect with your audience to see what they're saying about your business? Are you trying to build brand awareness? Or do you just want to sell some product online? Whatever your motives - put them in writing and share them with whoever might have a vested interest in the success of your business.

2. Determine which networks are worthwhile.

It's hard to overlook the major players in the social networking game when you're first starting out. For popularity reasons alone, Facebook and Twitter are still universally worthwhile for practically any social strategy. However, when approaching more niche social applications, you should consider who your target audience is before you sign up. Does your business have access to high-quality pictures of products and a younger target demographic? Instagram might be a good option for you. Are you someone who offers B2B services? You should look into LinkedIn. Each social network attracts a different type of user, and you need to make sure you're giving your social strategy the best chance to succeed by being on the appropriate channels for your specific audience.

3. Define your brand persona.

When you break it down, social media is just words, pictures, and links. Status updates and tweets are pretty bland without a little personality, and the sooner you can establish a voice that your audience values, the sooner you can see organic growth. You want to ensure that your brand's tone matches the basic underlying morals that serve as a foundation for your business. Do you want to be perceived as a reliable source of information? Keep your posts clear and concise. Is your brand a little quirky? Experiment with humour and silliness. But before you send a single post, know how you'd want your business to publicly react to any type of feedback.

4. Start watching the competition.

Look up some other businesses in your industry and see who has a strong presence on social media. What're they doing that's working? What're they doing that isn't? If their target audience is similar to yours, it's a good idea to check out how people are responding to their style, what tone they're using, and when and how often they're posting. You can take their lead and use some of their successful posts as inspiration for your own. All is fair in love and marketing.

5. Set some goals.

Establishing specific, measurable goals for each quarter lets you know how your social campaign is performing within the larger context of your business as a whole. If you meet your goals, figure out how you did it. If you don't, find out where you fell short. Make adjustments, be it major or minor, and set new goals. The best part about investing in your social media presence is the fact that it can only grow and get better. Unless you have a major public meltdown, followers aren't going to unlike as frequently as they like.

6. Schedule your content.

On social media, consistency is key. No one appreciates being bombarded by a brand with seven posts in one day and then radio silence for a month. Once you have a solid stockpile of post ideas, I'd highly recommend investing in a scheduling service like Buffer, Hootsuite, or Latergramme to help you queue posts to be sent out later. However, if you're light on funds and can't stretch to pay another monthly fee, Facebook has a built-in scheduling service that makes it easy to format and send your post out at a specific time of your choosing (refer to graphic). Creating drafts on both Twitter and Facebook is another good way to ensure you have a foundation of content that you can send out on a whim.

7. Pay attention to insights.

Facebook and Twitter both have exceptionally useful and comprehensive analytics programs. Start looking at how many likes, shares, favorites, and retweets your posts are getting. There are dozens of free and paid apps that help you identify, analyze, and optimize your following across a variety of social networks. Two of my personal favorites are Followerwonk and SocialRank. Once you get a better idea of what you're starting out with, you'll get a better perception of where you want to go.

8. Commit to ongoing education.

There are more free educational resources at our disposal than ever before thanks to the intense interconnectivity of the Internet. A simple Google search for 'Free social media education' can get you started down the right path. A few favorites are Hootsuite University and Hubspot Academy. While both have more comprehensive paid education plans, they also have free videos that are a great way to get your feet wet in the ever-evolving field of social media marketing. Follow some key influencers, read blogs, and begin to tap into the surplus of resources the Internet has to offer.

Now that you have a better understanding of the work needed to plan an effective social media campaign, the first step is to look within your business for motivation and inspiration. People are quick to see through and call out anyone being disingenuous on social media, so make sure to be honest with your customers. If your company takes pride in customer service, make your presence on social media reflect that and reply to everyone that goes out of their way to interact with you. If you're selling a world-class product, explain what makes it so special with insights that establish your team as experts in your field. But most importantly - be real with your audience and let the passion behind your business shine through.

If you're looking for help with your social strategy or online marketing campaign, please contact me directly at contact@ledgecommunications.com.