The year 2012 has been dubbed by experts as the year of social content and customer engagement. However for marketers the daunting task has always been how can they translate the time, effort and money spent on social media to get a Return on Investment (ROI).

But social media has always intrigued marketers due to the fact that it adds interactivity which did not exist in traditional marketing.  Using Social Media campaigns marketers can engage and directly communicate with the customers, a feat that was impossible with traditional marketing channels.

In an age when social media is the major online platform used by our current and future customers, what are the steps social marketers can follow in order to build a successful social media for business campaign?

With my background in Social Business over the past 3 years in consulting on social media campaigns for businesses from varied industries, I have identified the following four steps: -

Fig 1: Four Steps to Building your Social Media for Business Campaign

1. Step 1 : EDUCATION
   

   Prior to starting any social media for business campaigns, it is imperative to educate yourself on the platforms, benefits, tools and techniques that can be used to ensure the success of your campaign.

   In order to gain insights into the social media world, it is advisable for marketers to attend the latest social media workshops conducted by industry experts.  Furthermore, in order to keep abreast of the latest social media developments subscribe to the latest articles and newsletters on social media.
    

2. Step 2 : STRATEGY
    

   Once you are confident on how to get started on social media the next phase is to formulate the strategy for
   your social media campaign.  Like a traditional marketing campaign, without a properly drafted action plan, your social media marketing campaign is doomed for failure. Based on the strategic business direction of the company and the expected outcome, you need to first create a set of objectives that will help you to implement your social media strategy. When drafting your strategy you need to address key points such as; competitors, target audience, expected outcome, measurement indicators and also identify the social media platforms that are best suited for your business.

   After the social media strategy is formulated the next step is to prepare an implementation plan based on the strategy. Next you need to decide on the social media channels that you are going to utilise and following this, how you are going to position your business objectives and achieve them using your social media campaign. 
    

3. Step 3 : IMPLEMENTATION
   
    

   Once you are confident on how to get started on social media the next phase is to formulate the strategy for your social media campaign.  Like a traditional marketing campaign, without a properly drafted action plan, your social media marketing campaign is doomed for failure. Based on the strategic business direction of the company and the expected outcome, you need to first create a set of objectives that will help you to implement your social media strategy. When drafting your strategy you need to address key points such as; competitors, target audience, expected outcome, measurement indicators and also identify the social media platforms that are best suited for your business.

   After the social media strategy is formulated the next step is to prepare an implementation plan based on the strategy. Next you need to decide on the social media channels that you are going to utilise and following this, how you are going to position your business objectives and achieve them using your social media campaign.
    

4. Step 4 : MANAGEMENT
   
    

   The final phase of the social media campaign is Management. At this stage you need to take necessary  steps to effectively manage your social media campaign to meet the desired objectives.  Based on the completed implementation plan, you would have already decided if your business is capable of running your campaigns internally or whether you needed to outsource your Social Media for business daily activities.

   Social Media Campaign Management consists of creating engaging campaigns that entice users to participate, express and share their views and opinions. You also need to put a formal mechanism in place to monitor and measure the success of the campaign for maximum Return on Investment (ROI). 

These four steps have been full –proof to running a successful social media for business campaign. Social media is a proven marketing vehicle that will help enhance your brand’s reputation, and help you expand your reach far beyond the anticipated scope. Furthermore, it will help portray the human side of your company and establish you as a market leader in your industry. 

If you would like to leave a comment, ask a question or arrange a one-to-one consultation contact me on logan@logannathan.com or via only of my social media channels using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google Plus. 

About Logan Nathan

Social Media Business Consultant | Internet (Web) Marketing Strategist Speaker | Trainer

Based in Sydney, Australia, Logan has been an avid & passionate social media user since the advent of Facebook. Logan runs his own workshops on the social media for business in Australia. He has also written a number of eBooks on the same subjects (Social Media Secrets for your Business, Twitter Secrets for Your Business and Social Media Startup Guide for Business), all of which are now published and available online. Logan is also a passionate speaker on the subject of using 'Internet and Social Media for Business' and spoken at number of Business conferences in Australia and overseas. 

Watch testimonials from Logan’s latest workshops on http://www.youtube.com/logannathan

Book your seat at the upcoming workshops, refer http://www.ictsocialbusiness.com.au/social_media_education/social-media-training-workshop