How to Build a Results-Driven Social Media Strategy in 90 Minutes
A well-crafted strategy enhances your online presence and ensures every post and campaign delivers measurable results while saving time - so stop trying to reinvent the wheel or pull your hair out thinking of new ideas!
Creating a social media strategy doesn’t have to be overwhelming…
Social media has big influence on modern business success, impacting your brand’s visibility and growth, but it really has to be used effectively to maximise return on both your time and financial investment.
For busy business owners, the challenge lies in creating a plan that is both impactful and efficient. By dedicating a once-off 90 minutes to crafting a results-driven social media strategy using this guide, you can streamline your efforts, target your ideal audience, and enhance your ROI.
This approach empowers you to achieve meaningful engagement and drive sales without wasting precious time. Discover how a focused, strategic plan can make your social media work smarter, not harder.
1. Elevator Pitch / Quick Introduction
To quickly capture the essence of your business: who you are, what you do, and why you do it.
Who are we as a business?
What products or services do we offer?
Why did we start this business, and what drives us?
What is the main problem we solve for our customers?
Example:
We are a family-owned café and online gourmet shop offering locally-sourced, organic products. We believe in nourishing our community with wholesome, delicious food while supporting local farmers.
2. Unique Selling Propositions (USPs)
Highlight the key reasons why customers should choose you over competitors.
What sets us apart from other businesses in our industry?
What unique benefits do we offer?
Why do our customers love us?
Example:
We’re a locally-owned café with a focus on seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. Unlike chain or franchise cafés, we adapt our menu based on what's fresh and available, and our commitment to the community reflects our deep roots and genuine investment in its well-being.
3. Tone of Voice
Establish the voice and personality of your brand across all content.
How do we want our brand to sound? Friendly, professional, playful…
How should our customers feel when they interact with us?
What words or phrases do we consistently use?
Example:
Friendly, approachable, and knowledgeable - our tone is like a warm conversation over coffee.
4. Short-Tail Keywords
Optimise your content for search engines and social media platforms to increase visibility.
What are the main services or products we offer?
What keywords would potential customers use to find us?
Are there trending industry terms we should incorporate?
Example Keywords:
Café Brisbane, organic food delivery, local coffee roasters.
5. Hashtag Research
Increase reach and engagement by using the most relevant and effective hashtags.
What hashtags are popular in our industry?
Which hashtags do our competitors use?
What hashtags do our target audience follow?
Example Hashtags:
#SupportLocal #OrganicCoffee #BrisbaneCafé #ShopSmallAU
6. Target Audience & Customer Personas
Understand who your customers are, what they value, and how to communicate with them.
Who is our ideal customer (age, gender, location, interests)?
What problems do they need solving?
What motivates their purchasing decisions?
Where do they spend their time online?
Example Personas:
Emma, 35: A busy professional who values convenience and quality. She loves supporting local businesses and often shops online for organic products.
Tom, 28: A coffee enthusiast and regular café-goer who enjoys trying new blends and sharing his experiences on social media.
7. Platform Selection & Content Consumption Habits
Identify where your target audience spends their time and what type of content they engage with most.
Which social media platforms do our customers use (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc)?
What type of content do they prefer (videos, images, stories)?
When are they most active on social media?
Example:
Emma is most active on Instagram and Facebook, usually in the evenings after work. She loves scrolling through photos and watching short recipe videos.
8. Purposeful Content Ideation
Generate content ideas that align with your brand and resonate with your audience.
What are the latest trends in our industry?
What content formats are popular with our audience?
How can we showcase our products/services in an engaging way?
What stories can we tell that align with our brand values?
Examples:
Behind-the-scenes videos of coffee roasting, customer testimonials and user-generated content, seasonal promotions and menu highlights.
9. Create and Populate Your Content Calendar
Organise your content ideas into a structured plan that aligns with your business goals. Schedule your content with clear CTAs (calls-to-action) and relevant hashtags to ensure consistency and effectiveness.
Tip: I find Google Sheets ideal for content planning as it offers a clear and visually digestible layout.
What are our key business dates (promotions, events, etc)?
What is the goal of each post (engagement, sales, awareness) and specific CTAs that encourage action?
How often should we post on each platform?
What mix of content (educational, promotional, entertaining) will we use?
Which suitable hashtags will we use to maximise reach?
Examples:
Plan for 3 Instagram posts per week: 1 promotional, 1 educational, 1 behind-the-scenes.
August 12th: New coffee blend launch post with #BrisbaneCoffeeLovers #OrganicRoast CTA: Order yours today!
10. Emoji Usage
Leverage emojis to increase engagement and convey the right tone in your posts.
Which emojis align with our brand’s personality?
How can we use emojis to enhance our message without overdoing it?
Are there specific emojis that resonate with our target audience?
Example:
🍵 Wake up and smell the coffee! Start your day off just right, with our signature fresh roasted coffee! 🥰
11. Visual Content Creation (Graphics, Static, Video)
Develop a variety of content types that complement your strategy and engage your audience - animated and static graphics, videos in post and reel format, carousel, photographs...
What type of visuals best represent our brand?
How can we mix static images, graphics, and videos to keep our content dynamic?
Are there tools we can use to streamline content creation?
Example:
Short video clips for product launches, picture of heat rising from a hot breakfast on a winter morning, etc.
12. Optimal Posting Times & Analytics
Determine the best days and times to post, and adjust based on performance data.
When does our audience engage most with our content?
How can we vary posting times to reach different segments of our audience?
What does our analytics data tell us about post performance?
Example:
Post on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 PM, and review analytics weekly to optimise timing.
13. Engagement
Build relationships by actively engaging with your audience.
How often should we respond to comments and messages?
What type of content encourages engagement (questions, polls, etc)?
How can we create conversations around our posts?
Example:
Ask questions in captions to spark discussion and reply to comments within 24 hours to maintain engagement.
14. Strategy Review and Adjustment
Ensure your social media strategy stays aligned with your business goals by revisiting and refining it after six months.
Are our current goals and objectives still relevant?
What content performed best, and what could be improved?
Have there been any changes in our target audience or industry trends?
Example:
Schedule a 6-month review to analyse metrics, assess the effectiveness of content, and make necessary adjustments to keep our performance increasing.