Develop a social media strategy to boost your platform, based on experience in the evolving digital landscape. Presented at the Liberty States Writers Conference 2019.

1. Creating and
Boosting Your
Platform on
Social Media
Sourabh Sharma
@figorout
@sssourabh

2. why?

3. creating a strategy

4. marketing 101

5. components of a social media strategy
Objectives Content
Social Media
Platforms
Engagement
and Growth

6. objectives
• Build a Brand
• Escalate Awareness
• Engage Audiences
• Drive Purchase
• Etc.

7. content
content
images
writing –
quotes,
captions,
blogs.
videos
behind-
the-
scenes
real-
time-
content
• What do you
already have?
• What can you
create/access?
• What do you
like to create?

8. social media platforms: where is everyone?

9. select a few of your platforms

10. select a few of your platforms

11. executing a strategy

12. build a clear, consistent profile
• Refer back to your objectives
• Clear social media bio
1. Factual and biographical
2. Humorous
3. Quote-worthy
4. Combination
• Create a ‘call to action’
1. URL link to blog, site, etc.
2. Buttons: Shop, Sign Up, etc.
• Note: Profiles can change across time

13. evolve, but keep consistent across platforms

14. branding
• Pick a niche
– Life
– Books
– Travel
– Brands
– Etc.
• Pick a theme

15. create content
• Go back to your
objectives
• See where your audience
mostly is
• Choose your platforms
• Create stellar content
• Tie it together with a
theme

16. create content: raw (ephemeral) vs. real
• Ephemeral content is
– Raw, disappears quickly
– ‘In the moment’
• Ephemeral content gives
brands/people a
‘personality’
– Nay not be the best ‘post’
– Garner engagement
– Creates a communal feeling

17. ephemeral content ideas
• Polls
• Reactions
• “Market Research”
• Event attendance
• Networking

18. tips and tricks
How do you get ‘discovered’ easily on social media?

19. discovery
• Hashtags
– up to 30 on Instagram
– “several” on Facebook/Twitter
– mix of common and targeted
ones
• Geotagging locations
• Tagging
– brands and people
• Add social media links to
other platforms

20. engagement
• “love is a two way street”
– follow and comment on
accounts / pages you like
– look at what people / brands
in your ‘niche’ are doing
– reply to comments
– Retweet / regram (stories) /
reshare content you like or are
mentioned in

21. organizational aids

22. creating an
editorial calendar
• Create a posting schedule
– Keep it periodic
– Recommended: no more than 2 per day,
separated by 6-8 hours minimum
• Some rules of thumb to start
– 4-7 posts on Instagram / week
– 4-7 posts on Facebook / week
– 10-20 tweets a week on Twitter
• Ensure seasonal / holiday relevance

23. (free) software helps
• Automate some posts for
Facebook, Twitter (and get alerts
for Instagram postings)
– Hootsuite
– Buffer
– IFTTT (app)
• Use Instagram’s search tool to get
the best #hashtags
– Monitor these on Hootsuite
– Keep a list of these handy in ‘notes’
for copy/pasting in the future

24. explore feeds

25. even outside your niche

26. measure and evaluate

27. stay organized

28. take it easy
• Treat it like ‘fun’
• Set realistic expectations
• Use tools to manage social
media efficiently
• Always refer back to your
objectives
• Privacy? use a common sense
filter across posts

29. measure and evaluate
• Are you fulfilling your objectives?
• Are you acquiring an engaged
audience?
• Is it taking too much time?
• Is this helping your brand?
• … and tweak your strategy and
objectives accordingly

30. relax
you’ll get the hang of it

31. Creating and
Boosting Your
Platform on
Social Media
Sourabh Sharma
@figorout
@sssourabh
Thanks!