As much as we respect a good turn of phrase, the person who said, “80% of success is just showing up,” wasn’t talking about social media. No one knows for sure how much money businesses burn every year on failed marketing campaigns… but it’s a lot. And much of that comes from poor planning.

Successful companies construct social media campaigns with the same care and attention as high-end cars. No detail goes overlooked; no one squanders even a single dollar. Small businesses in Las Vegas need to protect their balance sheets, but not spending enough can be just as dangerous as spending too much. 

As with many things, business intelligence is critical. So let’s see what it takes to build a smart Las Vegas social media strategy. 

First, Pick the Best Social Media Platforms (the Best for You) 

“What’s the best social media platform?” is a question with a subjective answer.

Everyone has their own social media preferences. 

“What’s the best social media platform for my business?” is a question with an objective answer.

You can measure that question with laser precision using metrics like: 

  • Conversions
  • Likes
  • Comments
  • Feedback (from social media listening and other sources). 
  • Clicks
  • Follower count over time

Instead of mimicking your competitors’ strategies, take note of how social media engagement affects their success. It can help you refine your goals, motivate you to improve your quality, and reach audiences you haven’t tapped into yet.

Where is your audience? Not everyone likes to use Instagram, and not every business is suitable for Twitter. Your company should experiment with different platforms — and different content on those platforms — to see what works best. This will take time, but it will pay off with amplified engagement over the long term.

Let the data drive you forward. Find out where you derive the highest engagement and the most views, and focus your efforts on those platforms. Then judge how well your current resources align with those platforms. Do you have enough time to devote to Facebook and LinkedIn at the same time? If not, prioritize the better of the two. 

It’s also important to remember that not all content is suitable for every platform. LinkedIn excels at displaying professional, formal thought-leadership style writing, whereas Instagram is a place to have a little more fun. Your choice will depend on your industry, company, and brand identity.

Next, Game Plan Your Content Strategy 

That buyer persona isn’t just for show. It’s research that will determine the entire scope of your content strategy, from the very posts you write to your content schedule. Your audience has a certain quality that sets them apart from the rest — discover it and let it shape your content marketing. 

People like content marketing because it supplies something valuable. Your customers come to you with specific problems in mind, and they’re looking for answers. Even if your content doesn’t provide exactly what they are looking for, it can still:

  • Present you as an industry authority. 
  • Persuade them you can resolve their concerns or supply what they need. 
  • Build up your word-of-mouth marketing as more people talk about you. 
  • Supercharge traffic to your website as more people link to your site (this is called backlinking). 

But there’s a number one rule in content marketing: Don’t be boring. 

Dull, uninspired content will drive your prospects away faster than you can blink. People would rather not feel you’re trying to sell them something at this stage of the game. Write content that flows naturally, providing readers with interesting and beneficial information.

In an effort to not be boring, some companies go too far in making their content funny. Just be authentic. Let your brand’s natural personality shine through; it will feel authentic and natural. 

Then Start the Campaign 

There is, of course, a significant difference between careful planning and outright procrastination.

After you’ve done the necessary research and planned out your content strategy, it’s time to act. Launch the campaign and crunch the numbers right away.

What numbers? Incoming traffic to your business website, of course. You can develop a highly accurate overview of your site’s inbound traffic using Google Analytics and other freely available tools. 

It might start as a trickle, but as your outgoing social media campaigns take effect, that flow will increase by the hour.

Google Analytics is a simple but powerful tool we regularly use at NeONBRAND. With Google Analytics, you can look at the following:

  • Bounce rates: A measure of visitors who leave your page without doing anything. You want them to buy or sign up for something, not look and leave.
  • Geo: Use this function to know what part of the world visitors come from. They should ideally come primarily from your service area.
  • Pages per session: This gives you an idea of what visitors do when they visit your site. It can help gauge how engaging your content is.
  • Devices: This category shows you the hardware each visitor uses when they access your website. It could be a desktop, smartphone, tablet, etc., but whatever it is, it’s your job to build a compatible site for them.

Use data to refine your posting schedule. Like Google Analytics, most social media platforms come with inbuilt analytics, so you can gauge how well your content performs. The quality of each platform’s analytical suite should also inform your selection of that platform.

Remember that many a “creative” marketing campaign has had disastrous results — “New Coke” was super creative, wasn’t it?

You might think creativity helps in marketing, and it does to an extent, but just because you entertain an audience doesn’t mean they buy from you. That’s an important lesson to learn.

Ready To Set a Higher Standard? 

Let the intelligence you gather have a decisive impact on your social media marketing. Knowing your customers and competitors, how search engines analyze your content, and even the hashtags you need to use are indispensable to your success.

But consistency and patience are even more vital. This won’t be an overnight success story.Making a difference requires dedication and persistence, and finding the resources is difficult for some businesses. NeONBRAND’s team of experts is always there to help when you need it. Contact us today if you’re ready to drive your social media campaign forward.