How to Create a Content Management Plan in 6 Easy Steps

Creating a social media content management plan can help you get your message heard. By deciding in advance how you will use social media and what kinds of content you will share, you can ensure that your marketing efforts will help your business grow.

To help you get started, here are 6 Easy Steps to Create Your Own Content Management Plan…

1. Take the Time to Make the Time
It’s no secret that social media marketing takes time. However, how much time you put into it depends on your resources and what you hope to accomplish. A good place to start is to spend 15 minutes, three times a day on social media and work up from there. Next, schedule it into your day and treat it like any other important appointment and you’ll be more likely to accomplish your goals. Your social media marketing needs to be part of your annual planning for your business.

2. Decide What Networks You Will Use
Regardless of what social media “experts” say, there isn’t one social media network that is perfect for every business. You probably won’t have the time to use every network out there, so focus your social media marketing efforts on two or three networks that will bring you the best results.

To find out the best network for you, ask yourself two questions:

“Where do my customers spend their time?”
“What networks do I actually enjoy using?”

3. Determine How Frequently You Will Use Social Media

Don’t look at social media as a task you “have” to do. Instead, look at it as a tool to build relationships and connect with your market. Rather than determine how many times you will post to your social media accounts each day, decide how many people you want to connect with, how many conversations you want to participate in, how often you want to promote your own content, and who you want to connect with. And keep in mind that this part of the plan may change depending on what is currently happening in your business. The digital version of my book, Pilot to Profit: Navigating Modern Entrepreneurship to Build Your Business Using Online Marketing, Social Media, Content Marketing and Sales, recently launched which meant I was much more active on social media during that period of time.

4. Start Sourcing or Community Building
Sourcing, or building your social media community, is vital to your social media marketing success. As you connect with people on social media, keep in mind that it’s important to build quality relationships, not just a quantity of relationships.

5. Take Time to Engage with People
Just being connected to people on social media isn’t enough; you need to engage with them. To do this, don’t set out to sell anything or to find new business leads. Instead, talk to people just to talk to them, in an effort to engage with those around you. If you spend too much time talking to others on social media, without conversing or listening, you will miss out on opportunities.

6. Make a Schedule
Whether you use a calendar, a spreadsheet or a checklist, you need to create a schedule that will help you do what you say you will do. Your social media content management schedule does not need to map out exactly what you will post, but it can act as a guide to help you meet your goals.

Setting up a social media content management plan will help you save time, focus your social media efforts and build your business and it’s a great way to kickstart your social marketing.

Tell me in the comments, what your favorite social network is and why?

And, if you want more on how to build great content and drive traffic and sales, sign up for the Pilot To Profit Program: LisaLarter.com/P2P.