Write down your social media goals. Do you want to increase likes and followers? Or do you want to build engagement with your customers?

Find out which social media

platforms your customers or target market are inclined to use. Are they on Facebook? Do they like

Instagram? Is it all about Google+

Write your Digital Mission Statement, it should be engaging and empowering.

Who is your Social Audience? Is it 16-25 year old females studying and working part-time? Is it 25-35 year old males employed with children?

What is your Digital Persona? Is it natural and modern? Is it cheeky? Is it positive and aspirational?

Write your Social Tone DO'S and DON'TS ie. Do have fun and use humour, Don't make a hard-sell.

Decide on a minimum of 3 social media platforms you will use for your business.

Determine what each social media

page will be used for ie. customer service enquiries on Twitter,

showcasing new products and lifestyle brand

images on Instagram, product

giveaways, engagement and

relationship building on Facebook..

Write a social media marketing plan for each page you will setup. Break this up by month ie January focus on growing followers, February focus

on building engagement, March focus on new product release.

Social media management can be

a fulltime job.

Who will you get to manage each page,

an existing employee or will you

outsource?

Set up business accounts for all of the social media platforms that you will use. Try to use the same name for each company page ie.

www.facebook.com/chicmodels, twitter.com/chicmodels, instagram.com/chicmodels.

Create a Social Media policy

It should have guidelines for employees so they're

aware of what they can and can’t do with regards to

social networking.

Posting on Facebook; Try to keep your posts between 100 and 250 characters. The shorter, sharper posts tend to get more engagement.

Twitter for business; Tweet often - at least once a day or several times a day, but make sure your tweets are relevant to your followers.

Google+ Tips; Use the right cover image. Get a designer to create something effective and eye-catching.

YouTube Tips; Before you create your channel and

upload your videos,checkout

how the YouTube ecosystem works.

Notice what is working for

brands by looking at the

engagement level in comments and

likes.

Instagram for business; Grow your followers by engaging with others and liking their photos.

Google+ Tips; 80% of your posts should be about lifestyle, customers and stuff other than you; 20% should be about you and your products.

Honesty is the best policy when it comes

to Social Media.

Posting on Facebook; There's

no set time to post.

Experiment with different posting

times and content to see when you get

the most engagement.

Google+ Tips; Complete your profile. Describe your products or service and include your business keywords, website and location.

Learn about other social media platforms; Pinterest is the place to draw customers in – much like window display for a store. Pinterest users approach the platform with a shopping mindset. So display as much

“shopper-friendly” information as possible..

LinkedIn; Complete your profile 100%. It makes your business easier to find.

Posting on Facebook; create a weekly post calendar so you know what you'll be talking

about each day of the week..

Twitter for business; A Hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on Twitter to identify

messages on a specific topic.

Monitor your online reputation so you know what is being said about your company online so you are not caught unawares and forced to take

a reactive rather than proactive approach.

Instagram for business; Generate a flexible posting plan. Post pics regularly but don't bombard your followers with

hourly photos..

Posting on Facebook; Ask your audience to share their thoughts and feedback on your product and services. This could help you improve

your business.

Humour used well can defuse a situation that can potentially get out of control. Even the best Social Media plans cannot prevent human error.

Posting on Facebook; Rich media like photos and videos get more attention and help your message

stand out in the News Feed.

Twitter for business; Find out which #hashtags you should be using. What are your customers talking about? What is trending?

YouTube Tips; Always have a call to action at the end of your video - ask viewers to subscribe to your channel, visit your website etc

Posting on Facebook; Post relevant content. Keep up with current events & news that you know your audience will be interested in.

Google+ Tips; Make Circles. You can generate Circles for in-store customers; online customers; partners; industry leaders; business

friends etc. This means you can send out targeted posts to target circles of connections you have.

Instagram for business; Mix up your content. Include business images and lifestyle pics that are relevant to your customers.

Reassess your social media goals. Are you fulfilling everything you set out to? Are

some platforms working better than others?

Twitter for business; You can have a personality on Twitter. Your tweets can be funny, heartfelt and light-hearted.

Instagram for business; Use relevant, popular hashtags. Make sure you choose some related to your field.

Google+ Tips; Find communities that suit your business niche, and join them. It's also a great way to interact with your potential clients.

Get specific when using Facebook ads. Your ads should target exactly who you want to connect with.

Instagram for business; Mix up the types of filters and frames you use. Keep it interesting.

Frequently analyse your Facebook analytics. Where do your followers come from? How old are they? This

can help you communicate with them better

Posting on Facebook; Offer special deals to

your followers. To improve

engagement with your promotions, include clear calls

to action, redemption

details, and when the promotion ends to add a

sense of urgency.

LinkedIn; Ask simple questions that encourage engagement.

Posting on Facebook; Make your followers feel special by sharing exclusive product news, contests and events with them.

Grow by giving away your best stuff. When your prospects see the high quality of your free content, they'll be much more confident in paying

for your services

YouTube Tips; Put a human touch to your videos. Become the face of your business.

Instagram for business; Use the Video on Instagram where

possible but don't over do it. The content must be relevant

and interesting

Posting on Facebook; Use link posts to drive people to your website

LinkedIn; Show the human side of your company. Company events, charity drives, fun company activities - by showing these things your business can establish a more personal relationship with clients and

potential employees.

Look at what worked over the last 52 weeks. Build a new plan that incorporates everything that had a positive result, drop the platforms

that didn't work and research new social media that could benefit your business.