How to create a social media plan

Social media plan template

Why write a plan? It’s important to have a written plan or outline that lays out how your use of a specific tactic supports or carries out your strategy that gets you to your overall goal or objective. You also need to be able to evaluate or measure your outcomes to determine whether you met your objectives. A plan can be as informal as an outline or a list of tasks on a calendar – or it can be very specific, detailed and formal – dozens of pages with specific scripts or details. A social media plan would be a subset or an addendum to a larger strategic/integrated communication plan. (PR plans typically are organized into an 8-step plan).

As with every type of PR/advertising/marketing/communication plan, research is important at every step in which you have unknowns. (Who is our audience? What are their social media habits? What are our competitors doing? Is my message being heard and generating the desired outcome?)

Everyone’s social media plan will be different. Base it on your organization and your personality. There is not a one-size-fits-all plan template, but these are the items I believe should be in a social media plan. You may choose to add more depending on your particular organization’s needs and the social media channels you choose. If you need to research something specific on one or more of these specific areas, note that in the plan.

A typical social media plan outline will include:

1. Goal: (why do you want to use social media strategy – how does it fit with your overall organizational goal and why, specifically use social media? Do you want to raise awareness, foster relationships, sell something, raise money, inform/educate, entertain?)

2. Channel: (This is where you name a specific channel, like Facebook. Then you would repeat every part of the rest of the plan (steps 2-9) for every channel that you select. So say you choose Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Youtube and Groupon. From here on down in your plan, you would break out objective, audience, how to drive traffic, frequency, topics, author and evaluation for each of those channels). It would be useful here to describe briefly why you chose each channel, if it’s not evident.

3. Objective: (State in each channel objective specifically, and in a measurable way, what you are attaining with this channel. Measurable means you need a number. Examples: To obtain 5,000 Twitter followers to… or To bring 500 new followers in the first month… or To obtain 25 Youtube videos naming our brand by Sept. 1…) The step of documenting a measurable objective is important because it is the measuring stick for your effectiveness and it gives you something to shoot for. It also helps you remember why you are doing what you’re doing.

4. Audience: (Be specific here, using demographic and psychographic terms. Your audience may depend on your channel/vice versa. It’s likely your audiences may be slightly different for each channel. Or, if you’re specifically targeting a niche audience, be sure your social media communication is communicating with this niche audience.) Example: New and loyal customers age 15-35 who are interested in healthy lifestyles

5. How to obtain audience/drive traffic to channel: (How will your audience(s) know you are on these channels? How will you get them to notice you there?) Example: All advertising promotions will prominently feature social media icons; solicit e-mail addresses via XYX; use RSS, e-mail newsletter… You may want to consider creating incentives to drive your audience(s) to the channel – a contest, coupon, publicity, etc.

6. Frequency: (How often will you Tweet? Post to facebook? Post new videos?) Example: Twitter updates at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m.

7. Topics/themes: (What, specifically, are you posting/sharing, and why? Give some ideas of typical posts. Is it your news headlines of the day? Events? Promotions like daily specials or discounts? Customer photos, funny comments from the staff? Are you educating about your product or service? Remember WIIFM – what’s in it for me – and what your audience would find engaging, useful, or whatever meets your objective.)

8. Author: (Who, specifically, is going to do this posting or content development? Is it you? Interns? The CEO? Your advertising agency? Volunteers?) The who is really important – a lot of plans get developed without considering who is going to do this work and if they have the time. Look at your frequency. Is this practical? Do you need to train people or take into account personalities? Address this briefly in your plan if you think it is an issue.

9. Evaluation/monitoring: (While using the specific channels, you will need to take the time for responding to posts/questions and other feedback. Who is going to do the response-backs? This will require consistent monitoring. You also will need to occasionally evaluate where you are with your numbers. Are you getting the number of followers/fans/likes/posts that you want, based on your objectives (step 3) Track return on specials, track retweets, monitor mentions, follows, visitors.

The plan, ultimately, demonstrates to your organization how best uses of social media build the brand, helps you reach organizational goals, and shows the CEO/boss what you’re doing, creates, buy-in, and creates opportunities for integration with other communication tactics. The plan is a MUST.

Back in the Blog

Teaching this Summer Reading Course is good for me, now I'm back in the blog. Wow, can't believe it has been almost three years since I posted. Blogging isn't something I really enjoy. I don't even really like reading blogs, but I thought it would be a good way for students to "journal" what they're learning about social media, and force them to actually use a tool that they should know more about. So now I'm in the awkward position of needing to demonstrate that I keep up on my own blog! Ha! More to come.

About my grandpa

I'm grieving the passing of my grandfather, Gale Fox, who passed away last week. I wrote this little essay about him to help collect my thoughts. I really love my grandpa:

Gale Fox

I remember him always strong and rugged, grinning, a cap tilted slightly on his head.
His gold ring with the red stone, his sturdy gold watch.
Telling a story.
A meticulous story-teller, he remembered everything in vivid detail and his style was narrative and he would laugh to start and end every new chapter. A lovely, soothing high-pitched laugh, just a couple of chuckles, before his story veered on to another path.
The old rooster that chased them around in the farmyard.
His classmates from gradeschool, kicking the chair legs out from underneath the other.
The guys on the railroad, peeing out the window. Prank stories seemed to be his favorite.
Just having fun.
He so loved his wife and it hurt him so much to watch her suffer in any way.
He loved to be busy. To figure out ways to save or make money.
Often in his later years he would drive from one store to the next looking for the best deal on essentials like toothpaste and treats like those Pot of Gold candies. And he'd drive back if he got over-charged and see that he got his money back.
He never did win the Publishers Clearing House but he made a heck of a run at it.
He loved to fish. But he rarely if ever got to go alone. Always there was a grandchild's hook to worm or a tangled line and a lost lure and the grandkids would catch more than he would because he was tending to our rods and bait. But he never cared.
His lap was never empty. He loved to hold us. But he was always on the move. Looking for something to hammer or saw or fix. That man loved to stay busy and he had a gift with building things, that massive tiered deck on Beaver Lake that would have taken an entire crew six months. Remember the vegetables he grew in his garden in Norfolk?
This is a man who accepted us and supported us no matter what, our shortcomings and disappointments and it broke his heart to see us, his children and grandchildren and his great-grandchildren, sad or hurting. He held his daughter as she lay dying of cancer and he showed us all that it is just fine to ask our God, "why," and to move forward with faith when we still don't understand.
We will forever remember our patriarch as this small guy, tougher than nails, with a heart bigger than anyone other than us could imagine. We will remember his stories and his pride and that work ethic, and more than anything how much he was loved and that he showed us how to be a man and a leader of a family.
He has showed us how to live life to the fullest, to be faithful to family and God in our own way and to not compromise our beliefs and how to die like we live, with strength and conviction.
We will forever be proud to be the legacy of Gale Eugene Fox and we pray that we can live our lives with as much honor.

RIP Heath Ledger

OK enough is enough with celebrities flushing their lives down the toilet!

I don't know what it is about celebrity culture today, but it appears as if there are numerous actors, singers, "socialites" and such who are out of control and on disturbing mental-health roller coasters that the rest of us just can't help but be afraid of. Lindsay Lohan, Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears -- what's the matter?!

Heath Ledger by all accounts was a nice guy: really talented, he had a beautiful presence and was just brilliant to watch. The camera loved him. What could have happened to cause his descent into depression or drugs or whatever killed him - at age 28? Were there warning signs like others are exhibiting - Britney, Amy - and did anyone try to help him?

Can I as a "fan" or noncelebrity feel somehow responsible for feeding into the pop culture/celebrity feeding frenzy that is apparently fueling or masking these celebrities' coping abilities or their mental illness?

Does stardom create some world of make believe that triggers troubled minds? Or do artists have a certain thrill-seeking or experimenting or endorphin-rushing gene or brain center that leads them to drug use and dangerous behavior? Or are they simply spoiled, narcistic and selfish?

What role does the media play in all of this? It's surreal to watch shows (which I don't) like Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Inside Edition and such feature reports from the "Red Carpet" and paparazzi-fueled gossip about people like Anna Nicole Smith and then the next show delight in reporting "shocking headlines" of their untimely deaths?

Something about Heath's death is really bothering me and I'm trying to figure out why. Maybe because he was exceptional and a future Oscar-winner. Possibly because he never seemed to have done anything to hurt anybody. Or because his private life was so recently invisible and their were no hints that something bad was coming. His life wasn't a train wreck.

One can't help but feel sorry for these troubled souls -- and so helpless. Please, let's someone step in and help these other trainwrecks before it's too late. Or let's quit watching, because it hurts to see and feel others' pain.

Stop looking to fill your lives with susbtances and to numb your pain. Be strong and be the people deserving our admiration. Do it now!

2007 recap

The week between Christmas and New Years is my favorite. I don't have to work! So typically I spend time lounging around the house, working on little projects, reading, and thinking. Lots of time to think about New Years resolutions - many of which I've already started on. (Two pounds already, yeah!)

But first I don't want to leave 2007 without looking at it as another past year in my life; history.

It was a good year.

I started the year wanting (again) to spend more quality time with my family, and I think I did that. This year, even more.

Here's some highlights from my 2007:

- Motorcycle trip to Rocky Mountains. This was spectacular. It's always nice to get away with Steve and not worry about work and other stuff, but when we can go someplace beautiful and have the freedom of the road and explore, that's what we love. Hopefully another trip next year. I'm dreaming about the Grand Canyon.

- Individual accomplishment: Lacey's graduation. I'm so proud of my daughter who worked her butt off earning her massage therapy degree. Lacey is such a joyful person and a gift to everyone. It's wonderful to have seen her set and accomplish her goal and now it's fun to see her begin her career.

- My web site. When I chose my fall semester class I really wanted to do something different to challenge myself and go into an area that I had no experience. "Hey, if they can do it, why not?" Wow, it was really hard and I don't ever want to have to do web sites but at least I know kind of how to put things together. It wasn't fun but I feel like I really accomplished something.

Lots of other cool things happened in 2007 but on to 2008. I'm excited about the upcoming year and hope you are too.

OK last-minute shoppers

I love music, as many of you know.

Every year I add a couple new Christmas music CDs to my collection. I wanted to list my favorites, in case you're out there shopping for someone and aren't quite sure what's good. It's such a disappointment to buy a CD and have it turn out to be lame. These selections are definitely not lame, and a must for any holiday collection.

1) "A Charlie Brown Christmas," Vince Guaraldi Trio. Maybe it's a generational thing, but the sweet voices and the jazzy instrumentals that evoke memories of the Charlie Brown Christmas classic really make me grin. This is my favorite.

2) "Home for Christmas," Amy Grant. Amy's "Breath of Heaven" is heavenly, and the other songs are nicely arranged. With her gentle and not-overpowering voice, it's really easy to listen to every song on the album.

3) "The Christmas Song," Nat King Cole. This Capitol Records classic is remastered, dated 1986 and the sounds and instrumentation are timeless. It wouldn't be Christmas without Nat's rendition of "The Christmas Song."

4) "The Gift," Collin Raye. OK, Collin is country, but the sounds on this album aren't. Collin has a gorgeous voice and each song is well done. My favorite is "It Could Happen Again," a ballad about soldiers in World War II putting down their arms on Christmas Eve and celebrating together Christ's birth.

5) "Christmas in the Aire," Mannheim Steamroller. I know some people don't like Mannheim, but Chip's Christmas arrangements are really amazing to listen to, and Christmas would be missing something without any Mannheim Steamroller playing in the background.

6) "The Nutcracker," Tchaikovsky, performed by the Berlin Symphony Orchestra.

7) "Christmas with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

8) "Classical Christmas Collection," performed by Berlin Symphony Orchestra, including Handel's "Messiah" (selections).

9) "Miracles," Kenny G. Whatever. I like it. Slow instrumentals, playing in the background, are my favorite Christmas sounds.

10) "A Christmas to Remember," Amy Grant. Not as good as her earlier Christmas album, but the title track and several other original or new selections make this one worth getting.

I'm always interested in new suggestions so let me know what you like. Especially classic and traditional compilations.

Grief, apologies from mom

It seems everyone is trying to figure out what was going on in Robert Hawkins' mind when he decided to shoot a bunch of innocent people at Westroads. It's obvious he was seriously troubled. Maybe mentally ill.

Fact is, we'll never know his mental state. Was it mental illness or was it just flat-out poor character and immaturity that led to his action? Did he have a breakdown or was he just rotten?

Blame doesn't help heal. But figuring out why this kid went off can help us prevent future events. That's I guess why I'm curious, interested and reading stories about this kid's story.

I'm troubled by accounts of his upbringing and his family life and was struck by the parents' attitudes that they did the best they could. As a parent of children who have gone through their own troubled times, I understand the response, "I did the best I could." I've thought and said that often. But to be brutally honest, it's a cop-out. There's always something we parents could have done differently, and I know we can't go back and change those things now, but by deflecting the honest examination of what "we did" doesn't help any of the rest of us realize what we can do to treat the symptoms of illness and troubled actions that are plaguing others, and figure out how to prevent horrible painful tragedies like these in the future.

Robert Hawkins' parents had difficulties and many of us do. But, hopefully most of us respond to our difficulties without fleeing or abandoning our problems, without using drugs, without blaming others. Robert Hawkins' mother used drugs in front of him. I won't even go into how messed up that is and what it did to Robert. She and others in Robert's life also encouraged him to use guns, made guns available to him, taught him that guns and violence are appropriate.

That's doing the best they could?

I really don't think that blame will help anyone here, but scrutiny and examining people's actions and responses and excuses and attitudes is actually appropriate and I hope we can all learn something from it. Hopefully, people will learn that raising children in a home with drugs and guns is dangerous and irresponsible - and that the rest of us who don't raise our families that way aren't accepting it.

Yes, we're sorry for Robert's mother's grief and we feel her sorrow. I just can't help but wish she and others in Robert's life would have tried a little harder - and made some better decisions. I hope and pray all these families find some peace and healing and resolve to make the world a more peaceful place.


Omaha World Herald
Published Friday | December 14, 2007
'He was my baby boy,' mother says in apologizing for rampage
BY PAUL HAMMEL
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The mother of Robert Hawkins issued a tearful apology on Thursday for her son's deadly rampage at Westroads Mall, saying "these beautiful people need to see for themselves that I love them."

"This is devastation, absolute devastation," said Maribel "Molly" Rodriguez of Bellevue. "It wasn't just eight people who died, it was eight families."

"There's a piece of every one of those families that is gone. . . . I know that, because I'm experiencing that, too."

Sobs punctuated the telephone interview Rodriguez gave The World-Herald from New York City. She had flown there to appear on the "Good Morning America" show Thursday.

Rodriguez, who was divorced from Hawkins' biological father in 1991, said in the phone interview that she was apologizing — in the interview and on the TV show — because no one else in the family had stepped forward.

"He was my baby boy," Rodriguez said. "These beautiful people need to see for themselves that I love them, and to give them the best apology I possibly knew how."

"You tell me," she added, "how do you deliver an apology for eight families?"

In her television appearance, Rodriguez, 41, said she last heard from her son in a voice mail message he left her on the day of the shootings.

The night before, Hawkins had eaten dinner with his mother and his two half sisters at the home of his former stepfather, Mark Dotson, Rodriguez's former husband. Dotson has said the 19-year-old took the AK-47-style rifle used in the slayings when Rodriguez and her daughters left Hawkins alone for an hour while they went shopping.

Dotson was in Thailand at the time.

"Good Morning America" played a phone message from Hawkins to his mother in which a crying and sniffling Hawkins is heard saying, "Hi, Mom. It's me. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. I'm sorry for everything. I'll see you later. Goodbye."

Rodriguez described her son as "without hope," "without faith" and "without courage."

"Because you don't do that to other people. You just don't do that to other people," she said.

Rodriguez told The World-Herald that she has not always been in Hawkins' life. She said, however, that her son — who had been staying with a Bellevue area family for more than a year — had visited her apartment regularly in recent weeks. When she and Hawkins' father, Ronald Hawkins, divorced, the father was awarded custody of Hawkins and his older sister.

Hawkins had moved in with the other family after reportedly being told he no longer could live with his father's family in La Vista.

Rodriguez said her son did not live with her because he "wasn't ready" to live by the rules she had laid down for that to happen.

"I told him, 'Go.' I know what 18-year-old boys like to do," she said. "They're entitled to be a little mischievous," Rodriguez added, mentioning "doing drugs" and sleeping with girls.

"All I told him was when you're ready to come back to mommy, come back to mommy and we'll work on your life," the mother said.

Private funeral services for Hawkins were held Tuesday morning. Rodriguez said in the phone interview that she had made the funeral arrangements from a psychiatric ward, where she checked herself in following the shootings.

About 20 people — mostly family members — attended the service, Rodriguez said.

She said she left two items in Hawkins' coffin: a photo of the two together and a note telling him that she loved him and that "everything I always told him about our Heavenly Father was correct."

When asked in the phone interview why her son did what he did, Rodriguez said that Hawkins was "very angry" and "totally confused" and that he "wasn't sure if he was evil or not."

"He had been told all of his life that something was wrong with him, that something was not right with him," Rodriguez said.

She said her son felt like the world was against him. Hawkins, she said, told her he had been fired from a McDonald's because his cash register had come up $17 short. He had even reached into his own pocket to give back $12, she said.

"He wasn't a horrible boy; he wasn't a bad boy," the mother said.