10 Top success tips for social media managers in 2021

Sahail Ashraf posted on 11 December 2020

2021 looks like a busy year for everyone. For social media managers there is a lot to be getting on with too. Here, we present some success tips for managers in the twelve months ahead.

With 2021 fast approaching, it’s important to get a handle on what we plan to do with social media. For social media managers there is a lot to get through next year. There will be plenty of opportunities to make mistakes as well as make progress. We thought we would highlight below ten success tips to help you push your social media management further and become more effective in 2021.

1. Customer and client satisfaction

It is becoming increasingly apparent that our audiences are expecting more from us. This has a direct impact on how we present ourselves. For social media managers the emphasis needs to be on trust-building. 

Authenticity is key. If an audience knows that you listen to customers and you act on what they say, the audience will trust you more. If your social media is more about helping customers than selling to them, it will prove effective. 

This means social listening. Use your tools to listen in on customer conversations, and act on the findings. The more you know your customers in 2021, the better the outcome for all.

2. Nano and micro Influencers

Influencers have gone through some serious changes recently. However, this has only made them more useful.

If you are going to pursue an Influencer strategy, focus on finding macro Influencers who have an affinity for your product. Identify those smaller Influencers who have strong reach and engagement. They are worth more to you than more expensive Influencers because you get more value for money with macro. 

There are still few methods to gain traction with a campaign that beat Influencers.

3. Measure your impact more effectively

Social media managers are used to their tools. They are on top of data and have all they need to make some key data-driven decisions. However, using these measurements effectively is not always easy. You have to be focused on a particular approach.

One key thing to remember is that it is no longer good enough to measure your data every now and then. You need to take a look at data at least twice a week to be able to identify the key drivers in future strategy. With so much data coming in now, having a consistent approach means you can find areas to work on quicker.

4. Twitter lists

These have come into their own in recent years and are an excellent resource for new contacts and leads.

Find out which lists you have been placed on and start digging deep into those lists for potential Follows. It is a great way to stay current and relevant, and also gain new Followers. 

In fact, as a social media manager, it would benefit you to dig into as many Followers and their lists as possible. This way, and as a recurring action, you can only benefit from new Followers and increased exposure. Twitter seems to be picking up it’s game too, so now is the best time to get involved.

5. Get visual

The worst kind of social media post is one that is just made up of text. We’re not saying you do this, but visuals have just become a whole lot more competitive and it’s time to focus on bringing your best work to visuals, so you stand out more.

Basically, in 2021, if you haven’t got compelling visuals and video you cannot seriously expect your reach to grow, not to mention your engagement.

6. Take an informed approach to content

It’s important to look at the past content you have created and measure its effectiveness. Then, when you know which content performs the best, continue by reproducing similar content, so that it chimes in with your best quality stuff.

Too many brands ignore analytics. But by not knowing which content does best, you are simply leaving your strategy to chance.

7. If you’re not using Influencers already…

Now is the time to use Influencers. But make sure you go through a couple of tests first before you jump in. You will need to find them on social media and spend time seeing their content. You will have to know that their content matches your brand image and goals. 

If you’re just making your first steps in hiring Influencers, just remember that they will need to know what they get out of any relationship. If you don’t offer them something valuable, you are literally not worth their time.

8. Best times to post

This concept is as important today as it ever was. You should be able to use your software to identify the times when your audience is online and receptive. Then, it should just be a simple matter of aligning your post schedule to this new information.

The basic concept is simple. If your work is not available when your customers are online, they will not see the content.

9. Get the content right

Each social network has it’s one distinct rules for posting. So it is absolutely vital that the content you manage is aligning with the social media channel you are running campaigns on. Know how many hashtags is acceptable on Twitter (it’s one or two by the way), so that you get the most out of the platform. Or ensure that your posts on LinkedIn have a slightly more professional feel than those you put on Facebook.

10. Finally, paid ads

We’re convinced that paid ads are now so much a part of the game plan that it is foolish to consider anything but a highly-qualified paid ad campaign as part of your projects.

Paid ads bring you targeted leads, and they are actually part of some very sophisticated approaches on social channels. LinkedIn, for example, has an incredibly targeted approach to paid ads, rivalling even the granular approach that Facebook has.

Paid ads are most definitely a quick and easy way to build up and reinforce your audience numbers, and we think that they are going to be even better (as regards ROI) in the next twelve months.

The above outlines some of the main area in which a social media manager needs to be focused in 2021. Take a good look and use the information to add to what your approach looks like right now.

If you are a social media manager you need Locowise. It has all you need for great campaigns, and all the metrics you could possibly hope to use. Try it for free today.