Nonprofits and small businesses often ask me what they should be doing on social media, and if all of the effort they’ve been putting into it is worth the time, energy and expense.

At the risk of being rude, I often answer this particular question with another question: what are your objectives? And the follow up: how will you measure success?

This may seem an obvious answer, but for many, especially in resource-limited workplaces, social media is an add-on, something that has to be done, without additional staff, resources or training. And with the proliferation of platforms launching at breakneck speed, it’s confusing where to put one’s energies.

Like most things in life, social media is only as effective as the thought you put into it. With limited resources, you especially need to be strategic about how you employ them.

Tips:

 Tip 1: Take some time to clarify goals.

What I usually recommend to clients is that they (briefly) pause their social media postings while they take some time to identify their strategic objectives and how each social platform can help them meet those goals.

If your social media strategy is based purely on frequency of publishing, you might never reap rewards. Or, if you are a non-profit and only post prior to a big fundraiser or event, you might never gain traction.

Your goal should not be “to post once a day” but rather something like “to expand our audience,” or “to engage existing followers,” or “to incentivize customers to stay in touch.”

Tip 2: Consider unique opportunities that each platform affords.

Not all social media platforms are the same. They have unique strengths, and to some extent, audiences. Based on your newly identified objectives, think about which platform would give you the best bang for your buck.

For example, to grow your audience, you might use Instagram to run a photo contest, or on Facebook offer in-store discounts to customers who like your page.

Tip 3: Decide how you will measure success.

Be realistic based on available time, energy and resources. Perhaps your goal for an Instagram photo contest is to increase followers by 10% over the life of the contest. On Facebook you might take a longer view, and set out to increase followers over the course of several months, as it may take time for people to see the benefit of adding you to their network.

Tip 4: Iterate and re-iterate.

The opportunities are endless, and that can seem overwhelming. So start small, and focus your efforts on clear and specific objectives (1 or 2 at a time!). After running a short-term social campaign, assess its effectiveness. Did you meet your stated objectives? Do you feel more confident in your social media approach? Do you have more insight into what works and what doesn’t work?

If you want to see a few examples of specific social campaigns on which I’ve worked, take a look at Swoop’s Case Studies page. And I’m always happy to discuss your particular goals and offer suggestions for how you might use social media (or any type of media, really!) to reach them.

Paula