What is a Social Media Coordinator - And Why You Need One

What is a Social Media Coordinator? 

The Social Media Coordinator is the glue in your online marketing strategy. The Social Media coordinator shares the strategy and protocols with each of the departmental Social Media coordinators.  They create the annual Social Media schedule. They also train the departmental Social Media coordinators as needed to manage their department’s schedule and contributors.

Image Source:
http://blog.aftercollege.com/2013/everything-you-need-know-social-media-manager/

Possible Roles for The Social Media Coordinator 

·       Assigns and controls passwords to all of the organization’s Social Media platforms.
·       Accountable for monthly measurement reports showing the organization’s and Leader’s social reach and influence and impact on their goals.
·       Give advice, based on the measures, on how to improve next month’s results.
·       Coordinates the social calendar.
·       Is a member of the Communication’s department or acts as the bridge between the traditional communications and social communications.
·       Aligns the social calendar with the overall organization’s communication’s calendar.
·       Works closely with the IT department ensuring the proper access, security, and privacy settings are in place for those who need it.
·       Continuously improves and grows followers.
·       Identifies & engages distribution giants.
·       Does all the posting or trains and monitors others on how to post properly.
·       Engages in ongoing online marketing training.

Why is a Social Media Coordinator Important in Your Organization?

The Social Media Coordinator is important in an organization as they are responsible for ensuring that the online marketing strategy is being executed as planned. This entails making sure all content is appropriate, and all content contributors are posting relevant, useful content that is aligned with the companies online marketing goals. The social media coordinator is necessary to ensure that the social media strategy is implemented effectively. 

9 Steps to Your Social Strategy

9 Steps to Your Social Strategy

Social Media is no longer just nice to have, but it is evolving into a powerful and essential tool for businesses and communities to use to grow. Social Media has shifted how we communicate with staff, clients, community, and suppliers. Moreover, Social Media has truly seeded a culture of social business or social community. That is why it is important to leverage the power of the internet to reach your goals.

Where do you start when looking to build your Social Strategy, and how will we execute it? First we need to select what Social Media platforms we are going to use, you want to choose the one that will suit your goals the best, you can use as many platforms as necessary, and you do not have to use all forms of social media.

Here are the 9 key steps you need to follow when creating your

community or organizational social strategy.

1.   Why do you want online followers? State your purpose.

2.   Which Keywords or Hashtags will lace your posts?

3.   Who is your target audience? 

4.   What social platforms will you use?

5.   How will you measure success?    

6.   List your possible material creators? (Clients, Staff, Suppliers, Industry Experts, Media)    

7.   Who will be accountable for measuring and coordinating efforts?

8.   List your Influencers’ possibilities – those giants with a large number of social followers who will retweet or share your posts.

9.   Create your schedule – how often can your organization post? Twice a day, three times a week?

The 9 Steps to Your Social Strategy

Step one to five are your strategy steps.  At least annually, you should be starting back at step 1 to review your purpose, keywords, target audience, platforms and measures. 

Steps five to nine should be repeated monthly as your implementation guide.

Creating your Social Strategy in 9 Steps

Social Media is no longer a nice to have nor is it something you do on the sidelines.  Social Media has shifted how we communicate with staff, clients, community, and suppliers.  Social Media has indeed seeded a culture of Social Business or Social Community; where everyone in an organization or a community now has a role in contributing to its success.  Hence you need a Social Strategy & Policy to guide everyone involved.

In the following diagram, the top right is a Social Organization.

Not saying that ALL your employees or constituents should become spokespeople, but, they can be to some degree, if they know their role.  For example, supplier “mentioning” their client’s Twitter handles when appropriate, hence strengthening both their credibility and followers. Imagine taking a photo of your product and client and then attaching it to a Tweet which reads,  “Check out our the Smoked Blue Hayes  that @______ will be featuring in this week's Cheese Desire Platter - out of this world!”  Thecheese shop supporting their client, a local restaurant, each havingcomplimentary clients and followers.  Humans love seeing what’sinvolved in the preparation of an event, food, product, or brand.  Staff can share in the moment of the excitement if they knew what was appropriate.  A fashion retailer, choosing which cloths will be a part of their spring selection, taking photos and uploading them to your Facebook or Pinterest accounts.
In a Social Community, everyone needs to know what their Company’s or Community’s strategy is, in order to feel a part of the plan, participate, and keep the momentum building.
community’s or organization’s Social Strategy.

Answer these 9 questions to form your Social Strategy. 

1. Why do you want online followers?
2. Who do you want following you? Why will they want to follow you?
3. Which Social platforms will you use?
4. How will you measure Success?
5. Which Keywords and Social Media Platform URLs or Handles do you want everyone using in your Posts?
6. List your possible material creators for Posts? (Clients, Staff, Suppliers, Industry Experts, Media)
7. Who will be accountable for measuring and coordinating efforts?
8. List Ambassador possibilities – those with a large number of Social followers who will Retweet or share your Posts.
9. Create your schedule – how often can your organization Post, twice a day, three times a week?

This post is the first of a 10 post series on Social Strategy, stay tuned!