As I was drafting a social media strategy for a client company earlier this week it made me reflect on my personal social media strategy, which I have never formally written down but I suspected existed in my head and I had probably implemented to some degree subconsciously. So I decided to explore this in a little more detail. What networks was I using and why? Had I implemented the recommendations I had just set out for my client? For example, was I clear on my objectives for each network? How different is a social media strategy for a private individual as opposed to a company, and should we all have a personal strategy?
Let’s start with my personal interests. One of my biggest hobbies is photography. Being self taught (some might call it ignorant) I spent a number of years trying to get to grips with my camera, understanding what makes an image appealing, visiting galleries, developing a personal style, but more importantly, finding a forum where I could share my efforts and have an interesting dialogue with likeminded people.
I experimented with the social networks available at the time but failed to find the kind of engagement I had hoped they would provide. In November 2010, I discovered Instagram, a new online photo-sharing social network in the shape of a very easy to use app on my iPhone. Immediately it was clear that this was a network where people with the same passion as mine could share images instantly and easily and have a meaningful dialogue. After a while I put my DSLR to one side and started to document the world around me with my iPhone, actively posting my discoveries as I made them and learning so much from those who shared theirs. A very strong online community started to emerge, spilling over into the real world.
As Instagram grew in popularity it was sold to FaceBook and made available to Android users. At this stage, sadly, that community feeling started to disappear. In its place, however, a commercial vibe started to emerge and rather than walking away to smaller networks, as many early users did, I decided to embrace it. Several business ventures later, I had travelled halfway around the world to meet photographers, take pictures, hold photography and social media talks and workshops, promote brands and places, exhibit photographs and so much more.
My original objectives with this network had simply been to share my hobby and to meet likeminded people. Insert a big tick here. As the network changed shape and purpose, however, so did my objectives. I now hoped to take advantage of the new opportunities this channel provided to help me turn my hobby into more of a business. My interactions changed in line with this too. I started to think more about when I posted, having discovered that a large percentage of my followers were based in the US. I started to more actively network with influential users. If a post was not so popular (i.e. got less than a certain number of ‘likes’ or comments), I removed it, fine-tuning my content. I also tried to maintain active engagement with the Instagram communities, setting aside time for this every day.
I doubt I would have achieved this outcome without some form of strategy, whether formally written down or simply in my head. I didn’t call it ‘content planning’, ‘response strategy’, ‘reputation management’, ‘analytics’ or set formal KPI’s, but I covered them nonetheless. The fact I gave my strategy consideration and executed it in line with my objectives is what mattered. So does it make sense to develop a personal social media strategy? I certainly think so! In fact, I am just about to write one for my Linked-In profile...
Fellow Instagramers capturing their world
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