A memorable social media presence is crucial for any one-person business.
But crafting a robust social media strategy can sometimes feel overwhelming and impossible.
Between managing content, engaging with your audience, and analyzing metrics, it's easy to feel like you're drowning in a sea of tasks.
Especially when you're doing it alone and have no strategy in place.
I've been there and know the struggle well.
So, I put together this practical guide to help you create a solopreneur social media strategy to attract more eyeballs to your business.
Master one social media platform first
Harsh truth: Most people trying to build their online presence are spreading themselves too thin.
They're jumping from one platform to another, trying to be everywhere at once.
Ultimately, they get nowhere and wind up completely burnt out.
Don't be them.
Instead of trying to juggle multiple social media platforms, focus on mastering one first.
By concentrating on a single platform, you can dive deep into understanding its features, algorithms, and audience preferences.
This laser-focused approach will allow you to create high-quality, tailored content that resonates with your target audience.
The result?
Faster growth and more meaningful connections.
So, before we dive into the strategy, take a step back and evaluate which platform aligns best with your:
- Business goals
- Target audience
- Personal strengths
Once you've nailed that, give it your all and watch your online presence skyrocket. Then, and only then, consider expanding to other platforms.
Remember: It's better to excel in one place than to be mediocre everywhere.
Creating a social media strategy for solopreneurs
- Identify your target audience
- Choose your primary platform
- Set clear, measurable goals
- Create a content strategy
- Develop a consistent brand voice
- Establish a distinct visual identity
- Engage with your audience
- Analyze and optimize
Step #1: Identify your target audience
Knowing your target audience is the first step to coming up with an effective social media strategy.
It's the foundation for everything else.
Before creating content or even picking a platform, get crystal clear on who you're trying to reach:
Demographics
Gather basic information about your ideal customer or follower.
- How old are they?
- Where do they live?
- Are they male or female?
- What's their income level?
- What do they do for a living?
Having these details in mind will help you create content that appeals to those most likely to be interested in your product or service.
Likes and dislikes
Dive deeper into your target audience's likes, dislikes, hobbies, and interests.
- What kind of content do they like to consume?
- Which influencers do they follow?
- What are their favorite brands?
Understanding these preferences enable you to produce content that speaks directly to their interests.
Pain points and challenges
Get inside your audience's head and identify the problems they're facing.
- What questions are they asking?
- What are their biggest obstacles?
- How can you help solve their problems?
By addressing these pain points in your content, you'll position yourself as a valuable resource and someone who truly understands customer needs.
Online behavior
Analyze how people in your niche interact online.
- Which social media platforms do they prefer?
- Do they prefer photo, video, or text content?
- When are they most active?
These answers will help you adapt your strategy to reach them more effectively.
To gather this information, you can use a combination of market research, surveys, and social media analytics tools.
One of my favorite ways to learn about my ideal customer is simply by interacting with them online and asking about their preferences and challenges.
Step #2: Choose your primary platform
As discussed earlier, focusing on one primary social media platform is the secret sauce to building a strong online presence as a solopreneur.
But how do you choose the right platform for your business?
Here are some factors I considered when making this critical decision:
Audience alignment
There's no point in investing time and effort into a platform where your ideal customers or followers are few and far between.
Do some research to find out where they spend time online. Make that platform your primary focus.
This could be Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, or LinkedIn, to name a few.
I started on LinkedIn in 2019 and found that people really resonated with my content there. After a few years of building my presence, I branched out to Twitter.
If you want to see the exact system I used to go from 2k to 400k+ followers and $4M+ in income with zero paid ads, check out The LinkedIn Operating System.
Content format
Different platforms cater to different content formats.
For example, Instagram is all about visuals.
Twitter thrives on snappy text updates.
People like to go to TikTok for short, entertaining videos.
Consider the type of content you enjoy creating and are good at producing. Then, pick a platform that aligns with your strengths.
Business goals
Your primary platform should also support your business objectives.
If your goal is to drive website traffic, a platform like Pinterest could be a great fit.
But if you're looking to build brand awareness, Instagram or TikTok could be the way to go.
Competitive landscape
Analyze your competition and see where they're most active.
It's important to be present where your competitors are. But also consider platforms where there's less competition and more opportunities to stand out.
This was actually one of the ways I grew so fast on LinkedIn.
I saw that people weren't doing what I was doing, so I doubled down on it.
The rest is history.
Ease of use and resources
Time and resources are precious for solopreneurs.
Choose a platform you're comfortable using and make sure it doesn't require a steep learning curve or expensive tools to manage.
This way, you'll be able to hit the ground running.
Step #3: Set clear, measurable goals
Let's be real: Without clear, measurable goals, your social media marketing efforts will be like shooting in the dark.
You might hit the target occasionally, but you'll waste heaps of time and energy along the way.
Let's talk about setting goals that will keep you focused, motivated, and on track to achieve the success you deserve.
Specific
Your goals should be well-defined and leave no room for ambiguity.
Instead of setting a vague goal like "increase engagement," go for something more concrete like "increase the average number of comments per post by 25% in 3 months."
Measurable
To track your progress and know when you've achieved your goals, they must be quantifiable.
Measure your success with metrics like:
- Likes
- Shares
- Followers
- Comments
- Email signups
- Website traffic
- Leads generated
Achievable
While it's great to aim high, setting unrealistic goals can be demoralizing and counterproductive.
Make your goals challenging yet attainable, considering your available resources and the current state of your social media presence.
Relevant
Craft your social media goals around your business objectives.
If your primary goal is generating leads, focus on social media goals that support that. This may include growing your email list or driving traffic to your website.
Time-bound
Give your goals a definitive deadline. Having that sense of urgency keeps you accountable.
Deadlines have helped me prioritize tasks, stay focused, and maintain momentum.
Step #4: Create a content strategy
Your content strategy is the blueprint for consistent, high-impact content. It keeps you organized and laser-focused on delivering value to your audience.
I suggest developing a content roadmap that outlines the:
- Types of content you'll create
- Topics you'll cover
- Posting frequency
What types of content should I create?
Consider a mix of promotional, educational, and engaging content to keep your audience interested and coming back for more.
This could include blog posts, videos, images, podcasts, or live streams.
Pick the ones that work best on your primary platform.
For me, that's text-only posts on LinkedIn. But recently, I've been seeing more people create and share videos there as well.
For more information on building a better, faster content production system, check out The Content Operating System and join over 6,000 students.
What topics should I cover?
The themes to cover in your content should match your target audience's interests and pain points and also your business offerings.
For example, if you're a fitness coach, your content themes could be:
- Workout tips
- Industry trends
- Nutrition advice
- Client testimonials
- Motivational stories
Pro tip: Aim for a good balance between promotional and non-promotional posts.
When in doubt, follow the 80/20 rule.
80% of your content should be educational or entertaining. The remaining 20% can be promotional.
With this approach, you'll build rapport with your audience and avoid coming across as overly salesy.
How often should a solopreneur post on social media?
As a general rule of thumb, I tell people to go for consistency over quantity.
It's better to put out high-quality content every time you post than to overwhelm yourself by trying to post daily.
For example, you might start with a content calendar of 3 posts per week. From there, you can adjust your schedule based on your results and capacity.
Step #5: Develop a consistent brand voice
Chances are, you've seen a post online and thought, "I knew this was written by so-and-so before I even saw their name attached to it."
This is what you should be striving for when writing social media content.
Your brand voice is more than just the words you use.
It's personality, tone, and style that infuse every piece of content you create.
A consistent brand voice not only helps you stand out from the competition but also fosters a connection with your audience.
To develop your own brand voice, ask yourself these questions:
- How do I want others to perceive me and my brand?
- Am I authoritative and professional, or casual and approachable?
- Do I want to be witty and entertaining, or serious and informative?
Think about the image you want to project, then choose 3-5 adjectives that best describe your brand personality.
Step #6: Establish a distinct visual identity
A picture is worth a thousand words. And in the world of social media, a strong visual identity can make all the difference.
Your visual identity is the collection of colors, fonts, images, and design elements that represent your brand and set you apart from the competition.
Here are some things to think about when coming up with your visual style:
Set the stage
Consider your brand's personality and the emotions you want to evoke with your visuals.
Are you going for a bold, modern look or a warm, vintage vibe?
Think about what your target market would like to see and how your visual style can connect with them more deeply.
Choose your color palette
Colors not only evoke emotions but also help reinforce your brand's personality.
Choose 2-3 primary colors and 1-2 accent colors that work with your brand. Then, use these colors consistently across all your content and marketing materials.
Select your fonts
Typography plays a significant role in communicating your brand's message.
Choose 1-2 fonts that complement your brand's personality and are easy to read. Stick to these fonts for all your content, from social media captions to blog posts.
Create branded templates
Save time and maintain consistency by making branded templates for your social media posts, blog images, and other marketing materials.
Then, use your chosen color palette, fonts, and design elements to make templates that you can easily customize for various content types and topics.
For example, if you go to the newsletter section of my website, you'll see that all the featured images have a uniform look:
This makes my brand more recognizable and memorable.
Step #7: Engage with your audience
Engagement is the name of the social media game.
It's not enough to simply post content and hope for the best.
You need to actively engage with people to build authentic relationships, foster loyalty, and create a thriving online community.
Here are some ways I make my audience feel valued and heard (and you can too):
Respond to comments and messages
Make it a priority to respond to comments and messages from your audience in a timely manner.
Whether it's answering a question, addressing a concern, or simply expressing gratitude for their support, your personal touch will go a long way in building trust.
Ask for feedback and opinions
Show your audience that you value their thoughts by actively seeking their input.
Ask questions in your social media captions, create polls, or host Q&A sessions to encourage engagement.
This is also a fantastic way to gather valuable insights that can help you improve your content and offerings.
Keep the conversation going
Don't let the engagement end with a single comment or message.
Continue the conversation by asking follow-up questions, sharing additional resources, or simply showing genuine interest in people's thoughts and experiences.
Step #8: Analyze and optimize
In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, staying ahead of the curve requires constant strategy analysis and optimization.
Every quarter, I like to reflect and study what worked well (and what didn't). From there, I'll adjust my strategy to get more wins next quarter.
Keep in mind that what works for one person may not work for you. So, don't be afraid to find your groove by testing new ideas and content formats.
By adopting an analytical and iterative mindset, you'll set yourself up for continuous growth and success on social media.
Get started with social media as a solopreneur
In summary, having a strong social media presence is essential for solopreneurs and small businesses.
The good news is:
There's no shortage of tactics to build a powerful social media strategy.
You just need to identify your goals, understand your audience, and stay committed to the process.
Want to grow your online presence and attract a loyal community?
Curate compelling content. Share it consistently across your platforms. Engage with your audience and build real connections.
Want to be a thought leader in your niche?
Establish your personal brand. Share valuable insights and experiences. Participate in relevant online community discussions and make your voice heard.
Mastering social media requires some experimentation. So, don't be afraid to test, learn, and adapt.
Need more inspiration and guidance?
You may find my courses, The Operating System and The Content Operating System, helpful.
I hope you found this helpful.
Now get out there and turn your social media presence into a money-making machine.
