Week 2: Social Media Strategy, Planning, and Publishing
Social Media Strategy, Planning, and Publishing INTRODUCTION
Google’s Digital Marketing and E-commerce Professional Certificate via Coursera assists learners through an in-depth training module for facilitating the design and launch of successful social media marketing campaigns. The program will teach learners how to set specific goals, generate strategies, and schedule influential campaigns for publishing on any platform. This course will include a deeper understanding of how social media marketing really acts within the overall business marketing objective, followed by techniques to identify target audiences, and approaches to building hitherto strong online brand identity.
Paid, owned, earned, and organic altitudes with respect to social media marketing tactics will show how to take maximum advantage of every type. You will also learn how to optimize engagement by determining what time of day and what frequency will produce the best publication effect.
Learning Outcomes
- Defining goals for a social media campaign.
- Effectively identify target audiences on social media.
- Choose platforms that are most suitable for a social media campaign.
- Content types and how they are represented on different platforms.
- Create a brand identity for the brand on a social platform.
- Optimize content output by timing and frequency of postings.
- Streamline workflow with social media management tools.
- Make a social media calendar to plan and organize campaigns.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGIES
1. What content does common social media buckets include? Select all that apply.
- Educational (Correct)
- Promotional (Correct)
- Sensational
- Rational
- Inspirational (Correct)
Correct: There are entertaining, educational, inspirational, conversational, and promotional types in categories of social media content buckets.
2. Which of the following are examples of entertaining social media content? Select all that apply.
- Jokes (Correct)
- Memes (Correct)
- Giveaways (Correct)
- Case studies
Correct: Viral videos, jokes, comics, giveaways, and memes are just some types of social media content entertaining a user.
3. Why is educational social media content important for a company’s brand?
- It can make a company’s brand seem more authentic and reinforce their message, values, and vision.
- It can give social media users an immediate impression of a company’s brand.
- It can build trust in the company’s brand and position it as an industry leader with information and wisdom to share. (Correct)
- It can give audiences a chance to ask questions, comment, and react immediately to what they are experiencing.
Correct: Social media kind of education is integral to the brand of a company because it creates trust in the minds of people and positions the brand as an industry leader through sharing valuable knowledge and insights.
4. How can a company create inspirational social media content?
- Offer coupons, discounts, or free gifts for sign-ups that can boost sales and encourage people to buy things they may not have purchased before.
- Provide video trainings, infographics, industry research, case studies, FAQs, and tips.
- Begin conversations with the target audience by suggesting a topic or viewpoint, then inviting the audience to join the dialogue.
- Build case studies, find testimonials and quotes, share amazing facts and trivia, and tell personal stories. (Correct)
Correct: Creating inspirational content may include case studies by the company, providing testimonials and quotes, sharing interesting facts or trivia, or telling really interesting stories of personal experience.
5. Which type of social media content encourages a company’s audience to engage with them?
- Inspirational
- Educational
- Conversational (Correct)
- Promotional
Correct: Something like conversational content always prepares a company;s audience to engage with them, while educational content develops trust in the brand and positions it as an industry leader with prized knowledge and insights.
6. Which of the following are examples of promotional social media content? Select all that apply.
- Discounts (Correct)
- Infographics
- Coupons (Correct)
- Polls
Correct: Shop innovations usually include coupons, discounts, and free gifts to ensure that one can find sales-boosting promotional offer or sign-up for anything because it makes a customer buy things that they normally do not buy at all.
7. What does it mean for a SMART goal to be measurable?
- When someone can determine objectively that it has been met (Correct)
- When someone can hold another person accountable for it
- When someone can be physically measured
- When someone can know exactly what they want to achieve
Correct: A target is measurable when one can assess, objectively, if it has been achieved.
8. Which of the following describes a company’s social media target audience?
- The specific group of people a company’s competitors want to reach on social media platforms
- The specific group of people who are most likely to be interested in the content, products, and services of competitors
- The specific group of people a company wants to reach on social media platforms (Correct)
- Tracking social media platforms for mentions and conversations about a brand to target what audiences like and don’t like
Correct: Social media target audience is the specific group of people a company wants to reach on social media platforms.
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: PLAN AND PUBLISH CONTENT
1. How often should a digital marketer post when using platforms with chronological feeds?
- Every hour
- Multiple times a day (Correct)
- Once a day
- Three times a week
Correct: Yeah, it’s true! Frequent posting each day through chronological feeds is likely to increase a digital marketer’s chances to reach different time zones. By posting at varying times, the digital marketer ensures reach for those posts to be visible at periods during which audiences are active.
2. Fill in the blank: For _____ platforms, it is better to publish quality content less frequently. Too many posts can result in a drop in engagement.
- user-driven
- chronological
- algorithm-based (Correct)
- seasonal
Correct: For algorithm-based platforms, it is better to publish quality content less frequently. Too many posts can result in a drop in engagement.
3.1. What are the benefits of using a social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- They can organize content in a centralized location (Correct)
- They are able to schedule posts in advance (Correct)
- They are able to edit livestreaming videos
- They can have stakeholders review or approve posts (Correct)
Correct: Totally! A social media calendar works miracles for digital marketers because of its benefits. Creating post calendar allows saving time for ready-to-publish content rather than constant hand-on-writing every time a post needs to be done. If creating post calendars can imprive people’s writing, it ensures that they post regularly, which is very important in audience engagement and retention.
3.2. What are the benefits of using a social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- Schedule posts in advance (Correct)
- Allow stakeholders to review or approve posts (Correct)
- Organize content in a centralized location (Correct)
- Generate engagement posts automatically
Correct: Indeed! For digital marketers, social media calendars become the finest tool to organize work. One can schedule the posts in advance, thus saving time and creating the last-minute chaos. It helps them maintain a consistent posting schedule, which is very important for audience engagement and brand presence.
4. What are the elements of a social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- The cost of each post
- The date and time the post will go live (Correct)
- The links to any assets (Correct)
- The topic of the post (Correct)
Correct: A social media calendar often comprises the date and time when the post will be scheduled, the topic of the post itself as well as links to related assets.
5. What steps does a digital marketer need to take to develop their social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- Identify platforms (Correct)
- Create an influencer budget
- Decide on data to track (Correct)
- Review current content (Correct)
Correct: In creating a social media calendar, firstly a digital marketer needs to define the social media platforms she wants to use before the digital marketer assesses her own content to identify post types that generate high engagement. Thirdly, he will have to analyze some data to be entered into the social media content calendar for tracking purposes.
6. What do social media algorithms do?
- Sort posts based on interest
- Sort posts based on relevancy (Correct)
- Display the latest published content first
- Display the oldest published content first
Correct: Postings in the user’s feed are not organized in a chronological manner, rather social media algorithms arrange posts based on user’s preferences or relevance.
7. What is the purpose of inspirational content?
- To appeal to people who are on the platform to enjoy themselves
- To make a brand seem more authentic and reinforce the brand’s message, values, and vision (Correct)
- To build trust in a brand and position a brand as an industry leader with information and wisdom to share
- To encourage an audience to engage with a brand
Correct: Absolutely true! Inspirational content intends to evoke emotional appeal among audiences by contiguity so the brand takes on values like hope, perseverance, and positivity. Such content eventually builds trust and authenticity towards the brand and further humanizes the brand while aligning it to the people. Moreover, this type of content continuously reinforces the message, vision, and purpose of the brand making it more relatable and meaningful to strengthen consumer relationships.
FROM LIKES TO LEADS: INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS ONLINE WEEKLY CHALLENGE 2
1. Increasing web traffic and gaining customer insights are examples of what kind of goals?
- Virtual marketing goals
- Social media marketing goals (Correct)
- Customer awareness marketing goals
- E-commerce marketing goals
Correct: Correct
2. How can a company identify their target audience? Select all that apply.
- Predict the income range of customers who will shop online
- Compile information about their current customers and followers (Correct)
- Research what social media platforms their target audience uses (Correct)
- Assess how people engage with their brand (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
3. When trying to determine the right social media platform, why should a company think about their goals?
- Every business goal can be reached with social media, so the company should invest in a platform that matches what they are trying to achieve.
- A company should set different, individualized goals for every social media platform.
- Various platforms have targeted, hidden fees, so a company should examine their budget goals to choose the most cost-effective option.
- Different social media platforms offer different advantages, so a company should choose the one that is
- better equipped to help them achieve their goals. (Correct)
4. Fill in the blank: _____ appeals to people who are on a social media platform to enjoy themselves, and it can help an audience relate to a company’s content and their brand.
- Conversational content
- Educational content
- Entertaining content (Correct)
- Inspirational content
Correct: Correct
5. Which of the following are examples of educational content? Select all that apply.
- How-to posts (Correct)
- Industry research (Correct)
- Viral videos
- Case studies (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
6. Which of the following are examples of conversational content? Select all that apply.
- Memes
- FAQs
- Advice (Correct)
- Polls (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
7. Consider the following scenario: A digital marketer records a product demonstration to showcase the company’s newest arrival. If they post this recording to one of the company’s social media platforms, what content format are they using?
- Video (Correct)
- GIF
- Image
- Link
Correct: Correct
8. For algorithm-based platforms, why is it better to publish quality content less frequently?
- Fewer posts are easier to develop
- Singular posts always stand out to users
- Too few posts create demand and user interest
- Too many posts can cause a drop in engagement (Correct)
9. How can a social media calendar help a digital marketer avoid making major mistakes in their posts?
- It enables a digital marketer to predict user reactions and comments ahead of time, and deletes any posts that might receive a negative response.
- It provides a digital marketer with the ability to collaborate with an editor to review grammar, punctuation, and syntax mistakes before publishing.
- It allows a digital marketer to remove any unfavorable posts at any point, and replaces them with ones that trend positively with users.
- It allows a digital marketer to check for spelling errors and typos, fact check, and ensures that all of their links and images are correct in advance. (Correct)
10. Fill in the blank: When a digital marketer is ready to develop a social media calendar, they first need to identify the _____ they want to post on.
- social media platforms (Correct)
- customer reviews
- influencer blogs
- competition’s websites
Correct: Correct
11. What is a company trying to identify when they ask these questions: What problems are customers struggling with? What issues do customers have that our products or services could help solve?
- Their customer’s interests
- Their potential customers’ social media preferences
- Their audience’s traffic to their website
- Their target audience’s needs (Correct)
Correct: Correct
12. Fill in the blank: A digital marketer should also consider their _____ when choosing social media platforms because brand identity and business type should factor into the decision.
- sales
- budget
- company
- competition (incorrect)
Correct: Correct
13. Which are common social media content buckets? Select all that apply.
- Societal
- Inspirational (Correct)
- Educational (Correct)
- Promotional (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
14. Fill in the blank: _____ makes a company’s brand seem more authentic and reinforces their brand’s message, values, and vision.
- Educational content
- Conversational content
- Promotional content
- Inspirational content (Correct)
15. Which of the following are examples of promotional content? Select all that apply.
- Coupons (Correct)
- Video trainings
- Free gifts for sign-ups (Correct)
- Discounts (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
16. What are the benefits of using a social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- Schedule posts in advance (Correct)
- Allow stakeholders to review or approve posts (Correct)
- Organize content in a centralized location (Correct)
- Generate engagement posts automatically
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
17. What steps does a digital marketer need to take to develop a social media calendar? Select all that apply.
- Review former platforms and expired user metrics
- Decide on data to track (Correct)
- Establish a workflow and review process (Correct)
- Make a content library (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
18. Fill in the blank: To help a company choose the right social media platform, they need to start by understanding _____.
- costs associated with each platform
- the variety of advertisements on each platform
- how different platforms work
- the diversity of the users (incorrect)
19. Which of the following are examples of entertaining content? Select all that apply.
- Rewards
- Infographics
- Comics (Correct)
- Contests (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
20. Which are examples of content formats for social media? Select all that apply.
- Discount codes
- Written posts (Correct)
- Polls (Correct)
- Links (Correct)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
21. Fill in the blank: For platforms with _____, posting multiple times a day gives a digital marketer the opportunity to reach their target audience in different time zones and at various points throughout their day.
- linear feeds
- chronological feeds (Correct)
- intermittent feeds
- asynchronous feeds
Correct: Correct
22. Which tool can help digital marketers manage and organize their social media publishing schedule?
- An editable document
- A social media calendar (Correct)
- A reviewable feed of all posts
- A shared media log
Correct: Correct
23. Why is setting goals for a social media marketing campaign important? Select all that apply.
- Measures a company’s success (Correct)
- Holds a company accountable (Correct)
- Determines a company’s best digital marketers
- Guides a company’s budget (Correct)
24. What type of content can build trust in a company’s brand and position them as an industry leader with information and wisdom to share?
- Conversational content
- Promotional content
- Inspirational content
- Educational content (Correct)
Correct: Correct
25. What types of information should a company compile in order to identify their target audience? Select all that apply.
- Marital status
- Language (CORRECT)
- Location (CORRECT)
- Age (CORRECT)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
26. Fill in the blank: To help a company choose the right social media platform, they need to start by understanding _____.
- the variety of advertisements on each platform
- the diversity of the users
- costs associated with each platform
- how different platforms work (CORRECT)
Correct: Correct
27. Fill in the blank: _____ talks about a company’s products and services with the intent of marketing them to current customers and drawing in new followers.
- Conversational content
- Educational content
- Promotional content (CORRECT)
- Entertaining content
Correct: Correct
28. What does a digital marketer need to consider when determining the best time to publish content? Select all that apply.
- When it best aligns with working business hours
- When their most exclusive users are on the platform
- When their target audience is active online (CORRECT)
- When they have their best performing posts (CORRECT)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
29. Each entry in a social media calendar contains which elements? Select all that apply.
- Priority
- Time (CORRECT)
- Topic (CORRECT)
- Date (CORRECT)
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
Correct: Correct
30. How can a social media calendar help a digital marketer avoid making major mistakes in their posts?
- It enables a digital marketer to predict user reactions and comments ahead of time, and deletes any posts that might receive a negative response.
- It provides a digital marketer with the ability to collaborate with an editor to review grammar, punctuation, and syntax mistakes before publishing.
- It allows a digital marketer to check for spelling errors and typos, fact check, and ensures that all of their links and images are correct in advance. (CORRECT)
- It allows a digital marketer to remove any unfavorable posts at any point, and replaces them with ones that trend positively with users.
Correct: Correct
31. A brand wants to increase its website traffic and gain customer insights. What kind of goals are these?
- Virtual marketing goals
- Print marketing goals
- Social media marketing goals (CORRECT)
- E-commerce marketing goals
32. Fill in the blank: When choosing social media platforms, a digital marketer should consider their _____ because brand identity and business type should factor into the decision.
- budget
- prices
- sales
- company (CORRECT)
33. Which are common social media content buckets? Select all that apply.
- Societal
- Educational (CORRECT)
- Inspirational (CORRECT)
- Promotional (CORRECT)
34. Marketer shares weekly articles on social media to provide the audience with information about a specific product. What content format are they using?
- Stories
- Polls
- Written posts (CORRECT)
- Videos
35. Posting multiple times a day on a chronological feed enables you to do what?
- Reach your target audience in the same time zone at the same point throughout their day
- Reach your target audience in different time zones and at various points throughout their day (CORRECT)
- Sort posts in a user’s feed based on relevancy rather than the order in which they published
- Reach specific audiences with only your best-performing posts at the same time every day
36. What tool enables marketers to schedule posts in advance and maintain a consistent posting schedule?
- A social media calendar (CORRECT)
- A shared media log
- A reviewable feed of all posts
- An editable document
37. Increasing community engagement is a common example of what type of goal?
- Business goal
- Employee goal (CORRECT)
- Social media marketing goal
- Traditional marketing goal
38. A marketer compiles information about current followers and assesses how people engage with a brand. What does this information enable them to do?
- Determine a customer’s location
- Identify the target audience (CORRECT)
- Practice social listening
- Predict a customer’s income
39. Which factors should a marketer consider when selecting social media platforms? Select all that apply.
- The time of year
- The target audience (CORRECT)
- How different platforms work (CORRECT)
- Overall business goals (CORRECT)
40. A marketer posts amusing and interesting memes that help audiences relate to a brand. What type of content is this?
- Entertaining content (CORRECT)
- Conversational content
- Promotional content
- Inspirational content
41. What does promotional content enable marketers to do?
- Highlight products and services with the intent of marketing them to current and new customers (CORRECT)
- Begin conversations with audiences by suggesting a topic or viewpoint, then inviting them to join
- Build trust in a brand and position it as an industry leader with information and wisdom
- Appeal to people who are on a platform to enjoy themselves by helping them relate to the content and company
42. Which of the following are examples of content formats for social media? Select all that apply.
- Free gifts
- Stories (CORRECT)
- Images (CORRECT)
- Gifs (CORRECT)
43. A digital marketer identifies when a target audience is active online and what time zone they are in. What does this information enable them to do?
- Create high-quality content for the audience
- Find the best times to post on social media (CORRECT)
- Increase sales of a specific product
- Create tailored content for the audience
44. What does a social media calendar enable digital marketers to do?
- Manage and organize their social media publishing schedule (CORRECT)
- Assign tasks to different members of the team
- Create the same social media posts as their competitors
- Identify where their audience spends the most time online
45. Fill in the blank: Reviewing posts in a social media calendar ahead of time allows you to copy-edit, check for spelling errors and typos, fact-check, and ensure that all of the _____ are correct.
- headlines and descriptions
- links and images (CORRECT)
- videos and hashtags
- names and places
46. A marketer helps a business build brand awareness and manages brand reputation. What type of goals are these?
- Social media marketing goals (CORRECT)
- E-commerce marketing goals
- Print marketing goals
- Virtual marketing goals
47. What questions help to identify a target audience’s needs? Select all that apply.
- How often do customers shop online?
- What do customers do in their free time? (CORRECT)
- What issues do customers have that our products or services could help solve? (CORRECT)
- What problems are customers struggling with? (CORRECT)
48. Why should a marketer consider their competitors when choosing a social media platform?
- Their performance on specific channels indicates how other businesses might perform. (CORRECT)
- It helps them identify the product and services, brand identity, and business type.
- It helps them identify and align with the overall goals of the business.
- Their goals may align with some platforms more than others.
49. A marketer suggests topics or viewpoints, then invites the audience to join the discussion on social media. What type of content is this?
- Conversational content (CORRECT)
- Promotional content
- Entertaining content
- Educational content
50. A marketer shares weekly articles on social media to provide the audience with information about a specific product. What content format are they using?
- Polls
- Stories
- Videos
- Written posts (CORRECT)
51. A marketer compiles the age, location, and language of current customers. What does this information enable them to do
- Select the marketing funnel
- Target competitors’ audiences
- Create a SMART goal
- Identify the target audience (CORRECT)
52. Why should a marketer consider how different platforms work when choosing a social media platform?
- It helps them understand how to communicate on the platform (CORRECT)
- It helps them identify the product and services, and business type
- It helps them identify and align with the business goals
- It helps them increase brand authority on social media
53. Fill in the blank: _____ makes a company’s brand seem more authentic and reinforces their brand’s message, values, and vision.
- Promotional content
- Inspirational content (CORRECT)
- Conversational content
- Educational content
54. Why would a marketer post still images rather than videos on social media? Select all that apply.
- They are more engaging.
- They help to start a conversation.
- They can be absorbed instantly. (CORRECT)
- They give an immediate impression of a brand. (CORRECT)
55. For algorithm-based platforms, why is it better to publish quality content less frequently?
- Too many posts can cause a drop in engagement. (CORRECT)
- Too few posts create demand and user interest.
- Singular posts always stand out to users.
- Fewer posts are easier to develop.
56. A digital marketer decides which data to track and establishes a workflow and review process. What does this process refer to?
- Reviewing expired user metrics
- Developing a social media calendar (CORRECT)
- Developing social media assets
- Reviewing former platforms
Social Media Strategy, Planning, and Publishing cONCLUSION
It sounds like this course offers a comprehensive dive into social media marketing, covering everything from strategic planning to execution. By the end, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to craft effective campaigns aligned with your business goals, as well as how to build and strengthen your brand identity on social platforms.
The course also seems to focus on key concepts such as paid, owned, earned, and organic content, and how these elements work together in a successful social media strategy. Timing posts for maximum impact is another important skill you’ll learn, helping you optimize your reach and engagement.