Social Media Course Reflection

This was my first and only class at Marquette dedicated solely to the social media industry. As the semester closes, I’m reminded of the endless information and practices I’ve learned through class discussions, book reports and weekly blog posts. I’ve identified some key takeaways that I’ll be sure to incorporate into my future profession, no matter what it may be.

1. Be consistent. It’s essential to maintain consistency in the voice, tone and imagery across every platform in order to establish a strong brand image. Your brand must post timely, relevant content according to the needs of each platform. Hootsuite is an excellent way to monitor all channels in one place.
2. Know your audience. Whose attention are you trying to get? Why? Where can you find them? What are their habits, thoughts, purchasing behaviors and values? How can you be helpful to them? I’ve learned that it’s way beyond demographics. Your brand should reflect parts of the target audience’s identity. If not, why would they pay attention to you?
3. Set goals. Beyond wanting to get more social media engagement, you must set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound.
4. Stand out. Don’t focus so much on being the best of the best. Focus on being different from competitors. What makes your brand unique? How can you express this? What do you stand for beyond your product or service? How can you connect with your audience in genuine ways? What will your audience gain from you?
5. Measure your efforts. Your efforts means nothing if you don’t analyze the impact of them. Measurement saves you money and provides lessons for the future. What content was most popular for your audience? How can you implement that success into next year’s strategies? What didn’t get much interaction? Can you allocate these funds to something else? Using tools like Facebook Ads Manager is incredibly helpful and important for measuring success. Data is everything!

I genuinely feel more prepared for my career after taking this course. I’m better understanding the basics of specific tools and tactics that go into social media marketing, some of which I didn’t know existed a few months ago. The lessons learned are important for any professional as social media continues to grow and be a prominent factor in any organization’s success.