Whether you want to grow your audience on Facebook, increase your followers on Instagram or improve engagement on Twitter, answering these five SMART questions will give you a better chance at reaching your goal:
1. Is this goal Specific?
Your goal should be specific in defining the type of growth you expect to see from your social media efforts. Instead of setting a goal for “massive growth across all social media channels,” set a more specific goal such as “Increase Facebook engagement.”
2.Is this goal Measurable?
Measurement is key in setting a goal. In social media’s case, measuring your goal by numbers is ideal. Track the increase of followers, likes and comments and as you do, you’ll see that results will follow (for example, “Increase Facebook engagement growth by 5%”).
3.Is this goal Achievable?
This is the pivotal question. Be realistic as you consider this question – using social media as a tool for growth at your radio station or organization takes time, people and sometimes money. Are you in a position to dedicate those resources to that goal?
4.Is this goal Realistic?
Evaluating the relevance of your goal is crucial to keeping your social media goals on track, prioritized and heading in the direction you’re trying to go. It’s easy to get distracted by other seemingly “important” goals such as getting a specific account to follow you back or retweet you. Keep your goal relevant to the larger game plan.
5. Is this goal Timely?
Deadlines are your friend when it comes to experiencing the satisfaction of reaching your goal. When setting your goal, be sure to give thought to how much time you believe your goals needs in order to be met – for example, Facebook engagement growth by 5% in six months.
While there isn’t a magic wand to ensure that your goals will be met, preparing by asking yourself these five “SMART” questions is a great way to set yourself up for success!
