6 Steps To a Social Media Plan of Action

The first step for creating a strategy is not to fall into the "Analysis Paralysis" mode. All of the information and platforms, support applications, mobile phone interfaces can make anyones head spin like Linda Blair in the "Exorcist."
Keep it simple and be clear about why you are using Social Media, in other words, what are your goals? Determine goals and manage your own expectations, right from the begininning!
Typical goals: build relationship, SEO, grow targeted following, own the story online.

Second step is to decide early on who you are trying to reach. Your format should define your target audience. Understand how and when your target audience uses Social Media(gender, age, geography) and be THERE when they are THERE. What’s your purpose? Awareness, Entertain, Sales, Branding, Loyalty, Call-to-Action? Ask does your audience know about you today?
If you have a solid strategy for who you are trying to reach it will translate across all platforms!

The third step, give your digital/online looks a proper "Feng Shui" meaning if you are driving traffic to a website make sure it’s in good aesthetic shape, change your background on platforms that will let you like Twitter, Youtube, Myspace, hire someone to do a custom Facebook Page, most stations have Fan Pages with empty tabs, no photos, no videos, no notes....no bueno!

Fourth step just like your Stationality (Station’s Personality) your Socialality should reflect you or your brands unique attributes including behavioral, temperamental, emotional and mental that give you character! Are you Sassy, Entertaining, Educational, Motivational?
Content is King! Without the value to the audience, you will get the inevitable "so what?“
This seems to vary by market/geographic location, but remember the second step "who am I trying to reach" and think about what you should talk about that will be interesting to THEM.

Step five Learn to Speak WITH your audience not AT them, you work in Broadcasting but Social Media is all about Communicating and user generated content. Forget ‘What am I doing?’ and ask your followers ‘what are they doing?’
This is why I have over 66,000 Followers on Twitter. I am constantly engaging them and asking about them, because I care and they know it. If you are not having success on Social Media it might be in direct proportion to the kind of person you are in real life and no one can help you with that except maybe a good therapist or an old fashioned butt whooping, just saying.

The sixth step to a Social Media Plan of action, is promotion. Tell listeners about your Social Media platform involvement on air and on line. Cross Promote Social Media involvement on website to platforms with widgets, like buttons, etc. Please remember that whoever you designate to Tweet, Post or Blog for your brand, represents your brand. This is not the job for the promotions part time intern anymore.
Add Social Media Platforms Participation links to business cards, letterhead, vehicle wrap, other Broadcast and Print Media. Consistently talk about it when you are out in public.
You can even add a Social Media Applications to your cell phone. Maybe Run Social Media-only promotional offers and place a deadline. Don't forget to invite followers to your events AND include links where they can register!

The ROI on Social Media participation is: you might be around in 5 years.

Get comfortable with it or you might need to find another vocation.