Social media is often misunderstood. It’s not just a channel for engagement, it’s a powerful strategic lever. When aligned with broader business objectives, social media marketing becomes more than brand-building – it becomes a measurable driver of growth, trust, and revenue.
But too often, businesses approach social media reactively. They post sporadically, chasing vanity metrics, and treating platforms like digital billboards. To realise its full value, social media must be planned, purposeful, and most importantly, aligned with your business goals.
Here’s how to make that happen.
Why Social Media Alignment Matters
Social media is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s where buyers validate your credibility, where conversations begin, and where thought leadership can flourish. Social media plays a critical role across the entire funnel, from brand discovery to deal acceleration and customer advocacy.
Without alignment, social efforts become siloed and disconnected. With alignment, they reinforce the very objectives your company is built to achieve.
Step 1: Start with Business Goals, Not Channels
Before deciding what to post on LinkedIn or X, ask:
What are we trying to achieve as a business?
Common business goals include:
- Increasing brand awareness in a target market
- Generating qualified leads
- Reducing customer churn
- Positioning the company as an industry leader
- Driving traffic to a product launch or event
- Supporting recruitment and employer branding
Your social media strategy must be rooted in these objectives … not just “getting likes.”
Step 2: Define Social Media Objectives That Support Those Goals
Once your business goals are clear, set specific social objectives that ladder up.
Examples:
Business Goal: Expand into a new vertical
Aligned Social Media Objective: Build LinkedIn audience in that industry by 25% in 6 months
Business Goal: Increase lead generation
Aligned Social Media Objective: Drive 300 monthly visits to gated content via targeted posts
Business Goal: Recruit top-tier talent
Aligned Social Media Objective: Increase employer brand mentions and Glassdoor traffic via culture-focused content
Business Goal: Launch a new product
Aligned Social Media Objective: Generate 500 demo sign-ups through social ads and awareness campaigns
Make sure your objectives follow the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Step 3: Choose the Right Platforms Based on Audience
Not every platform is right for every business. Choose based on where your audience is active and receptive to business-oriented messaging:
- LinkedIn: Ideal for thought leadership, lead generation, and industry-specific discussions.
- Twitter/X: Useful for real-time engagement, industry news, and connecting with influencers.
- YouTube: Great for product explainers, demos, webinars, and building a knowledge base.
- Instagram/Facebook: More relevant for employer branding, events, or consumer-facing B2B.
Tip: B2B buyers are also B2C consumers. Tone and format can shift between platforms without diluting your brand identity.
Step 4: Create Content That Connects Strategy to Audience
Each piece of social content should serve a purpose:
- Thought Leadership supports brand positioning
- Customer Testimonials reinforce trust and reduce buying friction
- Explainer Videos support product education and sales enablement
- Case Studies support conversion and credibility
- Behind-the-Scenes Content supports recruitment and humanises the brand
Step 5: Measure What Matters
Avoid vanity metrics like impressions unless they directly support your objectives. Track:
- Engagement rate per post (vs. industry benchmarks)
- Click-throughs to website/product pages
- Conversion rate from social campaigns
- Follower growth in target industries or geographies
- Direct messages or inbound inquiries from key decision-makers
Tip: Align reporting to pipeline influence, not just platform performance.
Step 6: Collaborate Across Departments
Social media shouldn’t be the marketing team’s playground alone. When aligned with business goals, it becomes a cross-functional asset.
- Sales teams can use social content in outreach
- HR can leverage employer brand posts
- Customer Success can amplify client stories and wins
- Product can gather feedback via social listening
Tip: Use shared content calendars and reporting dashboards to keep all departments informed and aligned.
What Next?
Start with the business, not the platform. Let every post and campaign ladder up to something that matters. When aligned with business goals, social becomes a high-ROI channel that supports growth, enables sales, and strengthens relationships.
If your business needs assistance with social media marketing, please reach out to us for support – info@be-everywhere.co.uk.
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