Unlocking Social Media Potential

Social media has become an indispensable part of every organization's marketing strategy, regardless of industry or size. This is where Sidera Solutions' Social Media Management Maturity Model can be invaluable. Developed through interviews with 15 internal experts boasting over 60 years of combined experience in social media management, this framework enables organizations to assess their maturity level against a set of attributes and behaviors, providing a roadmap for optimizing their social media function.

How to utilize this guide:

Designed as a tool for social media leaders to evaluate their organization's current social media management maturity level, this guide aids in identifying and addressing operational, strategic, and governance challenges within the organization. It offers strategies to help businesses maximize their overall impact on social media.

The three stages of social media maturity:

Each stage of the model highlights specific behaviors or challenges, providing organizations with insights into where they stand on the maturity model. You may already have an idea of your organization's position by examining the graphic above. Continue reading to explore the levels of maturity across key aspects of social media management, including strategy, senior buy-in, and governance, and discover practical steps to advance your team.

Novice:

At the outset of their social media journey, organizations often lack fundamental elements such as a clear strategy, leadership investment, and efficient workflows. They may not have a dedicated owner for social media or are understaffed in this area.

Common traits of organizations at this level include:

Lack of clear strategy: Absence of a clear strategy poses a significant challenge for brands, hindering effective content creation due to the absence of a content development plan.

Underestimation of social media's value: The importance of social media is often overlooked, and its value neglected within the organization.

Inadequate processes and documentation: Lack of formal processes or documentation impedes efficiency and consistency within the organization.

How to progress from the novice stage:

Whether your organization is just establishing its social channels or already active, it's essential to start here. Begin by defining your goals, which may include increasing brand awareness, expanding social presence, engaging with specific communities, or creating a central hub for all social media initiatives. Conduct a social media audit to gain insights into existing initiatives, identify gaps, and opportunities for improvement. Develop a simple social strategy outlining objectives and plans to achieve them. Establish consistency and structure to focus on key metrics and lay a foundation for tracking ROI.

Mid-level:

In the second stage of maturity, organizations adopt a more strategic approach to social media. They have a strong vision and a solid foundation to build upon, allowing room for experimentation with different content types, workflows, and tools.

Organizations at this stage commonly display:

Strategic approach: Embracing a more strategic approach to social media efforts.

Clearly defined KPIs: Establishing ambitious targets for social media teams to aim for, enabling progress tracking and informed decision-making.

Some level of executive buy-in: Facing challenges in convincing senior leaders to invest in new team members or tools for scaling social efforts.

How to advance from the mid-level stage:

Focus on securing leadership buy-in to build operational efficiency by investing in or upgrading social media management tools. Conduct a process audit to identify areas for optimization or exploration within social media operations. Surface positive usage data to demonstrate the tool's effectiveness in enabling collaborations and achieving results. Provide senior leaders with a clear summary of initiatives and outcomes to strengthen the case for further investment.

Advanced:

At this stage, organizations are deeply committed to and possess expert-level knowledge of all aspects of social media management. They rely heavily on advanced tools and data for decision-making, prioritize brand consistency, and focus on customer experience and advocacy.

Traits of advanced organizations include:

Cohesive global strategy: Prioritizing clear communication to align objectives, goals, and strategies across the organization.

Consistent brand image: Ensuring brand consistency across all communication channels and markets.

Experimentation: Encouraging experimentation to improve outcomes and enjoy deep trust from the wider organization.

Focus on customer experience and advocacy: Prioritizing brand advocates and maintaining customer satisfaction levels.

A well-oiled machine: Operating with confidence, with internal training plans, product champions, and clear handover documents.

How to further advance:

Embed social listening into the social media strategy to inform messaging and campaigns. Build partnerships with social media management vendors to gain insights and solutions for growth.

Remember, there's no necessary connection between an organization's size and its social media maturity. Larger companies may progress slower than smaller counterparts due to the complexity of stakeholder alignment required for advancement. Keep this in mind when planning your organization's growth strategy.