Week 1: A Conversation with Clint Schaff by Alexandra Blalock

By UCLA X469.21 Student Alexandra Blalock

1. Start with your audience

Platforms change, but your audience should not. 

Take TikTok for example. A platform that boasts 850 million monthly active users was on the precipitous of demise this summer due to privacy concerns. You never know how an app can change, or how a new algorithm can completely alter your plans.

In the words of Heidi Klum, “one day you’re in, the next day you’re out.”

2. Identify your consumer

Make the process of identifying your audience easier by creating archetypes. Give them an identity, otherwise known as a “persona.” This is who you’re trying to reach.

Use personas to develop a deep understanding of your target audience. Such understanding will enable you to position your brand to create the most engaging content for that audience.

For instance, if one of your target audiences has the persona of a millennial Mom named “Erin,” you’d want to serve content that helps her with the journey through motherhood. Content that wouldn’t stick? A story on hubcaps. But who knows — maybe millennial moms love cars. Your research should answer such questions and help make sure you’re getting the deepest understanding of your target consumer.

3. Create a playbook

Create a playbook to make sure everyone on your team is aligned on the overall approach to social media – from strategy to messaging and tactics. The playbook can keep everyone in sync – from the high-level strategist to the social media manager who uploads content. 

Whoever is implementing the social media strategy should turn to the playbook for guidance on the brand’s tone, voice and attributes. 

The playbook should also describe what kind of content to post, and where to post it. A playbook can get as granular as having a strategy on how to respond to Instagram DMs. The less guess work, the better to maintain a clear, cohesive voice across all platforms.