The question is not whether a business should invest in developing a SMM plan; rather, it’s how do small businesses develop an effective social media strategy? According to Social Media Examiner, 49 percent of small business bankruptcy cases involve poor management of social networks. Small businesses need to be diligent in the creation and implementation of their SMM plan, because they can’t afford to fail.

You may be wondering why this list is so short. I could argue that the point of a social media marketing plan is to write down what you do and then do it, but we all know that can be easier said than done. You might find yourself taking shortcuts and making decisions that are less-than-ideal because you “just don’t have time” to do it properly. That’s why having the foundation covered with a social media marketing plan that spells out your purpose and objectives; informs you about the best times to post; tells you how much time you’ll have to maintain your profiles; and addresses both creative and analytical goals will help you stay focused on what’s most important.

Social media marketing doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, social media marketing can be simple if you use the right tools and create a solid plan of action. By following these tips, your business will have a great social media marketing system that takes less time to manage and is more effective when it comes to meeting your goals.

Start off by writing down your goals and figuring out which of these apply to your business. For example, do you want to start a blog, connect with current customers or find new leads? Once you choose the goals that matter to you go ahead and create a social media marketing plan that will tell you what your action plan is and when to go through with it. Remember that time is precious so make sure that you allocate enough time in order to cover all the relevant areas of your social media marketing campaign.

In short, when you can demonstrate a clear-cut business objective that’s supported by a sophisticated social media marketing plan, you are more likely to receive a positive response—and funding—than if you were to approach a business venture with half-baked ideas and no proven strategy.

Regardless of your social media presence, whether you have the time to handle all aspects of content creation and management or are looking for a way to increase the reach and effectiveness of your social media marketing, I hope that you find something in this guide that helps you take your business to the next level.