How to set social media goals and actually stick to them

Don't let life get in the way of your social media success.

Anyone can start out with good intentions and set ambitious goals when it comes to your social media marketing, but without strong commitment and regular check-ins on where you’re at, it’s easy to lose steam in a matter of weeks. To grow your business, being consistent on social media is crucial. Yet, without a clear plan, these efforts can just as easily fizzle out. Here’s how to set goals that don’t just sound good in theory, but actually drive results.

Clarity

A vague target of ‘posting more’ or ‘growing engagement’ won’t get your business very far. Goals need to be specific, measureable, tied to a clear purpose, and have a timeline. Ask yourself:

• What are my business goals?

• What are my general marketing goals?

• How does social media activity benefit those?

• Do I want to build a loyal community?

• Do I want to increase engagement and traffic on posts and websites?

• Do I want to generate more sales?

Once you define the ‘why’ of being active on social, the ‘how’ becomes much easier.

Breaking it down

Big ambitious goals are good for long term timelines, but they can also become overwhelming. Breaking these down into smaller targets and metrics can make your progress a lot more manageable.

Using a framework like SMART targets you can create quantifiable steps for your marketing efforts. SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) provide clear direction by setting precise goals that are easier to track and evaluate. These targets ensure that marketing efforts are focused on outcomes that align with overall business objectives and can be realistically achieved within a set timeframe. By using SMART targets, you can measure success more effectively, adjust strategies when necessary, and improve ROI on your campaigns.

Ultimately, the key to staying consistent is breaking goals into smaller, achievable steps. We’d also recommend starting small in the first place if you’re just setting out on a new channel or project. Don’t commit to posting everyday, start with:

• One or two well-researched posts per week

• One community-driven engagement such as a poll or Q&A

• A month content plan or review to assess performance and track post progress

Building systems for posting

One of the keys to success in social strategy is consistency. Whether that’s in having a consistent brand that people recognise and expect, or in being consistently present on a topic or channel that people know you for. Behind the scenes that means you need to be using the right internal systems consistently too. So the most effective way to stick to your goals is to create systems that make consistency inevitable.

This might mean:

• Scheduling content in advance

• Blocking out specific time each week to planning

• Using templates to streamline content creation

This makes it slightly easier, and the easier you make it, the more likely you are to keep going.

Allow flexibility when tracking progress

Success isn’t solely about setting goals and sticking to them, often you’ll have to adapt. As last week’s article discussed, social media trends shift and engagement fluctuates. Try not to obsess over metrics but focus on what’s most impactful in the medium term, look at progress over months not weeks, ask yourself regularly:

• Which content performs best?

• Where/how are my followers finding me?

• What is generating actual conversations?

Sometimes things don’t work. Adjust your strategy, not your ambition!

Committing to progress, not perfection is the biggest step you can make. Social media success is about always showing up, learning from mistakes and improving as time goes on. The best strategy isn’t flawless, it’s sustainable.