Are you setting goals for your social media campaigns?

When it comes to planning out a social media campaign, do you have certain desirable outcomes in mind before you launch, or do you simply publish your ads, monitor your metrics along the way, and think about new strategies for improvement once the campaign ends? If you’re not actively setting goals for your advertising efforts and instead taking a “hope for the best” approach, then you could be wasting a lot of money in your marketing budget without realizing it.

To achieve greater efficiency and determine what you really want out of your next campaign, revamp your approach to advertising by setting goals and developing strategies to exceed your own expectations with these tips:

SMART Goal-Setting Formula

The SMART formula outlines 5 key factors that you should consider when writing down your goals:

• Specific: clear and concise; not left open to interpretation
• Measurable: able to be tracked (analyzing social metrics is perfect for this)
• Achievable: challenging but not impossible
• Relevant: something you actually want for your brand (e.g., more followers or link clicks to your website)
• Timely: target deadline is established so you have to achieve your goals in an efficient manner

The SMART formula is perfect for anyone setting new goals, but it’s especially useful for social media marketers who want to rein in advertising costs and get better results on your campaigns.

Adjust Your Expectations

Of course, the success of your campaigns isn’t always under your control. Sometimes, it may be an odd image or dull copy driving potential customers away from your ads. Other times, you might be advertising on the wrong platform for what you’re offering. Regardless of the reasons behind unsuccessful campaigns, it’s important to stay on track with your goals even if you’re struggling to connect with your audience.

Consistently reevaluate and adjust your goals and expectations while testing multiple ads and other features like Facebook’s Audience Network. You won’t hit a homerun with every campaign, but sticking to your goals is the best way to maximize your chances of success in the long run.