The business landscape is as competitive as ever, making social media more than just a nice-to-have – it’s a must-have in any marketing strategy. For small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) especially, having a solid presence online can be the key to driving brand awareness, increasing customer loyalty, and ultimately boosting sales. But where do you start?
The good news is you don't have to be a social media expert to make a splash online. With the right mindset and a simple plan, you can make a big impact - even with a small budget and not a lot of time. Here's how to create a social media marketing strategy that actually works. We'll show you how to use the EEEI content framework – that's Educate, Entertain, Engage, and Inspire – to make your online presence stronger. And we'll also cover how to tie in traditional marketing tools, like print materials and signs, to boost your online efforts.
Why Social Media Still Matters
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok offer unparalleled access to your ideal customers. They allow you to:
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Build relationships with your audience
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Promote new products or services
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Drive traffic to your website
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Showcase your brand personality
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Gather feedback and customer insights
But showing up on social media without a plan often leads to inconsistent posting and lackluster results. That’s where a content strategy—and the EEEI framework—comes in.
What is EEEI in Social Media?
The EEEI framework is a content planning system that helps you balance your messaging and deliver value consistently. It stands for:
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Educate – Share knowledge and helpful tips
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Entertain – Add personality, humor, or light-heartedness
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Engage – Spark conversations and interaction
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Inspire – Motivate, uplift, and reinforce your brand mission
Using this framework ensures you’re not just selling to your audience—but building a connection that leads to trust and loyalty.
The 3 Steps to Building Your Social Media Strategy
Step 1: Define Your Goals
Before you begin posting, ask: what do you want social media to do for your business?
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Increase brand awareness?
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Drive traffic to your site or store?
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Generate leads or sales?
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Build a community around your brand?
Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). For example: “Grow our Instagram followers by 20% in 3 months” or “Increase engagement rate on Facebook by 15%.”
Step 2: Know Your Audience
Get crystal-clear on who you’re talking to. Create a customer persona based on:
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Age and demographics
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Interests and pain points
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Where they spend time online
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What kind of content they respond to
This will help you choose the right platforms and tailor your content accordingly.
Step 3: Choose the Right Platforms
You don’t have to be everywhere. Focus on 1–2 platforms where your audience is most active.
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Facebook: Great for community building and local businesses
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Instagram: Visual storytelling, ideal for products or brand imagery
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LinkedIn: B2B networking, thought leadership
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TikTok: Short-form video, creative and informal content
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Pinterest: Ideal for DIY, design, fashion, and inspiration-based brands
Content Planning with EEEI
Once you've established your audience and built profiles on the platforms that suit them most, it's time to map out your content. By using the EEEI model, you not only give yourself a framework for what to post but you also ensure that you're providing a wealth of content to nurture all the different ways people prefer to engage online.
Educate
Education should be a continuous thing throughout life, and how you interact with your audience on social media should be no different. When you post content that teaches people something valuable – like niche industry tips or quick tutorials on the best way to use your product – can show that you're an expert in your field and you want your customers educated in these areas, too.
Entertain
Not everything on your social media profile needs to sell something to your audience. Adding some fun, personality, and even humor to your feed can humanize your brand and help people establish a deeper connection with your business. Things like behind-the-scenes videos of your team at work or industry memes that put a fun twist on current trends could do more for fostering customer loyalty than you think!
Engage
Engagement is the name of the game on social media. When people interact with your posts – whether that be through comments, like, shares, or DMs – it shows they like your content enough to become more than just another impression. Fostering engagement can come through polls, competitions, and even giveaways where winners receive branded promo that not only encourage interactions but also act as free advertising in the real world.
Inspire
When you include content that's designed to motivate your audience or tell your brand story, you're differentiating yourself from competitors that just sell, sell, sell. Try inspiring others with customer success stories, before-and-after carousels where applicable, or quotes that align with your business. If your product or service has helped someone solve a problem, share their story and caption it with something like, “Helping local dreams become reality!”
How Print & Signage Elevate Your Social Media Strategy
While social media is digital by nature, integrating print can create tangible, memorable experiences that boost engagement and bridge the gap between online and offline. Take the famous "Share a Coke" campaign by Coca-Cola. They created personalized bottles that got customers sharing their experiences on social media. The campaign really worked because it combined print and digital elements so smoothly, leading to a huge boost in engagement and brand recognition.
By incorporating print into your social media content strategy, you can create a more cohesive and engaging experience for your customers, ultimately driving increased engagement, brand recognition, and sales.
Print-to-Digital Promotions
One way to bring print and social together is to create custom print materials that drive people online. For example, a coffee shop could design special coffee sleeves with unique QR codes that unlock exclusive stuff or rewards on their social media pages. This doesn't just add a fun surprise but also gives customers a reason to engage with the brand on both print and digital channels. Alternatively, you could use a postcard or in-store signage to promote your social accounts.
Unboxing Videos
If you offer physical goods, either you or your followers can create unboxing videos to show off not only your products but your branded packaging, too! Print packaging elements (thank-you cards, branded tissue paper, custom labels) make the video more visually compelling.
Giveaways
Giveaways are a reliable way to get users to create content and grow your social media following. Usually, brands offer free services or products in exchange for follows, likes, or shares, but you can make your posts as creative as you want.
Tools & Tips to Stay Consistent
Managing your brand’s social media is a major time commitment – it’s why many businesses choose to outsource or hire someone to handle just this piece of marketing. However you do it, here are a few ways to stay consistent without burning out:
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Use a content calendar: this can be as simple as a Google Sheet or a planner designed on Canva. If you choose to schedule via a content management system, a calendar may be a built-in convenience.
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Design ahead: using tools like Canva or Adobe Express, you can edit your images or design your posts in batches of weeks or months at a time.
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Schedule posts: with platforms like Later or Meta Business Suite, you can schedule your posts ahead of time, letting you control the exact time and platforms your posts will publish.
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Track what works: check the analytics for each platform to see how your posts are performing, then tweak as necessary.
Also, don’t forget: good photography and branding go a long way. Keep your visual identity cohesive across both social and print.
Build Social Media into Your Marketing with AlphaGraphics
A solid social media plan isn't just about going viral – it's about being consistent, building connections, and sharing your brand's story. The EEEI framework helps you mix it up, make your content count, and keep people interested. With AlphaGraphics, you can turn online interactions into real-life impressions with professionally-designed and printed materials that match your social media strategy.
Need help with signs, printed materials, or marketing ideas that bring it all together? We're here to help your brand grow – online and offline. Connect with your local AlphaGrahpics center to get started today.