We hear people talk a lot these days about social media. Business pundits have written scores of books, articles, and studies on why and how to leverage social media for profit. But when it comes to practice, few succeed in doing it, particularly the small businesses. How and where to start on social media, what kind of content to post, what channels are appropriate — these are some of the common questions that they fail to answer. As a result, they fail to fold their social media efforts into a clear and concise strategy.

I am often surprised at how haphazardly some small businesses manage their social media presence. Today, there are thousands of small firms which have their own social media page — but it seems only a very few of them are really clear about what they want to get out of their social media presence. They don't know exactly why they are out there and who they are trying to reach out. A social media strategy should start from identification of target audience. For example, if you are a B2B seller you may want to reach only CEOs — not end users, and you have to plan accordingly.

The second important question is: what channel is most appropriate to reach the target audience. YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Twitter are some of the most common social media platforms, but this by no way means that each of them will be equally relevant to your purpose. For example, Twitter or Facebook may be quite good for spreading awareness about your product, brand or company, but for hiring or to increase networking LinkedIn will certainly be the most appropriate. Google Plus, on the other hand, may help you drive more traffic to your website.

Another key question is how you will develop relevant content for your audience. This is the step at which many fail. So, do some homework before launching a social media campaign. Ask yourself what will interest the target audience, how you will come up with regular topics to share, and what you want to communicate — visual, fun facts, product information, technology upgrades or something else. You have to get creative and keep yourself updated about the latest trends and happenings in the industry to get the audience to engage with the content you share. So, planning is a must, don't just jump into social media without a clear strategy.

I invite your opinions. How can a small business make the most of social media to grow? Please share your insights with our readers.