Create Effective Social Media Strategies Using the GROWTH model
The GROWTH model is designed to generate actionable metrics for organizations that use social media. By coming up with specific and repeatable actions or processes, the model provides start-ups and large businesses with the tools they need to develop effective social media strategies. The model has been developed in response to the challenges that many corporate bodies face when trying to design efficient and focused social media campaigns. Without reliable metrics to guide them, they are frequently forced to use guesswork, an exercise akin to a man groping in the dark.
The GROWTH model is split into several steps, each of which analyzes a specific aspect of an organization’s social media framework:
1. (G)et in: This is the point where a new member joins an organization’s virtual community. Of interest to the model is how people locate the company’s social media page. Do they tend to come from a particular website? Are they referrals from other members?
2. (R)aise: In this step, new members confirm their email addresses and complete the process of filling out their profiles. This step is designed to uncover a variety of patterns. For instance, aggregated data may show that an organization tends to attract people from particular occupations, cohorts, geographical locations or cultural backgrounds.
3. (O)perate: This is the point where a freshly-minted member begins reading other members contributions regularly. The definition of ‘regularly’ will probably vary from one organization to another. This step is meant to uncover several trends, such as the kind of topics that newbies tend to prefer.
4. (W)rite: This is the point where new members start sharing their opinions with the rest of the community. The model may bring a number of trends to the surface. For instance, are they always comfortable with what other members discuss, or do they tend to strike out in new paths?
5. (T)ease: This is the stage where new members begin to engage with others actively. The model may reveal several patterns. For example, what do they tend to complain about?
6. (H)ire: This is the point where the now settled-in member refers others to the community. In this stage, the model seeks to find out several things. For instance, what channels do most members use to invite others?
The GROWTH model then aggregates the data captured, making it easy to analyze and tease out patterns that can bring focus and efficiency to corporate social media strategies. Ultimately, this has a positive effect on an organization’s image and bottom line.