Creating a great funeral social media strategy can be a challenge.

That’s because there are so many different elements you need to consider. Whether you’re talking choosing the right social media sites, creating content or getting the timing right, there are a lot of moving parts.

That’s why we’ve provided this comprehensive guide to the basics of social media. The secret? Asking the right questions. Here’s the who, what, when, where, why and how guide to funeral social media:

Who

In order to get started on the right track with your social media strategy, ask yourself these two questions:

1. Who is your ideal audience?

If you’re promoting your funeral home on social media, your first step in creating a great strategy is figuring out who your audience is. Obviously you already know who they are when it comes to age and location. But do you know their hobbies, interests, pain points and concerns? In order to understand what makes your families tick – and what makes them likely to choose your funeral home – is to create a buyer persona using a combination of research, surveys and even interviews. Check out our in-depth guide for help creating your own buyer personas.

2. Who else is interacting with you?

Of course, not everyone who comes to your funeral home website is your ideal client, so it’s important to figure out what other types of people visit your site, and why. This might include:

Use analytics software (like Google Analytics) to track where these people go when they land on your home page. Not only will it give you valuable information about what other members of your audience are searching for, but it will also help you optimize your site for greater social media success.

What

What to post on social media

Now that you know who you are talking to on your funeral home’s social media profiles, it’s easier to move on to the content itself. There are several questions to ask when deciding what type of content to post online. With Americans consuming 6.9 million zettabytes of content per year, these questions will help you deliver value both on social media profiles and on your website:

Besides asking yourself those questions, there are four types of content that any audience loves to read, including:

Need more content ideas for your social media channels? Check out these 27 funeral marketing ideas you can put into action today.

When

When is the best time to post?

There’s been a whole lot of research done on what Kissmetrics dubbed the science of social timing – identifying the right time to post content to social media sites in order to get responses and reshares. The only problem? Not all the studies agree, and many have different optimal slots for different social sites. Here’s what we found through our own research and experience:

Facebook

According to this BuddyMedia study, content posted on Facebook later in the week – particularly  Thursdays and Fridays – get 18% more engagement than any other day. Another study found that engagement was 32% higher on weekends. The verdict? Expect the most responses from your fans from Thursday-Sunday.

Twitter
Think about when the peak times of Twitter activity usually are (early weekday mornings and lunch time) and go against the current. Tweets get lost quickly during peak times, as so many people are tweeting. So, try posting on the weekend to see how much engagement you get.

What about the other networks?
For LinkedIn, most users are active before or after work, so weekdays before 9am and after 5pm would be ideal. And for Pinterest, it’s all about Saturdays… and sometimes Sundays, too. For a complete guide to social media timing, check out this post from KISSmetrics

Test it yourself!

Although these times are recommended and based on user research, the best way to find out the optimal times for engagement is by testing it yourself. Try conducting your own social media experiment, using this post from BufferApp for help.

Where

There are so many social media channels – which ones will work best for your funeral home? Check out our quick overview to find out!

Where should I post on social media?

Earlier this year we posted a roundup of themain social media sites to help you decide which ones would work best for your funeral home. Here’s a quick recap:

Why

Why is social media important?

The reason all this matters is because social media represents an unparalleled opportunity for funeral homes. Social media is the top web activity and people expect to communicate and connect with you that way. Social media is just about the only way you can build a relationship with your audience without them having to walk through your doors. It gives your funeral home the ability to establish authenticity, makes your brand more human and trustworthy, and it turns your families into brand ambassadors. Using social media effectively is one of the most influential things you can do for your funeral business. So instead of asking why social media is important, the better question why wouldn’t it be?

How

How can I put this all together?

We hope the questions and tips above can come together to guide your social media strategy. If you’re wondering how to start, consider your goals as education and information. For more help with social media at your funeral home, check out one of the articles below:

How has your funeral home been successful with your social media efforts? Tell us in the comments below!

Rochelle Rietow

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