I was an early adopter when it comes to social media. I can recall setting up my “Top 8 Friends List” on MySpace. I updated my first Facebook status in 2005, and I’ve been condensing my thoughts into 140 characters on Twitter for nearly a decade.

With that said, social media marketing is a far cry from posting pictures of my personal travels and the occasional night out with friends—no matter how experienced or adept I (or anyone else) may be in using social media platforms.

When business outcomes are the goal, social media communication isn’t just about being social. It’s about crafting strategies and content that help your business achieve its goals. Implementing a social media strategy can be tricky, but you don’t have to go at it alone.

Here are four key points to consider when starting a social media marketing campaign.

1. Your Content Matters

When scrolling through social media, your attention is far more likely to be drawn to a video clip, photo, survey, or article than a post that simply contains text. Keep this in mind when creating social media content so you can be certain it resonates with your audience. Great content increases engagement.

2. Hashtags? Do your research.

Standing out on Twitter requires mastering the art of the hashtag. According to a recent study by Buddy Media, tweets with hashtags are twice as likely to receive engagement than those without. What hashtags should you use? Start by simply typing in a few different words relevant to your client’s industry into Twitter’s search bar. If a lot of articles and Tweets pop up, you’re on the right track. If you have a little bit of money to spend, there are also services out there like Google Keyword Planner to help you generate hashtags. While this is specifically designed for Google’s search engine, using some of the highest-ranking words is a good strategy for creating hashtags as well.

3. Don’t Forget Industry Influencers

Unless you’re Katy Perry, there is someone out there with more followers, and in turn, the ability to reach more people than you. Guess what? That’s okay! Try tagging leading trade magazines and people within the industry with a large amount of followers. On occasion, this can lead to them sharing or commenting on your content, allowing it to be seen by their network. With social media, who you “know” matters.

4. Test Runs Are Your Friend when It Comes to Targeted Ad Spending

Targeted ads, when done correctly, can get content in front of the people most likely to be interested in your client’s product or service. How? Sites like Facebook allow you to choose who sees your ads based on things like keywords within their profile and demographics like age, gender, and location.

The good news is that you don’t have to invest much to test the waters. If you learn that a video about company culture led to some great new job candidates, throw in a few more bucks. Have content that didn’t hit? Pull back a bit. Evaluation is key.

Social media marketing can be a strong component of any public relations or marketing campaign, as long as it’s done thoughtfully. If you have any questions about your own social media strategy, just let me know. After all, a blog about social media should be a great way to start a conversation!