A successful social media campaign generates some kind of measurable result. Unlike your general social media presence, a social media campaign is focused on a specific promotion. Use this interactive worksheet to develop a campaign from start to finish!
GET THE WORKSHEET HERE.
There are six factors to any successful social media campaign. They always include a:
- Measurable Goal
- Structured Timeline
- Competitor Research
- Content and Advertising Plan
- Cross-Promotion Plan
- Analysis and Reporting
Social Media Campaign Goals
Ask yourself, what is the purpose of this social media campaign? What are the most important success factors? How will I put a number to my success?
Ensuring you have clear, measurable and achievable goals will set you up for success from the very beginning. It also ensures you have a benchmark for comparing future campaigns.
Timelines for Social Media Campaigns
How long should a social media campaign run? That depends on your promotion. Some may run as little as 24 hours, whereas others might be 6 full months.
Ask yourself:
- How long do I need to run this campaign?
- How much time should I spend preparing the content?
- At what point(s) during the campaign will I analyze my efforts and tweak as necessary?
Many social media campaigns require ample lead time for preparation. When planning your marketing calendar (by quarter, month or all year), consider the prep time as part of your overall timeline.
Researching Competitors for a Social Media Campaign
Remember, you never want to copy others. Instead, you can learn from their accomplishments and missteps as you create your own path to success. When preparing a campaign, ask yourself:
- What kinds of campaigns are being run by my competitors?
- What aspects of those campaigns align with my goals and what would I do differently?
- How can I draw inspiration while also remaining unique and true to my brand?
Campaign Content and Advertising Plans
You can identify the amount and type of content you need for the duration of your campaign by asking a few easy questions:
- How many posts do I need to effectively engage my community?
- Will I include an incentive to increase chances of conversions?
- Where does my community like to consume their content and when are they most active?
Additionally, you might allocate a budget to promote your campaign to your target audience. If so, plan out:
- How much do I want to invest in this campaign across all platforms?
- How will I allocate those dollars between the ad types I choose to run?
- On which platforms will I advertise, and will it evolve throughout the campaign?
Cross-Promotion for Social Media Campaigns
Do you have the ability, time and/or budget to cross-promote your campaign with other individuals or companies? Consider these three things:
- How necessary is earned media to my success?
- Do I have the capacity to put together a network of my own?
- Should I work with an already established network?
Last but not least, let’s cover reporting.
Campaign Analysis and Reporting
When the campaign is over, ask yourself:
- How did this campaign perform compared to my goals?
- What is my Return on Investment?
In planning for my next campaign, I need to improve by identifying:
- What are my top and bottom performing content pieces?
- Did I miss any opportunities to engage with potential customers?
- How am I following up with my 87 GF orders to ensure they return?
This list may seem daunting but if you put the pieces together one-by-one, you will create a social media campaign to be proud of!
As Elbert Hubbard said, “The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today.”
Belle Strategies is a boutique Social Media Marketing company based in South Carolina. Our team mixes innovative strategies with attention to detail for an online presence that produces tangible results. For assistance growing your brand on social media, contact us or find me on social media @rachelcreveling.
With nearly two decades in the industry, Belle Strategies’ Owner Rachel Creveling is a seasoned business consultant who specializes in comprehensive company growth. By integrating strategic support and workflow optimizations across operations, marketing, sales, IT and HR, she creates custom solutions to position clients for optimal results. She excels at incorporating trending tech and studied Strategies for Accountable AI at Wharton.