There is more competition for views and clicks on social media than ever before. Nonprofits that post and promote on social media without a specific plan can get lost in the mix.
Regardless of what you want to promote on social media, you need a data-driven marketing strategy to succeed. A strategic partner can help you design and implement this strategy. Follow the steps below on how to plan your next social media campaign.
I. Goals
Setting specific goals is the first thing an organization needs when planning a social media campaign. What are you trying to accomplish? These goals will permit the direction of the campaign and provide focus to the strategy. A few social media campaign goals examples are:
- Engagement with donors
- Engagement with organization members
- Acquiring leads
- Increasing the awareness of an initiative
- More web traffic
- Promoting an event
After setting your campaign goals, you need to be realistic about the potential outcomes. You don’t want to waste time and money chasing unrealistic goals. Make sure your campaign goals make sense for your organization so that the success you envision can actually be realized.
II. Audience
Next, define your target audience. Understanding your target audience will help you build relationships with your customers, donors, or members by targeting their interests with your social media posts.
You will want to know these details about your target audience:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Interests
- Social media channels they use
If you are going to spend money on your next social media campaign, invest in understanding your target audience. Once you have a profile of your ideal customer or donor (buyer persona), planning your next social media campaign will be easier because you will know where to go and how to reach them.
III. Posting schedule
Now that you have specific goals for your social media campaign and have defined your target audience, it is time to create a posting schedule. A posting schedule will keep your creative team on task and better able to deliver the content you need for your campaign to succeed.
You should consider having a marketing agency create a posting calendar that includes the best channels, days, and times to post the content for your campaign. A calendar will also keep your campaign focused so that no energy or money is wasted creating content that doesn’t achieve your campaign goals.
IV. Competition
When planning your next social media campaign, see what your competitors are doing on their social media channels. Research which channels they use, what type of content they post, the frequency of their posts, and their results (engagement) to understand their strategy more clearly. Then, use this research to see if any aspect of their strategy will benefit your next campaign.
You can learn from your competitors about what didn’t work to avoid making similar mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with using free information to learn from your competition and gain a marketing advantage.
V. Campaign performance
Finally, figure out how to track campaign performance. Leverage analytical data during and after your campaign is finished to gauge its success and to see where you can improve next time.
Adjust your strategy on the fly via the analytics you review during your campaign. If something garners a significant response from your followers, figure out why and try to replicate that post. If something falls flat, make changes. Finally, examine the campaign results to see if you achieved your goals and to get information that will help influence future social media campaigns.
Black Digital is a full-service digital marketing agency that is the partner you need for your next social media campaign. Contact us today, and let’s get started!
