Your work on social media marketing campaigns doesn’t just end when you hit “publish”. It’s way more than – plan, launch, and watch. You need to stay focused on your brand’s goals and audience needs, from start to finish. In this guide, we’ll cover essential steps on how to make a social media campaign that makes you stand apart from the bustling crowd.
Contents
- 1 What is a Social Media Campaign?
- 2 Step 1: Clarify Objectives for Your Social Media Campaign
- 3 Step 2: Determine Your Social Media Channel Selection
- 4 Step 3: Strategize Your Social Media Campaign
- 5 Step 4: Curate a Social Media Content Calendar
- 6 Step 5: Think of a Unique Hashtag for Your Campaign
- 7 Step 6: Manage Your Campaign
- 8 Step 7: Analyze the Results
- 9 Takeaway
What is a Social Media Campaign?
The 2023 Sprout Social Index revealed that while 65% of marketers wish to enhance social media marketing efforts, 41% of consumers want to see customers and followers on brands’ social content. As a result of the large user base on these platforms, marketers are swiftly recognizing the significance of directing their focus towards customers via social media.
A social media marketing campaign comprises a cohesive series of marketing efforts spanning one or multiple social platforms, united by a common objective to achieve your company’s goals. Its elements typically encompass organic posts, paid promotions, contests, branded hashtags, user-generated content, partnerships with creators and influencers, and comprehensive reporting among others.
Step 1: Clarify Objectives for Your Social Media Campaign
Let’s assume you’re not just dabbling in social media for fun. Chances are, you’re in it for concrete business reasons, such as launching a new product or integrating an initiative into your broader marketing scheme. How to make a social media campaign out of it? Regardless of your motives, effective social media campaigns commence by pinpointing precise campaign objectives. Here are a few practices:
- Elevate brand recognition.
- Drive traffic to your website.
- Acquire fresh clientele.
- Amplify sales and revenue.
- Foster meaningful customer interactions.
- Cultivate or fortify your brand’s online community.
- Solicit customer feedback.
Don’t forget to incorporate user-generated content in your goals, as it can significantly enhance engagement and authenticity. Whether it’s encouraging user reviews, sharing user-generated photos, or facilitating user-led discussions, integrating user-generated content can amplify the impact of your campaign.
Who does this well? Apple. Both the campaigns #ShotOniPhone and #YourShotPhotographer aren’t brand new, but they’ve made a lasting impact. There are a whopping 29.6 million posts with this hashtag on Instagram alone. The key lesson? Both of these campaigns are ongoing and demonstrate how user-generated content can be harnessed directly from your community.
Step 2: Determine Your Social Media Channel Selection
Now that you’ve established your objectives, shift your focus to the means of achieving them, starting with the selection of platforms for your campaign. Among the plethora of social media platforms and channels available, some of the most prominent ones include:
- Facebook and Facebook Live
- Instagram, Instagram Live, Instagram Stories, and Instagram Reels
- YouTube
- X (formerly Twitter)
Understanding how to make a social media campaign requires a thorough understanding of social media platforms. Chances are, you already have insights into where your target audience congregates and which platforms align with your campaign objectives and brand loyalty. If so, prioritize these channels. In case, you don’t have a well-established social media presence or need guidance to understand the benefits of one platform over another, read our beginner’s guide on social media marketing.
Bear in mind that you need to connect with your audience whatever social media platform you choose. When followers see that you’re responsive, attentive, and genuinely interested in their needs and opinions, they’re more likely to trust your brand.
Who does this well? Coca-Cola. Their “Share a Coke” social media campaign does a great job of bringing the company closer to their audience. They sell Coke bottles with people’s names on them, making the buying experience more personal and fun. This makes customers eager to buy and share the bottles, whether it’s their own name or the name of someone they know. Some bottles even have stickers that customers can peel off and use as name tags or give to others.
Step 3: Strategize Your Social Media Campaign
After finalizing your platform selection, delineate the types of campaign content you intend to develop for each social media outlet. This involves specifying the particular types of posts or videos that will spotlight essential messaging and visuals to bolster your objectives. Remember, understanding how to make a social media campaign successful involves strategic planning. Few best practices include:
- Expanding your newsletter audience by orchestrating a giveaway on a digital platform that gathers email addresses from participants.
- Growing your social media followership by hosting an Instagram giveaway where participants are required to follow your brand and tag a friend.
- Soliciting feedback from devoted users through an Instagram Stories poll.
- Generating revenue by promoting a sale, discount, or exclusive offer.
Ensure that your concepts and messaging are aligned with your goals, enabling you to seamlessly progress to the next phase.
Step 4: Curate a Social Media Content Calendar
Uncertain about how to make a social media campaign that stands out? Success in social media hinges on having a well-structured plan, mapped out from start to finish. This is exactly where a content calendar struts into the runway. A priorly prepared calendar allows you to carefully plan, organize, and structure your upcoming campaign content, breaking it down by date and platform. This gives you a clear overview of when and where each piece will be posted.
Feel empowered to expand your campaign’s reach across all social media platforms, regardless of its primary focus. For example, if you’re running an Instagram giveaway, consider boosting its visibility on Facebook by sharing a link back to your campaign.
Step 5: Think of a Unique Hashtag for Your Campaign
Come up with a distinctive hashtag for your campaign. Every successful social media initiative relies on a hashtag that remains consistent across all your social platforms. Learning how to make a social media campaign effective involves staying updated with the trends and hashtags. These hashtags enable your team to monitor interactions and simplify engagement for your followers. Ensure your hashtag stands out and is easy to recall.
Who does this well? Snickers. In the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” campaign, they portray individuals experiencing “hangry” (hungry plus angry) moments, transforming back to their normal selves after consuming a Snickers bar. Their campaign hashtag, #EatASnickers is direct, memorable, and action-oriented. This hashtag not only aligns with their advertising tagline but also ensures consistency throughout the campaign.
Step 6: Manage Your Campaign
If your plan is hitting the mark, your focus may shift towards engaging with users and customers. Respond to inquiries, show appreciation by liking and commenting on their posts, and so forth. However, now is also the time to keep a close eye on engagement and adjust your strategies if needed. If you’re not getting the desired response or noticing more success on one platform or campaign tactic over another, it’s time to tweak your social media approach for better outcomes. So, what you need to do is manage.
Step 7: Analyze the Results
Half of the significance of a social media campaign lies in the return on investment linked to your objectives. The remaining half resides in the knowledge you’ll acquire from the process. Hence, understanding how to make a social media campaign ends with monitoring key metrics. After concluding your campaign, assess its successes, failures, customer feedback, and areas for improvement. This understanding will guide you not only in your subsequent social media endeavors but also in those that ensue thereafter.
Takeaway
With this handbook, you’ll be equipped to conduct insightful research, develop imaginative content, and analyze metrics that showcase results. However for an extra leg up, get in touch with us. At Brandshark, we acknowledge how to make a social media campaign, whether you’re a seasoned planner or starting from square one. Regardless of your budget constraints, our video production services are here to cater to your every need. As a premier video production company, we excel in crafting captivating corporate videos that elevate your brand’s narrative. From concept to execution, unlock the potential of corporate video production with Brandshark, and witness your brand soar to new heights.