Online Marketing Reflections from a Social Media Guru Assignment C

Wow this is is difficult to put into words. I have never done an online campaign before and this was an opportunity for me to see what an enormous undertaking it would be.  As the sole Social Media guru in my office I am more often than not struggling with the misconceptions that people have about social media.  It is difficult to make people see the connection between being a non profit but still having something to sell.  We need numbers for the government to justify our jobs and that is not happening.  Our target audience is getting younger and for us to not offer online registration or even a PDF to print off is insane.  I strive daily to explain that Facebook alone cannot spread the word and increase our numbers.  Our website is consistently behind in its information and often incorrect.  How do you drive traffic to a website that we don't do analytics for. We have a contract person who does our website and we cannot make changes to it.  It could take 2 to 3 weeks for an update.  Responsive  website is not even in our vocabulary.  SEO, keyword search, play no part in our plan.  ( We wouldn't want to hurt the feelings of our computer guy)   I have learned so much and it is stifling at times to continue but slowly I do.  This week I had some successes that I will share.
1. I convinced my boss to use a photo that I had taken in her Facebook ad for volunteers for one of our programs.  It was not the usual wordy, blurby, shouty info ad.  It performed well and people were amazed.  Slow but progress
2.  I was able to convince a business owner in the community to come in so I could demonstrate quickly why I had not opened his email and why others may not have opened it either.   He truly appreciated my advice.  We discussed everything from the large caps in the sender box (a website name) to his lame, for lack of a better word, subject line.  We didn't go further than that because he got it pretty quickly.
I also demonstrated that I was more likely to access the email on my mobile where it actually looked worse.  He asked " Would you have ever opened the email?" to which I responded "no." We talked about the importance of mobile devices and a responsive website.  It was very cool for me to be seen as somewhat of an expert.

3. This last point is built on skills I have learned form all 7 of the courses I have taken so far.  I have had trouble with the PCplus card and difficulty getting their attention.  I did reply to a request they made for me to email them in their attempt to get me off line but when I did not get a speedy (3 day wait) response I again went to twitter and through keyword searches and a hashtag search on twitter I found influencers and the loblaws marketing executive in Ontario and they are now working on my issue and we will be having a phone conversation in the morning.


 I now realize that I have a far reach and the ability to make changes with careful planning and good word choice and visuals.  Never underestimate the power of the pen or in today's world the power of multimodality in an increasingly mobile world.  Thanks for listening.

Assignment C Reflection - Edmonton Bridal Expo

There is always another platform, another avenue to pursue and another metric to hit - The formula, as always is to strategize, try and re-strategize!

Crystal Armstrong, December 15th, 2014

Assignment C Reflection: A Safe Place

This is my first online marketing plan AND my first marketing class, so I definitely feel like I've dived right into the deep end.  No better way to learn, I guess!

I was hoping to apply my learnings to my work projects, but discovered they're more immediately relevant to my volunteer experience. My project was loosely inspired by a brand new volunteer campaign to build a new women's shelter - we've had one meeting so far.

Since both the volunteer organization, A Safe Place, and the marketing program are new to me, I felt that research was the most important component of the project. Without solid research, you cannot define your target audience or market share, which is the basis from which any tactics should be developed. Another learning was the importance of a multi-prong approach. An online ad does not replace the need for authentic, direct communication and community support to help build the brand and spread the word.

Follow Shannon's board EXSM on Pinterest.

Assignment C - Online Marketing Campaign reflection

I have been involved in creating marketing campaign plans before but never an online marketing campaign plan, and this was quite a different experience. The online marketing campaign plan that I created for Shawn Adams Art differed from 'traditional' marketing campaigns that I have worked on in the past, in that I noticed that online marketing channels (web, email, mobile and social media) are not siloed channels, in the same way that 'traditional' marketing channels could be.

I learnt that online marketing audiences are no longer passive audiences receiving ads/information in a one-way system, they are interactive audiences giving feedback in real-time. These direct audience on social media don't supplant paid media entirely, but they give companies who develop a relationship with these audiences a much faster, lower cost means to reach a larger number of interested consumers. I also learnt that some of our online audiences have audiences of their own! These 'amplifiers' or 'influencers' are the fundamental building blocks of earned-media, and the people who make things "go viral". You can't force anyone to amplify your message, but you can incentivize or build relationships and experiences with your brand of such a caliber that people inherently want to share the experience (and hopefully purchase your product)! 

One should always include the following when marketing in the online environment?

• Research! Lots of research into your company, your product(s) and your targeted audience
• Make the process of navigating your website (and products), choosing a product, and purchasing it as easy and as enjoyable as possible. 
• Compelling and engaging content across all your online channels that can create meaningful interactions with your target audience(s)
• Mobile responsiveness, since most people view and buy on a mobile device.
• A clear, concise and effective CTA (Call to Action)
• Stand out visuals (images and video)
• Measure campaign results by monitoring your campaigns and referring back to analytics. Be prepared to make changes quickly in reaction to the results.

http://theultralinx.com/2013/01/carry-digital-marketing-infographic.html

Thanks for a great course Jess. I really enjoyed it and I hope to put what I have learnt into practice in my marketing of Shawn Adams Art.

Assignment C (Part 2) - Reflection Karl Kopan

Traditional marketing plans have been part of my past but never have they dealt with the start-up of a online business and all that entails. I kept thinking about the value of 'telling a story' when looking at the various options before me. I believe there is truth in that statement but it differed from past experiences because the online marketplace is for most marketing interconnected with traditional marketing strategies. To me there are vast differences but similarities as well. This article was helpful to my understanding of the basics:  http://www.hausmanmarketingletter.com/16-differences-between-social-media-and-traditional-media/

My greatest learning experience from this is you can never have enough planning. When one idea was figured out it created another five to work through and find solutions for. Online marketing for me will always include a variety of analytics to gauge who is looking, where from, and how they are doing it and more importantly who is buying! It will also help personalize what otherwise could be a very plutonic online transaction while keeping a high level of customer service.

Assignment C Part 2: Reflection

I have created marketing campaign plans previously, but never strictly for online. I noticed how tightly all the tactics are intertwined compared to a more traditional marketing campaign, and also that when you have the right tools it is quite easy to monitor the campaign’s performance.

The most important thing I learned through the readings and this exercise is to monitor results and performance on a more frequent basis and spend more time on the measurements to identify if tweaks are required, as explained in this article: http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-habits-of-highly-effective-adwords-ppc-marketers.html

I believe you should always include a great website built for customers as the main point of your online marketing efforts. Websites should be about them, not you. Showcase your products, have clear CTA’s and make it easy to navigate and to find your contact information. If your website doesn’t do the following, what is the point of spending money and directing people there? I think this is a great inforgraphic on web design and layout:

Assignment C Reflection

In this reflection I'd like to be honest - it was way more work than I originally anticipated; however, the foundation of knowledge, skills, and insights I gained were well worth the effort. Never before have I created a marketing plan, yet I can 100% see the benefit. The best thing I learned - setting measurable goals. Sure, it seems so logical now, yet if your goals are measureable, or rather, if you understand your goals before you start out, then your plan will be that much more focused and goal-oriented. Plus, it'll probably be a success!

When marketing in an online environment, I believe, you must always refer back to your analytics, insights, or stats. Don't be afraid to change it up or to tweak the plan. Also, another important key when creating an online marketing plan - ensuring your plan includes the mobile user.

Also - you need to spend money even when using social media. Perhaps not a lot - yet using even a small budget will help you reach your goals. Overall, thank you so much for all the lessons - I'm so looking forward to putting this plan and future plans into action.

Assignment C Blog Response

I have never had to construct a marketing plan so this has been a true learning experience for me. I found the process quite difficult and had several false starts with the provided template before I decided to do my own thing – which I don’t think was any easier, however, it is complete at last. The thing that has been drilled into me throughout this process is that there are no short cuts and you absolutely must do your research!  Knowing your product / service inside out is a must as well as knowing your target market – again, inside out. And knowing one and not the other will never be effective and is doomed to failure from the start. Similarly, having all the right tools and not using them or not using them effectively will also result in failure.

A Brief Primer on Data Analytics

So, in short, know your product / service; know your target market; use every tool at your disposal to the very best of your ability. My feeling is that analytics are one of the most useful tools to analyze ones online marketing – and for the most part, they’re free!  The following articles both informative and interesting:  Got Analytics?
A Brief Primer on Data Analytics