Section B - Planning and Managing a Social Media Campaign

Section B is worth 30 out of 60 marks

We have an hour and a half for the paper so we should spend 45 mins. 

Things we need to make sure we nail in the exam: 

• Target audience
• Content 
• Social Media Channels 
• Blended Synergy 
• Milestones and timelines 
• Personnel 
• Legal and ethical issues 
• Feedback from audiences 

Aims, Purposes and Targets of social Media Campaigns. 

Target audience:  

Due consideration must be given to what the product is, what the aims are, and who the TA is. 

One of the first facets of this is whether you are targeting a mass or niche audience. 

Subcultures: 

Linked to the idea of niche audiences is that of subcultures. 

Youth subcultures are especially important in the digital age, because their participants are digital natives - people who have grown up with digital technologies never knowing any different. 

Subcultures are often defined by taste in music and clothing (Goths, for example) 

However, older people are increasingly adept at accessing social media - for example, a number of church groups around he country used social media (Mainly twitter) to shock / excite people and to organise protests. Ultimately they use it to urge people to take action. 

Subcultures differentiate themselves from the larger group as a whole. They offer a playform for people with similar backgrounds, lifestyles, professions or hobbies to communicate and connect. Strange and suprising subcultures exist in the world and social media platform has spurred the creation and regeneration of subcultures. 

Social media also allows user generated content, instant feedback and interaction with others.

 

 USP

 

 With such a proliferation of online and social media content in existence, it's important to consider originality of material and what thte USP of the product is/

Social media can be used to create brand identit, and the functionality of many social media channels allows braned logos, banners, graphics (etc.) to be uploaded and changed almost instantaneously. 

For this reason, it's important that the social media campaign is organic; that it evolves over a time as a means of reinforcing the brands identity. 

Folksonomy - Whereby users of online and social media technologies use tagging in order to position their content in others' web searches to aid collaboration and sharing of ideas. Folksonomy can be heleped to reinforce a brand's USP (Use of hashtagging is an example) 

Etsy 

 

Etsy is an example of an online platform that has used social media to its advantage, partially by (initally at this rate) targeting a niche/subculture audience - namely, hipster-types who are into arts, crafts and vintage. Etsy is an online market place that allows them to share their work with others online. Distinct from Ebay, its USP is that it's a more 'friendly' work, and former closer bonds with clients and vendors.