The word “campaign” is often used in promoting a new awareness message or a new product or service.
It implies there will be a beginning, middle and end.
That works well for all elements of marketing, except for one: social media.
Social media is not a campaign.
When launching a new marketing initiative, it’s vital to set up a storytelling strategy for Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and other social media.
But social media shouldn’t be something you turn on and off when trying to share information with prospective customers or donors.
To do social media right, you have to be consistent. Your content has to be interesting and informative. You aren’t just trying to sell to your fans.
That’s the danger of treating social media as a campaign. Social networking should always be on as an ongoing conversation with your supporters. It’s a tool for connecting, not marketing. Use it to inform and entertain your followers, not to boost your marketing agenda.
A marketing campaign is designing for measured results. With social media, there is no overnight success. The results come over time through consistent messaging and again, conversation, with your intended audience.
Yes, that requires planning and strategizing. But calling that approach a “campaign” with a start, middle and end, is not accurate.
Think of social media as a long-term partner to connect you with your customers or donors.
Social media is relationship building rather than campaign building.
