This is the digital marketing plan for the company Gatorade.
For Gatorade, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram will be the most used social media. It is important that the three are linked to each other, so if a consumer is only using one, they can still see and have access to the other social media sites. For example, if Gatorade Instagrams a picture of someone using their products, they should link the picture to Facebook and write to follow them on twitter @ their username. Specifically, Facebook and Twitter updates should always be about products, whether it be about new products, press releases, news about products or customer feedback about products, etc. This brings me to my next point: create conversation
. Creating conversation between Gatorade and the consumers is vital. It shows the consumers that there is a personality to Gatorade instead of just a brand. Examples of creating conversation would be things like asking questions to stimulate conversation in comments or retweeting a nice tweet about Gatorade. Also, answering questions posted to the Facebook page or tweeted at Gatorade is a huge part of creating conversation. Whether people ask a positive or negative question, they expect feedback and Gatorade can answer either kind of question with promptness and politeness while still answering the question.
Getting positive publicity through blogs is essential to Gatorade’s digital marketing strategy. They can get fitness bloggers to blog positively about their products and then link those blog posts back to their social media sites. This will prove to followers that others out there are talking about Gatorade and their products in a good way and potential consumers can seek these blogs for outside perspective on Gatorade’s products. Getting bloggers to blog about the products would be best if they have actually tried the products, so sending bloggers free samples and merchandise in exchange for a well-written blog post is not a bad price to pay!
First, Gatorade needs to develop an inbound marketing strategy (versus an outbound marketing strategy). Inbound marketing focuses on drawing the consumer to the product instead of forcing them into it by pushing the product in their face. The first technique for inbound marketing is search engine optimization, which means optimizing search results when a consumer goes to a search engine and types in a phrase related to Gatorade. Gatorade is already a trademark name so simply typing it in will bring up results for the correct Gatorade website. However, Gatorade will want to optimize certain phrases too, such as “Gatorade post-workout” or “Gatorade endurance” to cover all their searching bases.
Gatorade does not want to force products and information in potential consumers faces. Instead, they need to create two-way conversation (see a theme here?) by answering questions, entertaining consumers and providing solid, interesting information to them. Those who are interested will be attracted and take the bait. Those who are not will not be annoyed by Gatorade, which leaves their perception of Gatorade positive if they decide to become a customer to Gatorade later. Inbound marketing attracts customers (like a magnet) and leaves everyone else out of it. Both sides get a good deal in the end.
The goal of Gatorade’s marketing plan will be to gain consumers and followers who first want their products and then enjoy their products and recommend them to other people. The goal should not be to reach as many people as possible, no matter the cost of reputation or value of their company.
The target audience for Gatorade has always been athletic people or people who need replenishment during or after a workout because of the electrolytes in the Gatorade. The target audience for online marketing has to be fitness bloggers, athletic models, members of sports teams, local athletes, worldwide athletes, coaches, etc. The list consists of mainly athletes and exercise enthusiasts.
Gatorade can afford a million dollar budget, since they are worth 4.8 billion as of 2012. To transform their digital campaign, they will have to include giveaways (for Facebook, Twitter and to give to their bloggers in exchange for blog posts.) The cost of training will be included in the budget in cooperation with the time it will take for training people to monitor the social media and monitor the inbound marketing. Advertising will be the biggest expense of the budget and staff time will be the second biggest. The budget sets the limits for every element previously mentioned, which brings me to my next point: the breakdown.
Advertising/inbound marketing will be the biggest part of the budget at $150,000/week or $600,000/year creating TV ads, internet ads on Facebook, Google, etc., SEO. Creating two-way conversation is done with human beings, so staff time will be the second highest cost. With two people running the social media sites, one person running the inbound marketing with a couple people to help and one person researching the target audience, the budget for staff will be roughly $250,000. The remaining $150,000 will be extra costs such as giveaways, cost of travel for events and opportunities for the company and any other funds that may be needed as they go.
