1.
Social Media Strategy
Fall 2015
Internal use only.
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2.
Introduction
Social Media Platforms
Facebook
Overview
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Post Frequency and Content
Strategy
Schedule
Discussion
Twitter
Overview
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Post Frequency and Content
Strategy
Schedule
Discussion
YouTube
Overview
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Post Frequency and Content
Strategy
Schedule
Discussion
Google +
Overview
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Post Frequency and Content
Strategy
Schedule
Discussion
LinkedIn
Overview
Strategy
Schedule
Discussion
Instagram
Overview
Strategy
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3. Schedule
Discussion
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4. Introduction
DC Canada Education Publishing is an Ottawa­based publisher of educational books, music
and games for children of all ages. Its works cover English language learning, mathematics,
science, literature and music. DCCED aims to inspire, to entertain, and to educate.
DCCED aims to sell their products to school boards, teachers, and consumers. All of these
audiences can be reached by maintaining a consistent brand identity across social media
platforms, and, through regular maintenance and upkeep, it can acquire a new market (parents)
and gain the attention of both business professionals and consumers alike. Effective
management of social media platforms will help create a clear brand identity and voice,
professional connections and endorsements, and global recognition.
By creating a personable and honest brand identity, DC Canada Education Publishing has the
ability to reach social media users by telling their story and sharing valuable content and
information. Each platform will require a different approach and a variety of media. Effective
creativity and messages will be rewarded via followers, likes, comments, and shares.
This networking strategy will outline the most popular social media platforms that apply to
DCCED, analyze the current social media strategy, design a new, effective social media
strategy; and provide a basic guide on how to manage the service effectively.
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5. Social Media Platforms
Facebook
Overview
One in every five loaded internet pages is on Facebook, and it’s no wonder why. Your brothers,
sisters, children, cousins, and even grandparents have accounts. And its familiarity breeds
acceptance.
Why do people use Facebook? To connect, socialize, and catch­up on what people they know
are doing. Oh, your friend got engaged? Cool. That’s a pretty amazing turkey dinner mom. Like.
Your dad got his dream job? Comment. We find out most of our personal life news on this
platform. In addition to this, there are pages. Interest pages, actor/actress pages, musician
pages, and company pages. And, in order for them to get a Facebook user’s attention, they
have to be fun, relevant, and useful.
Facebook uses an algorithmic pattern called EdgeRank, which curates content. You see, even
though we as people grow and change, we fail to go back and “unlike” or “unfollow” people or
things that we’re no longer interested in; in fact, we expect them to disappear from our news
feeds! EdgeRank basically determines how much interest each user shows in each interaction
through likes, comments, and shares. Each of these actions strengthens the relationship
between users and brands, and the likelihood that that EdgeRank will push that content to the
top of a user’s newsfeed. On Facebook, the definition of great content is what people want to
share most with others ­ it has nothing to do with purchases or sales whatsoever!
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6. The most effective way to succeed on this platform is to connect with your audience. Say that,
because of a previous post, you determined 75% of your audience likes Orange is the New
Black. The season is released on Netflix, and you could make a post that connects with them ­
“Be honest. You’re binge­watching OITNB, aren’t you?” and feature a photo of the cast, or the
iconic screen capture with the name of the show on it. By doing this, you’re connecting with
popular culture, your audience, and other potential followers. Something like this would
generate conversation, and be more likely to be seen by Facebook users. A posting series for
this could be:
1 ­ “Be honest. You’re binge­watching OITNB, aren’t you?”
2 ­ A short video on a child talking about their favourite book. “What’s your favorite book?”
3 ­ A short video that features snippets of people talking about their favourite childhood lunch.
4 ­ Poll: What are you going to buy your children for Christmas?
You give, and give. And keep on giving. Because the entire purpose of Facebook is to entertain
your audience so that they’ll keep coming back for more.
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Positives:
­ The cover photo features the product
­ The address and general contact information are available
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7.
Negatives:
­ The profile photo should be the brand’s logo (enlarged and clear, optimized for size)
­ Revise the page info to have a short description of the company, start date, long
description, and mission
­ Include a slogan, maybe “Celebrating 20 years of excellence”
­ The “company overview” could do with a revision
­ Revise the “products” section to be much more generalized
Our ​audience​ for this platform include teachers, parents, educators, and school board
administration. Optimize content for them, and target the idea of children’s education. They
need to be shown the value in the product, and develop a positive connection with the brand.
Post Frequency and Content
Recent Posts ­ Dates and Content:
Sept. 2, 2015 ­ no text, photo share.
July 23, 2015 ­ photo + text. progress report.
April 16, 2015 ­ photo + text + link to a new series and website.
March 11, 2015 ­ photo + text
Changes to be applied:
­ A clear and consistent schedule
­ 5 posts weekly
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8. ­ Post a variety of content and media
­ Engage the audience
­ Respond and participate in liking, commenting, and sharing others’ content
Strategy
DC Canada Education Publishing needs to be consistent, relevant, and present on Facebook.
While there is a company page, the lack of posting renders it dormant to users on the platform.
In addition to this, we need to establish a clear posting schedule and plan. The nice thing about
Facebook is that it doesn’t demand original content all of the time. Certainly, it helps, but sharing
popular content can achieve just as much attention if done well.
Schedule
Monday.​ Start the week with an inspirational quotation, piece, photograph or project that
resonates with your audience. #InspirationMonday
Sample topics:
­ Famous novel/author quotations
­ Inspirational life quotations
­ Dream workspaces, bookcases, libraries
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9.
Sample posts:
Tuesday.​ Post a photograph or a gif that relates to people showing off the product, or even
something related.
Sample questions/comments:
­ Tea or Coffee?
­ Who’s that author? (a selection of famous quotations from novels around the world)
Include a silhouette of the author, and the novel quotation beside it.
­ Do you know your rights and freedoms? (feature charter book series)
Sample topics:
­ literature
­ favourites
­ travelling with books
­ notebooks and colouring books
­ authors
­ People doing other tasks while having the product with them
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10.
Sample posts:
Wednesday. ​Children’s corner. Pull at their heartstrings with videos featuring kids, interviews
with kids, and their insights and perspectives. We’re targeting teachers and parents, and the
cute factor will get their attention, as will the content. We could also feature “Writers on Writing”
here, as well.
Sample questions:
­ What’s your favourite book?
­ What inspires you?
­ Feature some of the wisdom questions and answers from kids (keep it short)
­ Future authors ­ featuring children telling their own stories
­ Kids playing popular games
Sample topics:
­ Popular videogames and boardgames
­ Writing and reading
­ Storytelling
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11. ­ Inspiration, creativity
Sample posts:
Thursday.​ We could jump onto the #tbt (throwback Thursday) trend here. Photography
featuring text in the form of a question, or a comment.
Sample questions/comments:
­ What was your favourite school lunch? (photo of a PB&J)
­ Who’s your hero? (photo of a comic book hero)
­ Photography from past events, staff parties and events, maybe illustrations in­progress
that have been completed
Sample topics:
­ memories of childhood
­ past projects and events
­ past popular culture references
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12. Sample posts:
Friday.​ End the week by posting content related to popular culture, or a reference to what
people are currently interested in, or what’s trending. If we don’t currently have that data, an
alternative can be to make a poll.
Sample questions:
­ What is your favourite TV show?
­ Nothing like cuddling up with a hot chocolate and a good book. How are you spending
your Sunday?
­ Our author, _____, is looking for new winter drinks to survive this season. What’s your
favourite?
Sample topics:
­ Coffee
­ Reading
­ Writing
­ Popular TV shows and series
­ Childhood memories from school
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13. Sample posts:
Discussion
In short, there are a few Facebook lifelines we need to establish.
Share​ events, posts, and original content.
Talk​ about our reviews and successes.
Reply​ to comments and inquiries.
Discuss​ on other’s posts and content.
Ask​ questions and engage our audience.
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14. Twitter
Overview
There are over 500 million members, and over 750 tweets posted per second. Twitter is all
about news and information. And, content really doesn’t matter here ­ it’s all about context, and
how you spin your story. You need to make a statement, stake out a position, and establish a
voice.
As Gary Vaynerchuck says: “It’s the only platform where you can jump into a conversation
unannounced and no one thinks you’re a stalker. Here, you don’t have to wait for anyone to give
you permission to show how much you care.”
One of the beautiful things about Twitter is that you can track trends worldwide, nationally, or
regionally. You have the ability to tailor content to any situation and you can spark interest in
your company among people outside your group of followers. You can piggyback on trending
materials and content, and use it to promote your own company in a new and creative way. And
you can purchase promoted tweets, which gain more attention.
Trends can be names or current events or memes. Many trending hashtags can be applied to
your own brand. But you have to make sure to use appropriate hashtags that feel native to your
brand. There’s no use in stuffing a bunch of hashtags in a tweet in hopes of getting attention.
People will ignore it because it doesn’t feel honest.
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15. Unfortunately, there’s no real way to predict what will be popular or trending on a day­to­day
basis. You can know about some huge events beforehand (Superbowl, holidays, black friday),
but the vast majority of posts will require same­day research and implementation. You can plan
for your company’s personal events that are coming up, and post those on specific days.
However, if you want to hit hard and effectively, jumping on trends will be necessary.
Some good examples of trend­jacking:
#ThoughtsInBed is trending.
Taco Bell posts:
“#ThoughtsInBed Taco Bell, I need you.”
That generated over 12,000 retweets and over 3.5k favourites.
#protip is trending:
Skittles posts:
“If you want to hide something, just put it next to a pack of Skittles. Nobody will even notice it’s
there. #protip”
It’s a way to get attention, identify with your consumer base using your brand identity
and voice, and it’s fun.
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16. Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Positives:
­ Profile photo is optimized for the platform
­ Fantastic cover photo, links to brand
­ Comprehensive about section, includes website
­ Following others
Negatives:
­ None present. Great job on creating a professional, consistent image!
Your ​audience​ on Twitter will consist of consumers, educators, and publishers. You’re going to
want to establish a voice that is appropriate for all three audiences. I would suggest something
fun and creative. People enjoy humour and creativity, and I feel that it would help our brand
identity flourish.
Post Frequency and Content
Recent Posts ­ Dates and Content:
Sept. 10, 2015 ­ retweet
Sept. 10, 2015 ­ original content
Aug. 13, 2015 ­ advertising
Aug. 10, 2015 ­ original content
July 31, 2015 ­ original content
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17.
Changes to be applied:
­ Post a variety of content
­ Post consistently
­ Incorporate trending content, inclusive of hashtags
­ Participate in conversations via retweets, responses, and favourites
­ Follow people who fit your brand, and, hopefully, they’ll follow you too
Strategy
Right now, DC Canada Education Publishing has a fantastic profile set­up. However, it needs to
be active. Twitter is very high maintenance, with a huge focus on trending content and
hashtags. It’s very difficult to start a trend, but it’s very easy to put yourself into the conversation
by incorporating the hashtag into your post in a way that fits. Creativity is key here.
Research is equally important. While there isn’t a clear way in distinguishing what gains
attention on Twitter and what doesn’t, it is important to know what will be trending during a
certain time frame. This would mean keeping up with current events, news, and holiday dates.
There are some things we can plan in advance for, such as world sports tournaments, large
shopping sale dates, and local events.
Schedule
There is no real way to plan posts on a day­to­day basis. However, it is very possible to do
some research beforehand and determine which events, holidays, and opportunities could
potentially be trending on certain days. Most of what you’ll be doing is listening and observing.
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18. Find out what you like about other businesses, and their posting strategies, and how they
interact with their customers. Through trial and error, you can see which tactics resonate most
with your followers.
In addition to this, you’ll be using the 80/20 rule. 80% of your tweets should focus on driving
interactions with your followers, such as retweets, replies, and favourites. You can mix in offers
and promotions later on, once you’ve established a following. Be authentic and friendly, and
incorporate creativity and humour. And use a unique voice ­ that’s what people will follow you
for.
Twitter for Business has a sample schedule available that gives a general outline on how you
could tailor tweets to fit your business needs. And while this is a great idea, it needs to be
supplemented with trending material and relevant hashtags. Otherwise, no one will see it.
Monday.​ #MondayMotivation. Post something inspirational, and exciting!
Sample comments:
­ We all need a lil bit of #MondayMotivation
­ From our author, ______. [quotation in photograph]
­ My coffee is my #MondayMotivation
Sample topics:
­ Quotations by authors, writers
­ Coffee culture, tea culture
­ Freelance culture
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19. ­ Quotations from novels, inclusive of our own
Sample posts:
Tuesday. ​#TuesdayTreat. Feature sales, events, or anything that relates. Or, perhaps,
#TipTuesday.
Sample questions/comments:
­ Hey guys <3 For a chance to #Win one of our books follow & RT @DCCED
#TuesdayTreat Ends dd.mm.yy
­ Nothing beats a little #TuesdayTreat @company (photo of food/drinks)
­ Get 20% off of Charter for Children with DC20: (shortened url)
Sample topics:
­ Promotions, sales
­ Coffee, tea, pastries (featuring one of our products in the photo)
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20. ­ Industry advice, tips to using a program better
­ How to read, write, present better
Sample posts:
Wednesday.​ #WednesdayWisdom. Post a quotation that brings insight to an issue or idea, and
makes you think.
Sample comments:
­ Some #WednesdayWisdom from Harper Lee @PenguinBooks (photo of quotation)
­ How to make a good first impression on your editors #WednesdayWisdom (shortened
blog url)
Sample topics:
­ Quotations by famous industry professionals (authors, marketers, CEOs)
­ Advice, feel­good quotations
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21.
Sample posts:
Thursday. ​One of the more popular existing trends is #YaThursday, which features freebies,
and both genuine and sarcastic updates about people’s lives. However, people often use this
day to self­advertise as well
Sample comments/questions:
­ @Starbucks Chai lattes <3 What’s your #YaThursday about? (photo of drink and one of
our books)
­ #YaThursday! RT for a chance to #win a copy of #CharterforChildren by
@DustinMilligan! Start reading: (shortened url)
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22. ­ #YaThursday! Feat. good books and cleverness. @JKRowling (photo of Hermione
Granger)
Sample topics:
­ Promotions, freebies
­ Advertise events
­ Make iconic references
­ Literary references
Sample posts:
Friday.​ The two most common trends seem to be #FridayReads and #FridayFeeling. We can
use both to leverage our product, as well as evoke participation in readers.
Sample questions/comments:
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23. ­ That #FridayFeeling. (Feature an event we’ll be attending, or a release coming up)
­ If you’re looking for a #FridayReads, these books are on special! (shortened url)
­ What are your #FridayReads? (photo of book, tea/coffee, and a snack)
Sample topics:
­ Feature upcoming events, releases
­ Sales, promotions
­ Reviews
­ Conversations about literature
Sample posts:
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24.
Discussion
Overall, Twitter is a high­maintenance social media platform. However, it is also one of the most
rewarding, if done well. The goal here is to complete the following, each day, in addition to the
pre­scheduled posts:
Comment​ on an interesting post.
Retweet​ something good!
Remain ​relevant, and keep up with holidays, special occasions, celebrations, and news.
Keep​ up with trending hashtags. If you can do something with it, get on it!
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25. YouTube
Overview
YouTube is a phenomenal social media outlet ­ it allows people to tie their videos directly to
Google+ and share them across Facebook and Twitter. It also ties your video tags and titles to
Google’s search engine, so you’ll have to be sure to name things in a way that would generate
the most hits.
As with all social media platforms, keeping a consistent posting schedule is really important ­
this will notify your audience on when they should come back to expect new content. Calls to
action are also important, and can include subscribing to your channel, leaving feedback, and
sharing the videos across other social media platforms. The nice thing is that you can also
share your videos across your social media platforms to get maximum exposure.
Just like any other platform, YouTube channels need to respond to feedback in a timely manner
and curate comments. In addition to this, all responses should be personalized and keep the
brand’s voice present. Above all, be professional.
Building content for YouTube will take a lot of planning ­ you have to select the topic, find
appropriate people, film the scene, edit it extensively, and then make sure that the quality is to
par. It helps to plan out themes for each time frame to take the guesswork out of things. Another
thing to consider would be collaborations. If you can collaborate with a company and put out
content, you will generate more views than if you did it on your own. People like collaborations ­
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26. it gives them something different and unexpected, and it helps introduce them to a new
individual or brand. It evokes trust, and breaks the ice with a new potential consumer base.
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Positives:
­ Use of brand logo in profile picture
Negatives:
­ Profile picture needs to be optimized for platform
­ Need to incorporate brand colours and theme on the channel page
­ Need to have a relevant background cover photo
­ Need to link all social media platforms on the “about” page
­ Feature your slogan on the “about” page
­ Remove the two identical links on the “about” page
­ Need to subscribe to others who promote similar messages
­ Need to contribute to the conversation and favourite videos
Our ​audience​ on this platform will consists of parents, teachers, and potentially children. We
can have three separate series that target each group.
Post Frequency and Content
Recent Posts ­ Dates and Content
I cannot give an accurate posting assessment of this platform since YouTube does not provide
accurate posting dates. However, here is some of the information I was able to retrieve:
1 month ago ­ game explanation
1 month ago ­ game explanation
1 month ago ­ game explanation
1 month ago ­ game explanation
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27. Changes to be applied:
­ More consistent posting schedule
­ Create variety in content
­ Generate conversation and interest
­ Share across platforms
­ Tag your videos
Strategy
Our current posting strategy isn’t acquiring much attention. The content is repetitive and
uninteresting, for the most part. It isn’t tagged or titled in a way that optimizes Google’s search
engine. And it isn’t being promoted across our other social media platforms.
We’re going to need to establish a posting schedule, and consistent themes that target a variety
of audiences. I understand that the instructional videos are important for educators; however,
they do not target parents or children effectively. We can break into the consumer market if we
adjust our media strategy on this platform.
Because DCCED offers much more than books, we can use this to our advantage. We can:
­ Have our authors discuss their books in an interesting and fun way
­ Feature book trailers, game reviews, and commercials
­ Writers on Writing: involve kids to talk about writing stories
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28. Schedule
Week One.
I was thinking about something along the lines of a “Did you know?” series. We could introduce
wildlife, a break down of how things are made, and feature clips of video with an explanatory
voice­over. Some examples include Zefrank1’s “True Facts” series, and “How it’s made.”
Week Three.
I was thinking about expanding on the ​My Little Book of Logic​ series. We could come up with
questions that an animated Smarti Bear would ask children, and film their responses as a
compilation of clips.
Week Five.
A web miniseries on how to handle violations and injustices of rights as a child, inclusive of
bullying, would be really really fantastic here. I think it would be interesting to ask a child about
their opinion of a simple scenario, and then film all of the (positive) responses. Children don’t
really receive conditioning or support when facing communication issues when growing up, and
I think it would be fascinating to add that element of learning. I think it could potentially speak to
both children and adults alike. This would fall directly in line with the ​Charter for Children​ series.
Discussion
In short, to succeed on this platform, we have to post interesting content on a regular basis that
appeals to our audience. We must:
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29.
Regulate​ inappropriate comments
Participate​ by liking, sharing, favouriting, and commenting on videos to build an identity and
audience
Collaborate​ with other professionals to build trust and viewership
Tag​ our videos appropriately
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30. Google +
Overview
Google + is a very young and present social media platform with a lot of very useful extra
features. It allows you to have multiple admins on business pages, so that you can take turns
posting curated content. It features “On Air” hangouts (think Skype, except more direct
connections), free voice calls, face­recognition capabilities, and a strong integration with Gmail
and contacts. Google + has become the one­stop shop for interviews, emails, contact
information, sharing, and business promotion.
Google + also prohibited the use of contests or promotions on its business pages.​ So
you have to actually engage your audience and provide good content to keep them coming
back. Something interesting ­ with the exception of Britney Spears, the top 10 brand pages are
all dedicated to technology. And, their small communities are generating the most activity.
Naturally, users and companies are expected to have comprehensive profiles. This should
feature high­quality, branded photography, links to all social media platforms, and regularly
scheduled content. All posts are meant to engage the audience and promote discussion. This
could be comments, +1’s, or shares. Remember that YouTube is directly connected to Google+
­ everything you post there will be shared here. And, if you set up your website to do so, you
can have new, featured content posted across all social media platforms simultaneously.
If DCCED decides to create a blog, we can use Google’s authorship tool to attribute real names
and faces (from Google +) to these posts. Google’s search engine places content with
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31. authorship ahead of other search results simply because its audience wants content written by
real people. It makes it stand out, and it makes it more credible. Authorship generates, on
average, 150% more traffic.
Current Platform Analysis
Brand Identity
Positives:
­ Physical address is listed
­ Linked to YouTube
­ Brand logo is the profile picture
Negatives:
­ Wrong type of account
­ You need a BUSINESS account, not an individual account
­ No posts available
­ No company information available
­ Not linked to other social media or website
­ Profile photo not optimized for platform
­ Need a slideshow or a unique banner
­ No photography
Our ​audience​ on this platform will consist of consumers, professionals, and influencers. We can
separate all of our audiences by using groups, and target each one individually!
Post Frequency and Content
Recent Posts ­ Dates and Content
Nothing is available.
Changes to be applied:
­ Develop a solid marketing strategy to tackle Google +
­ Develop a posting schedule
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32. Strategy
Google + isn’t a very high maintenance platform. Ideally, you should post once a week, and if
you have the time, up to three times a week. There are some companies that post daily, but it
really isn’t necessary. Here are some ideals that we should follow:
­ Posts should relate to the company directly
­ blog post spotlight
­ upcoming events
­ future initiatives
­ OR relate to the industry in a positive way
­ highlight other blog posts that relate to your company
­ highlight your work or reviews
­ related projects and pieces
­ celebratory days (National Poetry Day)
­ Posts should include a photograph and/or link, interesting text, and hashtags
Schedule
Week One.
Feature a blog done by one of our staff.
Week Two.
Feature an upcoming event, release, or project.
Week Three.
Highlight your work or a review.
Week Four.
Highlight an in­progress post on something current in the company.
Other.
Post on holidays, public “holidays” and on large news events.
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33. Discussion
In short, to succeed on this platform, we have to post interesting content on a regular basis that
appeals to our audience. We must:
Share​ industry­related content.
Participate​ by sharing, commenting, liking, and following others.
Establish​ your brand voice and identity.
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34. LinkedIn
Overview
There are over 400 million professionals on LinkedIn, and over 3 million companies. Every
second, two new members join. Executives from Fortune 500 companies are members. And the
opportunity to connect with other professionals in the industry, or just people that you’ve worked
with in the past, is colossal.
Users want industry insights, updates, and guidance on how to better themselves and their
skills. Or maybe they want to scope out potential jobs ­ LinkedIn has a visually­appealing sorting
system that allows you to scope out both job positions based on your preferences (region,
profession, interests) and hiring companies. LinkedIn gives you all the information you need to
make informed career decisions.
This platform is really fantastic for businesses: you can get a lot of exposure by simply posting
content on a regular basis, and by including your LinkedIn page across social media platforms
and on your company website. If people like your brand, or like the content and/or products you
contribute, they’re likely to endorse your services and follow you.
Remember that LinkedIn is an effective tool to promote services, job opportunities, and valuable
industry information.
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35. Strategy
I skipped over the “Current Platform Analysis” since we do not currently have a LinkedIn for DC
Canada. Here are some of the requirements that we will be faced with when participating with
professional users and businesses:
Expectations:
­ Comprehensive profile featuring endorsements by other individuals and companies
­ Check­in weekly to respond to messages and establish professional connections
­ Post initiatives, articles on business and industry topics
­ Respond to comments in a timely manner
­ Post weekly
Technical:
­ Include some form of media (links, photos, slideshow, article) in every post
­ Text truncates after the third line, so shorten the url to avoid that
­ Landscape photography works best to capture attention
­ Branded, high­quality photography
Schedule
There isn’t really a solid schedule we can adhere to on LinkedIn ­ it’s mostly just based on
positive public appearances and experiences, productivity, and media exposure. We’re building
an image here, and we want to make it as positive, eventful, and fun as possible.
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36. We can post a progress report on a current event or project, or even an upcoming event. Or, if
we don’t have anything in­progress right now, feature a staff event. Maybe a candid photo of a
lunch meeting, or an outing. We have the potential to even volunteer for other causes and gain
media attention through their posts and articles, as well as our own.
Sample topics:
­ Company volunteer work
­ Company events, lunches, meetings
­ Upcoming events and launches
­ Book fairs and festivals that we’re attending
­ Company outings or “fun times” (playing board games, video games, billiards; games
nights at other locations ­ The Loft, Raw Sugar, Monopolatte)
Discussion
Remember that you’re providing valuable content to other professionals in the field. So fit their
needs and interests, and give them a reason to follow your profile.
Give ​them the content they’re looking for.
Gather​ analytics and optimize the platform.
Build​ your company image.
Encourage​ conversation, discussions, and interaction with all posts.
Participate​ in groups, and on other’s posts.
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37. Instagram
Overview
Let’s get real here.
Instagram is a closed loop, and a marketer’s worst nightmare. There’s no ability to share other’s
photography or posts, there’s no real way to redirect them to your call to action, and users have
zero interest in your snazzy stock photography or perfect images.
Instagram is all about authenticity. If you can’t deliver your real, genuine self, then you’re on the
wrong platform. The platform’s native content is all about being artistic, to express yourself.
People don’t want commercial warfare, and they certainly don't endorse it. Remember your
audience here ­ it’s all young people ­ the next generation of social users. You want their
attention, so you have to play by their rules. And that means no hard sells, and advertising.
Luckily, you can still comment on posts and participate in the conversation. And, you can apply
your hashtag knowledge to get noticed by other users ­ they’re the doorways to discovering your
brand. Without them, you’re invisible. And you’ll have a pretty straightforward goal here, too:
become Explorer­worthy. This fancy tab exposes your content to all of Instagram, regardless of
if those people are following you. And to do that, you need to build up your “likes” on your
content.
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38. The most popular hashtags:
#love #instagood #me #tbt #cute #follow
#followme #photooftheday #happy #tagforlikes #beautiful #selfie
#picoftheday #fun #smile #friends #igers #instalike
#food #loveit #instacool #motivationalmonday
#inspirationalquotes #marketing #webtraffic #optimization #content
#studentproblems #education #bookoftheday #bookworm
#readinglist #behindthescenes
Strategy
Expectations:
­ Comprehensive, branded profile
­ Daily check­in, post 3 times a week
­ Real, authentic voice and personality
­ Respond to comments, shares, likes in a timely manner
­ Every post needs a filtered photograph (via cellphone), hashtags, some text, and maybe
a website link or call to action
Schedule
Content should absorb your younger audience, and give them a reason to clue in and listen.
Photography from road trips, conferences, and events are especially useful, as are witty,
creative pieces like the “bookshelfie.” It’s all about presentation here ­ people want to see fun,
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39. engaging content, and they like to see in­progress pieces. And, they especially like being
noticed via giving credit to someone else’s photo and sharing it.
There’s a lot of potential for book­related content on this platform. And anything that involves
play, fun, and adventure. People really respond to passion and creativity on Instagram, and we
can really take advantage of that.
As far as scheduling goes, we can set up a campaign similar to the following, posting daily:
Day 1​. #behindthescenes
Day 2.​ #friends #smile #fun
Day 3.​ #cute #fun #loveit #education
Day 4.​ #tbt
Day 5.​ #photooftheday
Discussion
Remember that you’re creating art on Instagram. And, ask yourself:
Is my image artsy and indie enough for the Instagram crowd?
Have I included enough descriptive hashtags?
Are my stories appealing to the young generation?
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