Benjamin Franklin once said, “by failing to plan, you are planning to fail.”
We believe that to be a self-evident truth. After all, effective planning is the foundation of success. So, in honor of #NationalPlannerDay, some of Acronym’s group leaders are sharing their top three tips for effective planning across your SEO, paid media and social media programs.
3 STEPS FOR SEO SUCCESS – Winston Burton, SVP, SEO
1. Structured Data
Marking up your content and having structured data is the best way for Google to find that content fast. Structured data gives your content to Search Engines in a way they can understand it in real time, as opposed to waiting and hoping that the bots find your content.
This saves both bandwidth and time. It is also important to understand Search Engines are playing a ‘long game’ with structured data as it enables a far more efficient way to effectively answer a search query with a personalized and factual set of results. This is called ‘data retrieval’ versus the traditional and time-consuming exercise of ‘information retrieval’.
2. Voice Search and Task Completions
Search will transcend mediums yet again in the very near future. Like the meteoric trajectory we saw with the mobile device type revolution, where the preference swapped from desktop to mobile driven search, text-based search will soon be surpassed by Voice Driven Search with more results sets being of the audible variety.
Being prepared for this future of Voice means creating resourceful dynamic experiences that not only solve for the micro-moment but also personify your brand to the customer, creating lasting affinities into the next frontier of Digital.
Critical steps to take now include creating Actions for the Google Assistant and Skills for Amazon’s Alexa. Voice assistants represent a powerful application of Voice search and represent one of the leading behavioral influencing sources for quickly moving consumers off text search and into Voice. Soon Voice assistants will be able to complete tasks and you should be ready for that moment.
3. Creating Content for 5G
Be prepared for 5G. 5G will speed up and change the content experience allowing new and innovative ways to connect with customers.
Hyper-personalized content delivery, high-bandwidth digital experiences, faster websites will ensure the CX is exceptional. It’s also predicted that the usage of ad blockers will go down, allowing advertisers to serve ads effectively.
Digital will evolve from 2D to 3D, and interactive and live content will become the norm.
3 STEPS FOR PAID MEDIA – Gregg Manias, SVP, Performance Media
1. Establish Parameters for the Plan
Begin by defining the overall objective you want to achieve and the specific conversion goals to demonstrate success. You also want to determine the timing of the campaign and consider the opportunities and challenges inherent in that timing. Also, plan for the frequency of the message within that timing.
Next, you need to understand who the target audience is and examine their online behaviors and media preferences.
Finally, determine your overall budget and KPIs as this will drive the spend allocation and metrics for success.
2. Analysis Historical Performance & Research Landscape
After defining the parameters, you should review past media performance at every possible level to understand how it has traditionally performed. When you’re running ads online, you have to know what you’re spending your money on, and which ads are delivering the results you need.
This will help determine what needs to be changed to achieve the new goals based on where you’ve seen success in the past.
From there, you want to research the category landscape, target audiences, and all data and insights available to you.
3. Identify Proper Media Mix Tied to Parameters
After taking the learnings from historical plans and research, you want to create an integrated media plan that ties back to all the parameters.
It’s important not to throw money at every shiny new channel. Remember that each media channel you use might obtain a single objective from the parameter.
For example, YouTube might be used to capture a younger audience in the awareness stage, while Bing might be used to capture demand from an older demographic who use a desktop device.
So, be sure you know what each channel offers in terms of the target audience and types of engagements within each media opportunity.
3 STEPS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS – Mary Sutter, Director, Social Media
1. Use Social Listening to Stay Relevant With Social Trends
By listening to your target audience online and paying attention to the topics that most interest them, you can deliver organic content that meets their needs.
It can be very easy to believe you already know what your target audience wants from your brand(s). But, social media audiences, conversations and opportunities change constantly. So, listening to your target audience and even to your competitors can give you an edge in your content planning.
There are a number of terrific tools that enable you to follow the topics, issues, concerns and trends that matter to your target audience. We recommend Sprout Social as a terrific Social Listening and planning tool.
2. Utilize a Social Media Calendar to Stay Organized, But Be Flexible for Timely Posts
We all know content calendars are a useful way ensure you consistently deliver compelling content that addresses all key messages and product positions.
But, it’s also important to allow for spontaneous content that leverages memorable moments in time and/or allows you to include your brand in trending conversations.
There is something amazing about ‘spontaneity’, especially on social media.
People love it because it’s authentic. It’s not produced. It’s real. It just comes out of the moment. Of course, you want to ensure your in-the-moment content remains “on-brand.” Spontaneity in social media works when it’s still relevant to your audience. Don’t just jump on any bandwagon. Be selective as you mix spontaneity with planned content.
3. Track & Analyze Your Content To Determine What Works & What Doesn’t.
Too often, brands take a set-it-and-forget-it approach to social media. But, this could result in putting time and resources behind content that doesn’t deliver engagement or click-through.
It’s imperative you review the social media analytics (tied to your specific KPIs) so you focus on the content types that truly connect with your customers.
If you would like assistance with your planning process in Search, Paid Media, Paid and Organic Social Media or Business Analytics, please contact us today. In the meantime, Happy #NationalPlannerDay!
