How Using Creative, Strategic Thought Will Help Your Social Advertising Plan Soar

By Sue Reninger, Managing Partner - Brand Strategy, RMD AdvertisingThe holiday season begins earlier each year, with brands dawning festive personas and introducing new must-have products that entice consumers to buy as soon as the first leaves drop. 41% of Americans said they start their holiday shopping before Halloween, and about 20% begin by the end of September, according to one study. For marketers, this means battling a crowded field where the average consumer no longer responds to overt messages to “buy now!” A strategic social advertising plan must be in place to cut through the clutter.As TV ad spending dwindles, digital advertising continues to boom. In today’s digital age, digital tactics can grab consumers’ attention and influence purchasing decisions. Out-of-home ad spending is expected to grow 3.3% for all of 2015, compared to a 3.8% contraction for ad sales across all traditional media types this year. With that said, digital advertising this holiday season has become more important than ever. Even more important is the way in which companies take advantage of it. Follow a few of these do’s and don’ts of digital marketing to boost your holiday sales this season.Do use custom-made links. Creating a custom link for your holiday campaign is an effective way to track that link on your website or a third-party website. Clicks to your custom link will be seen as activity on a prospect’s profile. The more information you have on a prospect, the more tailored and meaningful your conversations can be, which allows you to be a marketer rather than a technician. Use the data that your custom links provide to optimize your message and distribution so that you reach the consumer best suited to your brand.Don’t speak at your consumer. Speak to your consumer. Develop a meaningful conversation and seize the attention of new leads with storytelling. To portray your product or service as a must-have this holiday season, your targeted consumer needs to know that their values align with your brand’s values and that you will be solving a point of pain for them. Start a conversation!Do track your progress throughout your holiday campaign. When you benchmark your social and web statistics at the beginning of your holiday campaign, remember to check back in frequently. This will allow you to evaluate your success as well as identify areas where you can be more successful. Track and measure daily, even hourly. With programmatic advertising technology, it is now more feasible than ever.Consider shifting your strategy if you feel there are parts of your campaign that need to be strengthened, whether through a reallocation of your funds or through more specific targeting of your audience. It is crucial to understand your audience, including your brand’s buyer persona, how frequently they are online and which social platforms they prefer to use.[author] About the Author: Since starting RMD in 1992, Sue has been responsible for the complete strategy and direction of RMD’s Columbus-based flagship office. Sue knows what it takes to successfully market and grow an emerging food business. As Managing Partner of RMD, she works with clients such as Rudolph Foods, Bil-Jac Dog Food, Little Caesars Fundraising Kits and Panera Bread to develop new strategies for their businesses and distinctive brands. Her talent as a manager and leader has given rise to RMD’s employee focused culture, which has at its core a creative and engaging environment. [/author]