We all know that digital PR campaign fails are like buses. They happen every day. The best way to avoid jumping aboard is through strategic planning well-before undertaking any marketing work, but unless you’re an award-winning digital PR agency [ahem] that’s not always the easiest thing to do.
That’s why Facebook has decided to step in and offer a helping hand. The platform’s new 2019 Holiday Marketing Guide has all the makings of a vital resource. So how does it work?
Well, the tool is pretty simple, really. You’ll find stats, facts and predictions based on emerging trends, a planning calendar packed with dates and their relevance to campaigns, and a step-by-step guide to preparing, launching and running said campaign.
Key outtakes
We published original and insightful content on our blog each week and don’t believe in plagiarism or lifting ideas. Nevertheless, it seems appropriate to run through a few things that really caught our eye— which we think will help others avoid digital campaign fails.
Global Holiday Trends
- Shoppers are going bigger, earlier
- Bad buying experiences will not be tolerated
- Stories is the place for window shopping
- People are purchasing in-store
- Major shopping events, such as Black Friday, are now global
- Messaging fuels loyalty
In numbers
43% of shoppers in 2018 started their Christmas purchasing in November or earlier
63% of respondents to Facebook’s survey said Stories on Instagram and Facebook were perfect for discovery
48% of shoppers message businesses to find out more details about a product, 43% do so to purchase a product and 37% for store information
Avoiding your own digital PR fails
It should go without saying that Facebook’s guide is just that— a guide. Digital PR fails can happen for many reasons, just look at our weekly Blagger’s Blog for evidence of that. Smoking Gun’s pages are filled with tips, walkthroughs and fresh thoughts on the best ways not just to avoid failure, but beat the competition to success.
In terms of Facebook’s Holiday Marketing Guide, we’d recommend paying particular attention to the planning timeline simply to make sure you don’t fall behind. As for the trends, it’s not what they say implicitly, but what you do with them to make your own campaign unique that really counts.
Need more than this to help your social media marketing shine through?
Contact Smoking Gun’s creative team today.
