How do you set and manage expectations and goals for social media and influencer marketing in media sales?

1 Know your objectives

Before you launch any social media or influencer marketing campaign, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and how you will measure it. Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive traffic, or boost conversions? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that will show you the results of your efforts? How will you align your objectives with your client's goals and budget? Having a well-defined and agreed-upon strategy will help you set realistic expectations and goals for your campaign, as well as communicate them effectively to your client and influencers.

2 Choose the right platforms and influencers

Not all social media platforms and influencers are created equal. Depending on your objectives, target audience, and industry, you need to select the most suitable and relevant channels and influencers for your campaign. For example, if you want to reach a young and creative demographic, you might consider using Instagram or TikTok and collaborating with micro-influencers who have a niche and engaged following. If you want to establish thought leadership and credibility, you might opt for LinkedIn or Twitter and working with industry experts or influencers. You also need to consider the tone, style, and format of the content that will resonate with your audience and match your brand identity.

3 Establish clear guidelines and expectations

Once you have chosen your platforms and influencers, you need to set clear guidelines and expectations for the content creation and distribution process. This includes defining the scope, timeline, deliverables, budget, payment terms, and reporting requirements of the campaign. You also need to specify the level of creative control and input that you and your client will have over the content, as well as the disclosure and compliance rules that the influencers need to follow. You should document these guidelines and expectations in a written contract or agreement that both parties sign and adhere to.

4 Monitor and optimize your campaign

Setting and managing expectations and goals for social media and influencer marketing does not end when the campaign goes live. You need to monitor and optimize your campaign throughout its duration, using the KPIs and metrics that you defined earlier. You should track and analyze the performance of your content and influencers, as well as the feedback and engagement of your audience. You should also communicate regularly with your client and influencers, providing them with updates, reports, and insights on the campaign's progress and impact. You should also be ready to make adjustments and improvements to your campaign based on the data and feedback that you collect.

5 Evaluate and learn from your campaign

After your campaign ends, you need to evaluate and learn from your campaign, using the expectations and goals that you set as a benchmark. You should measure and report on the outcomes and return on investment (ROI) of your campaign, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your strategy, platforms, and influencers. You should also solicit feedback and testimonials from your client and influencers, as well as conduct a post-mortem analysis of your campaign's successes and challenges. You should use these findings and lessons to improve your future social media and influencer marketing campaigns, as well as to build long-term relationships with your client and influencers.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?