Don’t Just Advertise it, Integrate it!

My big project this week is a full blown product launch campaign. It’s got everything– print ads, banner ads, landing page, email campaign, social media components… you name it, we’re thinking about it. And that’s really the way advertising should be thought of– your customers are everywhere, and you want to reach them at that point of relevancy that exists out there in the ethos somewhere. And when you think about it, if you put all your parts together, you can integrate a campaign message into all your outgoing efforts pretty easily.

• Integrate campaign elements into your website. Consider updating visuals or language on your homepage to bring in the campaign’s message.
• Integrate into your social media properties. If appropriate, consider changing or updating your profile icons to reflect the new campaign’s overall look. Make sure your core brand identity is still clear; this way, your followers will notice your tweaked icon and (hopefully) wonder what you’ve got going on.
• Integrate into your identity. Add a campaign connection to your email signature or voice mail message.
• Integrate the integration. Include links to your site and social media properties in banner ads and email campaigns. Consider including them in your printed materials if they add value.
• Integrate into your tracking metrics. One of the great things about a campaign with multiple online components is the ability to track each  component and gauge its success– both in message and location. Compare all your campaign components to see what’s working and what is not.
• Integrate with your customers. Finally, none of your social media efforts will bear fruit if you fail to involve your followers. Don’t just spit out tweets; ask questions, take polls, involve and engage your followers to create a larger conversation.

Keep an eye on the big picture, with all your components in mind, and your integrated efforts will work. Your direction just has to be clear.