How to Develop Brand Guidelines and Key Messaging for Social Media Advertising Campaigns

1. Keep the Message Simple

Too many moving parts will bury the lead, so be sure to limit the message to two to three talking points.

Next, be specific: How does your product or service solve a problem experienced by your target demographic? Does your product have patented technology that separates it from other products on the market? What is the main reason people should use your product? What values does your brand possess that are different or unique? 

These are the types of questions your brand should answer before developing messaging to send to influencers.

2. Add a Call-to-Action

A single, clear call-to-action (CTA) is a fundamental component of most campaigns.

For example, “Click the link in the description box and get 50% off your first purchase using promo code HALF.”

The CTA should incentivize an immediate response or else the viewer/reader may miss out on the opportunity. Many marketers also choose to limit the promotion’s availability (e.g. expires in 48 hours). 

3. Always Offer a Discount or Special Offer

Informing viewers or users about your product isn’t always enough—your brand may also consider offering a discount/promo code or special offer.

While some companies are interested in promoting general product awareness, the majority are looking for specific results such as increased sales or site traffic.

So give your viewers a compelling reason to act on the offer to ensure favorable campaign results. Click here to learn more about the types of discounts and offers that drive the highest campaign ROI. 

4. Provide optional talking points and background information

To guarantee an influencer has all the material he/she/they need to create a great review, don’t hesitate to include some optional talking points.

Transparency is essential in brand-influencer partnerships, therefore, offering more background information on your company and product may indeed yield a more accurate, thoughtful promotion.

5. Include supplemental pictures or videos

It should come as no surprise that visuals enhance a presentation. In fact, posts with images garner 94 percent more views, according to Optimind Technology Solutions.

As such, provide influencers with pre-approved video and picture assets they can use in their reviews.

6. Don’t forget about brand social handles or campaign hashtags

The whole point of influencer advertising on social media is to increase awareness and/or conversions. That’s why your influencers should also tag your brand social handles and include a campaign hashtag.

And if you’re enlisting multiple influencers, it’s especially crucial your brand captures and guides the social conversation.  

7. Make sure influencers follow Federal Trade Commission guidelines for sponsorship disclosure

Most importantly, your brand must ensure all influencers’ videos, pictures, and posts adhere to strict FTC guidelines (which can change quite frequently). Play it safe and check every now and then during campaigns.

Contact Trending Family today for personalized help designing effective brand guidelines for your influencers!