As a creative marketing agency, Highway 101 has helped organisations successfully integrate Social Media into the mix. So, we’d like to answer some typical questions.

“Where do we start?”

Just as you wouldn’t buy a page for an advertisement in a magazine and then ‘wing it’, Social Media marketing isn’t about setting up a Facebook page and hoping for the best. We know that success is the result of a tailored, well-considered strategy, devised by experts in the area of both Social Media and marketing.

“I’m nervous about starting a campaign – what if we can’t see it through?”

We are firm believers in walking before you run. In the strategy phase, we’ll identify your internal capabilities. Usually, we will begin your campaign with one platform (blog/Facebook/Twitter etc). We’ll help you through launch step by step. Once you’re comfortable, we’ll then help you move onto the next platform. You’ll be given tailored task sheets and calendars. We’ll help also you research and identify the best sources of usable content.

“How can we find the time to administer a campaign?”

A Social Media campaign can take as little as 12 hours a month to manage. We’ll help you select people within your organisation who can share the division of labour, and make any time spent on your campaign as efficient as possible.

“Can we REALLY do it ourselves?”

Yes – you just need some practice first. We can help ease you into self-sufficiency over a period, or we can help you with your campaign for a period of time until you feel ready for independence. We’ll also provide you with your unique campaign folder, which includes step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks.

“What if someone posts a bad comment?”

Most platforms are moderated. You receive notification of comments and choose to approve (or dismiss). Although it’s always wise to allow people to have their say.

“How do we know if it’s working?”

We will recommend the best approach to tracking and measuring the success of your campaign, and can work with you to identify your ROI.

“How much will it cost?”

Right now, we are offering a Starter Package price to companies who want to get their Social Media campaign running immediately – so you don’t fall behind the competition. The cost? Just  $1995 exc. GST

His tight-knit team rallied on Black Saturday to create a ‘virtual town hall’, allowing people to search for missing loved ones. The site, still running as of November 2009, also featured readers tributes to firefighters, the very first published picture of ‘Sam the Koala’, as well as providing online grief counselling sessions.

We couldn’t be more proud to have our names associated with the winners – thanks to Matthew and his team for making a real difference.

The Age, The Sunday Age and The Age Online team, “Black Saturday”

Continuing and expansive multi-platform coverage of the Victorian bushfires by The Age, Sunday Age and online.

James Thomas, Seven Network and Yahoo Seven, “War Criminal At Large, Government in Hiding”

Tenacious coverage of an East Timorese alleged rapist, torturer and war criminal living in Sydney, near the family of an 11-year-old he allegedly tortured to death.

HeraldSun.com.au team, “Black Saturday Bushfires”

Ongoing multimedia coverage of Victoria’s disaster, including a forum that allowed for real-time conversation between people searching for lost loved ones.

Commended:

A Current Affair team, Nine Network, “Kinglake Ground Zero”

We’d like to congratulate all the finalists, and look forward to presenting the trophy to the winner on the night.

Within 30 days, your campaign will be launched. It includes:

• One hour workshop defining your points of difference.
• Creative development of your ‘unique Social Media strategy’ including personality and tone of voice.
• Identification of THREE Social Media Platforms (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr etc)
• Updating your platform sites for the first 10 days of your campaign.
• Providing you with training and tools to take over your campaign internally.

Our ‘Up and Running” Package will cost your organisation only $1995. To make this offer even more accessible, we offer the option of paying by Credit Card using our Paypal account.

To download a PDF with further information, including our ‘Add a Blog’ and ‘Monthly Maintenance’ packages from just $495, click on the link below – or call us now on (02) 9380 4911.

Social Media 101

Having quietly launched the Walkley Social Media campaign, we are now preparing to work closely with the Foundation over the next year. Our projects range from re-positioning their Sponsorship Programme to marketing their Press Freedom Dinner to ramping up their Social Media Campaign.

Excellence and ethical journalism is an area that everyone at Highway 101 strongly believes in – it is, in fact, something of a passion for us. We look forward to helping The Walkley Foundation go from strength to strength.

This workshop will be an hour of discovery and knowledge exchange. It may lead to us working together in the future, but if it doesn’t and you learn something that can help your business, then we consider it time well invested by both parties.

To book your in-house Workshop, call Dana on (02) 9380 4911 or email dana@highway101.com.au

Click here for more:  hw-101-ideas-free-assessment

For example, Sir John Hegarty, the highly respected founder and worldwide creative director of BBH, stands by mainstream advertising and admits that his agency is “very old fashioned”.* An interesting comment coming from the man who heads an agency renowned for award–winning, iconic campaigns. Meanwhile, a rash of digital marketers are telling us that the future is online, where science and information will allow us to connect more credibly with our customers than ever before.

Just to muddy the waters further, the high rating TV commercials that appeared during this year’s Superbowl managed to drive website traffic to peak highs. Not many clients can afford to advertise during the Superbowl, but there’s a significant point being made here – right now traditional mediums can work even more effectively when they work together with online communications, and vice versa.

What’s really happened is that the Revolution has forced us to adopt a new,  wider perspective, which means taking advantage of the plethora of new online options, rather than simply adopting default traditional options. So, we have new communications tools to play with, more directions to target and many new, often more affordable ways of communicating with our customers.

But, what if you feel the Revolution has passed you by? What if you don’t understand how Twitter can possibly establish you as a thought leader, how LinkedIn will build your network, how Facebook can build loyalty to your brand,  how YouTube can spread your word? What if you don’t know SEO from SEM, or a blog from a mini-blog? Yes, the Revolution has created a scary world for the non-digitally inclined, which is exactly why Highway 101 is running free marketing strategy workshops that explain what it all means and how it could work for you.

What we do know is that there’s not a new rule book, just a much larger one. Science hasn’t replaced creativity and technology hasn’t taken over from ingenuity. The winners of the Revolution are those without blinkers, willing to adapt and understand the new marketing environment. Vive la Revolution! 

*Ad News 27th March 09