The social launch: 5 elements critical to online success

Have you considered incorporating social media and other online assets in your next launch plan? Online marketing and networking (a.k.a. Social Media) is a powerful and measurable way for brands to connect with consumers, business purchasers or key opinion leaders (KOLs) as part of their launch.

But timing is everything.

New product or brand launches have always relied on advertising and/or trade shows, in-store collateral and sales material. These activities can be successfully initiated late in the pre-launch activity process. This has shaped the way most brand managers today prioritize and allocate time and budget pre-launch. That’s the number one reason why social launches fizzle on the launch pad. To succeed, new media launches required new timing.

Traditionally, promotional materials are kicked-off at launch. But social initiatives should be kicked-off months before so they are already tested and established at launch. This offers maximum benefit to the brand. If done properly critical assets can mature online without stealing the thunder from your launch. Several key areas that benefit are:

• Online Asset Planning
• Online Testing
• Community Building
• SEO Activities
• URL & User Name Acquisition

These five elements are critical to online success but are rarely scheduled with adequate time in the pre-launch phase. It doesn’t make sense to create traditional marketing material too soon. But with social asset, it’s just the opposite. Like fine wine, all of these activities improve with age. The sooner you start them, the more effective they will be at launch.

Brand managers who wish to include online assets in their launch need to adopt new pre-launch budgeting and timing routines that optimize their digital investments. It is not necessarily a matter of spending more, just spending sooner.

If you’d like to get the web behind your next launch contact us about our LaunchPad Social Workshop.

Kevin Duffy is the Creative Director for The Duffy Agency's Boston office.