This blog is all about social marketing. Social marketing is something that I am passionate about. From what I remember, I have always been involved in volunteering, and fifth grade was the first time I remember really volunteering and creating a social marketing campaign.
The earthquake in Haiti struck when I was in the fifth grade. My friends and I wanted to help to bring awareness to the victims of Haiti and the struggles they would continue to face with the aftermath of the earthquake. Conveniently, one of my friends’ parents visited Haiti regularly with their church. A group of 5th graders from my school (myself included) with the support from elementary school and our parents, put together an ice cream social and t-shirt marking event for my friend’s parents to bring down to Haiti. We also raised money to donate to World Vision. The event was promoted around the school. This was my first experience with social marketing. The rest of this blog looks more closely at what social marketing is and how it has been effectively used.
What is Social Marketing?
Social marketing is NOT the same as social media marketing. Social marketing is all about the people. Social marketing is designed to create social change. It is not meant to directly benefit a brand. Social marketing sells a behavior to make a change and should benefit the public good and society. It can also be known as a long-term way to change human behavior.
“Let’s Talk Month” Campaign
An example of effective digital social marketing is the “Let’s Talk Month” campaign run by Planned Parenthood. This campaign encourages open communication between parents and their children about relationships and sex. It is proven that when there is clear, open and transparent communication between parents and their children about these specific topics, that teens are more likely to wait to have sex and if they do, they are more likely to use some from of birth control.
This campaign is meant to lessen the stigma around these conversations so that children and teens are well educated when it comes to relationships and sexual health. It is also meant to bring awareness to what a healthy relationship and sexual activity look like. Each year, Planned Parenthood encourages families to sit down together and have open conversations about sexuality – this includes relationships, bodies and body image, reproduction, gender and sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and preventing pregnancy and STDs.
Planned Parenthood provides resources for families to educate themselves before discussing this with their children, and they also post on their social media about this campaign. Throughout the month of October, they continue to encourage families to have these discussions while leading them to credible resources to start the discussion using tools that we have learned in the digital marketing class.
The tools worked because they were used to effectively target customers. More families now have the resources they need to talk and have discussions about healthy relationships and sex.
A Cause I am Passionate About
A cause that I feel passionate about is bringing awareness to childhood cancer. The gold ribbon is the pediatric cancer ribbon. I am passionate about this because it is rare, and many people do not know that kids can get cancer as well as adults. There is also not much government funding to improve treatments and to find a cure. Right now, the treatment options for the various types of childhood cancers are being researched and tested through various trials. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of many children’s hospitals that continues to research for new treatment forms and cures for the different types of cancers.
I would use the skills that I have learned in this class to bring awareness to this issue. Currently, childhood cancer only receives about 4% of national cancer funding while adult cancer receives the other 96% and that is why you may hear the phrase #morethan4. I would use my skills in
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social media using both paid and organic social media to bring awareness to this cause.
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Effective SEO to ensure that the organizations I am partnering with are having maximum increased visibility among audience members, in searches and on their web page. I
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Effective landing page with a clear call to action to bring awareness to the campaign.
Conclusion
Social marketing is important. It is something that I believe in, and is something more people are seeing value in. Social marketing campaigns should start or continue to change human behavior for the better, and when we all come together, we will be able to see that change to create and build a kinder and more compassionate world. My next blog is the last one for #wwudigimark, so look out for what is coming next.