Managing social media for brand consistency in multiple markets
When our client asked us to manage their social media and digital activities in five countries we knew there was a catch. How do you align local markets under a centralized approach when it had been doing things “its own way” for many years?
Alignment meant establishing common tools – a centralized content calendar, common processes, engagement rules, and templates for posts. But for the long term, we knew we would need the full support and buy-in from all stakeholders. This required demonstrating how a centralized process would deliver on three key benefits:
- Consistent branding: tone of voice and visual consistency
- Unified message: including product attributes and brand values across markets
- Local flexibility: allowing markets the flexibility to focus their efforts and budget on what is specific to their markets and cultures
We developed a strategy to achieve the business objectives defined by the central team while also giving local markets the space to plug in their own initiatives effectively. Our team created an editorial and media calendar that considered the needs of each market (testimonials, events, contests). Then we introduced toolkits so countries could follow simple rules and templates when creating their own social media and digital content. We also developed a smooth process where approval and localization matched the media plan. This reduced the risk of missed deadlines.
In the three years since we implemented the centralization model with our client, brand recognition increased by 10% in all markets. Overall engagement rate on Facebook is around 5%, with an average cost per engagement of 0.15 euros (way better than the industry benchmarking).
Aligning local markets with global branding and messaging while maintaining flexibility is a win-win for global and local operations.