Memory Keeping Collection Facebook Launch Campaign

Project information

We caught the scrapbooking bug when the Bradford Group tapped us (my digital agency, Marketing Highway) to help build their new scrapbooking business. But what really took us all by surprise was the success of the social media – especially the Facebook channel. Fans, 'likes' and brand interaction have taken a viral spin – it's just wonderful when a plan comes together!

Challenges

The Bradford Group has experienced success in selling scrapbook kit collections by direct mail to highly-qualified lists and print ads in targeted magazines. However, the number of good mailing lists is limited, and the universe of scrapbook-oriented publications is small…and decreasing. A new source of qualified prospects was needed.

The Facebook Solution

It was decided to test Facebook as a way to generate interest and participation in the Memory Keeping Collection community. Posts would position Memory Keeping Collection as supportive of scrapbookers, with ideas, inspiration, and conversation designed to help crafters get better results.

Facebook friends were invited to enter a promotional giveaway (a chance to win a Cricut™ cutting machine). By submitting contact information, entrants were added to the Memory Keeping Collection prospect database for future contact by mail or email.

The Facebook Launch was supported by a carefully orchestrated campaign plan:

  • Facebook pages were created to reflect the Memory Keeping Collection personality of friendly support and service to the scrapbooking audience. First-time visitors were met with a Welcome Page, highlighting the benefits of "liking" Memory Keeping Collection. The Cricut Giveaway was promoted on the Welcome Page, Product Page, Specials Page, and twice per week in Wall posts.
  • An editorial calendar of posts was built and maintained throughout the Launch Campaign. Relatively heavy frequency in this period conveyed an impression of activity, attractive to would-be friends. The calendar assured a good mix of popular topics, open-ended questions, blog references, and product pitches. Monitoring of audience response informed posting plans as the campaign progressed.
  • Two weeks following the launch of Memory Keeping Collection's Facebook presence, existing Memory Keeping Collection customers were contacted by email and postcard with an invitation to join us on Facebook…and refer their friends.
  • Around the same time, we began testing Facebook ads targeted to Facebook users with "scrapbooking" (and related terms) in their profile. Three ad treatments were created, with the winning version rolled out for the remainder of the campaign.
  • An online news release announcing the Memory Keeping Collection online community, Facebook site and Cricut Giveaway, was distributed via PR Newswire.
    • Results

      • Memory Keeping Collection Friends ("Likes") increased from 0 to 4,096 in less than eight weeks; the site recorded 3,408 active users in this period.
      • Daily post feedback – showing audience engagement – increased 65% in the last month of the campaign.
      • Within four weeks, Facebook became the leading referral source to the MKC site. Monthly Web traffic increased by a factor of 3.23 (a 224% jump) in terms of site visits, and a factor of 2.82 (a 182% jump) in terms of page views (October vs. August).
      • Monthly online sales volume at the MKC site doubled (by a factor of 1.9) by the end of the campaign (October vs. August).
      • Of the three Facebook ads tested, one – "Express Love" – performed 3.5 times better than the others in terms of click-through rate and became the control, with an average cost per click at $0.29.
      • Approximately 2,900 Facebook Friends entered the Memory Keeping Collection Cricut Giveaway. In other words, approximately 2,900 qualified scrapbookers volunteered their contact information to the Memory Keeping Collection for marketing purposes.