– Final Video –
– Objectives –
The primary objective of this project was to unify the social media accounts of BTR Lawn Care and create a presence on those accounts. Prior to my work on the project, the social media accounts did not look like they were owned by the same brand. The content was also low-quality and there were not many posts. My mentor and the brand owner of BTR Lawn Care wanted a simple redesign of the brand including the logo. He also wanted the accounts to have more posts and content as the Spring season was arriving soon. I narrowed my objectives down to 3 primary goals:
- Create a new branding guide and develop a new branding style for BTR Lawn Care
- Product high-quality and aesthetically pleasing content for the social media accounts
- Increase social media posting reach and engagement on both Facebook & Instagram
– The Project –
One of the biggest outcomes that I wanted to produce for BTR Lawn Care was to create a detailed marketing report that I could send to the brand owner. I spent time each week working on the report including compiling analytic data from the different social media platforms. I also spent time generating content that I added to the report along with the new branding that I created.
After I had created content, I spent time scheduling posts on the Facebook Business website through the content planner. This allowed me to also simultaneously post on Instagram as they were linked through the Meta Accounts Center.
In addition to creating content, I performed 2 content tests while scheduling and posting to the accounts.
- Posting content at different times of day to see which performs best with the audience and which time of day encourages the highest engagement
- Using different hashtags for posts throughout a week to identify a list of common high-performing hashtags
Part of the report included screenshots and analytics of these two tests, sharing the results with the brand owner.
– Challenges –
One of the main challenges I faced while completing this project is that the brand was not developed in any way and the owner had vague goals. Although this gave me creative freedom, I was also concerned about meeting the brand owners’ expectations and needs. This is why I chose to create an entirely new branding guide so I could have something to go off of. I also checked back frequently with the brand owner to ensure his needs were being met.
Another challenge I had was the lack of content that I could use for my posts. There were a few photos that I was provided with but other than that I had to be really creative when creating graphics to post. This is why I included a lot of simple content marketing like short “Tips and Tricks” list graphics and other similar photos for posts. I have included an example below.
– Project Processes –
There were several processes that took place throughout the semester for me to achieve the goals I had in mind for BTR Lawn Care. These steps have been summarised simply in the paragraphs below.
1 | Situation Analysis
I took a couple of days to research the brand’s social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram. This helped to give me a feel for what I was working with. I also asked for access to the Facebook page so I could see the audience and the primary demographics I was working with.
2 | Initial Report & Branding
I began compiling a report on Canva which introduced the brand, its current presence, and its audience. I also created a branding and style guide that I would follow for the rest of the semester. I then updated the social media profile photos, and biographies, and ensured all the other visible information was consistent.
3 | Creating Content
Bridger, the brand owner, asked that I begin posting content ASAP. I did not have a lot to go off of and was given a lot of creative freedom. I created content with some photos that Bridger provided me with. I then researched through different platforms to find simple tips and tricks that I could use to create content. After I made some posts I sent them to Bridger for feedback and began posting.
4 | Content Tests
There were 2 different tests I executed with the social media accounts including a posting time of day test and a hashtag test. The goal of these tests was to discover what may benefit the brand for their social media in the long run. The first test was to discover what time of day to post content in order for them to gain the most reach and engagement. The second test was to use different hashtags on posts throughout the week to see which pushed the most reach. I then evaluated these tests in my report.
5 | Finalize Report & Wrap Up
This semester I spent a lot of time creating the final report that can be reviewed at the very bottom of the page. Bridger had initially told me that he is very unfamiliar with how social media and online branding work which is why I wanted to create a report for him to refer back to. I also uploaded all content that I created to Google Drive and shared access with Bridger so he could use them in the future if needed.
Some social media content I posted on the accounts can be viewed in the slideshow below. All content was researched and produced by me and was created using Canva Pro. I made sure to create brand-specific promotional content while also creating tips & tricks style content to offer advice to the audience.
Insights & Takeaways
When looking at before screenshots of the BTR Lawn Care social media accounts, it is evident to me that the new content and branding are much more consistent. Both accounts, on Facebook and Instagram, look cohesive and like they belong to the same brand.
One of the primary learning experiences I had during this project was to be creative and inventive. I had to do a lot of research to be able to pull together content to create posts with. This research was found on Pinterest, other social media accounts, and blogs!
– Final Report –
The final report that I built for the social media strategy and branding/design can be viewed below. I created a branding guide within Canva to ensure the report stayed consistent.
Download the full report below.