Step 20: Message Marketing

Estimated Time: 1 hour

Step 20.1: Get Access to the Primary Channels for the Various Platforms

• For most messaging channels you will be granted temporary moderator/admin access during the course of the campaigning.

• Once you're ready for campaigning, reach out to the editing team for access to the social media pages/groups on various sites.

Platform Wise Details

1. WhatsApp: Admin of Psychology Learners channel and Supporters Group (registered users only). 

2. Telegram: Admin of Psychology Learners Channel (registered users only). 

3. SnapChat: Access not required. Join the group to post. 

Please note: wherever special (admin) access has been provided to you, it is only for posting your approved campaign material. If you wish to post anything beyond that you may reach out to the admin team for approval, which may or may not be granted.

Step 20.2: Post

Posting on messaging apps can be done in two ways:

1. Direct Content: The articles, images and videos can be directly shared.

2. Link: Link to the content posted on other platforms is shared - usually, along with a short 1-2 sentence caption (description) that answers the question - why should a person acess the content? 

While using the second approach marginally reduces the probability of your content going viral, it has many advantages due to which we recommend/use this approach as default (except for images/photos and status videos):

1. Performance: It helps bring the audience to your website or social media channels - increasing your subscribers/followers and search engine performance.

2. Control: In case there's any inadvertent error in your content, you can simple fix it by deleting/replacing the content. If you share the content directly - you would be unable to make any changes once it has been forwarded.

Post

Posting is a fairly simple and uniform process (with minor differences) across platforms:

1. Type in a short caption to draw attention (you may use the one you already created while submitting.)

2. Paste the link to your content/upload content after the caption.

3. Wait for preview/content to appear. Then click send.

Step 20.3: Share

How to Share?

• Simply forward the message from the channels where the original message is posted.

Where to Share?

• Family/Friend/School/College/Society/Apartment Groups:

  • As part of ICIMWS you're raising awareness on general topics - it will be relevant to most people, so you should share the content on all personal and networking groups. 

    • In addition, without spending a penny on marketing, this will subtly establish you as a 'Mental Health Expert' in these groups, so anytime anyone faces a challenge - they'll remember you and reach out to you.

  • Remember - the best practice is to inform/seek prior permission so that people in the group don't feel you're spamming. You may send a message like the following, at least a couple of days prior you begin forwarding the messages (also attach your banner with it):

"Dear All, you'll be happy to know that I'm participating in ICIMWS - Integrated Campaigning for Improving the Mental Wellbeing of Society - as part of which I'm leading the awareness campaign on <Your Campaign Topic in Double Quotes>. Over the course of the next few days, I'll be sharing some information - photos and videos, on this and other topics. Please read/watch and share in your other groups. If you have any questions you may DM me. Hope this would be of use to everyone! Thankyou :)"

• Interest Groups (all platforms): 

  • Wherever you will find a relevant audience - depends on how you define your target audience. 

    • For ICIMWS: to identify the relevant audience you need to ask - whose awareness are you attempting to increase?

  • After you've identified your target audience, join the groups or communities on Telegram and where this audience will be present. 

  • Example: if your topic is related to romantic relationships you might want to join groups for romance, dating, divorce, singles etc.

  • Unless you're dedicated to social media fulltime, you should target joining 3-5 such groups on each platform - these should be selected on the basis of number of members and relevance (and your posts getting approved there).

• Once you've joined the groups - whenever there's a relevant post, simply forward it to these groups. 

Again, this might seem like drudgery - it is - but it is also extremely critical for your content's social media success.

Remember, as part of ICIMWS you are expected to engage with and share the content of all campaigners - this will help us to significantly increase the reach of all awareness campaigns, including yours!