Social media campaign to reach companies having difficulties in the Covid19 pandemic context

By project DEVISE

Published on 27 June 2022

Romania

Vest

About this good practice

Since the consume of all media channels including the social media increased due to the need of continuous search for information West RDA assembled a quick response to support the SMEs in need with the tools already had at its disposal meaning Enterprise Europe Network. The network was designed specially to support ambitious companies to reach their innovation and internationalisation potential.
In the new context, West RDA, promoted EEN services and the potential of rapidly searching for solutions.
The “EEN Can Help”, was targeting SMEs needs like:
• Recalibration of raw material suppliers
• Additional connections with suppliers
• Alternative supply solutions
• Access to raw materials - agri-food / other sectors
• Search Technologies for production conversion
• Business model change / product / service innovation
• Quick search for information / products / services
The social media campaign was the necessary digital tool to gain reach and provide support to SMEs companies, while using all the analytics to improve messages to target groups.
Two social media campaign took place including a special process of creating content and reach, bringing visitors on the campaign landing page, getting in contact with them and start delivering support services.

Resources needed

There is required a mix of internal staff and external expertise: communication specialist to design the posts, expert in service delivery and external expertise consisting of a social media specialist and an online content creator. The external expertise is an average of 15.000 Euro per campaign.

Evidence of success

The social campaign organised in the context of Covid19 emergency was a tool to reach companies and to provide support services.
First round of campaign: 8.897 posts reached, 469 engagement, 50 new followers
Second round of campaign (externally assisted): 51.946 posts reached, 1.514 visits on the landing page, 75 leads, 52 new contacts, 26 new clients recruited for EEN services.

Potential for learning or transfer

Using social campaigns in emergency situations is providing the opportunity of reaching rapidly segments of markets that otherwise are hard to be determined or quantified.
Once the campaign launched all procedures and services must be set in place in order to manage the incoming requests in a very short time. Timing and service delivery are essential to connect with the client and keep him engaged.
Using social media in emergency situations are a good test for the organisations to test their capacity to quickly communicate the essence of their services and deliver accordingly. This allows to stay on the market and remain relevant.
The challenges are related to managing the correct communication, targeting and managing the flux of requests which may be verry different from your intended campaign. When promoting services for companies is much more challenging than promoting sales of specific product.