Improved social media strategy for Strong Girls United
Team members
Arshia Mehta
Belle Battistoni
Ky Robinson
Marshall Kools
Faculty mentor
Markus Pelger
Sponsor organization
Strong Girls United Foundation's mission is to empower young girls through sports, mentorship, and mental health programs.
Project description
Strong Girls United (SGU) wanted to improve its Instagram (IG) strategy to increase follower count and better align with its mission. By growing its IG following, SGU aimed to not only expand its online presence but also attract more sponsorships, improve outreach efforts, and ultimately bolster its capacity as a nonprofit organization.
In addition to increasing follower count, we also identified two other key metrics we wanted to increase: Accounts reached and accounts engaged. In optimizing for these metrics, our goal was to reach more people unfamiliar to SGU and increase interaction with their content and programs.
Techniques and methods used
Throughout the project, we employed various methods to analyze and enhance SGU's IG strategy. We conducted comprehensive data analyses, including examining both reach and engagement metrics over a 90-day period. This involved categorizing content types, analyzing the correlation between hashtag usage and reach, and differentiating reach between followers and non-followers. Additionally, we utilized A/B testing to compare the effectiveness of different post formats, such as reels and carousel posts, in achieving SGU's goals of increasing reach and engagement.
We also conducted a comparative analysis with organizations similar to SGU but with ten times as many IG followers for two reasons: First, to discern effective growth strategies; second, to understand SGU’s unique value add. While this provided valuable insights into potential tactics like influencer collaborations and shareable content, we had to adapt these strategies to align with SGU's specific goals, resources, and audience demographics.
Next, we connected with SGU's target audience to understand their Instagram usage and preferences. We conducted interviews with college female athletes and surveyed parents of young girls to gather qualitative feedback and tailor our recommendations accordingly. However, we encountered some challenges, such as reconciling contradictory findings regarding the effectiveness of certain post formats and the optimal use of hashtags.
Solutions and deliverables
Based on our analysis, we recommend that Strong Girls United implement several actionable strategies to enhance its IG marketing approach. These include diversifying content types based on post goals, strategically using hashtags, post timings, and content collaboration, developing a consistent visual identity, and ensuring concise messaging. SGU should leverage carousels for event and program information to optimize follower engagement, while utilizing reels for broader topics to increase reach among non-followers and drive follower count.
Consistency in branding and messaging across all post formats is crucial, supported by insights from surveys and interviews. Additionally, expanding SGU's presence to platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook could further attract specific audiences, although those platforms would require tailored content to resonate with each platform's demographic. Through these strategies, SGU can strengthen its online presence, cultivate stronger connections with its audience, attract potential sponsors, and ultimately advance its mission of empowering girls and young women worldwide.