Informative and relevant social media posts can be difficult to find – and even harder to create. However, at JP Marketing, we value market research and data to provide our visually stunning creative with a strong purpose and direction.
Background
JP has been working with the California Census Office to help ensure that everyone completes their Census form and gets counted, especially those who are hard-to-count. These individuals live in areas that, based on demographic, socioeconomic and housing characteristics, are at risk of being undercounted. Our job is to focus our marketing efforts on California census tracts with high hard-to-count populations.
Our research was conducted in two ways. First, we facilitated many focus groups across California with small groups of our target audience. These started as in-person groups and moved to virtual focus groups as the coronavirus became our reality. Second, we utilized an interactive map, created by the California Census Office to identify our target tracts, and pulled detailed fact sheets on them. Along with a race and language breakdown, the fact sheets show a percentage breakdown of each hard-to-count characteristic such as the percentage of the population under five years old or without broadband internet.
Findings
During our focus groups, we were able to uncover a lot about our target audience’s beliefs and feelings towards the Census. As it relates to social media graphics, the following were our biggest takeaways:
- Colorful illustrations and photos that capture diversity and families resonate well with our target audience.
- Messaging related to the Census’ impact on education and healthcare, especially amid the coronavirus, are key motivators to complete the Census.
Based off these findings, we used the images that tested well in many of our graphics with confidence that our target market would relate to them. We also made a series of posts centered around how the Census positively impacts education and healthcare.
Next, after a deep-dive in the interactive map, we were able to confidently show that two of the largest hard-to-count audiences are renters and Spanish speakers. We first created a series of posts with messaging and visuals targeted at renters. Then, once all social graphics were made, we translated them to Spanish. Thanks to in-house translations, our turnaround was incredibly fast.
Outcome
In the end, we created a library of over 40 social graphics with corresponding captions to share with our partners along the California coast. Our team continues to design and share more graphics each week. With the 2020 Census response deadline extended to October 31, we hope each of you complete the Census and get counted!
– JACKIE NAKASHIAN, Associate Account Manager
