Resilient Hearts is a start-up organization dedicated to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in Calgary, Alberta. To enhance its digital presence and build stronger connections with its audience, Resilient Hearts seeks a comprehensive social media strategy and brand awareness campaign. This capstone project invites fourth-year university students to develop and implement a strategic plan that aligns with the organization’s mission and goals.

Project Objectives:

• Social Media Strategy: Develop a robust social media strategy to increase Resilient Hearts' online presence, engagement, and reach across platforms.
• Communication Strategy: Establish clear and consistent messaging that resonates with the target audience and reflects the values and mission of Resilient Hearts.
• Brand Analysis and Strategy: Conduct a thorough brand analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and create a strategy to enhance brand awareness and loyalty.
• Awareness Campaign: Design and implement a targeted awareness campaign that promotes Resilient Hearts' services and values.

Project Components:

1. SMART Goals

• Specific: Define clear and precise goals for the social media strategy, such as increasing follower count by a certain percentage, boosting engagement rates, or improving website traffic.
• Measurable: Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress, including metrics like engagement rate, reach, impressions, and conversions.
• Achievable: Set realistic goals that align with Resilient Hearts' current resources and capabilities.
• Relevant: Ensure that the goals are aligned with Resilient Hearts' overall mission and objectives.
• Time-bound: Set deadlines for achieving each goal, such as a 3-month or 6-month timeline.

2. Target Audience and Customer Persona

• Research and Identify: Conduct research to identify the key demographics and psychographics of Resilient Hearts' target audience.
• Create Personas: Develop detailed customer personas that represent different segments of the audience, including their needs, preferences, and behaviors.
• Audience Segmentation: Segment the audience based on characteristics such as age, location, interests, and engagement patterns.

3. Competitive Analysis

• Identify Competitors: Identify and analyze direct and indirect competitors in the disability support services sector.
• SWOT Analysis: Perform a SWOT analysis of competitors to understand their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Benchmarking: Compare Resilient Hearts' social media presence with that of competitors to identify areas for improvement.

4. Social Media Audit and Recommendations

• Audit Current Presence: Conduct a comprehensive audit of Resilient Hearts' existing social media presence, including platforms used, content types, engagement levels, and follower demographics.
• Identify Gaps: Identify areas where the current strategy may be lacking and provide actionable recommendations for improvement.
• Platform Selection: Recommend the most effective social media platforms for Resilient Hearts based on the target audience and organizational goals.

5. Content Calendar and Content Pillars

• Content Calendar: Develop a content calendar that outlines a schedule for posting across platforms, taking into account key dates, events, and campaigns.
• Content Pillars: Define key content pillars that will guide the creation of content, such as advocacy, education, success stories, and community engagement.
• Content Types: Recommend a variety of content types, including blog posts, videos, infographics, and user-generated content, to engage the audience.

6. Posting Schedule and Frequency

• Optimal Posting Times: Determine the best times to post on each platform based on audience activity and engagement patterns.
• Frequency: Recommend an appropriate posting frequency for each platform to maintain consistent engagement without overwhelming the audience.

7. Measuring Outcomes

• KPIs and Metrics: Establish KPIs and metrics to measure the success of the social media strategy, such as engagement rate, follower growth, website traffic, and conversion rates.
• Tools and Software: Recommend tools and software for tracking and analyzing social media performance, such as Google Analytics, Hootsuite, or Sprout Social.
• Reporting: Create a reporting template to regularly review and analyze social media performance, with actionable insights for ongoing improvement.

Deliverables:

• Comprehensive Social Media Strategy Report: Including SMART goals, target audience personas, competitive analysis, social media audit, and recommendations.
• Brand Analysis Report: Detailed analysis of Resilient Hearts' brand, including SWOT analysis and strategic recommendations.
• Content Calendar and Posting Schedule: A 3-6 month content calendar with detailed posting schedules and content pillars.
• Awareness Campaign Plan: A strategic plan for implementing a targeted awareness campaign.
• Final Presentation: A presentation summarizing the findings, strategy, and recommendations to Resilient Hearts’ leadership team.

Project Timeline:

The project will span a total of 750 hours, including research, analysis, strategy development, and final presentations. Students will work in phases, with regular check-ins and feedback sessions with the Resilient Hearts team.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Gain hands-on experience in developing and implementing a social media strategy for a real-world organization.
• Enhance skills in brand analysis, competitive research, and communication strategy.
• Learn how to create and execute a content calendar and awareness campaign.
• Develop the ability to measure and analyze social media outcomes using industry-standard tools and techniques.

Employer Expectations:

• Depth of Research: Quality of audience research, competitive analysis, and brand analysis.
• Strategic Thinking: Creativity and strategic insight in the proposed social media and communication strategies.
• Practical Application: Feasibility and practicality of the recommendations provided.
• Presentation Quality: Clarity, organization, and professionalism of the final presentation and reports.

Support and Resources:

Students will have access to Resilient Hearts’ social media accounts, brand assets, and any necessary data. Regular mentorship and guidance will be provided by Resilient Hearts’ project manager.