After several surreal weeks I have completed my research for 3PWRR, analysed the results and created a social media report for the Unit.
Objectives:
I set out on this project to evaluate the effectiveness of The British Army's social media platforms, in particular focusing on the local Army Reserve Unit 3PWRR.
I carried out primary research into the Units social media platforms, in the form of content analysis and questionnaires. I also looked at existing research to see if it correlated with my primary data, or could give more ideas on how to optimise the platforms.
Over the past few weeks I have been collecting this data and analysing it to discover what improvements could be made to the platforms in order to increase engagement and the reach of the posts. These findings have all been collected and condensed into a research report, which is available in the Live Project section of this website. I will briefly touch on a few of the findings below.
Findings:
The main point that came out of my research was that the Unit need to focus on posting regularly. This was a key finding of the online questionnaire I carried out, with many respondents stating that the Unit simply didn't post enough on the social media.
I also identified that the audience prefer posts with visual media included, especially videos and original photographs posted by the battalion. These types of posts were more likely to receive more likes and shares, alongside receiving positive feedback on the questionnaire.
Furthermore, feedback also suggested that 3PWRR should consider expanding to other platforms. Instagram was identified as the main choice of platform, due to its popularity and visual nature.
What have I learnt?
The Live Project has allowed me to develop a range of skills, especially in regard to motivation and flexibility. I have always struggled when working from home as I enjoy to have a change of environment to get my brain into work mode. Therefore, the project has taught me ways to focus and avoid distractions when stuck in the same environment.
Furthermore, I gained a more detailed insight into social media marketing and what it may potentially be like to act as a research consultant. These skills will be beneficial if I follow this career path, but will also be useful in terms of continuing to assist 3PWRR with improving their existing social media platforms, and setting up new pages.
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