Facebook fans multiply by the hundreds with social media campaign

Facebook strategy for language training company Cactus earns 430% increase in page fans in just five months

As part of an on-going social media campaign Cactus, the leading language training company, has witnessed a 430 per cent increase in Facebook fans in just five months. Social media agency, SiteVisibility, deployed and managed a one-off win a language holiday competition on the Cactus Facebook page from 1st Sept 2011-31st Oct 2011, offering fans the chance to win a language course in Malaga, leading to the number of fans increasing from 670 to 2,001.

Cactus is one of the worlds leading language training companies and the UKs biggest provider of face-to-face language training. It supports over 15,000 people every year to learn more than 30 languages, in 60 countries and 500 destinations worldwide. Its target audience includes individuals looking to improve their language skills, gain proficiency or just pick up the basics, as well as corporate clients, under 18s and over 50s.

SiteVisibility designed a campaign that optimised all platforms including the creation of bespoke Facebook tabs. Regularly posting for the three separate Cactus business areas and utilising competition sites, the strategy also included organic outreach to influential travel blogs and sites raising its profile amongst key influencers in the industry.

In addition to the increase in fans, post views on the Cactus Facebook page increased by 74% and post feedback rose by 49%. Through the outreach to travel blogs and websites, relationships have been developed and sustained with a number of significant influencers and decision makers. Interestingly, the campaign created an opt-in email list of 986 leads from a possible 1,148 entrants - an 85% opt in rate for contact for future promotion.

Richard Bradford, Cactus Language Managing Director comments: We were impressed with the creativity and flexibility of the SiteVisibility team. They deployed a wide variety of tactics to help us achieve our goals and they were consistently coming up with new ideas to help grow our online presence and engagement even more. Now weve proven the business case for social media and have upskilled our in-house team, theyre helping us to take the management of our social media campaigning in-house. I recommend SiteVisibility to anyone who needs to get their social media strategy up and running.

Jason Woodford, SiteVisibility CEO, comments: Social media is still that shiny new toy for many marketing directors and sometimes its not clear whether the investment needs to be made in an in-house team or via a specialist agency. I think agencies can help to make it easier for clients by offering a flexible blend of social media marketing services which might start with developing the strategy and marketing procedures, evolving into training and coaching and even helping to recruit the in-house team who are best placed to manage the day to day social media for their brand. Im pleased to have helped Cactus embed social media as a valuable marketing communications tool and wish them the very best of luck.