The past seven weeks I spent focusing on my passion for increasing the number of adults who read for pleasure in the US. I researched the habits of adult readers in the US, as well as the benefits of reading on both an individual and societal level. I researched best practices for social media campaigns as well. Through all of this, the “Ready, Set, Read!” social media campaign came to life.
The Proposal
Corresponding Blog: From #BookTok to a Project Proposal
The first step of this project was the proposal itself. To get started it’s best to have a clear idea of what your plan is, as well as why you have this plan in the first place. I introduced this project by explaining how I would accomplish it and why I wanted to. Once the idea was in place, I determined who exactly the target audience of this campaign was. Once I knew the target audience, I chose which platforms made the most sense to have the reach I wanted. Lastly, I decided exactly what kind of social media posts would be apart of this campaign.
Ready, Set, Read! Project Proposal
Project Management
Corresponding Blog: Planning a Social Media Campaign
This project involved research, planning, and creating all in a short period of time. In order to be successful, it was crucial to have a plan in place. I used Asana as my project management software of choice.
I liked this software because it’s easy to use and has features such as a calendar view and a list view. I began planning my project in the calendar view because I thought it was the best option to organize individual deadline goals. Along with using the calendar, I’m also utilizing the board view with three different sections– ”to do”, “doing” and “done”. This allows me to look at what I need to do while staying focused on the present tasks, rather than thinking of everything at once.
Ready, Set, Read! Project Plan
Production Week 1: Brand Kit, Creating Social Profiles, and Infographic #1
Corresponding Blog: How to Build a Brand Kit
I created the assets for this campaign using the platform, Canva. Brand Kit is a feature in Canva Pro that is helpful when you’re going to be using the same tools throughout a campaign. I easily saved my colors and fonts to access them at any time when designing graphics. I chose the color scheme after researching and landing on blue as the main color. Using Adobe Color Wheel, I found my analogous color scheme. I selected the fonts by looking through Canva and determining what best fit the brand.
The first thing I did with my brand kit was create a logo, which was a lot easier to do since I already had my colors and fonts in one place. Once the logo was made, it was added to the brand kit as well. With everything in one place, I could easily access the logo and use it on all social platforms. I created the social media profiles, then, I got to work on my first infographic for this campaign. Designing this infographic was significantly easier with all of my tools ready to go in my brand kit.
Production Week 2: Video #1
Corresponding Blog: My Efforts to Address the Decline in Reading Among American Adults
American adults are reading for pleasure less than they used to. While researching for the “Ready, Set, Read!” social media campaign, I discovered just how much less they really are. I knew I wanted to showcase the decline of reading in a creative way. Immediately I knew it should be in video format for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and Facebook Reels. TikTok in particular because of the popularity of #BookTok on that platform. I spent time thinking about different concepts for the video. I landed on an idea that combines educating adults on the lack of reading in the US, while simultaneously encouraging it.
Production Week 3: Video #2
Corresponding Blog: How to Start Reading Again
Through my research for this project I found information on the best ways to get back into reading. I compiled my perfect list to share on social media. I got to work on planning a video that would show others how they can start reading again. First I needed to pick what the exact style of video should be. I decided that it made the most sense to act out each tip myself, rather than only talking about the tips or writing them out. This kind of video provides something more interesting while being helpful and easier to remember. In addition to acting out scenarios in the video, I recorded a voiceover in which I also stated my advice with explanations. Each tip is written out on-screen as well.
Production Week 4: Infographic #2
Corresponding Blog: Reading Can Change Our Society
To wrap it all up, I wanted to look at the bigger picture for the last post of this social media campaign. The purpose of this project was to educate and encourage American adults to read for pleasure. At first, I focused on how it would benefit people as individuals. As I continued researching, I realized it goes beyond that. Reading creates a ripple effect in which the more adults that are reading, the better our society can be. There are so many benefits to reading that could positively impact society. I thought this was a great way to end the campaign, by showing people how reading could make our world a better place.
Reflection
Corresponding Blog: Reflecting on My Passion Project
I’m very proud of what I was able to accomplish during this short, but extensive project. In seven weeks I created the concept, the plan, and all of the necessary materials. I hope that anyone who comes across “Ready, Set, Read!” is inspired and ready to find their love for reading again.
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Gillian Rainville | QU Graduate Blog 