What are the key features of SharePoint for marketing?
This Microsoft tool offers a plethora of features ideal for marketing teams. Here are some key highlights:
Content management
Create and organize marketing materials like brochures, presentations, and social media content. Grant access to specific teams for collaboration and easy version control.
Intranet capabilities
Build a dedicated SharePoint intranet, a central hub for marketing resources, team communication, and project management. This fosters knowledge sharing and a collaborative environment.
Document sharing
Securely share marketing assets like brand guidelines, competitor analysis reports, and campaign plans within the team or with external partners.
Workflow automation
Automate repetitive tasks like content approval workflows and campaign launch processes, streamlining your work and saving valuable time.
Search functionality
It’s robust search capabilities allow team members to quickly find the information they need, improving efficiency and productivity.
Customization
Tailor your site to fit your marketing team’s specific needs. Create custom dashboards, team calendars, and news feeds for a personalized experience.
How to set up SharePoint for marketing purposes?
Here’s a roadmap for setting up this Microsoft 365 tool for your marketing team:
Define your goals
Identify your specific needs. Do you want a central repository for marketing assets, a collaborative workspace, or an intranet for internal communication?
Plan your site structure
Organize your site logically. Create dedicated sections for documents, campaigns, project management tools, and a news section to keep everyone informed.
Set permissions
Grant appropriate access levels to ensure data security and information governance.
Content seeding
Populate your site with valuable content like marketing templates, brand guidelines, case studies, and competitor analysis reports.
SharePoint onboarding
Train your marketing team on SharePoint features and best practices for navigating and utilizing the plateform effectively and have a good Sharepoint oboarding.
Example: Let’s say your design team needs a central location for managing design assets. You can create a dedicated “SharePoint for you Design Team” site with folders for logos, mockups, and brand assets. Team members can easily share files, collaborate on projects, and access the latest design resources.
Benefits of using SharePoint for marketing
It offers numerous benefits for marketing teams.
Improved collaboration
Foster seamless communication and collaboration between team members across different departments.
Increased efficiency
Streamline workflows, automate tasks, and organize content for easier access, increasing productivity.
Enhanced organization
Create a centralized repository for all marketing assets, eliminating the need for scattered documents and emails.
Knowledge sharing
Facilitate knowledge sharing within the marketing team through internal wikis, best practice documents, and a dedicated news section.
Improved project management
Manage marketing projects efficiently through task lists, progress tracking tools, and team calendars within the site.
Enhanced security
SharePoint offers robust security features to ensure that only authorized personnel can access sensitive marketing information.
Advanced strategies for SharePoint marketing success
Beyond the foundational aspects, here are some advanced strategies to maximize its impact on your marketing efforts:
Intranet personalization
Leverage SharePoint intranet personalization features to tailor the user experience for different marketing team segments. Content creators can see a view focused on asset management tools, while social media specialists might have a personalized dashboard highlighting upcoming campaigns and social media scheduling functionalities.
Content governance and retention policies
Establish clear guidelines for content creation, storage, and deletion. This ensures information accuracy, optimizes storage space, and facilitates knowledge retrieval.
Utilize for client collaboration
SharePoint can be a secure platform for collaborating with clients on marketing projects. Grant clients controlled access to specific project folders, documents, and communication channels, fostering transparency and streamlined collaboration.
Marketing analytics integration
Integrate marketing analytics tools to gain valuable insights into campaign performance directly within the platform. Track key metrics like website traffic, social media engagement, and lead generation, all accessible from your central marketing hub.
Build a robust marketing resource library
Go beyond basic document storage and curate a comprehensive marketing resource library. Include templates for marketing materials like email newsletters, social media posts, and press releases. Store industry reports,competitor analysis data, and marketing best practice documents for easy access and reference by the entire team.
Leverage SharePoint lists for marketing data management
Utilize lists to efficiently manage various marketing data sets. Create lists to track campaign performance data, social media follower growth, or marketing budget allocation. These lists can be integrated with other functionalities for a holistic view of marketing activities.
Utilize workflows for streamlined processes
Take advantage of workflow automation capabilities to streamline repetitive marketing tasks. Automate processes like content approval workflows, campaign launch checklists, or social media post scheduling. This frees up valuable time for your marketing team to focus on strategic initiatives.
Facilitate team communication and knowledge sharing
Encourage active communication and knowledge sharing within the marketing team through SharePoint functionalities. Utilize discussion forums for brainstorming sessions, create team blogs to share marketing best practices, and leverage wikis for maintaining a central repository of marketing knowledge.
Promote user adoption and ongoing training
Successful implementation hinges on user adoption. Provide comprehensive training for your marketing team on the platform’s functionalities and best practices for leveraging them for marketing purposes. Encourage ongoing learning through workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and readily available user guides.
Conclusion
By implementing these best practices and exploring advanced strategies, SharePoint can transform your marketing team’s workflow and empower them to achieve greater success. From fostering seamless collaboration and content organization to streamlining processes and facilitating knowledge sharing, it offers a powerful platform to elevate your marketing efforts. Remember, the key lies in tailoring SharePoint to your specific marketing team’s needs, providing proper training, and fostering a continuous learning and exploration culture within the platform.