Background: Two years ago, ADAMA, a platform dedicated to elevating and amplifying the voices of the African Diaspora through contemporary art and culture, began its journey in the digital space with minimal presence. The organization lacked an integrated digital marketing plan and had little to no engagement on social media platforms or email channels. My goal was to establish ADAMA as a leader in its niche while increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, and leveraging digital tools to create meaningful engagement with its audience.

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Challenges:

• Starting from ground zero with limited digital presence.

• Building an engaged audience and consistent traffic to the website.

• Creating an integrated communications plan to amplify ADAMA's mission and values.

• Developing systems, templates, and content strategies to maintain long-term growth.

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Strategy: We adopted a multi-pronged approach, focusing on the following key areas:

1. Website Development & Optimization:

   • We implemented various updates on ADAMA's website, including creating dedicated landing pages for exhibits, Diaspora news, and past events. A native link-in-bio page for Instagram was introduced, which directly boosted website traffic by 30%.

   • A focus was placed on creating resource-rich pages to drive engagement, such as the Global Artist Spotlight, which highlighted influential Diaspora artists and showcased their work.

2. Email Marketing Strategy:

   • A major shift occurred in ADAMA’s email strategy. We revamped the frequency of communications, increasing the number of newsletters and launching a weekly news round-up.

   • We introduced a dedicated subscriber list, leading to a 250% increase in list growth. The email list grew by 353% in just six months, with the highest open rate reaching 55%, marking a significant engagement milestone.

   • The weekly newsletter became a powerful tool for not only engaging the community but also driving donations, as seen with the highest donation numbers from an email to date.

3. Social Media Revamp (Instagram Focus):

   • A new content strategy was implemented on Instagram, resulting in a 36% increase in followers over the last 12 months. The strategy emphasized relevant and timely content that resonated with the community.

   • Increased engagement on Instagram, including shares, saves, and comments, helped strengthen ADAMA’s relationship with its audience.

   • Instagram was also used as a gateway to direct traffic to the website, where further resources and content were available.

Results:

1. Increased Website Traffic:

   • Over the past year, ADAMA experienced a 50.6% increase in event count and a 51% increase in overall users, with 3.4K new users. External traffic to the website increased by 121.7%.

   • With intentional website updates and resources, ADAMA’s online presence grew significantly, helping the organization become a go-to resource for contemporary art from the African Diaspora.

2. Email Engagement:

   • The email subscriber base grew from 321 to 822, a 353% increase, thanks to an optimized email strategy.

   • Key email campaigns, such as the monthly newsletter and weekly round-ups, achieved impressive open rates and directly contributed to fundraising efforts.

3. Social Media Growth:

   • ADAMA’s Instagram audience grew by 36%, significantly increasing engagement rates. The content, designed to reflect the cultural pulse of the Diaspora, led to more shares, comments, and saves, positioning ADAMA as a prominent voice in the art community.

Key Takeaways:

• Consistency is Key: Regular and relevant content on email and social media platforms created a strong connection with the audience, making ADAMA a trusted voice in its niche.

• Leveraging Digital Tools: Updating the website with dedicated pages and optimizing Instagram as a key driver of traffic allowed ADAMA to increase visibility and engage more people.

• Data-Driven Decisions: The focus on data helped us continuously improve ADAMA’s strategies, identify what resonated most with the audience, and optimize communications efforts.

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Next Steps & Future Goals: Building on the success of the past two years, ADAMA is now poised to monetize its audience through targeted campaigns and collaborations with artists. Future goals include continuing to expand the blog, developing guest post opportunities, and implementing a direct mail campaign for donations and newsletter subscriptions. By leveraging its growing digital presence, ADAMA aims to further elevate the voices of the African Diaspora in the art world.

This case study exemplifies the power of strategic digital marketing and consistent effort to establish a brand from the ground up, driving new opportunities and positioning ADAMA for long-term success.