Channel Setup A-Z (Global)

Setup marketing channels for global businesses — selection, platform-specific checklists, integration guides. Region variants (US/EU/SEA/LATAM) provide localized platform priorities.

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For newbies — Read this first

If you've never set up marketing channels:

1. Don't start with all channels. Pick 2-3 max for the first 90 days. More channels = thinner attention = worse results.
2. Channel selection depends on your audience, not your preference. If your customers live on TikTok, Email won't work no matter how much you love Email.
3. Region matters massively. WhatsApp dominates LATAM. LINE dominates Thailand. LinkedIn dominates B2B in DE/UK. Don't import US assumptions.
4. Each channel has 4 setup phases: Create, Verify, Integrate, Run first 30 days. Skipping phases leads to weak performance later.
5. Tech stack < Process. A perfect Meta Pixel doesn't matter if no one is making content. Setup the publishing rhythm first.
6. Trust takes 30-90 days. Don't expect ROAS in week 1. Channels need data + content rhythm + audience to mature.
7. Compliance is per-region. GDPR (EU), CCPA (US), LGPD (BR), PDPA (TH) — each has rules for tracking, opt-in, and data handling.

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Step 0 — Read context + select region variant

Before setting up:

1. Read .agents/product-marketing-context-global.md — get product, audience, region, target channels.
2. Pick region variant for platform priority list:
   • variants/01-us.md — North America
   • variants/02-eu.md — Europe (GDPR-aware)
   • variants/03-sea.md — Southeast Asia
   • variants/04-latam.md — Latin America (WhatsApp-first)
3. See cross-platform comparison: references/global-platforms-comparison.md

Information gathering

Ask user up to 4 questions:

1. Which channels are you considering? (Meta / Google / TikTok / LinkedIn / WhatsApp / LINE / Shopee / Mercado Libre / email — you can pick multiple)
2. Industry, product, target audience? What you sell, to whom, in which countries?
3. Existing channels? List current channels, follower count, status.
4. 90-day goal? Followers? Leads? Orders? Brand awareness?

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Universal channel framework

Channel selection criteria

Score each candidate channel on:

Criterion	Weight
Audience match (does your ICP use it?)	30%
Competition vs. opportunity (are gaps available?)	20%
Cost-to-acquire / CPM in your region	15%
Platform stability / longevity	10%
Internal capability (can you produce content?)	15%
Integration with rest of stack	10%

Score 1-5. Total ≥3.5 = include. <3.5 = skip for now.

4-phase setup (universal)

Phase	Duration	Goal
1. Create & Setup	Days 1-2	Account creation, profile completion
2. Verify & Optimize	Days 3-7	Verification, tool integration, search optimization
3. Connect & Integrate	Days 7-14	Cross-channel linking, automation
4. First 30 days plan	Days 1-30	Content, posting cadence, KPI tracking

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Universal platform setup template

For ANY channel, run this template:

Phase 1: Create & Setup

Step	Detail	Status
Account creation	Use business email, not personal	[ ]
Business account upgrade	Switch to business/professional tier	[ ]
Industry category	Select correctly — affects algorithm	[ ]
Avatar	Standard size, clear logo, brand-consistent	[ ]
Username/handle	Match brand across all channels	[ ]
Bio / About	Clear positioning + CTA	[ ]
Cover image / banner	Brand visual + offer/CTA	[ ]
Contact info	Phone, email, hours, address (if local)	[ ]
Primary CTA	Message / Call / Book / Shop / etc.	[ ]

Phase 2: Verify & Optimize

Step	Detail	Status
Identity verification	Submit docs as required	[ ]
2FA enabled	Security baseline	[ ]
Pixel/tracking installed	Site or app side	[ ]
Conversion API setup	Server-side (where supported)	[ ]
Analytics integration	GA4 / native analytics	[ ]
Auto-reply / DM templates	Welcome + FAQ	[ ]
Search optimization	Hashtags, keywords, categories	[ ]
Privacy/legal pages linked	Terms, Privacy Policy, Refund Policy	[ ]

Phase 3: Connect & Integrate

Step	Detail	Status
Cross-platform linking	IG ↔ FB, TikTok ↔ IG, etc.	[ ]
Ad account linking	Business Manager / Ads Manager setup	[ ]
CRM integration	Sync leads/customers to CRM	[ ]
Email/messaging integration	List sync, automation triggers	[ ]
E-commerce integration	Shop, catalog, product feed	[ ]
Chatbot setup (if used)	Pre-built flows for FAQ + intent	[ ]
Team access	Roles: admin / editor / analyst	[ ]

Phase 4: First 30 days plan

Week	Volume	Content type	Goal
1	TOFU (top of funnel)	Brand intro, value, behind-scenes	Test format, find voice
2	TOFU + light MOFU	Education, tips, demos	Build engagement, lead capture
3	MOFU + light BOFU	Social proof, case studies, comparisons	Trust + initial conversions
4	Mix 40/30/30 (TOFU/MOFU/BOFU)	Educational + promo balance	Establish recurring sales motion

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Common platforms — neutral overview

Detailed per-region setups in variants. This is universal context.

Meta (Facebook + Instagram)

• Universal: works in all regions, strongest for B2C
• Setup: Page → Business Manager → Pixel + CAPI → Ads Manager
• Strengths: Massive audience, mature ad tools, Conversion API
• Weaknesses: iOS attribution gap (US), GDPR complexity (EU)

Google (Search + Display + YouTube + Shopping)

• Universal: high-intent search ads everywhere
• Setup: Google Ads + Merchant Center (e-com) + GA4
• Strengths: Search intent, YouTube reach, Shopping for e-com
• Weaknesses: Lower brand-build than Meta, requires SEO foundation

TikTok (Ads + Organic + Shop)

• Universal: works in most countries, strongest in SEA + US Gen Z
• Setup: TikTok Business → Ads Manager → Pixel
• Strengths: Lowest CPM in many regions, viral reach, TikTok Shop
• Weaknesses: Banned in India, restricted in some markets

LinkedIn

• Universal: dominant for B2B in US, UK, DE, AU
• Setup: Company Page → Campaign Manager → Insight Tag
• Strengths: B2B targeting (job title, company size), thought leadership
• Weaknesses: Expensive CPM, weaker for B2C

WhatsApp Business / LINE / Zalo (Messaging-first)

• Region-specific: WhatsApp = LATAM/IN/EU; LINE = TH/JP/TW; Zalo = VN
• Setup: Verified Business Account → Cloud API → Templates → Bot
• Strengths: 90%+ read rates, conversational sales
• Weaknesses: Requires staff to handle replies, opt-in compliance

E-commerce platforms (Shopee / Lazada / Tokopedia / Mercado Libre / Amazon)

• Region-specific: Shopee/Lazada/Tokopedia = SEA; Mercado Libre = LATAM; Amazon = US/EU
• Setup: Seller account → Catalog upload → Internal ads
• Strengths: Built-in audience, payment, logistics
• Weaknesses: Platform takes 4-15% fee, less brand control

Email (Klaviyo / Mailchimp / Brevo / ActiveCampaign)

• Universal but highest ROI in US/EU
• Setup: Domain auth (DKIM/SPF/DMARC) → list import → automation flows
• Strengths: Highest ROI when list grows, owned channel
• Weaknesses: Slow to grow, lower priority in LATAM/SEA

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Decision tree — which variant to use

Region	Variant	Primary platform priority
US, Canada	01-us.md	Meta + Google + LinkedIn (B2B) + Klaviyo
EU, EEA, UK	02-eu.md	Meta + Google + LinkedIn + Xing (DE) + GDPR-compliant ESP
SEA	03-sea.md	TikTok + Shopee/Lazada + Meta + LINE/Zalo
LATAM	04-latam.md	WhatsApp Business + Meta + Mercado Libre + TikTok

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Cross-channel integration patterns

Lead capture pattern

Ad (Meta/TikTok/Google)
  → Landing page or Click-to-Message
  → Lead form / Inbox conversation
  → CRM (HubSpot, Pipedrive, RD Station, Bitrix)
  → Email/WhatsApp nurture sequence
  → Sales handoff or self-serve checkout

E-commerce pattern

Ad (Meta/TikTok/Google Shopping)
  → Product page (own site or platform)
  → Cart / Checkout (with retargeting pixel)
  → Email/SMS abandoned cart sequence
  → Post-purchase upsell (email + on-site)
  → Repeat purchase reactivation (email/SMS/WhatsApp)

Service business pattern

Ad (Meta/TikTok/Google Local)
  → Click-to-message (WhatsApp/Messenger/LINE/Zalo)
  → Inbox conversation (qualify lead)
  → Booking link (Calendly/Setmore/native scheduler)
  → Pre-appointment reminder (SMS/WhatsApp)
  → Post-service review request → repeat booking

B2B pattern

Ad (LinkedIn/Google Search)
  → Whitepaper or webinar landing page
  → Lead capture form (name, company, role)
  → Email nurture sequence (5-7 emails)
  → SDR outreach (cold email + LinkedIn DM)
  → Demo / discovery call → close

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30/60/90-day milestones (universal)

Day	Milestone	KPI
Day 7	All accounts created, profiles complete	100% setup checklist
Day 14	First content published on each channel	5+ posts/channel
Day 30	Cadence established, first leads	20+ posts, 50+ followers, 5+ leads
Day 60	Content rhythm + paid ads running	100+ followers, 20+ leads, ROAS measurable
Day 90	Optimization phase begins	First repeat customers, ROAS target hit

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Common mistakes — universal

Mistake	Cost	Fix
Setting up too many channels at once	Thin attention, weak content on each	Start 2-3 max
Skipping pixel/tracking setup	Cannot measure ROI accurately	Setup BEFORE first ad spend
Inconsistent branding across channels	Trust gap	Brand kit + asset library
No content calendar	Random posting → algorithm punishes	1 calendar across all channels
Ignoring platform-specific norms	Look out of place, low engagement	Lurk first, observe norms
No automation	Manual work doesn't scale	Email/SMS/WhatsApp automation flows from day 1
Compliance oversight	Account ban, fines	Region-specific compliance per variant
No analytics dashboard	Cannot see across channels	One BI tool (Looker Studio, GA4, etc.)

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Cross-reference

Need	Skill
Marketing strategy first	00-marketing-plan-global
Content calendar	01-content-calendar-global
Email marketing deep dive	14-email-marketing-global
Customer insight before channel pick	09-customer-insight-global
Performance evaluation	03-performance-eval-global
Reverse KPI for budget	10-reverse-kpi-global

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Quality checklist

Before delivering channel setup plan:

• Region variant selected — platform priorities match user's market
• User confirmed channel selection (no "set up everything" pattern)
• 4-phase setup checklist filled per channel
• Cross-channel integration path mapped
• Pixel/tracking + Conversion API status confirmed
• CRM integration planned
• Compliance per region (GDPR/CCPA/LGPD/PDPA) addressed
• Content calendar for first 30 days defined
• Team access + roles assigned
• 30/60/90-day KPIs realistic for region
• Mobile-first design verified for SEA/LATAM
• Common mistakes review done