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.

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.

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)

1. 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?

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 |

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 |

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

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 |

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

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 |

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.) |

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 |

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