> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.stage.systems/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Creating a campaign

> From a blank canvas to scheduled posts. Connect your accounts once, then compose, schedule, and let Stage post.

## Before you start

**Connect your accounts.** Settings, then **Connections**. Sign in to each channel you want to post to. Once per account.

<Warning>
  **Instagram** Instagram captions cannot hold links. The one way to track visitors from Instagram is the campaign link in your bio. You will copy it in the last step.
</Warning>

## Compose

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create the campaign">
    Open the **Campaign** tool and use the Campaign menu in the top bar.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Title it">
    Short and human. It becomes the code on your links, and freezes once anything goes out.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a source">
    Press **Add** and pick the news post or page the campaign is about. You can write the article right here.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a frame per channel">
    X post, LinkedIn post, Instagram post or story. Write into each frame. Drag images between frames, pull them from the source, or open your library.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your links">
    Paste links to your site anywhere in the text. Stage adds the tracking code when it posts. Links to other sites are left alone. In the rare case a code cannot be minted, the post still goes out on time with a plainly tagged link: visits from it are still attributed to the campaign, but taps on it are not counted as link clicks.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Drag empty space to move around and hold <kbd>⌘</kbd> while scrolling to zoom. Everything saves as you go.

## Schedule

Each frame has a clock. Pick a date and a minute. The **Schedule** tray at the bottom shows every frame on one timeline.

Stage posts at that minute. The frame then shows what happened.

| Label       | Meaning                                                        |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Posted**  | Live, with a link to the post                                  |
| **Posting** | Going out now                                                  |
| **Failed**  | Did not post. The reason is shown. Set a new time to try again |
| **Removed** | The post was deleted on the platform                           |

Once a post is live its frame locks. To go again, use **Copy into a fresh frame**.

## Measure

The analytics panel opens beside the canvas as soon as one post is live. Hover a row to spotlight its frame. Scroll to **Funnel** to see clicks turning into visits and enquiries.

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Channels" href="/campaigns/channels-and-posts">
    What each channel supports and reports back.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Campaign links" href="/campaigns/links-and-attribution">
    Codes, clicks, and the 30-day memory.
  </Card>

  <Card title="The funnel" href="/campaigns/funnel">
    The four stages.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>