Blogosphere: The Unmoderated Sector

Over the past 10-years, the UK blogosphere has pretty much grown exponentially and it’s not looking likely to stop anytime soon.

At a time where increasing emphasis is being placed upon PRs and digital marketers to deliver on Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and report on Return on Investment (RoI), the need for truly 'right fit' influencers has never been more critical.

The influencer community has, to date, remained largely unmoderated.  PRs have been confined to evaluating influencers based upon social following and / or relying upon the influencer to provide accurate metrics on their blog / vlog / social media performance.

There are of course independent measures that can be employed with the assistance of Moz and Alexa, but these are very crude and modelled around estimates.

If you’ve spent any time working with influencers, it’s likely you’ve heard the term Domain Authority (DA) bandied about.  DA is a score (on a 100-point scale) developed by Moz to predict how well a website will rank on search engines; the higher the DA, the better the perceived value of that website/blog in terms of SEO.  Unfortunately there are flaws in its reliability, particularly when determining the suitability of an influencer.  Typically, a vast proportion of influencers will achieve a ranking score between 20 and 40; what’s perhaps little known or understood, is that if someone started a blog five years ago and didn’t add any content, they could achieve a DA higher or equal to someone who started a blog two years ago and added content every day. Why? Because the algorithm set by Moz to score DA places favour on those with a higher domain age i.e. the length of time a website / blog has been in existence.

Alexa on the other hand, provides web traffic estimations.  Despite offering the most extensive panel of websites from which to draw its assessment of web traffic, it is still only an estimate and therefore cannot be relied upon for accurate evaluation purposes.

There is, however, some good news; we have helped Ace Media develop a new tool that assesses influencers with more accuracy - Pitch Pack.

In the same way ABC and NRS provide the ‘stamp of trust’ to traditional media outlets, Pitch Pack provides an industry trust mark to the influencer community and aims to bring about a level of transparency by displaying web stats and social influence, direct from source.

Pitch Pack Example

Why is this so important?

For the first time, PRs and digital marketers are presented with a completely unbiased, verified set of statistics across all channels, including their own blog site, utilising one of the most widely accepted, robust and in-depth analytics tools to ensure greater transparency and clarity.

For the influencer community, it provides a fair, impartial environment in which they can be exposed to opportunities on a completely level playing field! Since data updates are automated, influencers needn't spend precious time updating data.

What precisely is Pitch Pack?

In essence, it’s a media kit for influencers that presents the information a PR / digital marketer needs to know in a single dynamic web page!

Stats are verified across all channels and since the data comes direct from source, there's no room for inaccuracy - we're talking bonafide metric data!  The universal theme makes it really easy to navigate.  Since it's accessible through a unique web-link, it is simple to collate a list to provide to other members of your team and/or client, and it updates without any additional effort involved; quite unlike the tedious task of downloading, opening and deciphering hundreds of PDFs, or worse still, analytics screenshots!

How it helps

Utilising tools such as Pitch Pack in tandem with the three ‘Rs’ (highlighted below), it is now possible to align your brand or company with truly 'right fit' candidates.

Relevance – niche, style and content
Resonance – sentiment and allegiance
Reach – readers and engagement

Pitch Pack is the first in a line of intuitive features from Ace Media's collaboration suite and represents an evolution in the work dynamic between PRs / digital marketers and influencers, not merely in the recruitment process but the means by which a campaign is managed from start to finish, facilitating the way PRs and digital marketers report on results!

Lil' Spin is affiliated with Ace Media helping develop intuitive tools for the PR sector 

The Changing Face of PR: Why PR has never been more important for business

Public Relations: the professional maintenance of a favourable public image

Media Relations: the relationship developed with journalists / publications

PR and Media Relations have long been intertwined; one leaning on the other to impact the masses with meaningful messages that resonate with the public.  However, as the media landscape has altered, so too has the role of PR.

  

As the lines between advertising and editorial content in traditional media blur, so does editorial integrity suffer.  PR can therefore no longer afford to be confined to media relations alone; the traditional, coverage-generating, ‘production line’.  Instead, PR is at its best when focussing on the exciting and demanding space between an organisation and its public: Listening. Responding. Engaging. Debating. Agreeing. Disagreeing.

The evolution of the digital age has also been a major contributing factor to this changing face of PR. With worldwide, 24/7 access, available through a multitude of digital devices, the ability to consume information has never been so easy.  We’re no longer limited to daily newspapers to read the latest news; we’re bombarded by snippets of news from multiple sources, from the minute we awake to the minute we lay our head down to sleep.  In fact, only last June, Ofcom reported online media consumption had, for the first time, overtaken that of traditional print consumption.  The growth of social media and consumer journalism (blogging, vlogging) have been huge propellants to this ever-changing landscape, and PR has never been more important in this digital media age!

*2014 Survey of 4000 Consumers in UK and US

What does this mean for business?

PR is now at the epicentre of a brand’s marketing ecosystem; it’s the discipline that most closely aligns with creating and maintaining dialogue and conversation with the public.

As we touched on in our post Creating Conversation - the role of PR has become more than pitching news, it’s about generating communication that influences brand perception and awareness. To do this effectively, PR needs to be authentic, distinctive and engaging. 

We're entering an age of savvy consumers and 'truth-telling' is key.  PR is, without doubt, in the best position to strengthen the bonds between consumer and brand.  

How? Through the very pillars of PR: by creating compelling and creative content and making stories contagious, through the utilisation of the PR mix: social media, traditional media (print, radio, TV), digital media and bloggers.

If you would like to find out more about how your business can successfully integrate the PR mix into its marketing strategy, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Lil’ Spin:

t. +44 (0) 330 223 1409
e. pr@lilspin.co.uk

PR: Creating Conversation

Businesses have long been guilty of relying on the somewhat antiquated product PR model to attract consumers.  It’s time to step-up the game! 

PR is more than simply pitching product news; it’s about generating communication that influences brand perception and awareness.

To be a successful business, it’s necessary to review your PR stance; you can no longer place all the emphasis on product to attain consumer loyalty, it’s about creating an emotional connection with your consumer.

We live in an age dominated by sophisticated consumers that seek more than mere product.  To succeed in this marketplace, the need exists for a business to act as a conduit through which ideas flow.  It’s about creating conversation.

While products still remain at the heart of the ‘conversation’, they do not and most certainly should not, form the basis of the PR effort.

It’s about leveraging the power of integrated media to conduct the conversation.  Such communication initiatives should not be seen as a side effect of the PR effort, but should be assumed the very point of them.

Public Relations provides the means to encourage dialogue, form opinion, and spur change.  Used well it should also act to defy the oft’ faceless company doing random deeds just to ‘look good’.  It’s all about forming genuine emotional connections, on a human level, to create a more authentic brand with a high level of consumer loyalty and commitment.

By becoming a conduit for communication about bigger messages, businesses can heighten the aspirations of their consumers.  When a business acts in its customers’ emotional interests, it builds a far stronger and more resilient business.

The key is honesty.  The conversation must relate specifically to your company and come from within.  A manufactured cause won’t work.  If you’re able to identify ideas and issues that are true to the business and its founders, they’ll be real to your consumers too; you’ll find common ground and the interactions that follow will become powerful tools to secure your brand’s market position and longevity.

Brands such as Dove successfully tapped into a core section of their market, with a message not about deodorant or soap, but a drive on positive body image, the 'Self Esteem Project'.  It’s something their target market could associate with and discuss.   It was the conversation starter; the conduit. The campaign has since driven much interaction between consumer and brand, and thus generated an alliance that is far stronger than a product alone could ever achieve.

PR done well can’t be measured purely on the number of press clippings, but are best represented by the opportunities provided to converse with your consumer.

It can be all too easy to become reliant on new products to aid the PR initiative but it’s becoming increasingly necessary to develop this, and ensure that the product is the secondary focus.

Facebook: Hello New Year, Goodbye Organic Reach!

Facebook algorithms have been playing havoc with the proverbial ‘organic’ reach (unpaid) of brand page posts for quite some time.  Until now, a typical Facebook page might enjoy an organic reach of up to 16% of their total fan base, with reports suggesting this to be as low as 2% in some cases.  This organic reach is ultimately governed by the quality of posts, according to preordained algorithms at play; like counts, story bumping, etc.

Last year, Facebook announced another substantial change which is being implemented this month (January 2015), one which will see the demise of organic reach almost in its entirety. This latest change will influence the kind of content fans and followers will see from the brands they follow.  It is set to have wide reaching impact, especially amongst smaller businesses which have traditionally relied upon organic posts to drive their business.  Even Dan Levy, Facebook’s Small Business Vice President, is quoted as having ‘a lot of empathy’ for business owners negatively affected by this change.

What’s behind the change? 

In their November 2014 statement, Facebook said they had surveyed thousands of people to find out what they want to see in their News Feeds. Facebook learned that people want to see more stories from friends and pages they care about, and less promotional content.

What qualifies as a post that is ‘too promotional’?

According to Facebook, it’s one of the following three things:

1. Posts that solely push people to buy a product or install an app

2. Posts that push people to enter promotions and sweepstakes with no real context

3. Posts that reuse the exact same content from ads

The new algorithm will determine the posts seen by users based upon trending topics, as well as the time and rate when people like or comment on posts:

Trending Topics – Facebook currently displays a list of topics and hashtags that have recently spiked in popularity on Facebook aka 'trending'. This list is personalised based on a number of factors, including Pages you've liked, your location and what's trending across Facebook.  

Timing – Rather than simply relying on the ‘like count’ of a post, Facebook now considers when people ‘liked’ and commented to determine whether to show the post at the top of the news feed.

How will this affect Facebook Advertisers?

This change will not increase the number of ads people see in their news feeds. The idea is to increase the relevance and quality of the overall stories – including page posts – people see in their news feeds.

Businesses with Facebook advertising campaigns in place that enable them to expand reach won’t be greatly affected.  However, companies that rely heavily on organic posts to increase their reach may wish to reconsider their advertising strategy, as Return on Investment (ROI) of this approach may become insufficient to justify the time required to succeed in Facebook marketing.  This represents a serious issue, especially if Facebook is one of your main sources of online sales.  

Surviving the Change

According to Facebook, you should stick to posting strong content that’s relevant to your audience - not try to ‘game’ the news feed algorithm.  

Do:

• Posts that generate lots of likes and/or comments
• Experiment and evaluate the types of posts your users prefer e.g. photos, videos, or status updates
• Posts that reference a trending topic 
• Link posts
• Videos uploaded to Facebook that receive a large number of views or extended viewing duration
• Posts that tag other pages within the text
• Posts that are liked or commented on by one’s friends
• Posts from pages that one interacts with often
• Post types that one interacts with often
• Posts from pages with complete profile information
• Posts from pages where the fan base overlaps with the fan base of other known high-quality pages
• Images and videos that have not previously appeared in the Open Graph
• Links that have not been posted before

Don’t:

• Clickbait – Content which drives attention and draws visitors to a particular web page. A couple of ways Facebook determines clickbait include: If a user clicks through to a link and then comes straight back to Facebook.  If a lot of people click on the link, but relatively few people click Like or comment on the story when they return to Facebook
• Frequently circulated content and repeated posts
• Like-baiting - Posts explicitly asking users to take an action on the post like commenting, sharing, or liking. These posts tend to get greater engagement but Facebook users don’t associate these posts with quality.
• Posts that include spammy links
• Text-only status updates from pages
• Posts that are frequently hidden or reported (a sign of low quality)
• Posts that contain the words ‘like’, ‘comment’, or ‘share’
• Posts with unusual engagement patterns (a like-baiting signal)
• Posts that receive negative feedback categorises as ‘meme content’
• Posts that are classified as memes by Facebook’s visual analysis of overlayed text on image
• Passive fans of a particular Facebook page may see that page’s posts bundled together in the News Feed, such that the user would need to click a link to see more from the page.
• Overly promotional content from pages - pushing people to buy an app or service, pushing people to enter a contest or sweepstakes, posts that reuse the same text from ads

The Alternatives

Here are some suggestions of alternative marketing tools you can utilise to stay engaged with your Facebook audience.

Email Marketing – Email Marketing remains one of the most successful forms of organic marketing for businesses. Ideally you have been action-gating (campaigns requiring users to share specific information) to collect email addresses from people who have entered your promotions. If you haven’t tried action-gating to build an email list, don’t waste time!

Host promotions, giveaways and other campaigns on your website – Unlike Facebook where you’re effectively borrowing space on their site, your website is your own, an asset unique to your brand.  The good news is that it’s pretty simple to host the kinds of campaign that you may have been hosting on Facebook, through your website or blog by using software that lets you embed the campaigns. 

Explore other social networks - If your business has been reliant on Facebook and you've been dragging your feet about establishing a presence elsewhere, 2015 is the year to expand your horizons.  Social media platforms such as Pinterest & Instagram have experienced rapid growth in popularity, not forgetting Twitter of course. Do your research, and discover where your customers are spending their time.  Make sure you have a strategy for each network and you aren’t just spreading the same message around. Your audience will be more likely to follow you in different places, which means you have a better chance of catching their attention, if you provide value everywhere.

Keep on top of traditional PR methods – Media Releases, Blogger Outreach, InBlog Posts, etc. 

Advertise - If you've advertising budgets available and consider Facebook a vital part of your marketing strategy, it would be well worth considering assigning a portion of this to advertising through Facebook.  

How do you feel about these latest algorithm changes? Do you think Facebook has made the right choice?  

An Integrated Approach to PR

The communications landscape has never before seen the level of diversity that exists today.  What began as an ‘experiment’ back in 1981 (see below), has led to a revolution in how we attain and consume news.  With worldwide, 24/7 access, available through a multitude of digital devices, the ability to consume information has never been so easy.  But with this, comes an increased pressure on modern PRs to deliver an integrated approach.

As the internet becomes the ‘go to’ for sourcing information, products and suppliers – and none more so than within the family marketplace, where mothers are still amongst the main consumers of digital media - so too, does PR become as much about populating the web with compelling content, as it does about generating traditional press coverage; managing reputation and image through all available platforms. 

Lil’ Spin works across media platforms, encompassing traditional, digital and social media, to ensure messages are delivered to those that need to hear it, and here’s why:

Online image

Gone are the days where one could afford to be complacent with their online presence.  Now, every credible company needs to be on-top of their website and adopting social media or else risk looking out of touch and, worse still, lose custom.  Where once the realms of the internet sat strictly in the hands of HTML coders, now PR  plays a fundamental role: developing strong SEO-led copy for web-pages and engaging content for social media.

Social value

If you’ve ever had any doubts about social media, it’s time to reconsider.  According to research, 40% of social media users have purchased an item online or in-store after interacting on a social network i.e. Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.  At least 50% of those purchases have been made within a week of that interaction.  Indeed, it’s reported that a majority of social media users now prefer to connect with brands through Facebook, and over half of Twitter users recommend companies or products via Tweets.

Credibility

Traditional media outlets still have a big advantage over their digital media rivals - the value of the tangible, printed hard-copy still outranks that of digital media, even if only in perception alone.  Whilst the readership figures of traditional media might be half that of a digital counterpart, their readers are invested into that media, especially if they’ve paid to receive copies; generating a more loyal readership, thus adding credibility to their editorial content.

Visibility

Digital exposure can work on multiple levels, not only increasing awareness and exposure for the brand but also with aiding search-engine visibility and organic results.  Digital stories also have longevity and can remain on servers for far longer than a print copy might stay on a desk or coffee table - it should be remembered that this will be the case with both positive and negative stories. 

Consumer Journalism

Blogs now reign dominant in the realms of consumer journalism, and none more so than within the nursery sector, where there are currently in excess of 6k active parent bloggers.  Existing media outlets have already integrated consumers into news reporting. The Huffington Post is amongst the pioneers, regularly publishing bloggers’ posts since its inception back in 2005, whilst other media outlets allow consumers to comment and add to news reports.  This interactive form of consumer journalism is the modern day answer to traditional Word-Of-Mouth (WOM) and it can be one of the most effective methods of gaining traction for specific PR messages.   For further information about the value of blogs why not revisit our post: The Importance of Mummy Blogs: Mummy Blog Savvy

If you require assistance or advice with the best way to implement an integrated approach to your PR, why not get in touch with Lisa at Lil' Spin for a free consultation. t. 0845 257 1479 e. pr@lilspin.co.uk

Choosing the right PR Agency

There are many things to consider when embarking on the process of appointing a PR agency to handle your affairs: local or national, specialist or cross-market, large or small and so on.

To help you get a handle on things, here are a few points to consider…

To appoint, or not to appoint a PR agency?

A fresh pair eyes equals a new perspective

You and your colleagues may have been mulling over the wording of that press release, or how best to pitch to a journalist for a while, without being able to give the pitch the edge it needs. A PR agency will be able to look at your business with fresh eyes, a new perspective and a greater level of objectivity.  Any PR agency worth their salt, will be adept at delivering stories that are likely to generate interest and will spot those opportunities which you may have missed.  

PR’s have invaluable media connections

If you are looking to generate publicity quickly, you will need the expertise of an agency who has a network of connections in the media. Whilst building relationships with journalists is possible, it does take time. A PR agency will come with those relationships already in place; each agency to varying degrees.

Valuable writing skills

Public Relations professionals are good writers - it is a core part of their job requirement. Their talent in the art of writing, and subsequent way with words, can make anything (i.e. you, your business or your product) sound like the best thing the world has ever seen.  Whilst a talent for the written word may not be one of your strongest skill-sets, it is an imperative that any media release being pitched to the media is well written.

Time

The exercise of PR is extremely time consuming and one that cannot be completed effectively if you’re not fully committed to the task.  Employing an agency will mean a set proportion of time is attributed to your account to achieve the goals you have set in place, meaning that your PR affairs are never neglected.

Cross-Market Agency Vs. Specialist Agency

Jack of all trades, master of none

A cross-market PR agency may be a master of integration and possess just enough knowledge of many market sectors to be able to bring their disciplines together in a practical manner.  However, a specialist PR agency is an expert in their field and often has extensive knowledge, ability and proven experience in that sector. 

Greater knowledge of the sector

Every industry has its niche, none more so than that of the family/kids market sector.  Specialist PR agencies will have the edge here. They should be familiar with industry movements, your competitors and be the first to know of great opportunities to help propel your business forward.

Communicating effectively with the audience 

Understanding the audience you’re targeting is equally important, especially with the social networks proving so prolific in the spreading of messages. 

Contacts 

A specialist PR will have built-up a strong and reliable source of sector specific contacts. They’ll know who the 'Movers & Shakers' are and how to pitch your brand/business/products effectively.  This list of contacts may prove invaluable when exposing opportunities for your business.

Investment 

A specialist PR is likely to invest heavily in the very best PR resources specifically for their sector.

Local or National Agency?

This really depends upon what you’re hoping to achieve. A PR agency with a local focus will be able to deliver strong local PR opportunities.  If however, you’re looking for a campaign that delivers nationally, it goes without saying a PR agency with a national focus will be much more beneficial in helping achieve your goal.  Nationally focused agencies will be familiar with working alongside national media outlets as well as the regional titles and whilst their ‘local’ connections may not be quite as strong, with the correct contacts and pitch they shouldn’t struggle to deliver.

Small Vs. Large Agency?

Smaller working teams

Small teams can often benefit a business or brand in terms of, (a) chemistry with the client, (b) enthusiasm for the brand and products, and (c) level of priority – you’re much more likely to feel like you are a key priority with a small team.

Personal approach 

Typically, larger PR agencies will leave the pitch process to founding/executive members of the team. Once they've won your account, it'll be handed over to a lesser experienced ‘Account Executive/Manager’.  In contrast, smaller PR agencies tend to provide a much more hands-on and personal approach to your PR affairs.

Lower overheads  

Smaller agencies are more likely to have lower overheads and this will impact the fees they charge to their clients.


If your business targets the family market (children/parents/families) and you are considering taking on the services of a PR agency, contact Lisa at Lil' Spin for a free consultation. t. 0845 257 1479 e. pr@lilspin.co.uk

Digit-All Change

Following the news that Junior Magazine (part of Immediate Media Co’s stable of parenting titles) has closed its print publication, opting for a purely digital presence only, I thought it apt to revisit the current trends in digital media usage.

We live in a world that is increasingly mobile in digital arenas (no pun intended!): we shop online, socialise online, game online, watch TV online, etc.  It’s inevitable that we are going to want to consume our media online too.

In my post ‘The PR Mix’, I wrote how mothers in particular are amongst the main consumers of digital media.  As a mother myself I can relate to this; much of my news and information is sourced online – it’s convenient, often free, up-to-the-minute, and you can search multiple topics easily.

According to a recent news report by The Guardian, a global analysis of ‘How Consumers Spend Their Media Time’, a study by GlobalWebIndex cited by Warc, finds that people around the world now spend more time with digital than traditional media.

The study, based on responses from more than 32,000 internet users in 31 countries found that 5.6 hours or 57% of daily media consumption, was dedicated to digital, including social media and mobile internet usage.

Interestingly, it would seem that mobile technology has also had a significant influence over digital media consumption.  A report, covering 14 countries, released by InMobi demonstrates that growth of mobile media is constantly reshaping media consumption habits:

- Globally mobile ranks first in media consumption with 1.8 hours a day, outpacing TV (1.5 hours), PCs (1.6 hours) and any other channel.

- 50% of the average global mobile web users now use mobile as either their primary or exclusive means of going online.

It seems that the film industry too has been quick to play their digital media card as The Daily Telegraph journalist Mick Brown pointed out in a recent interview with The Guardian, stating that he has witnessed a decline in the value that the film industry place upon ‘traditional’ media and are instead investing more of their PR campaign into digital and social media.

Many media outlets have now adopted a ‘best of both’ approach - broadcasting news both online and in print. Some have (controversially) begun to capitalise on this new digital media movement, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who has already introduced a Paywall system to The Times and is reported to be doing the same with The Sun later this year. 

Traditional Vs. Digital

With the rise of citizenship journalism, it is important to consider whether the digital media is a credible and trustworthy resource.  As I touched on in my earlier post ‘PR Misconceptions’, when you receive a piece of editorial about your brand/product, it generates a level of credibility with the reader.  The higher they rate the media, the higher the perceived credibility of the brand/product.  For example, if you read about a ‘flying pig’ online, you’d probably be far more cynical about the story than if you’d read it in, say, The Daily Telegraph national newspaper.  

Traditional media outlets still have a big advantage over their digital media rivals - the value of the tangible, printed hard-copy still outranks that of digital media, even if only in perception alone.  Whilst the readership figures of traditional media might be half that of a digital counterpart, their readers are invested into that media especially if they’ve paid to receive copies; generating a more loyal readership, thus adding credibility to their editorial content.

On the flip side, digital exposure can work on multiple levels, not only increasing awareness and exposure for the brand but also with aiding search-engine visibility and organic results.  Digital stories also have longevity and can remain on servers for far longer than a print copy might stay on a desk or coffee table.

What can we deduce from this?

I think it’s safe to say that it’s no mystery that digital media is the way of the future.   For all those sceptics and old-school PRs that believed it was a fad, here’s looking at you!  I have always believed it is the responsibility of any publicist worth their salt to communicate messages across multiple platforms; both digital and traditional.   This research, while compelling, doesn’t mean it’s time to ditch ‘traditional’ and go digital.  What it does mean is that it’s time to embrace the digital media age - where once it might have been a nice boost to the ego to see your name in ‘print’, it is no longer wise to dismiss the value of digital media coverage garnered.

The PR Mix

Public Relations (PR) has long been considered a powerful and cost-effective way to promote a business. It allows a customer to feel they have made an informed and educated decision based on research or valued opinion, rather than simply being ‘sold to’ through traditional advertising.

Not so very long ago, certainly within my lifetime (and I’m no dinosaur!), managing the flow of information between an organisation and the individual was somewhat more confined.

Over the course of the past decade, the PR industry has witnessed rapid developments.  Where once, the concentration of the PR effort fell on traditional print and broadcast media, the digital age has seen to the development of an entirely new arena of mediums which form, what us practitioners term as, The PR Mix.  Not least so in the family/parent marketplace, where research has identified a new consumer movement that has seen the widespread adoption of these new mediums.

The PR Mix is, in essence, a combined use of the media at your disposal i.e. print, social media, digital media, and broadcast media.  A good publicist will attempt to utilise as many of these media outlets as possible to successfully communicate the message they’re trying to convey.  This utilisation of The PR Mix is particularly important as 94% of people view multiple media before making a purchasing decision (Demand Gen 2012) – meaning your message must be seen in more than one place before a person is likely to make any commitment.  The more widespread your message, the more likelihood there is of achieving sales.

The New Kids of The PR Mix:

The newest additions to The PR Mix are all, unsurprisingly, online.  If utilised correctly, not only can they begin to spread-the-word ‘virally’, they can also help aid Search Engine Optimisation (SEO).

Social Media /

79% of mums with children under the age of 18 are active on social media*.

For mums like me, social media can serve many purposes: a source of information and peer recommendations, and a way to keep in touch with family, friends, etc.

There are of course numerous social media channels which I’ve detailed in earlier posts, but of these Facebook and Twitter continue to be the two most popular destinations for many mums. Brands have been quick to recognise this and most will have their own identities on these sites.

However, maintaining social forums is a real commitment for a brand. Fans expect a quick and helpful response to questions and comments they post, as well as to be engaged with useful and entertaining content.

Digital Media /

84% of mums use the internet (11% more than the overall population)*.

Raising a family brings many challenges and a constant need for information, inspiration, support and new things to buy. The modern, time-poor, parent heads online to fulfil all of these needs utilising websites such as AOL’s Parentdish, BabyExpert, MadeforMums, iVillage, MummyPages, etc.

Content can be informative, entertaining, commercial, or simply reinforcing brand messaging, and can take the form of news, features, images, video or games and apps.

Blogger Outreach /

The parent blogging community has grown rapidly in recent times, with over 6,000 parent blogs in the UK alone.

Bloggers write about a wide range of topics close to their hearts and based on their experiences.  Many are open to mutually beneficial relationships with brands that are both relevant and appropriate.

To find out more about how your business can successfully embrace the PR Mix, why not get in touch?  We look forward to hearing from you soon.

* Data compiled by eMarketer

Un-blurring the Lines between Marketing, PR and Advertising

There’s often much confusion generated by the terms ‘marketing’, ‘PR’ and ‘advertising’.  To some, the three represent the same thing but to practitioners, it’s a very different story.

There is, of course, cross-over between the three disciplines.  Effective use of all three will invariably do wonders for stengthening the position of your business/brand in the marketplace.

Industry professional bodies explain the various fields of expertise as follows…

Marketing: Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably – Chartered Institute of Marketing

Public Relations: Public relations is about reputation - the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you – Chartered Institute of Public Relations

Advertising: Creates the most relevant and distinctive way of communicating in creative & media terms – Institute of Practitioners in Advertising

The Proud Parent Analogy
To help explain further, I have come up with a very simplistic analogy, in keeping with the ‘Family’ theme, which I’ve called ‘The Proud Parent Analogy’…

Marketing:

Public Relations:

 Advertising:

PR Misconceptions

It’s unsurprising that, having been heavily involved in the PR ‘game’ for more than a decade, I’ve come across my fair share of misconceptions about PR.  On occasion some take me a little by surprise, others make me despair!

First-things-first, let’s iron-out and reiterate why PR is by far one of the most effective weapons your business can deploy to generate awareness and ‘buzz’ about your brand/product, especially if budgets are limited!

1) PR can prove to be an economical way to reach a mass audience, stimulating awareness of - and demand for - your brand/products/services.

2) PR can aid the development of a stronger and more controlled image; since PR usually involves the media outlet covering a story, these ‘stories’ can long outlive the immediate impact of advertising for example.

3) PR can help create the perception that a company is active and on the move.

4) PR, or more specifically editorial coverage of your PR message, has up to 7x the credibility of advertising; editorial is conveyed and controlled by a third-party, in contrast to advertising - which is paid for and controlled by the company it’s for - and is therefore considered more ‘truthful’.

5) It provides an advantage over competitors who do not use PR effectively.

6) PR can increase search-engine visibility and organic results.

Now, let’s tackle some of the misconceptions…

PR is not something that can be measured and translated into direct sales, nor should any one particular media be discounted purely on the basis it hasn’t generated a direct result (such as a sale or enquiry).  PR is a long-term commitment and its primary purpose is to maintain image and generate awareness. 

When you receive a piece of editorial about your brand/product, it generates a level of credibility with the reader.  The higher they rate the media, the higher the perceived credibility of the brand/product.  For example, if you read about a ‘flying pig’ in a copy of the free local newspaper, you’d probably be far more cynical about the story than if you’d read it in, say, The Times national newspaper.   

Studies have proven that it will take a person on average, three times to see/hear a repetitive message before their conscious psyche recognises it and they subsequently begin to act on that message – again, this will also depend upon their own perception of the credibility of the media.

PR is an investment that takes time.  A media release doesn't generally get published the day after it's written.  Lots of time is spent writing material, developing media lists, and selling-in, prior to a 'story' hitting the headlines.

PR is not based on 'luck'! Chance favours the prepared mind, and timing can be controlled.  In public relations, marketing, promotion, and sales, timing is key: You succeed largely because you reach your media contact, target market, or prospect at just the right time, with the right story.

Facebook Timeline…

Love it or hate it, as of 30 March ’12, all Facebook Pages will automatically take-on the new Timeline format.   There’s two ways to approach it: live with it or, live without!  For many businesses, Facebook has become an important marketing resource so, living without simply isn’t an option.  

I decided to adopt the Facebook Timeline, and get to grips with its workings, to see how it can be of benefit to businesses.  At first, I was a little hesitant but I’m not one to be beaten by a challenge!  Whilst familiarising yourself with the new layout can, at times, prove a little frustrating, I do believe that this new format has a lot to offer businesses.  For example: you’re provided with a free, visually impactful banner to display across the top of your page, you can alter your App images to provide a more cohesive design to your page, visitors will be more compelled to engage and interact as their friends’ activity is now featured at the top, you can "tell a story" about your business utilising the milestones feature, and you can ensure the important status updates remain in a consistent top spot.   

In my own humble opinion, the interface is far more user-friendly, and best of all, you don’t need to be a computer whizz to create a page that looks professional.

I will walk through, step-by-step, how to prepare your page for the new changes, and how to ensure your business benefits.

Cover Photo: 

The new Timeline displays a cover photo (or banner) across the top of the page.  Cover photos are relatively easy to create (depending on your design skills).  They remain static and provide a strong focal point for your business fan page.

• A cover photo should measure 851 x 315 pixels.  Facebook automatically crops anything that is larger, and you are provided with the option of repositioning images as required.

• Ensure that you use a high-quality image, to avoid a pixelated appearance.

• Be creative and experiment! Use imagery that represents your page; your company logo, products or, an image that tells a story.

• Facebook has included strict guidelines upon how businesses may use the new cover photo: a) No calls-to-action or arrows directing users to take an action i.e. "Get it now", "Tell your friends", etc, b) No contact information, such as URLs, phone numbers and addresses, c) No price or purchase information i.e. 40% off,  d) No reference to user interface elements i.e. "Like" or "Share"

• If you’d like to add context to your cover photo without violating the guidelines, use the caption to add calls-to-action and relevant link to whatever is in the picture.  For example, if your cover photo is of your products, add a link to your website in the caption, urging users to visit the link to find out more. You may also want to consider a Quick Response (QR) code for other relevant info.  Strictly speaking, this doesn’t currently infringe Facebook guidelines on the use of the cover photo.   

For my personal page, I experimented to create an individual cover photo

Profile Picture: 

Unlike the original layout, where you could adopt an elongated profile picture, new profile pictures will only display as a square. 

• Profile images are 180 x 180 pixels

• Your full profile image will also act as your page’s avatar and show up next to your updates in the news feed and when people run random searches for your page.  Unlike current page designs, this will not be a cropped section of the profile picture.  For these reasons, it's worth considering your company logo as your permanent profile pic.

• To alter your profile picture, hover over the image and "Edit Profile Picture" will appear

About: 

This will pull from the current information in your page’s info tab. You can still place a web link here.  Be sure to alter this if it’s out dated!

Apps: 

You can display four items in the section below your cover photo, but your photos will always appear first.  You may choose an additional three Apps to appear here.  You can include upto 12 apps in total on your page, which are accessible using the drop-down menu arrow to the far right of the screen. Clicking on these thumbnails will take users to the corresponding app, so make sure these are the things you want to drive your page’s visitors to.  Unlike the previous format, it is easy to alter the image that displays for your App.  To alter the appearance of your Apps, hover over the applicable App until the little pencil mark displays, from here you can alter the positioning, you can remove it from your ‘favourites' and, by going to "Edit Settings", you can rename it and alter the image.  For App images, ensure they are no more than 74 x 74 pixels.

For Lil' Spin's page, I was able to manipulate the App images to help create a cohesive design

Friend Activity: 

People will see any interaction their friends have had with a page (even if they haven’t ‘Liked’ the page themselves).  

Managing Your New Page /

In addition to the front-end changes, the new format includes a whole host of management features, some of which you will already be familiar with.

Admin Panel:  

This dashboard allows you to quickly navigate and view your page’s "Insights", respond to messages and view notifications about pages likes and activity on your page.  Included within the admin dashboard, are drop-down menus to the top right where you can: 

a) Manage – this option allows you to edit the page and view the activity log (month-by-month).

b) Edit – as with the former layout, the edit feature is one with which you are no doubt already familiar, however it provides you with the option to "unpublish" your page whilst testing out the Timeline.

c) Activity Log – Filter through the type of activity you view i.e. Info Updates, Photos, Video, Comments, etc.  The simplified menu makes it a lot easier to go back and find older posts, rather than scrolling endlessly through your entire Timeline.

d) Build Audience – As with the older version, you can invite your contacts and friends to "Like" your page, share or create ad’s. 

e) Messages – You now have the option to allow your page’s community to directly message the page admins.  You will be able to access and answer these messages from the admin dashboard.  To activate fan messages, go to "Manage Permissions" and select "Show Message Button".  People can send messages to your page by clicking on the messages button between your cover photo and apps.

Milestones: 

Add significant dates/events using your status menu.  Select a year, event, story, photos & videos. Use of the Milestones facility might include: 

• The year the company was founded
• New office premises
• New team member
• Product releases
• Awards
• Partnerships

Pinning: 

This is a great new feature, as it will ensure that important updates never risk going unseen.  You can choose one story a week to "pin" to the top of your page and these will remin in-situ for seven days.  Pinned stories are distinguished by a small orange flag which appears in the top right corner of your "pinned" story. Pinning stories is very simple; click on the pencil icon next to the status update.  From there, select "Pin to Top" (you can also reverse the process and "unpin" if you decide you no longer wish to feature it. Uses of the "Pinning" feature might include:

• Time-sensitive discounts & promotions
• Recent blog post
• New product images
• Videos
• Article or current event that’s relevant to your industry
• New awards

Highlights: 

Clicking the star symbol on a status update will display the post in a wide format, across the entire Timeline.  It’s a great way to ensure that photos take centre-stage in your Timeline.  Unclicking the star will reverse the process.

Change Date:

This new feature enables you to alter the date an album was created so that they better reflect your company’s history

Reposition Photo: 

A handy feature with the Timeline is the ability to reposition photos simply by dragging them to show a better section of the image.  With this new feature, you can revisit and ‘fix’ any older photos that may have been cropped badly before switching to Timeline.

Should you require advice or assistance with setting-up your new Timeline layout, do get in touch.  Until 30 March '12, Lil' Spin is offering a design service to create a cohesive, visually impactful page for your company, for just £100+VAT (includes: cover image, profile picture and apps).  Email: lisa@spinpublicity.co.uk for details.

Everyone’s talking about 'Pinterest'…

Move over Facebook, Twitter, Google+, et al, another social media is stepping into the game, and providing a valuable marketing tool to businesses.

So what is Pinterest? 

 

Pinterest is essentially a virtual pin-board where you can collect and share images.  It first launched in 2010 and has experienced rapid growth in more recent months.  In contrast to its social media counterparts such as, YouTube, Google+ and Linkedin, Pinterest is also proving a valuable aid in drawing traffic to external websites and blogs. 

How can it benefit your business? 

Unlike Facebook and Twitter, where you attract followers, the Pinterest platform is completely visual and focuses on collective interests i.e. Architecture, Cars, DIY, Film, Gardening, Beauty, Outdoors, etc.  Users are eager to find and share amongst the entire population, rather than purely between friends.  It’s a place to make discoveries which can then be organised onto boards.  For example, on a personal page, you may choose to categorise your finds and ‘repin’ them onto boards which you have named: "For my daughter", "For my wife", "Things I Like", and so on.  A pin is an image you have chosen to share, paired with a short caption, which can all then be linked back to the original source, such as your website or blog in order to drive traffic; great for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s a relatively simple but very effective concept to follow.  In a similar way that a comment or link may go viral on the more established social networks, so too can Pinterest pins, and it’s a perfect forum to study trends amongst the population.

Like any form of social media, it’s a two-way conversation, all about building connections and forging stronger bonds with your audience.

For businesses with products targeting the family market, the advantages are obvious: create a board linked to the appropriate category i.e. Kids, pin photos of your products, include a brief description and price (if desired), ensure that there’s a link where users can follow it to your website and/or blog and let the Pinterest population do the rest; view, like, share, comment and re-pin!

Here are some top tips on using Pinterest:

• First, get invited by a friend, or simply request an invite online
• If you choose to operate a purely business associated page, it may be wise to link it with your business Twitter account, as Facebook tends to link it to your personal account.
• Invest in good quality photographs and images (lifestyle images can be more effective than basic product images).
• Back-link each pin to your source website.  People will click once on the picture to see the full pin, and can click a second time to be directed outside of Pinterest to your website.
• Include a price in the description to automatically add an overlaying banner on the picture featuring the price.
• Pin alternate uses for your product.  For example, if you make children’s clothing, pin images onto a board that form a "From start to finish" guide, for one or more of your best-selling products.
• Add the “Pin It” social media button to your website to allow for and encourage pinning
• Connect your physical and online presence.  Try running a promotion that drives customers to your Pinterest board
• Try to avoid being too self-promotional. It’s easy to spot a self-serving board and it’s also an official Pin Etiquette rule.  Be relevant to your target market and post other content they would find interesting to keep people coming back for more.  Pin your own products, Show uses for your products, as well as inspiration for the lifestyle they advocate.
• Follow big names – this is proven on Twitter. If they follow you back, this boosts your own visibility to others.
• Tag your pin using key phrases that define the brand and inspire, since Pinterest is all about inspiration.  Get in the mind of your ideal consumer and think about what search terms they’d use.
• Use other social media platforms (that have the advantage of a more established user base) to direct people towards Pinterest.  A status update like this one will inform your customers you’re active on Pinterest: “Follow our pins for new products and great ideas!"

If you feel swamped by social media and don't know which way to turn, or simply need to off-load your social media effort, please get in touch with us... we're on hand to assist!

It’s all in the 'sell-in'…

Contrary to common belief, generating media coverage isn’t always as simple as compiling a list of journalists and then contacting each of them about something you consider to be newsworthy.  The key to generating coverage relies entirely on your sell-in; your approach to a ‘story’ that makes it appealing to your target media.

Having been on the receiving end of the PR effort,  I fully appreciate just how many media releases are likely to end up ‘binned’ on account of their: unsuitability, poor structure, weak content, confusing jargon or, poor timing.  In fact, research suggests that up to 92% of media releases that are sent to journalists are ‘binned’.

If you have ever lived the life of a journalist, you will understand that time is of the essence, timing is key and a good story is fundamental!

As an Editor, on average, I would receive as many as 80 releases in one day and countless calls from PR’s.  I would become most frustrated by those who hadn’t taken the time to consider the publication to which they directed their material.  I was equally frustrated by those who considered fluffy adjectives suitable for their release; appearing as advertorial (paid editorial), rather than newsworthy editorial.

It was perhaps the telephone calls that surprised me most of all.  Rather than strong pitches, the patter I’d hear repeatedly, would typically consist of: "I sent you a release (yesterday, last week, etc)… will you be including it in your next issue?"  This type of call would infuriate me and was completely detrimental to their cause… serving no purpose other than to waste time!

The art of crafting a good media release and/or conducting a productive pitch relies on the ability to ‘sell-in’ a well thought-out story.  To do this several key pointers must be considered:

• Understand who’s who
• Tailor your media sell-in: Consider the timing and topicality. Identify the human interest and the ‘news’ value that underpins the story.  Define the What, Who, Why, When, Where and How of your story
• Do not be too creative, or too clever
• Give facts, not flowery adjectives
• Avoid jargon and confusing acronyms
• Confine opinions to quotes from relevant individuals linked to your story
• Keep it short and sweet
• Avoid attachments on emails (unless asked)
• Send your media release to named individuals
• Make yourself accessible
• Check deadlines to avoid contacting at a bad time
• Devise a script for when you telephone a journalist and like your media release, be concise

If you require assistance refining your sell-in, do get in touch, I’d be happy to help!

Social Media: The Ultimate Communication Tool

It has been widely reported that 2012 is the year of the multimedia social network; a year which will see competition grow amongst the market leaders and one in which businesses begin to fully embrace and understand how to effectively integrate social media into the Marketing Mix. 

Where once, advertising was dominant, communication has taken the lead; as the realms of the communication mix open, with a multitude of new platforms to initiate and host conversation that directly engages the consumer.  Establishing the Publicist as the 21st century's answer to the Advertising Executives of the 20th century.

With the masses tuning-out to those top-down messages (as I highlighted in my earlier article about Mummy Blogs) and digital technology becoming a fundamental aspect of daily life, the focus on social media has never been more important to the success of a company/brand.  There is no doubt that social media offers a wonderment of opportunity to almost every sector of business. There does, however, remain a pervasive sense of confusion among businesses of how to get social media working for (not against) them.

The Social Media Landscape

As this diagram demonstrates, the social media landscape isn’t strictly limited to the social networks alone.  Social networks are however, fundamental when compiling any Social Media Marketing (SMM) strategy.  Social Networks have been growing steadily since the Millennium and have rapidly taken hold in terms of popularity. Amongst the social network platforms, MySpace, Facebook, Bebo and LinkedIn still hold top spots.  The latest serious contender to rival these is Google+ which officially launched to the public community in 2011 with brand pages being added in recent months.  Many companies have already adopted the platform, with both large and small businesses demonstrating its potential to reach customers.  Latest reports from ComScore saw Google+ attract 67m visitors worldwide in November last year of which 2.7m were from the UK.  Unlike Facebook & Twitter which have a broadcast heavy format, Google+ activity is generated by quality, not quantity.

Other social media that should be considered in an SMM strategy include publishing platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress, RSS feeds, micro-blogging platforms such as Twitter, live-casts (audio and voice), and the video and photo sharing platforms such as Skype, Messenger, YouTube, Flickr and Instagram.

So what do social media have to offer and why are they so important? 

As a species, we are social by nature and thrive upon connection with others, with access to the internet at home, at work and on-the-move, people can choose to interact and unite when it wouldn’t otherwise be possible to meet, in a safe environment, providing as much or as little or connection as the user desires.

Gone are the days of the four P’s approach to marketing (Product, Price, Place, Promotion), the conversation for businesses is no longer one-way making the original broadcast approach to promotion less effective and thus dawning a new era of interaction. Social media marks an evolution to the standard four P’s approach to marketing to incorporate a fifth key facet… Participation!

In simple terms social media offers a real-time approach to promoting a message, providing businesses with an option to initiate and host conversation.  Taking six-months to develop and launch a campaign are now a thing of the past as social media enables a more agile approach to marketing.

The fundamental assets of social media can be broken down into four categories… something I like to refer to as the four R’s:  Recognition – build awareness of your business/brand; Relationships – engage with your customers/fans; Resource – create an information exchange; Referrals – drive traffic and build customer/fan-base.

Social media can benefit a business/brand by:

• facilitating how they engage with customers/fans,
• enabling open, fluid interactivity,
• delivering a sincere approach to promoting a message,
• helping generate traffic,
• nurturing consumer confidence
• providing an instantly accessible avenue for marketing promotions and harvesting free, quick and accurate feedback.

If you need assistance mastering your social media from your social platforms or simply want someone to help build and manage your social media campaign and develop creative content, why not get in touch?

The importance of Mummy Blogs: Mummy Blog Savvy

Since forming Lil' Spin, it has become apparent that few businesses truly understand and comprehend the importance of the proverbial Mummy blog and how to engage with Mummy bloggers.  I have therefore decided to put together an article to help bring others up-to-speed on their Mummy Blog savvy…

The dramatic rise of the Mummy Blog in the UK has become a force to be reckoned with; real mothers writing and discussing everything from current affairs, health and fashion, through to business, cookery and wellbeing whilst sharing personal experiences and the daily triumphs and turmoil of parental life in front of a community of loyal readers.

For the mums, blogging can provide a great outlet, a place to free the mind and escape the daily routine whilst simultaneously providing a valuable network and support group.  For some, blogging has become a new-found source of income, supplemented with free goodies to review.

To businesses, they are an emerging holy-grail: popular, trusted and worth investing serious time and energy into forging long-term relationships with.

So who is the typical mummy blogger?

In general terms, Mummy Bloggers are socially savvy, educated women who wield extensive consumer power.  Their words and opinions can influence brand perception both online and off.  They expect to be taken seriously by businesses and traditional media outlets.  They are the real, honest voices in a marketplace that has become saturated with ‘top-down’ messages.

Alongside other forms of social networking, they mark a new form of Word-of-Mouth (WOM) marketing; you can’t control it but when it works, the dividends are higher than any other form of marketing.  Of all the elements of the communications mix (editorial, publicity stunts, advertising, etc), WOM is by far the most potent on a one-to-one basis.  No level of advertising or expert selling could compete with a colleague, friend or an established blogger recommending or criticising a particular product or service.  Similarly, it is unlikely that a teaser advertisement could motivate a viewer/reader to watch-out for the next advert in a campaign in the same way that WOM can. 

How does WOM work and why are mummy bloggers the key to generating it?  

Research suggests that consumers talk about their bad experiences with up to three-times more people than when they are satisfied.  Before the creation of the internet and social networking forums, this level of WOM would be limited to fewer individuals but in relative terms this has now amplified, making it all the more necessary for businesses to ensure their customer service is second to none and their approach to WOM is at the top of their marketing agenda.  

Mummy bloggers possess a broad sphere of influence, circulating both on and offline.  Research suggests that conventional media no-longer effectively reaches today’s mums’ who are more cynical to the mass marketed ‘top-down’ message with a tendency to tune-out and view the source of information as unreliable at best and deceptive at worst.  WOM cuts through the clutter, offering an alternative way for Mums’ to meet and exchange info.  

Mummy bloggers tap into the conversational nature of mothers.  They can build or break brand reputation  through recommendations or criticisms within a community of readers who trust what they say.  Most mothers enjoy being part of a collaborative community and introducing new products and services to their mummy friends.  Product reviews spread awareness and create loyalty toward brands.  Mummy bloggers want to discover brands that incite passion, and they work to offer useful advice and suggestions to their readers who are usually like-minded parents.

According to recent studies, a large proportion of mothers read consumer-written product reviews online before committing even to the smallest purchasing decisions; not only can I say this is true from a personal perspective but I also know of many other mothers who also expend a similar level of time and energy on their product research before committing to the purchase and we, like many mothers, are compelled to share our findings with others.

Connecting with Mummy Bloggers

Many businesses are scared-off the Mummy blogosphere due to a lack of understanding in how to target a Mummy blogger or assess the level of reach of any one blog.  Whilst it is true that certain Mummy Bloggers exist only as a means to obtain 'swag', many work hard to maintain integrity in their blogs.  There are a few measures available including the 'Top 10 Mummy Bloggers' by Cision and Tots100 however, as the socio-viral market is ever changing, so the top blogger last week may not be this week.

Some bloggers have the reach numbers to spread a message on a larger scale, whilst others may have a smaller readership but more passionate followers.  Every blogger counts, even new ones; if a blogger shows an interest in your product or brand don’t shy away because you can’t see enough followers, work with them.  If they want to review your product but you're uncertain about committing the resources to such an exercise, find other ways in which to nurture a relationship.  In the same way that every customer counts, apply this same logic to bloggers too, after all, it is likely that the blogger is also a potential customer with lots of mummy friends both on and offline!

Blogs create and connect the mother with loyal readers who look to them for information and recommendations.  Businesses should engage and respond to bloggers, understand the importance of the relationship and make the interactions mutually beneficial.

If you want to influence how mothers' perceive your product, brand or company, get involved in the conversation.  To provoke WOM amongst bloggers and consumers, create genuine, direct, personalised and transparent conversation.

Do your research:  Mummy bloggers consider it important and find it critical that companies familiarise themselves with each blog before making contact, ensuring accurate personal details and more connective outreach.

Need help?

If you still feel out of your depth and uncertain how to progress your business/product/brand through the Mummy blogging network, contact me and I will be more than happy to assist - email: lisa@spinpublicity.co.uk or call: 0845 257 1479