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… and why that’s a very good thing. 

 

(originally posted to www.carnsight.com)

 

There’s a common misconception when it comes to social media for business. Actually, there’s a few of them – but today I want to talk about the idea that as soon as you bring a social media agency on board, your account will explode. Sales will soar, followers will skyrocket, and you’ll be turning away customers within weeks. 

It’s true that (at least in our case) it will see significant pick up. Every client that we’ve worked with has seen some truly exciting results with weeks, and even days, of our team coming on board. 

But – but – while there are definitely improvements (and some lovely metrics!) that come from working with a strategic team, the truth is: long term results don’t happen overnight. And, more importantly, social media was never designed to work in a vacuum.  

SIDE NOTE: It actually wasn’t designed for businesses or and sales in the first place. But naturally, it evolved that way. Partially through interference by highly motivated entrepreneurs, but also because it’s a pretty natural offshoot from human behaviour (plus, you know, capitalism). Sharing and being social can lead to recommendations, inspiration, and connection – all of which are essential precursors to behaviour change, including making a purchase or forming a new intention. 

Just like in real life, the ‘relationships’ that brands form with consumers – and the decisions, and behaviour changes they inspire –  take time. You don’t buy a house the second you walk past for the For Sale sign. You don’t immediately marry someone who smiles at you on a train. So why do so many of us expect people to see one or two posts and hit ‘buy now’?  

 

Understanding the journey 

Social media is just one part of a wider customer journey. An important part, undoubtedly, but not the whole thing. 

You can unpack that journey using a bunch of different frameworks and theories, but to keep it simple, let’s look a classic model from the marketing world: AIDA. 

Too often, people expect social to skip straight to the final step (even more alarmingly so, they expect it to do that when it’s the only form of ‘marketing’ they’re doing – and it isn’t even a paid strategy, just organic!!!). For most people seeing your brand for the first or second time, the journey starts waaaaaay earlier. 

 

Socials are for every stage 

Social media can support every stage of this process, not just the end. And that’s actually a huge strength. Some of the ways it does this: 

Research shows [get new stat] that customers often need to encounter your brand at least seven times before converting. That might sound like a lot, but that’s exactly where consistent, strategic social comes in. Every post is a touchpoint and a reminder. A chance to be seen, heard, and remembered by current, returning, or prospective customers. 

Platform matters 

Different platforms play different roles in that journey. You don’t need to be everywhere, you just need to be where your audience is, so choose your platform(s) carefully 

As a (VERY) broad and (VERY) general example: 

Ask yourself: “Where are the people I actually want to reach?”  

And, actually, before you do that, make sure you know who you actually want to reach. What are their interests, age ranges, locations, behaviours? The more you know, the better your content, target, and overall strategy can be. 

Then you should be able to confidently ask (and answer), “what do they need to see, hear, or feel before they’re ready to act?” 

Want some actual, tailored advice about what might work well for you? Come chat to the team and me. 

Not all purchases are equal 

The kind of product or service you offer also plays a big role. Some things are low-impact, habitual buys – like grabbing the same cereal or toilet paper every week. Others are considered purchases – things that are more expensive, emotionally loaded, or lifestyle-related. Those take longer. They generally require more thoughtful, persuasive touchpoints to build trust, overcome barriers, and nail hesitation to the door.  

Take a bespoke shoemaker. Someone might follow the brand for six months before buying – watching, liking, saving, learning. They’re not just buying shoes, they’re buying a feeling, a statement, an aspiration, a piece of craftsmanship. Socials can help nurture that long decision gently, consistently, and intentionally. 

As my second side note: there are a LOT of factors that influence the consumer decision making process. We won’t get into them today, but even if you’re not a marketer or business owner, it’s worth being aware of the below: 

 

 

Organic vs paid 

Another big piece of the puzzle is that not everything you see online is organic. That brand that seems to sell out overnight? They might be running targeted ads, influencer partnerships, or paid collaborations you’re not seeing. 

Paid content works different – and, yes, perhaps faster – but it also often needs real, sustained budget to deliver results (we’re talking minimum four digits). Organic content, on the other hand, is a slower burn. But it’s also where the genuine magic happens. 

With organic, every like, comment, and follow is earned. That’s a real person who found you and chose to engage – not because they were targeted, but something about your content spoke to them. It might take longer, but it builds deeper loyalty and a more engaged community. 

(P.S. we’re big believers in combining the two when and where it makes sense if there’s budget, but it’s just important to understand that they’re not the same game, and it’s not a one-size-fits-all shortcut to guaranteed success). 

 

So, what does all this mean? 

If you’re only looking at socials as a way to instantly sell, you’re missing out on it’s true potential – and, I’d argue, it’s greater value. 

Social media builds awareness, trust, desire, and connection. It reminds people you and your brand exist, shows them who you are, and gives them reasons to stick around. Over time, that leads to real-world actions (e.g. booking a service, buying a product, or simply becoming a loyal fan or community member or supporter). 

So, if you’re starting out ramping things up with your socials, remember: it’s about showing up, building momentum, and becoming part of the fabric of your audience’s world as they progress along the path to purchase. 

saintnicks has been shortlisted for four awards at the UK Social Media Awards 2025, recognising the agency’s standout work in user-generated content, integrated campaigns, long-term strategy and team excellence.

Best Use of UGC – POSCA
Best Integrated Social Campaign – Ascot Racecourse
Best Long-Term Strategic Use of Social Media – Ascot Racecourse
Best In-Agency Team – saintnicks

The UK Social Media Awards celebrate the very best in creativity, innovation and impact across social platforms. From the vibrant, creator-fuelled world of POSCA to diversification of Royal Ascot’s audience and fan engagement, saintnicks’ work continues to blend bold thinking with measurable success.

Callum Joynes, Head of Content at saintnicks, said:

“Social media is one of the most powerful ways to build meaningful brand experiences, and these nominations are a fantastic recognition of the agency’s creativity, commitment, and real-world strategic capability. We’re incredibly proud to be shortlisted across such a broad mix of categories.”

_____

saintnicks is a leading independent brand agency. We partner with ambitious brands to drive commercial growth, through standout strategy, campaigns, digital experiences, and social media. An agile, highly experienced team of specialists, combining top-tier strategic and creative talent from global agencies and client-side brands. We take brands further.

originally posted to www.carnsight.com

 

It’s been no secret that Google is slowly losing its status as the default search engine. With TikTok as an evolving social media platform, younger generations are looking to discover things beyond Google.  

It’s been talked about before, but it’s fully coming into play now. And as a brand, you need to adapt to the needs of your audience. Search engines aren’t dead, and they won’t be anytime soon, but it’s no longer just about being visible on Google. To be visible across your social content as well, you need to optimise for social search.  

 

What do we mean by social search?

Social search describes any user behaviour which involves searching for information directly within the social platform, instead of using Google. And this is steadily on the rise – it’s reported that 23% of users search within the first 30 seconds of opening TikTok. 

TikTok pioneered this growth in social search with its interest-based algorithm, offering users a personalised experience they hadn’t had before. It made discovery less passive – instead of being fed the content of people we follow, TikTok made it so users can actively search for the content they want to know more about.  

That content also became more engaging than a traditional Google search, with social media making education both accessible, and attention-grabbing. Audiences began to trust the storytelling in User Generated Content. For a quick dinner meal idea, people are turning to TikTok and getting inspiration from a creator, rather than following a written recipe. So just as your recipes want to rank high on Google, it’s time to get them visible for social search. 

 

How do you optimise content for social search?

People are much less likely to randomly stumble across your content. They have a need, they search for that need, and if your content appears for that search term, they will watch it.  

It’s similar to implementing SEO for Google – social content needs keywords, captions and on-screen text to rank. TikTok’s algorithm has to give your content an accurate label, for it to appear in a user’s search results.  

Whatever your niche may be, Google Trends or Creator Search Insights can help ensure your content is based around trending and related searches. Creator Search Insights will show you the topics that are frequently searched for on TikTok, but it can also show you the search topics that have fewer relevant posts. You can identify content gaps within your niche, and tailor your content plan to fill this gap. Less competition means more visibility for your brand, so do your keyword research before you create your content, rather than trying to shoehorn it in later.  

 

How is your content discovered?

After your post the content, TikTok will index your video, essentially putting it into a category that will appear when another user searches similar keywords. But that’s not the only way to get your content discovered, and TikTok’s comment section can be just as effective as its search bar. When you look through comments of a video, you may notice some turn blue: 

A picture of TikTok comments, with two comments turning blue.

This is a feature added by TikTok – if the words in a comment are relevant to the specific videos, or are frequently searched, TikTok will turn the comment blue to link it straight to that search term.  

So again, keywords are essential. And the more relevant your keywords are to the content you’re posting, the more discoverable that content will be.  

 

Testing the algorithm

Of course, this is something that may take some trial and error. The algorithm isn’t perfect, and you can’t expect TikTok to accurately index your videos all the time. For example, say we wanted to rank for the term ‘ice cream’, so we posted a video eating an ice cream in Marshfield. Despite the content being more relevant to ice cream, writing Marshfield in the caption could trigger a location tag from TikTok, meaning the content would now rank for the term ‘Marshfield’.  It’s a bit of a delicate balance, but TikTok lets you tweak captions for up to 7 days after posting, so if you find your content is ranking for the wrong search term, it may be worth trying a different caption, and removing the location tag. 

 

It may be something you have to keep testing, but it’s definitely something to start trying. Optimising across multiple platforms, including both search engines and social search, is key for top visibility, and letting your audience find you however is best for them. 

Looking for more SEO tips? Here’s how to get started with Google. 

originally posted to www.carnsight.com 

 

If you’ve ever worked in PR, you’ll know there’s a lot of spinning plates and wearing a lot of hats.

And sometimes you can spin a hat and wear a plate and it all gets a bit chaotic.

There are press releases to write, journalists to chase, campaigns to plan, and about a hundred emails to answer. Staying organised is a huge part of the job. That’s where my trusty Kanban board (among many other organisational obsessions) comes in.

What is a Kanban Board?

A Kanban board is a visual tool that helps you manage tasks by moving them through stages. These stages are usually something like “To Do,” “Doing,” and “Done.” Think of it as a to-do list with a bit more movability.

I use a lot of different versions of a Kanban board. I have digital ones and physical ones, and I reset them and try new iterations often. I’ve used everything from a notebook or A3 paper, to tools like Excel, Trello and Notion. The principle is always the same.

My PR-friendly approach

Over the years, I’ve tweaked my board to reflect the way I actually work. Here’s how I’ve got it generally set up now:

  • With me – These are the tasks I’m actively working on. Writing copy, building media lists, planning campaigns – basically, anything that’s currently sitting with me.
  • With the client – This is for anything I’ve sent off to a client for review or approval. It helps me keep track of what I’m waiting on so I don’t accidentally chase them too many times!
  • With a journalist – Pitches sent, interviews scheduled, follow-ups pending – it all goes here. It’s a great way to keep tabs on media outreach without digging through your inbox.
  • On hold – This is my “not right now” column. Maybe I’m waiting on an event date, or a client’s budget sign-off. It’s not dead in the water, just on pause.

And of course, when it’s done it comes off the board altogether (I keep a note of those elsewhere).

Why it works

PR is fast-paced and often reactive. My Kanban board gives me a clear view of what’s happening, what’s stalled, and what’s next.

It also helps me communicate better with clients and teammates. If someone asks for a status update, I can give them a clear answer without rummaging through emails or WhatsApp threads.

A few tips

  • Use labels. I colour-code by client, which makes it easy to scan the board and see where my time’s going.
  • Review regularly. I do a regular tidy up – move things around, archive what’s done, and prep for the next day/ week.

Kanban boards won’t stop last-minute requests or magically make journalists reply faster (if only), but they will help you stay on top of your workload and feel a bit more in control. And in PR, that’s no small thing.

What methods do you use to stay organised at work? I’d love to hear about them.

And for other organisation tips, have a look at how we clean up our inbox.

From January 2026, new UK advertising restrictions will land with a heavy thud on anyone promoting foods high in fat, salt or sugar – aka, HFSS products. If you’re in grocery or hospitality, you’ve probably seen the headlines and felt that familiar flash of worry: is this going to ruin our marketing strategy?

So let’s break it all down. Yes, the rules are changing. But no, it doesn’t mean the end of your creativity (or your sales). In fact, it’s a chance to sharpen your brand, strengthen your storytelling, and rethink how you connect with guests both online and off.

Firstly, what’s actually happening?

The government is rolling out a new set of advertising rules that aim to reduce children’s exposure to high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) foods. It’s part of a wider public health push and it’s been on the cards for a while.

Here’s what’s changing:

The rules apply to foods in 13 specific categories – think burgers, pizzas, fried chicken, crisps, cakes and sugary drinks. If it’s indulgent then it’s probably on the list.

How does this affect the hospitality industry?

If you’re a restaurant group, bar brand, food truck or fast-casual operator, these changes matter. Especially if your menu leans toward the comfort-food end of the spectrum.

Here’s what to consider:

1. You can still post HFSS content organically

The ban only applies to paid-for ads. So you can still post your drool-worthy burger reels on your own Instagram. Just don’t boost them or pay influencers to share them.
2. You can still advertise the brand – but not the product
You can’t promote your loaded fries, but you can run an ad about your story, your locations, your team, your vibe, your sustainability mission – basically, anything that builds your brand.

Final word

The HFSS ad ban is a challenge but not a death sentence. Hospitality is built on connection, culture and community, all of which don’t need a paid ad to thrive.
If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch! We help brands tell stories worth sharing, with or without a media budget and will be helping several existing clients navigate these new challenges as they come into effect in 2026.

originally posted to www.carnsight.com

 

Gen Z isn’t just on the way – they’re already here. They’re your customers. They’re your colleagues. They’re your employees. And in 2025, they make up 27% of the global workforce. 

This generation, currently aged 12 to 27, is already the largest globally, with around 2 billion people according to the UN. They’re not just influencing culture, they’re creating culture.  

  

So, what are they telling us?

 

  1. They want work-life balance… REAL work-life balance

This isn’t about being lazy. It’s about setting boundaries. Gen Z has grown up watching burnout being glorified and mental health being overlooked. They’re not interested in repeating that cycle. They want flexibility, autonomy and a workplace that respects their time and energy. If your business still equates long hours with loyalty, it’s time to rethink. 

  

  1. For them, brands actually caring is the bare minimum

Gen Z can spot inauthenticity a mile off. They’re not impressed by token gestures or vague values. They want to see real action on things like sustainability, diversity, mental health and more. If your brand says it stands for something, you need to be able to back it up… because you bet they’re going to check. 

  

  1. They want purpose-driven business

Profit doesn’t cut it. Gen Z wants to work for and buy from companies that are driven by purpose. That doesn’t mean you need to save the world. But it does mean you need to stand for something meaningful and make it part of your everyday operations, not just your marketing. 

  

  1. They won’t buy your false promises

They’re a generation that’s frankly deeply sceptical. We live in a world of misinformation, greenwashing and broken promises. So if your business says one thing and does another, they’ll notice and walk away.  And they’ll probably talk about it.  

  

  1. You can ignore them – but that’s your mistake to make

You can call them lazy. But if you do, you’re missing the point. Gen Z is redefining what work looks like, what leadership means and what success should feel like. They’re a generation working towards building better systems. Out of complete necessity (see the climate crisis). And if you’re not willing to adapt you’re going to face the consequences.  

  

What Can You Do? 

 

 

It’s snuck up on us, but Gen Z aren’t the future anymore. They’re the now. 

Creating an effective public relations (PR) budget is crucial for scaling businesses aiming to enhance their brand presence and credibility.

Thorough market research serves as a foundational element in developing effective PR campaigns and long-term success. But knowing where to start can be a challenge.

This guide outlines key considerations and strategies to help you allocate your comms resources effectively.

Determine the percentage of revenue for marketing spend

Allocating a specific percentage of your gross revenue to marketing and PR is a common approach.

The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) recommends that companies spend between 5% to 10% of their gross revenue on marketing. But this is a ballpark figure.

The actual percentage you spend can and will vary on a lot of different factors. Are you B2B or B2C, what’s your sector? What’s the size of your business, and what are your business goals?

All of these things, and more, can have an impact on your marketing budgets. So it isn’t as simple a task as looking at the averages or the recommendations. It’s a decision that needs to be personalised to your wants, needs and goals.

Assess your PR and marketing needs

To tailor your PR budget effectively, consider the following questions:

Target revenue for the next year: having a clear understanding of your financial goals helps set a proportional marketing budget.

Existing marketing budget: review current spending to identify areas for reallocation or enhancement.

ROI review: in line with reviewing existing or previous budgets, look at what’s working in your current plans, what isn’t and why.

Focus areas for the coming year: what do you want to achieve in the year to come? A strategic picture of these goals will help you implement tactics to achieve these goals.

Benchmarking against competitors: research industry standards to ensure your budget aligns with or surpasses your competition.

With clear objectives, targets and a strong understanding of what success looks like for you, it’s far easier to set a PR budget. Then you need to make a call on whether you can achieve this internally or if you need to bring in a third party.

In-house vs external PR resource

Deciding between in-house and external PR resources depends on your company’s capabilities and objectives.

External PR agencies can offer specialised expertise and established media relationships, which can be priceless. The cost of bringing in an external agency can vary. Smaller UK agencies may charge between £1,500 – £5,000 per month, while larger firms’ retainers start from £5,000 per month.

Opting for an in-house solution may result in you maintaining more direct control. With an in-house PR, there is a complete, dedicated focus. But this comes with the challenges of hiring, retention, training, development and investment in standard tools, like media monitoring and journalist databases. These are tools which we, as an agency, invest in so you don’t have to.

Beyond in-house vs external, there are other industry-specific considerations that you need to factor in when allocating your budgets.

Industry-specific budget considerations

Marketing budget allocations can differ across industries. For example, consumer packaged goods companies in the UK allocate more than 20% of their budgets to marketing expenses, whereas the average budget in real estate is less than 10%

Understanding your industry’s standards can guide appropriate budget setting. Hubspot provides a helpful breakdown of sector budgets. But as an agency, as part of pre-briefing or the briefing process proper, we can give you our expertise and insights and help you put your spend in the most effective and appropriate places.

Then, you need to consider your relative size and scale.

Strategies for scaling businesses

It’s often said that scaling businesses need to dedicate more of their budgets to marketing than more established businesses. But this rationale does have its flaws.

Firstly, budgets are often referred to as a percentage of net revenue rather than a cash value. So, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that a lower percentage means less investment. But that’s not the case; 20% of revenue for a start-up could be similar to 5% of an established business; it’s all relative.

Speaking of relativity.

There’s also the notion that just because you’ve reached a point of relative success, why would you slow down then? This is where having an agency partner can be very useful. Because we’ll have a certain degree of separation from your day-to-day, which often allows us to join dots and make connections which can be hard to see when you’re caught up in operations.

The reality of the situation is that if and when you reach a certain size or stature, there are going to be start-ups that are hungry and eager. They’re coming for your spot on the ladder.

Look at it this way: Microsoft still puts 10% of its $240 billion revenue into marketing.

Spending in the right places

How you divest and spread out your spending is, ultimately, down to your targets and goals.

But spending for spending’s sake should be discouraged.

Whether it’s paid campaigns through social media channels, content creation, SEO performance or media office fuelled by press releases. Whatever and wherever you’re spending, it needs to be driving value.

It’s important to recognise that value doesn’t always mean converted business leads. In the context of broader PR strategies, value has many meanings, from the quality of media coverage earned to engagement on your social media posts.

This is where it’s important to develop PR strategies with both breadth and depth. The array of expertise and specialisms within the AMBITIOUS team means we are especially well-placed to deliver this kind of approach.

Depending on your sector and relative size, as well as your goals, you’ll be implementing different tactics. So it’s difficult to say, in the space of a paragraph, how and where you should be spending without this wider context.

But broadly speaking, the following strategies can bolster your PR outreach.

In summary

Investing in PR is vital for building trust with your audience.

For this reason, setting a PR budget isn’t just about throwing money at different activities. It’s about making sound strategic investments in your brand’s future.

Your PR budget is more than just numbers on a spreadsheet, and spending for spending’s sake needs to be discouraged. Regardless of whether you’re a hungry start-up or an established business, your comms strategy needs to be as dynamic and purposeful as your business goals.

You can invest in all kinds of strategies and tactics. So much so that it can be dizzying. This is why having an expert in your corner helps, as they can help steer the overall direction of your PR outreach.

But whether you decide to build an in-house team or partner with an external agency, you need to achieve the same thing: create a communications approach that doesn’t just speak to your audience but genuinely connects with them.

Remember, investing in PR isn’t an expense; it’s your pathway to establishing credibility, supporting growth and securing long-term success and trust.

And trust is your most vital commodity.

originally posted to www.carnsight.com

 

We don’t sit as a panel, there’s no getting in a warehouse lift to meet us and no interviewer outside asking about last-minute nerves. But, in many other ways, there are similarities between our process and Dragon’s Den. That’s because the success of PR and social media is closely linked to an understanding of your business fundamentals. And they’re something we work to understand really quickly. 

To create a compelling pitch about a new product, to work out where we need to focus our media attention, or how to craft a powerful social media post, we need to understand the product really well.  

We need to know the problem it solves and why it will fly. We need to know where it sits in the market and what its competitors are. We need to understand the target audience, and how it suits their needs, how many people you’re expecting to engage, as well as any seasonality. And we need to know your overall business objectives. 

It’s these facts that will lead us to the essence of the business, and will enable us to make someone stop and pay attention.  

 

That’s why we start with our Four Lens Messaging Session 

Our work always starts with a conversation to understand what you’re trying to achieve, but the real gems are uncovered in our Four Lens Messaging Session. We’ve designed this discovery workshop around busy founders and their teams or stakeholders, and it’s where we get to the heart of your business in just a few hours. 

We call it a Messaging Session as some of the key messages we’ll communicate around your business will spring from this workshop. It’s our job to uncover the interesting angles, and they come from a deep dive into your world.  

 

We understand what will engage a journalist 

For PR, the press release you might write about your business is rarely the one we would. That’s not to say that some of the content will be the same, but we filter it through a journalist’s lens. Remember, they’re not there to promote your business, they’re there to engage their readers. 

Knowing the ins and outs means that we can pitch this correctly. Are you really the only business doing what you do? Are you actually the first to launch this product? It’s fine if you’re not, but we need to find out what you are doing that’s different. 

 

We find the stories behind the business 

People buy from people, journalists buy people’s stories, as will your audience on social media. How many times do you click on a link because there’s an interesting line about the person’s life in the caption? One of the great things about working with founder-led businesses is the interesting backgrounds of the founders themselves. Your journey and your daily life is just as interesting – and sometimes more so – than your business. We work to identify those. 

Focusing on a PR or social media campaign can mean opening yourself and your business up for more scrutiny. It can lead to amazing results. But we understand that people have boundaries, so it’s good for us to establish those upfront.  

 

Numbers really matter 

When we ask for the numbers behind your market, your product or your team, it’s because those numbers matter. It’s important to get the details right, and strong stories often lead with numbers. So, we’re not asking for clarification to channel our inner dragon, but to make a better story. 

 

Being open with us really helps if a crisis hits 

It’s something many companies are nervous about, but the reality is, most businesses don’t face crises regularly. However, crisis management is an important part of our job, and that starts with preparation. 

It’s not appropriate to share case studies of crisis management but the common factor is that good management starts with us really understanding the situation. A lot of what you tell us doesn’t get passed on, but it’s important that we know everything, warts and all, to be able to respond in the right way and be ready for any question. 

 

You can turn the tables on us when it comes to reviewing activity 

Accountability is key, so we have regular check ins with clients (bi-weekly or monthly), to talk results, and offer a live status report and CoverageBook tracker for PR. After the first three months we do a more in-depth review and then do it again at regular periods. 

This is when our clients become the dragons! It’s good to understand what’s behind the numbers, what’s been working well and what needs to change, so we encourage questions and comments. 

 

We keep checking in 

Businesses evolve and focusses change, and no one can ever know your business better than you do. So, our regular check ins ensure we talk about what’s going on in our clients’ business and the wider market. Sometimes people choose to hold another Messaging Session, which can help us understand what’s going on right now. 

 

So, never fear the dragons! When we know your business inside and out, we can make sure journalists and followers really understand it, too. Every question will help us get to a more powerful, authentic result. 

originally posted to www.carnsight.com 

 

If you’re a brand, Gen Z will not be texting about you. But that’s not to say they aren’t talking. It means we’re seeing a new wave of communication, one that is far more visual-heavy and uses random, chaotic images to do the speaking for us. 

The days of hand-written letters are (mostly) coming to an end. Understanding the current virtual language is essential for understanding how people are actually talking about you, and how you can keep your connections going strong. 

  

Communication is not just words

Gen Z is the largest generation on Earth at the moment, and it’s safe to say they have a huge impact on cultural and social media shifts.  One of their biggest was turning visual images into a language in their own right. GIFs, memes, and other stills from hit TV shows are now being stored and saved to the camera roll, ready to be sent at the perfect opportunity. Group chats are now imbued with cultural references, and they aren’t references you want to miss out on.  

Online content can be used as a visual backup to our feelings. And that’s why 67% of Gen Z Facebook and Instagram users have shared video content in those apps with family and friends, as sharing content has become an easier way to connect than text-based conversation. The percentage of sharing activity on Instagram is also much higher, which underlines why Instagram now considers shares as a much bigger factor in its algorithmic ranking. 

By choosing videos that reflect your personal feelings, we can speak in a language that only exists from re-sharing other people’s content. This strengthens not only our personal connection with social media, but with the origin of the meme itself. You don’t have to have watched a single episode of Real Housewives to recognise the That’s My Opinion! lady. But that meme, despite going viral 6 years ago, is still making its way through the comment section today, so don’t underestimate the new visual language. 

 

Make talking as easy as possible

As a brand, you have to make the language easy for new social media users. It’s one of the reasons why reactions became so popular, giving people a way to end the conversation in a way that isn’t awkward (or worse, a full-on ghost).  

Channels started expanding these emoji reactions, adding the perfect balance of simplicity and nuance. It’s no longer an option to just ‘thumbs up’ or ‘thumbs down’ – users can express shock, admiration, anger, happiness, surprise etc all at the click of one button.  

This is where Snapchat does a good job of having simplified responses, with maximum engagement. Your bitmoji can react to chats in 14 different ways, all animated, depending on what emotion you want to express. However, you can only have 6 of these on your dock at one time, letting you give a timely response, without the overwhelm.  

And these quick reactions have been brought into real-life – laugh reacting to a DM is no different than the emoji feedback machines you find on the customer service desk. Giving people easy, painless ways to express their emotions makes engagement all the more accessible.  

 

Know your meme

Getting all your visual cues is one thing, but deciphering them is the next step. You have to be on it with your pop culture – if an image is popping up in your comment section, and you don’t know how to correctly use it, your brand will just look out of touch. 

And this will only become more prominent with future generations, both in visual language and the filler words that are now dominating social media. If you’re thinking “ate, no crumbs” is an insult, then you need to do your TikTok homework. When you understand the silly references of the generation you’re talking to, you have a much clearer perspective on what to say back.  

 

So yes, you need to lean into online content. Memes, stills, and even the most obscure of references will resonate with your Gen Z audience. Do your homework, and join the conversation. 

Need more tips for using social media? Leigh-Ann’s blog has got you covered.

 

Having recently got a bit behind with my own marketing, I realised that I’d been procrastinating again. So yes, let me say upfront, I am not claiming to be perfect when it comes to beating procrastination! But, in the five years I have been a freelance copywriter, I have never missed a deadline for a customer. In fact, I normally deliver copy ahead of any set time limit.

So that got me to wondering – how can I come up with the goods time and time again on behalf of my customers, even when the inspiration juices aren’t always free flowing, when I struggle to do the same for my own business? And can I do something to change this?

It’s not a new phenomenon. There’s an adage about cobbler’s shoes that says although cobblers have all the skills, and all the tools needed to have the best shoes around, they often have the worst.

The same is true of marketers. Despite the skills they have to create powerful marketing strategies and put words on a page in the most effective way for customers, they often deploy little to no marketing effort for their own businesses, and their websites host the least populated blogs.

There are a few reasons for these discrepancies including the lack of fixed deadlines, and the fact they are busy putting customers first and have less time or inclination to focus on their own shoes or marketing.

How do I overcome procrastination when it hits?

Although having a clear deadline and the promise of a satisfied customer at the end of a piece of work is always enough to motivate me to get the job done on time, the ugly head of procrastination does sometimes appear when I’m doing client work too. And this is what I do to overcome it (and what I need to do more when it comes to my own marketing efforts).

  1. Say what you see – The first thing I find helpful is to call myself out for my procrastination. Procrastination is sneaky because it makes us convince ourselves that other less important tasks simply cannot wait. It’s OK to give in to this sometimes, but don’t deny it, because that’s not helpful. Simply acknowledging what’s going on can sometimes be enough to snap us out of it.
  2. Give yourself a break – Literally and metaphorically giving yourself a break can be useful. We can’t all be firing on all cylinders all the time. If you’re struggling to do your work, accept it and allow yourself some understanding. If you can afford to without missing a deadline, take a physical break from your workspace too, it might help to refocus the mind quicker than if you force yourself to sit staring at your work and beating yourself up for not starting it yet.
  3. Focus – Sometimes the reason we procrastinate is because we have too many things on the to do list. We can dash around starting lots of jobs because we know they’re important, but don’t actually get around to finishing any of them. When this is my problem, I always revisit my physical to do list. Make sure you have everything written down including personal and professional tasks you need to complete in the short and medium term and then highlight the items you need to complete that day or that week. This helps focus the mind on what is actually important, without the distraction of everything else you know you need to do.
  4. Start small – There’s another reason that writing it all down can help. If you can see a list of important tasks in front of you, you might be able to pick off some of the smaller jobs to do first. This can be enough to reset your stalled mindset and reignite your productivity.
  5. Switch things up – The other thing I find helpful is switching up my work environment. I’m lucky enough to have my own office at home where I can shut the door on any distractions and fully focus on my writing. Most of the time this is the only place I want to be, but every now and then I know I’m going to be more productive if I move to where I want to be. This might be snuggled up on the sofa in the winter or sitting outside listening to the birds in the summer, but I have learned that by allowing myself this flexibility, I am more productive than if I force myself to sit at my desk in my ‘proper’ working environment.
  6. Reward yourself – Sometimes when it’s really time to get cracking on that piece of work, it can help to bribe yourself! Promise yourself that if you can spend 30 minutes doing something towards the task you’ve been avoiding you can stop for a coffee or go for a short walk. Because getting started is often the hardest part, you will probably find that after your coffee or your walk you can continue the task without any issue. Or you might even find you get so engrossed in the piece of writing; you blast through your 30-minute window of work.
  7. Block out your time – While ideally, we can start small, acknowledge when we’re procrastinating, and take a break, sometimes a piece of writing simply needs to be done. At times like this, when you simply have to push through, I find it helpful to block out my time. For example, depending on how far into a project I am, I might allow myself 20 minutes to finish researching for a particular piece of writing and then if I need to, I’ll take a 5-minute break before spending 15 minutes on planning out the piece. Once again, if I need a quick break I’ll take it, before spending the next 20 minutes making a start on the piece of writing. It’s surprising what a positive impact making a start can have and breaking it down in this way can be a helpful way to do just that.

I started off by saying I’m not perfect at avoiding procrastination and I’ll say it again! I need to do better, especially when it comes to working on my own marketing copywriting. I fully intend to continue to use these tactics to continue delivering ahead of deadline for my clients, and to hopefully improve my productivity when working on less deadline driven copywriting for my own business.

How do you cope with procrastination when it hits? I’d love to know. And if there are certain pieces of copy, like regular blog posts or feature articles that you always find hard to complete, e-mail me at helen@blogwrite.co.uk because even if my own blog gets missed every now and then, I never miss a deadline (external or self-imposed) for my customers!