originally posted to www.carnsight.com
An effective social media strategy isn’t set in stone. It’s a living, breathing entity that requires constant attention and refinement. Social media doesn’t exist in a vacuum, either.
It’s part of bigger social and media landscapes that are subject to change daily, if not hourly. Content trends, user interactions, tech updates and changes to platform affordances, news cycles, global events – all of these things (among many others) can and do affect the way these apps work, and the level of success you can find on them. Keeping your finger on the pulse is a must. Paying attention to the landscape itself, and also how your content and interactions perform within this space, and are mediated by it.
Hence, our approach is rooted in continuous optimisation, where we regularly monitor social media analytics, extract performance insights, and adapt our content strategy in real time. That means we don’t sit around waiting for the monthly review to roll around to take a look at what’s working and what’s not. But what does this really mean, and why is it so crucial for success on social media?
Why continuous optimisation matters for social media success
Like I said in the beginning – the social media landscape is dynamic, with algorithms shifting, audience behaviours evolving, and trends emerging at lightning speed. Waiting until the end of the month to review performance metrics is like trying to steer a ship by looking at a map once a month—you’re bound to miss crucial turns and adjustments, and probably won’t end up at your desired destination.
Instead, we believe in keeping our finger on the pulse, making data-driven decisions on a weekly or even daily basis. This agile approach ensures that your content is always resonating with your audience and staying ahead of the curve. If you’re pumping out content that your audience isn’t engaging with, or is pushing back on, then it’s important to stop and look at the reasons why. Is it simply the wrong time? Is there a disconnect with the form/medium? Have you overcomplicated a graphic? Or not gone into enough detail, with a bland and uninteresting post?
Turning social media analytics into action
The beauty of social media analytics lies in their ability to provide real-time feedback. We don’t just collect data; we act on it, and we don’t just act on it every now and then. By continually reviewing metrics like engagement rates, click-throughs, and audience growth, we can quickly identify what’s working and what’s not. If a particular type of post is outperforming others, we’ll double down on that approach. Conversely, if something isn’t landing, we’ll pivot immediately rather than waiting for the monthly review. This proactive mindset allows us to maximise the effectiveness of your social media efforts, ensuring that your audience is always receiving the content they actually want to engage with.
Social media success is more than numbers
Depending on your objectives, that is – but a good, holistic objective will always go deeper than surface-level stats.
You want 50 comments a month? Why? What about? How does this link to your bigger-picture objectives? 50 comments might be pretty worthless if they’re spam. Sure, they at least show your community is engaging with you, but is it the right kind of engagement? The right kind of community? Is it connected to the broader action you want them to take or the change in thought/motivation/behaviour your hope to incite? All things to think about (which we do, and can help you do to 😉).
Interrogate what you want the end result to be – and please, please think about the bigger picture. Actions, metrics, objectives, social accounts and content – it’s all connected. And that’s how you need to be thinking of it. No post exists in isolation, no action is made without a broader impact. So understand where its place is in the wider picture of your business, and what you want to achieve. Break down the overarching objective into smaller objectives, and keep going until you’ve worked back to your initial metric. Now you understand how it fits in, and you’ve ensured it’s relevant and meaningful.
Social media success isn’t just about chasing likes and shares.
While it’s essential to give your audience what they want, it’s equally important to ensure that your content aligns with your broader brand goals. This balance is where our expertise shines. We craft content strategies that not only appeal to your audience but also serve your business objectives – whether that’s driving website traffic, generating leads, or building brand awareness. Sometimes, a post that generates moderate engagement may still be a success if it drives significant traffic to a new product page. It’s all about understanding the bigger picture.
Sometimes big numbers aren’t as valuable as you may think. Interrogate the value of your objectives – of course, reaching thousands of eyes is great. But are they the right eyes? If your post goes viral, it’s great for visibility and meeting new audiences. But if you discount the value of reaching targeted audiences – the people who are actually interested in your business, who your content is actually relevant to and who are more likely to convert into a lead/customer/advocate, then what do you put more stock in? It’s all a balance – pursuing one object doesn’t discount the other, but it’s important to understand this when thinking about what success on social media looks like to you and your business.
The benefit of adaptability in social media management
The key takeaway from our approach to social media management is adaptability. In a digital landscape that’s always in flux, the brands that thrive are the ones that can quickly adjust to new realities. We continuously analyse formats, messages, and strategies, fine-tuning our approach based on what the data tells us. This continuous cycle of testing, learning, and optimising ensures that your social media presence remains vibrant, relevant, and effective.
There will likely always be ups and downs – you shouldn’t expect to see green on every stat, every month, and if you do – question whether your growth is organic and sustainable. Quick growth strategies like giveaways and competitions are an easy way to give your metrics a smile-inducing boost, but it often gives a false impression and it doesn’t often last.
Crafting a dynamic social media presence
Successful social media management is about more than just posting content—it’s about building a dynamic presence that evolves with your audience and the market. By embracing continuous optimisation, we ensure that your social media channels are not only engaging but also strategically aligned with your business goals. We’re not just reacting to trends; we’re actively shaping them to deliver maximum value for your brand.
Let us help you transform your social media strategy into a powerful, realistic, and sustainable tool for growth. With Carnsight’s approach to continuous optimisation, your social platforms won’t just survive – they’ll thrive.
Learn more about our approach to social media management and the natural fluctuations of metrics to expect.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
When it comes to social media, there are a lot of brands and businesses we speak to that think the best way to see success is to post multiple times a day, every single day, across every possible social media platform. But this isn’t the way to go.
Why?
Well, because of exactly that: Why? Why are you doing that? What are you actually gaining from it? Is this way of posting helping you reach and engage the right people? Or rather is it overwhelming your audience with content, pushing the same sales messages over and over and over?
I’d make a guess on it being the latter.
Social media in 2024 is about quality over quantity. If you want to succeed, you need to think about the purpose of every post and how it’s driving your overall goals and objectives. You also need to ask yourself if you really need to post at the volume you’re pushing currently, or if you only feel that you do.
Here are our top tips for ensuring quality over quantity when it comes to your social media content.
- Choose your platform(s) carefully – Do you really need to be on Threads? Or FaceBook? Or TikTok? Ask yourself, where are the people I actually want to reach? Go there. You don’t have to be everywhere.
- Be guided by the analytics where logical – Assess what types of content perform well and do make more of that. When you post three or four times a day, do you actually see results reflected in the stats? Think critically about your approach.
- Focus on the relevant analytics – See our blog all about what the social stats actually mean in order to ensure you’re measuring the correct metrics for your specific goals.
- Assess the purpose of each post you draft and ensure it leads back to one of your goals – Don’t post for the sake of posting. What is each piece of content aiming to do? Build your likability as a brand? Educate your audience? Push a service? Do you have a balance of all these across your content?
- Remember the 80/20 rule – 80% of your social media content should give to your audience (educational or entertaining etc), only 20% should be self promotional.
To see how we use social media at Carnsight, you can check out our Instagram and LinkedIn.
We hope this quick blog helped you assess your current social media output. Now go forth and make every social media post count.
Throughout our history the race has been on to explain how best to utilise language, visual media and interpersonal relationships to push a product into the consciousness of potential customers. There have also been countless efforts to shed some light on the origins of public relations, and understand the changing nature of PR.
As a distinctly separate discipline from advertising, PR aims to cut through the noise and deliver strategic campaigns that help to explore a company’s narrative. Here are some best-practices principles that PR companies should stick to even as they’re faced with the changing landscape of the industry:
- Always understand your audience first. Representing a business can only be done well when understanding who you’re writing for and who you wish to communicate with. Promoting yourself to the wrong audience could be worse than not promoting yourself at all.
- Reformat & redress your messaging. With promotional formats changing massively in recent years, making sure that all material produced can be reused across different formats – blogs, podcasts and advertisements – can extend your reach and engage a range of new and existing audiences.
- Go beyond clean & linear PR. The online landscape for promotion is exceptionally complex. Trying to garner attention without understanding principles of modern digital marketing such as SEO, SERP features and backlinks (as well as the different tools used to analyse these strategies) can be extremely difficult.
In conclusion, there’s a lot to take in with the current PR and marketing landscape. To understand it better, it’s always good to ask people who know best – like us. Read the full length article on the changing nature of PR on our website.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
It’s all good and well looking over your social media analytics, but if you don’t understand them then you might as well not be tracking at all. It’s important to know what each stat represents and what goal they are useful towards.
So, without further ado, here’s a basic breakdown of some of the common stats tracked on social media. Social media stats 101 if you will!
Engagement Rate: Fostering Community and Loyalty
Why It Matters: Engagement rate, which includes likes, comments, shares, and other interactions, measures how actively your audience is interacting with your content.
Goals: High engagement means that you’re posting content that really resonates with your audience, fostering a sense of community and loyalty. Engagement is essential for building relationships and encouraging positive word-of-mouth interactions. Businesses aim for high engagement to cultivate a dedicated following and to enhance brand visibility through organic reach.
Reach and Impressions: Expanding Visibility
Why It Matters: Reach refers to the number of unique users who have seen your content, while impressions count the total number of times your content is displayed, regardless of clicks.
Goals: These metrics are crucial for understanding the scope of your content’s visibility. A broad reach and high number of impressions mean that your message is being seen by a wide audience, helping with brand awareness and recognition. Businesses track these stats to ensure their content is getting in front of as many people as possible.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Driving Traffic
Why It Matters: CTR measures how often people click on the links in your posts, leading them to your website.
Goals: A high CTR shows that your content is compelling and effectively driving traffic to your site. Businesses aim to optimize their CTR to convert social media engagement into something actionable, such as website visits or product purchases.
Conversion Rate: Achieving Business Objectives
Why It Matters: Conversion rate tracks the percentage of social media interactions that result in a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource.
Goals: This metric is directly tied to the return on investment (ROI) of your social media efforts. A high conversion rate means that your social media strategies are effectively turning interactions into tangible business results.
Follower Growth Rate: Building an Audience
Why It Matters: This statistic measures the rate at which your social media following is growing over time. It’s the stat most people seem to hone in on, but it’s not always what you want to focus on.
Goals: A steady growth rate indicates that your content is attracting new followers, expanding your audience base. It’s vital for long-term success, as a growing audience means more potential customers and increased brand influence. Businesses monitor follower growth to assess the effectiveness of their content.
It all comes down to the fact that each social media statistic serves a unique purpose and aligns with specific business goals. By properly understanding these metrics, businesses can craft effective social media strategies that work towards their specific objectives.
Want to learn more about Social Media? Have a look at Laura’s Day in the Life to understand the typical roles of a Social Media Manager.
originally posted to www.carnsight.com
Let’s talk about something that’s essential but often overlooked: being totally open with your PR agency. Yep, we’re diving into the reasons why it’s crucial to let your PR agency in on not just your wins and strengths, but also the challenges your facing and the things you’re not so proud of (before they become a crisis!)
Transparency is Your Best Friend
Whether it’s a recent hiccup in customer service, a product that didn’t quite hit the mark, or internal challenges, your PR team needs the full picture to craft authentic and effective strategies. Without all the pieces of the puzzle, even the best comms strategy is going to have holes and contradictions. Remember, your PR agency isn’t just there to make you look shiny and good, they’re there to build trust and credibility.
Crafting a Crisis Management Plan
No one likes to think about potential crises, but they’re a reality in the business world. Being proactive rather than reactive can make all the difference. When your PR agency is in the loop about potential weak spots or areas needing improvement, they can help you develop a solid crisis management plan. This means if something does go wrong, you’re not scrambling to do damage control; instead, you have a well-thought-out plan ready to go.
We’ve written a whole blog specifically on crisis management. So, for more on this point, have a read – https://www.carnsight.com/2020/12/03/crisis-communication/
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach
When your PR agency has a comprehensive understanding of your business, including areas that need improvement, they can develop strategies that are tailored to your unique business. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about creating campaigns and communications that align realistically with your brand.
Next time you’re hesitating to share a challenging situation with your PR agency, remember that they’re your allies. They’re there to support you, to help you navigate challenging times and to celebrate your successes. By being open and transparent, you’re not just improving your PR strategy; you’re building a brand that’s resilient.
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
I joined Carnsight Communications early June and already the experience has been amazing! In the fast-paced world of PR, things are thrown at you left, right and centre, and there are skills you get to pick up quickly.
No two days are the same, and I get to manage different tasks at once. Whilst there’s no ‘typical’ day in particular, there are usual routines to follow, so here’s a day in my life as an Intern for Carnsight.
Before I go to work, I usually scan over the news headlines, to see if there’s anything particularly topical to our clients, or just to see what people are generally talking about. I found staying up-to-date with the latest headlines helps so much with pitching to journalists, as you know better what they’d want to feature based on local or global news.
But my time in the office starts at 8:30am, being just a short commute from where I live in Bristol. Of course, it always starts with a coffee and a quick catch up with the team. These mini-meetings are always helpful, and the quick briefing will tell me what my priorities are for the day. As an Intern, a lot of my tasks include assisting one of my colleagues, so catching up allows me to see where I can best support the team.
The morning is where my left-over tasks from the day before get re-shuffled. This is particularly after I’ve checked my emails, seeing if there’s anything I need to urgently reply to, or anything that needs to be bumped up my priority list. I usually check for any responses to pitches first, and then double-check I haven’t missed any pitching opportunities. These involve tight deadlines, so it’s important to do it sooner in the day rather than later!
Once I’m happy with my inbox, I make my to do list for that particular day. I usually have a new list at the start of every week, but I keep it updated as and when because it’s really easy to forget things.
What I do next purely depends on what particular work has come in, and what deadlines I’m working towards. Sometimes this is more focused on social media strategy with content creation. This involves looking back over the brand guidelines for that particular client, and starting initial brainstorms for what content their audience would want. I’ll then start drafting posts – this could involve repurposing old content from the client, or it could be something entirely new. This is another reason why I check the news in the morning, as sometimes the client’s content can be related to trending headlines, meaning it will gain more traction with their audience.
Other times, my tasks are more PR focused. This can include both proactive and reactive pitching, and based on my emails for the day I’ll know what to start with first. Then, it’s onto the writing. I love this aspect of PR as it allows me to exercise my creativity, and the variety of clients we have means I often get to write in different perspectives and tones of voice. This is also a time where I get to be flexible – sometimes my tasks will be copywriting a blog post for a client, and sometimes it will be a more factual press release.
Even if my main priorities are completed, there is always something to do in the world of social media and PR. One of the most important additional tasks is research, which is essential to PR. This could be for the creation of a media list, helping us target certain publications for certain clients, or it could be to aid a blog post or thought-leadership piece. When you’re writing on behalf of a client, Google can help you make sure you really know what you’re talking about!
Before I leave the office, I give my emails another check and I ensure all my time-sensitive tasks are done. It’s a fast-moving business, but there are always more rewards than challenges.
So there you have it, a day in my life as PR and social media intern. To learn a bit more about me and my role, check out the fun 2mins with interview series here on the blog.
Originally posted on https://www.carnsight.com/
A while back, I had the pleasure of diving into the world of personal brand and LinkedIn with some of the brilliant minds at SBE Team Academy Bristol. As we’re firmly in summer now and a whole new host of students head out into the world of work, I’ve been reflecting on the fantastic conversations I had with the young people in that session.
One of the most pleasant surprises was discovering how many attendees were already actively using LinkedIn and building their professional brands. They’re way ahead of where I was at their stage, and it’s inspiring to see such initiative and foresight.
However, a common challenge that surfaced during our discussion was the hesitation and fear that often accompanies the moment right before hitting the post button on LinkedIn. It’s a relatable struggle, but there are ways to overcome it. Here are some hacks and solutions we shared:
1. Engagement Support System
Line up some buddies to like and comment on your post—friends, colleagues, your mum! It might sound silly, but knowing that you’ll have some initial engagement can help mitigate the fear of getting zero responses.
2. Mel Robbins’ 5,4,3,2,1 Method
Try the Mel Robbins 5,4,3,2,1 method, or even better, the 3,2,1 method (less time to overthink!). Count down and press the post button before you reach zero. This technique helps you bypass overthinking. Then, walk away for a bit to let it settle.
3. Start with Commenting
Begin by commenting on other people’s content. It’s less pressure than creating your own posts and can help you become more comfortable with the platform. Plus, it’s a great way to engage with the community and build your network.
Keep Building Your Personal Brand
Personal brand on LinkedIn is a journey, and it’s great to see so many of you on the right path. Keep experimenting, engaging, and most importantly, keep sharing your unique voice with the world.
Interested in more tips and tricks, have a read of our 7 steps to PRing yourself blog.
Or for even more PR, have a look at our eBook!
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
When it comes to a crisis, we all know emotions reach their all-time high. But there are ways to prepare for the worst, and recognising the emotions at the forefront will help you manage them when they eventually come up.
A crisis can come out of nowhere, but a lot of the time it’s something you can plan ahead for. It’s always been seen with big multinational companies, but nowadays even smaller agencies can find themselves in hot water. So, no matter what size your company is, it’s worth knowing how to deal with criticism, and the emotions you will need to juggle.
Naivety
This is one of the main emotions to manage and be aware of when it comes to a crisis. You must be practical – if you believe you will never stumble across a problem or be criticised, you will be put in a difficult position when it happens. Addressing your current naivety can help manage your future stress.
Fear
It’s important to be prepared, and it can quieten that looming fear of the worst happening. You have to consider what might be a problem in the next few months, as well as long-term issues in the future. It can be helpful to have this in a physical list, and it’s useful to do with your team so you can all prepare a cohesive response.
Fear can also cause uncertainty, which can sometimes delay your response in a crisis. But reacting quickly is key to making amends with your audience, and there is no room for procrastinating an apology. Previous preparation means you can start communication as soon as possible, which will make your company appear more proactive in making amends.
Anger
Anger is a powerful emotion, but can only add fuel to the fire when it comes to a crisis. It can also lead to extremes, such as denial or shifting the blame, which can impact your public statement. You don’t want your apology to sound like an argument, meaning your first response will likely need to be revised multiple times. It’s important to be thorough, and maintain a neutral approach in your statement. Placing yourself on the defense will seem like you’re avoiding responsibility, and going for the attack will never translate well in the media. You should work with your team, tweaking your statement around who your audience is, what they need to know, and what they should be hearing.
Humour
When it comes to an apology, or a crisis diffusion, it is so important to think about your tone. Despite how you may personally feel about the criticism, and how you cope with it, humour can largely feel out of place in a serious situation. It can also damage the sincerity behind your words, and you wouldn’t want your audience to think your apology isn’t heartfelt.
Navigating these emotions will put you in a better position when it comes to delivering your apology, and helps to present your company in the best possible light.
Honesty
Honesty should be placed at the forefront of your crisis. This is what your audience will resonate with, and lying now will only make the situation worse in the future. Take a human and sensitive approach to your apology, and avoid using cold or AI-sounding sentences. You can still be friendly, even while addressing the severity of the topic. Share an honest strategy with your audience on how this situation will be overcome, and the steps you’ll take to ensure the situation doesn’t happen again.
For more, pick up a copy of eBook: Powerfully Practical PR.
Or read our blog on crisis comms planning.
Campaigns Never Die is an AI tool designed to enhance the Dungeons & Dragons experience for users. The D&D tool for taking lengthy game prep off the to-do list so you can get straight into the action also aims to intensify the game by elevating your adventures at the touch of a button. The idea comes as a solution for the founder, who found that his time to get into the game was cut short as the responsibilities of life increased. CND aims to cut down the prep time, simplify the routes to adventure, and enhance the journey, all whilst not compromising on the original D&D experience that has caused so many to fall in love with the game.
OggaDoon is preparing Campaigns Never Die for their Kickstarter launch later this year. Through social media marketing, content marketing, and PPC ads, we are driving a strong community to discover Campaigns Never Die ahead of launch. Conducting research into the market and creating audience profiles and demographics has helped us built out a social media marketing strategy to find and target the community of Dungeons and Dragons users who will be interested in streamlining their game prep. This research then expands into the ads that we will deliver to encourage signups ahead of the Kickstarter launch.
We’re very happy to be assisting CND on their journey, and creating our own adventures together.
You can learn more about Campaigns Never Die and get involved in the adventures here! If you’d like to test the tool for yourself and become an Alpha tester then get in touch!
You can also get in touch with us at OggaDoon to learn more about our work with Campaigns Never Die and to see how we can support you! We are a Bristol based Digital Marketing and PR agency that specialise in digital PR, social media, SEO, and content marketing, bringing all of this expertise into delivering strong organic campaigns and paid marketing campaigns.
Originally posted to www.carnsight.com
Bad PR practice helps no one – not the PR pro, not the journalists they’ve liaised with along the way and certainly not the client, who’s invested in what’s turned out to be a negative experience. It certainly doesn’t help the industry. Twice in the past week I’ve spoken to someone who’s been burnt by a bad PR experience. I’ve tried to help both of them to understand what might need to change in their PR approach and what PR potential there might be by taking a different tack.
PR is an art not a science, and there are lots of reasons why things don’t go to plan. But, based on what I’ve discussed recently, here are some of the things I’d consider when you decide to embark on a PR campaign.
Will I be tied into a long contract?
We work on shorter projects and longer-term PR campaigns. There are lots of benefits to engaging a PR agency for a sustained period, including the fact that national opportunities don’t always happen within a neat, four-week period, and profiles need to be built over time. However, one of the people I spoke to was tied into a six month contract for a launch campaign with no break clause. Things weren’t going brilliantly and, as a start-up, that was putting a lot of financial pressure on him over a sustained period. Definitely check if you have the option to terminate during the period. We usually work to a three month initial period before reviewing. That gives the option to break on either side.
Should I expect results from the first month?
If the PR agency has done its homework and understands your business and offering before starting PR activity, there shouldn’t be a long lag in coverage coming in. We have monthly targets and these start from month one. It’s worth asking about timings at the start of any engagement, and if things seem to be taking a long time, always ask why.
How regularly will you be in contact?
Another thing I’ve heard is PR contacts disappearing for a while, or not being in touch with clients regularly, leaving them feeling burnt by the experience. There’s always a balance and, as a PR pro, you don’t want to be a hassle. However, you should also be updating clients regularly on activity, and where you are with pitches and opportunities. We tend to set a bi-weekly call if we can, so we at least have something that clients can work around, but we’re frequently in touch over email and/or text if required. And we have live status documents and capture coverage real-time, so they can be accessed at any stage.
What work have you done for clients like mine (not just the big names?)
It’s easy to be dazzled by big brands that PR agencies have worked for (we’re all guilty of focussing on the big fish!) but there’s a real difference between a PR campaign for a household name and the launch of a start up. Even if you’re in the same industry. What’s useful is seeing what’s been achieved for businesses similar to yours. Also check on when campaigns were run – titles evolve and some disappear, so what was achieved five years ago might not be possible today.
What media titles and opportunities are realistic?
If you’re expecting consumer coverage and get sector only, you might not feel like the investment’s been worth it. There may be a reason for it, so it’s worth having an upfront conversation about what could be achieved. Although you should never go with anyone who guarantees certain PR coverage, you should work with a PR consultancy which is happy to discuss what could potentially be achieved ahead of any investment, and why consumer media may or may not be realistic.
We’re always happy to sense check a PR approach to avoid you feeling burnt. And if you want to hear more on the topic, here are seven tips every small business should know about PR. And if you want to hear EVEN more, we have a new eBook: Powerfully Practical PR.
