Author: Lindsey Davies

Has social media made brands more honest?

Posted on October 22, 2013 by

This was one of the questions that was asked this morning at the Yorkshire Business Insider, Digital Economy Breakfast, which was hosted at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Using the hashtag #insideryorksdigital a collective of communication, brand, marketing and digital practitioners came together in a panel led discussion, which asked for questions from the audience that were then answered by four respective experts.

This question in particular really caught my attention as I don’t believe that it has made brands more honest, and in contrast to the feedback given by both panel and the audience, I feel that social media has forced business to be more responsive – not necessarily honest.

What we have to consider is whether factual means honest. I don’t believe that this is always the case and as such businesses are managing their communications better and being more considerate of what they say and where. Again, we need to note that considerate does not mean overtly sensitive, a better description may be controlled.

In a world that is full of people with opinions and comments that they are only too ready to share with the masses, particularly when something goes wrong, it is absolutely essential that brands are ready and willing to converse with their audience, providing feedback and assistance if the matter calls for it.

This sounds far simpler than it is. The nature of the beast means that the larger, and presumably more successful, a company becomes the more resource and budget it has to give to communicating with its ever growing audience.

In a world that has typically cut marketing and PR budgets during difficult times, as opposed to recognising the skills and asset that a communications team brings to a business, we can quickly identify where and why some brands have come a cropper over recent years.

With the good always comes the bad but in order to nurture brand ambassadors, while also assisting those with complaints, the landscape has changed and thankfully larger businesses have had to recognise the true value of PR and marketing communications.

Many of the errors that have been made when it comes to social media and the #epic #fails we all share are down to poor delegation. A junior member of the team is tasked with managing social media because no one else really understands it or has the time; after all they are too busy with the serious stuff.

The problem here is that the serious stuff is presumably the reputation of the company, which is directly driven by the way in which an organisation interacts, engages and communicates with its audiences.

Is it just me or are we stating to see a direct correlation here? Put simply, social = serious.

So, interestingly from this one question we can determine that perhaps social media hasn’t made brands more honest – after all, as organisations become more socially aware, they are also becoming more strategic with the way they engage – they are however more responsive and many of them now realise that you can’t ignore a medium that rightly or wrongly is used by an ever increasing number of consumers and businesses both as a platform for communication and search.

Is there any sensitivity when it comes to social media?

Posted on October 16, 2013 by

As a PR agency we build social media strategies for our clients, which, in the simplest sense, allow them to engage with an online audience. More importantly, using these tools, we are able to gleam some idea of the sentiment a collective audience has towards a brand and business.

At an event recently social media tools, including twitter, were referenced as the world’s largest and most quickly evolving search engine – an interesting suggestion and one that I am beginning to agree with more and more.

Opinion and online interaction has never been such an integral part of the communications process, which we are all starting to build into our daily lives. Something happens and the first thing that people will do is tweet about it or take an image and share it with their network of contacts online.

I was surprised recently to watch a programme, similar to Police Camera Action, which focused on a car chase and subsequent crash, which seriously injured the driver and passenger. As if this situation wasn’t disturbing enough, with two young people hurt and needing help, the team of police and paramedics weren’t able to dedicate all of their attention to the needs of those that really required it as they were faced with a ‘paparazzi’ of phone users – a crowd of people taking images and videos.

Now I’m all for sharing interesting and relevant information, but a car chase and those injured – come on! Does anyone really need to see that and does having an iPhone really make you a journalist?

When something in the world happens, the press often now request footage from the scene and I can see how life changing events would be of interest but I think we all need to take a step back and determine what is and is not ethically appropriate to share.

I hadn’t really considered the implications of people’s desire to share before but I have to admit that I am now thinking that people have lost all sensitivity when it comes to social media. I always say to clients and the team her at Open Comms that if you wouldn’t stand in a pub and make a comment then you shouldn’t tweet it. Just as importantly if you are going to share someone else’s comment or opinion by retweeting or liking their status make sure you have the facts first – do not regret your actions later.

In many businesses now there is a code of conduct specific to social media, and I think that this should be considered by individuals too. There should be six simple steps to social media:

  1. If you won’t share a comment or opinion with a stranger, then don’t share it socially with the world
  2. Think before you tweet / share, these seconds could make all the difference
  3. Consider what value your comment will add – is it likely to cause unnecessary offence or emotional hurt to another
  4. If you are going to like / retweet or share content from others,  take the time to read it properly first – be aware of what you are putting your name against
  5. With so many social platforms available make sure that you are using them correctly – privacy settings are there for a reason, so use them
  6. Be sensitive, consider why you are filming or photographing something. If your actions mean that a person will die or come to extreme harm because a paramedic is unable to do their job properly, is that content ever going to be worth your conscience.

These are just my thoughts but I’m sure that others will have their own to add. I don’t propose that social as a medium is regulated or ‘policed’, I would like to think that people were intelligent enough to make their own informed decisions but perhaps I’m wrong.

An insight into Rebecca Hart

Posted on October 1, 2013 by

How would you describe yourself in three words

Bubbly, energetic, geeky.

What do you most enjoy about working in PR

The diversity of the job, no one can ever say PR is a boring industry to be in, each day is different to the next.

What is your favourite book

Reading has to be one of my favourite pass times, once I become enthralled in a book I struggle to put it down. I absolutely love everything Harry Potter written by J. K. Rowling. I have read all seven books and I would say my favourite is the final one of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; it had me gripped from the first to last page.

What did you want to be when you grew up

I changed my mind more times than I can remember but always knew I wanted to do something media based. I wanted to be the editor of my own paper one week and a film director the next.

What do you find most challenging about working in PR

This is my first role in PR and so far I wouldn’t say it is the most challenging but the most overwhelming thing I have come across is getting my head around what needs doing and when. Having to prioritise your workload can be difficult at times but, seeing the final result of your hard work is a very rewarding feeling.

If you could be anything else, what would it be (career wise)

A paramedic or fire-fighter, I love the idea of having the skills and ability to save someone’s life. It is probably something I would have looked at doing if it wasn’t for my fear of confined spaces, I would never be able to climb my way down a well or lift shaft to rescue someone, and if I did it would probably end up with me needing to be rescued too!

If you had a super power what would it be

This is a difficult one. Maybe the ability to morph into other people and take on their talents, superheroes included, that way you would inherit their powers while I’m in their form and have a different power each time. Greedy, but awesome, you could be Hulk one day and Spiderman the next.

What is your guilty secret (food / TV programmes)

I wouldn’t call it a secret as such but I am a massive Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Super Hero fan. I love all things Marvel, DC, Star Wars and Harry Potter. I love watching films that you know will never happen in real life but have that ability to make you believe in the magic whilst watching them. I must have watched Stardust, all the Potter films and Avengers twenty times over; something I can say annoys my boyfriend at times, especially when I know every word the characters are going to say.

What are you most proud of

Achieving my Journalism degree and gaining a job with Open Communications through it. A few people doubted my ability to find a job that I not only wanted to do but was also relevant to my degree. I have always been determined to prove them wrong and can definitely say now I have done just that.

Which account would you most like to work on if you could choose

I would love to be involved in a book launch or film release. My two favourite hobbies are reading and watching films so something like organising a press campaign for an exciting new book would tick all the boxes for me.

Grass isn’t always greener – in fact it could be Astroturf

Posted on September 30, 2013 by

What do you do when you want to improve your ranking across search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing, encouraging your prospects and customers to find you when they search for the products and services you offer?

Some companies choose to work with professionals; PR agencies, digital companies and SEO (search engine optimisation) consultants.  Although this seems like a reasonable suggestion there is a definite need for businesses to choose who they work with wisely.

As social media tools become a viable source of information for those who want a review or recommendation, more companies are recognising the value of this for businesses and in particular those working in industries such as hospitality, leisure and of course food.

With the simple click of a button, an opinion can be formed based on the feedback given relating to the experience of a single individual. We all have bad days and sometimes things go wrong and this is where posts and comments can have a real impact on the success of a company.

As an invaluable platform for some people with sites such as Trip Advisor being considered the fountain of all knowledge when it comes to holidays, these are no longer sites that brands are able to avoid. If there is a bad comment then the first thing we suggest is that a response is given from the brand and if necessary a meeting is arranged or an explanation is given.

With social media the simple fact of the matter is that ignorance is certainly not bliss!

But it’s not all about the comments that people post, which provide a genuine insight into the experience that they have had.  Things are much, much worse than that. You see not all agencies or consultants are quite what they seem.  Although the grass can look very green when a company is securing permanently positive references and five star ratings, what you are actually looking at is Astroturf.

This isn’t the stuff that bloody knees are made of – oh no. Astroturf is another term for ‘fake reviews’. As many of these tools rely on ‘grass routes’ feedback, the term Astroturf is used for false recommendations or criticism. Basically those who claim to be ‘experts’ are actually paying freelancers or individuals that they know to post reviews without necessarily having ever experienced the brand or purchased products from the business.

Not only does this give a distorted view of a particular company but it is very dangerous. An example of how this can go horribly wrong featured recently on the BBC website. The Local Attorney General’s Office created a completely fictitious yogurt shop.

They then asked a selection of companies offering SEO services to support the brand. As a result 19 companies have now been fined £218,470 after creating false profiles and posting inaccurate and libellous comments about the yogurt shop, which didn’t exist.

What’s even worse is that the individuals that were encouraged to post their reviews of the shop, in some instances, didn’t even live in the same country!

Like anything else, SEO companies should have credentials that they can share to prove that they know what they are doing. If you really want to pay someone to support you with SEO services then make sure you have done your checks and that the content that is being created is delivering a return on investment and adding value to your brand and business.

Unfortunately as the internet is so vast and collates information from so many different sources, SEO is absolutely essential for some businesses. All we would recommend as an agency is that if a brand is considering working with a consultant or team that offers SEO’s services, is that they ensure that all content is real, which in turn makes it credible. To do anything else won’t just be creating an inaccurate picture but it could just come back to give you a nasty shock that will hurt far more than a couple of bloody knees!

Open gives ‘high five’ to new recruit

Posted on September 30, 2013 by

We are pleased to announce that Rebecca Hart has joined the team at Open Comms as an Account Executive taking the total number of employees to five; which coincidentally tallies perfectly with our recent birthday celebrations!

With a background in journalism which includes drafting articles and editing of publications, Rebecca is a welcome addition to our ever expanding team.

A Barnsley lass’ Rebecca has always had an interest in the media and is already working on a number of accounts, drafting materials and liaising with key local, national, consumer and trade publications.

Rebecca is the latest in a line of new faces to join the agency with other recent appointments including Naomi Stafford as Account Manager and Tarina Wild as PR Account Administrator.

We hope that you will all join us in welcoming Rebecca to the Open gaggle.
There is little doubt that many of you will be meeting with her very soon.

FIVE YEARS ON!

Posted on September 27, 2013 by

Five years ago today we embarked on a life changing journey that would lead to a rollercoaster of emotions, decisions, highs and lows. We were about to make one of the biggest decisions of our life and there is no doubt that we could never have dreamed of or planned what lay ahead– yes, ladies and gents, five years ago we launched Open Communications!

We will keep this blog brief, it’s feels a little bit like a ‘selfie’, but we wanted to take this chance to thank you all for your support, encouragement, belief and of course business.

Although we are an agency, we genuinely work as an extension of our clients teams as opposed to as a third party, and that is what makes our job so fulfilling. So we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our clients for trusting us to be a part of their business and to sharing in their on-going success.

For those of you reading this who have no background on Open Comms, here’s a quick recap; we launched in 2008 in an office that was the size of a postage stamp (but we loved it), we then moved to Yorkshire House at Nostell Priory Estate Yard and decided that as a result of our success we would have to extend the team.

Little over a year ago we moved to our own offices at Nostell and once again decided that as a result of the brands and businesses that we work with and our plans for the future we would extend the team to five. We now have a fantastic team and client base that we are massively proud of. Things have certainly been busy and despite the greying hair we love what we do and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Some people said that a straight talking PR agency that focused more on results than lunches would never work but we are pleased to update that our growing list of clients disagree.

So, cheers – and here’s to many more!

Are you giving your business the right tweetment?

Posted on September 26, 2013 by

When we are putting together a PR strategy for a client or discussing how a brand can communicate with its many different audiences, we always consider social media; after all it’s a platform and growing point of reference for consumers of all ages and demographics.

I have never really understood agencies that focus purely on social media, as although I feel it is a mistake to ignore online tools, in my opinion they should form part of a wider strategy. The internet has created new ways of communicating but the process is the same; you need to create a plan that supports a year round campaign and then a series of messaging that allows a company to share its stories, which in turn will raise its profile and understanding of the product and services it offers.

Needless to say PR always sounds far simpler than it actually is but essentially the fundamental purpose has never changed, our main objective is always to manage the reputation of the brands we work with. We want to share stories that lead others to talk about a company. In doing this we generate word of mouth, which is still the most valuable medium for creating credibility, recommendation and in turn sales.

I attended a networking session last night which focused specifically on twitter. In celebration of Leeds Business Week, Leeds Tweet Meet brought together a panel of communications professionals to discuss how to effectively use twitter for the purpose of business.

It was an interesting session but the main theme throughout was to have a plan and keep it simple. What was a very valuable suggestion was to recognise that twitter is now used as a real time resource by the consumer. No longer is twitter all about engagement or two way communication, there is a large audience using it to search for up-to-date news, views, comments and opinions.

For the first time twitter is actually competing with search engines, due to the speed in which information can be shared.

We always advise that clients take the time to review twitter and analyse what competitors are doing before they consider social media channels as a route to market. We believe that it is important to understand how people within a given industry are engaging with their audiences, as this can change significantly from one sector to another. It is also essential that legalities are considered, as there are some instances where information cannot be shared on an ‘open platform’.

What people sometimes forget is that twitter is a global and immediate channel to market. Once a tweet is out there it can be difficult to amend or delete. In order for any social media tool to work as well as it should, a client needs to be comfortable and confident before sharing their stories with the masses and that doesn’t just relate to using the tool but also to the content that a company proposes to share.

Some of the most spectacular #fails have come about as a result of brands jumping in or not taking the time to think before updating a status. Although it takes seconds to put up a post, it can take months to manage the damage that this could cause. We always ask if a person would shout their tweet in a street – if the answer is no, then it may be worth considering if the content is necessary and appropriate.

Although content is more important than ever before, it is worth asking what value your updates will give the recipient. If the content that you share is of no use to those that follow you, then consider how you can change it so that people can join in a conversation with you or use your content to their benefit.

As an example rather than telling people you are taking your dog for a walk, make recommendations on how consumers can get best value from your product or how your service differs from competitors. Twitter is also a great tool for sharing recommendations and testimonials, you can re-tweet positive comments and thank those that make them, which only strengthens those relationships, while sharing your success with a mass audience.

A suggestion from Leeds Tweet Meet was for businesses to develop a social media code of conduct, which in many organisations would provide guidelines for employees about what can and cannot be shared on business specific social media channels.

As a starting point for any business our top ten tips for twitter are as follows:

  1. Decide what your objective is – what do you aim to achieve through twitter
  2. Identify key individuals in the business who will manage the account
  3. Research what others within the market are doing (in particular competitors)
  4. Ask your customers if they would like to engage with you on twitter
  5. Create a code of conduct for employees to follow
  6. Do some scenario planning – what’s the worst that could happen
  7. Put together a simple schedule of tweets; build up a bank of topics / themes to consider
  8. Register an account with a relevant design
  9. Search for people that you would like to follow
  10. Build social media into your communications strategy

Twitter is certainly a good tool for business and has a growing number of followers. For those who ‘have better things to do with their time’ I would question what your customers and more importantly prospects would think.

As an immediate medium twitter can be invaluable to business and gives a brand a voice and personality. As a measure of success all you need to do is search for your favourite brands – the majority of which will now have an active twitter feed.

For those who are still in two minds then speak to a PR agency, they should be able to give you the guidance that you need to build twitter and other social tools into your wider communications strategy.

Bringing together the old and the new

Posted on September 16, 2013 by

New technologies are great, they allow people to do things quicker and faster, to communicate with people at the other side of the world for free, to explore, investigate and research. As human beings we have access to more information than ever before and as a result our expectations have changed irreversibly – we want something and we want it now!

When we read about new technologies it is usually the announcement of a new gadget, most recently the latest iPhone(s), but what is often missing from these reports is the benefit to these tools. What do they do? What can they achieve? How do they impact on the everyday life of the person using them?

As PR professionals we can get lost in the business of these technologies. How can they be used for brands, how will they add value to a campaign and what return on investment will they deliver for the client? Will they go viral, be shared and raise the profile of a product? Will they result in an award winning stunt that will hit the headlines for all the right reasons?

Whilst having a conversation with a colleague who works with the Girl Guiding Association in Warwickshire, we got onto the subject of new technologies and social media forums and how they impact on young people. We were simply discussing the immediacy of everything and the need for people to think before they commit to communicating with the world.

We then digressed and started to discuss our own hobbies and what we like doing. In a complete contrast to anything that would have appealed to the ‘teenage me’ I mentioned that I had taken up knitting and crochet. Now before you fall over yourself laughing I will explain. I find it very hard to switch off – my brain doesn’t have an off button and my mind is constantly active. I think about new business ideas, plans for campaigns, what I need to do next week, what I have to discuss tomorrow, how many weeks it is until Christmas (*groan*) and so forth, it’s a never ending cycle and I don’t mind admitting it’s tiring.

I decided therefore to give crochet and knitting a go. I used to knit when I was really young and haven’t considered or really thought about it since. My colleague Emma then mentioned a group at The Ridings Shopping Centre who have a Knit and Natter session – what an amazing idea!

Although I don’t have chance to go to the group, I did think that there must be something in the idea of taking some time out and creating a scarf, some gloves, a tea cosy or simply just weaving together row upon row of beautiful coloured yarn. And so I tried it and I’m hooked!

Getting back to the conversation, I was explaining to the lady in question that I had started knitting and doing crochet and she asked me if I had learnt from a relative or if I was self taught. It then struck me that new technologies aren’t all about young people, they aren’t all about communicating in real time and they aren’t all about immediacy – you see I am using YouTube to learn crochet and it’s great.

By simply logging on to the many, many sites that exist, I am able to follow the instructions and see exactly what is going on. I find the steps difficult to follow in books as I can’t see exactly what is happening but using YouTube I can literally follow and ‘rewind’, follow and ‘rewind’.

Later that very same night I was catching up with some old school friends that I hadn’t seen for years on Facebook and noticed that someone I used to go to college with had uploaded an image of a crochet scarf – a very good one I have to admit. I commented and ‘liked’ her work, sharing on my feed. Her response; “I’ve only just started to crochet – I’m learning everything I can from YouTube.”

The moral of this story – new mediums aren’t just for business, they can be for pleasure too. For those of you, who like me, often think about how a social tool can be used to best practice for a brand, perhaps it’s time we thought more about the user experience – what would we want to get out of a technology?

Not everything is about speed. Sometimes we need to take a step back and think about how something can add value, even in the strangest of circumstances. If someone had told me three years ago that I would be using YouTube for crochet I would have laughed but I now have a relaxing hobby that I love and I don’t mind admitting my next tutorial is for a flower with layered petals!

A night to remember

Posted on September 13, 2013 by

I don’t know about you but I often find that when I’m looking for things to do – and in particular when I want to do something a little different – I seem to miss the activities and events that are taking place on my doorstep.

I’m not sure if this is because I presume to know what is happening in my local area or if I just take the approach to cast my metaphorical ‘entertainment planning’ net as wide as possible and see what I can catch.

As a Wakefield based PR agency, we are involved with activities and events that take place throughout the district but I have a shocking confession to make – I have never been to a performance at the Theatre Royal, Wakefield undoubtedly a jewel in crown of the city and district.

I’m pleased to say that last night all that changed.

We were very lucky to receive two tickets to attend the new production of Teechers, starring James Dryden, Laura Bryars and Frances Wood. From the moment we entered the doors the production had started – without us entirely realising it. The actors were jumping the queue, making comments and being generally cheeky to the audience. A brilliant ice breaker.

The entire production was performed by just three actors and at first I wondered how this would translate, sometimes it can take more imagination that I admittedly have at 7.30pm on a Thursday evening after a busy week – but I’m pleased to say it worked really well.

The storyline was injected with quick witted humour and the unforgettable Simon Patterson. The storyline was based around four main characters; three final year students, Ian ‘Salty’ Salt, Lillian ‘Hobby’ Hobson and Gail Saunders, as well as the newly appointed drama teacher, Mr Harrison.

The play focuses on the lives of these students, along with the teacher who is fresh out of university. The performance brings their thoughts, aspirations and of course more than a dabble of mischief to the stage, which has some hilarious consequences. The acting wasn’t the only thing that needs commending, with a relatively small space to bring such a big hearted production to life, the set design certainly deserves a mention.

I don’t want to give too much away, as this performance will be touring the country and I think to really appreciate it you have to be there. So for now I will leave you with my recommendation to get your tickets booked.

It is worth mentioning that this was a debut role for Frances Wood, former contestant of the hit talent show The Voice. Needless to say she doesn’t disappoint and throws herself into her performance, which coupled with her co-stars in this play only leaves you wanting more. There is no doubt that this will not be the last we see of Ms Wood, a true star in the making.

There was no doubt that this production is an ideal option for those who want to switch off after work and have a giggle with friends. It is touring the country but for those who want to catch it at the beautiful Royal Theatre in Wakefield, then tickets are available until tomorrow. Make sure you get yours!

For more details visit www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk

I for one will be making a note of the performances that will be running up to Christmas. I’ve learnt my lesson and will be checking for events and attractions that are closer to home from now on.