What is social media engagement?

Simply put, social media engagement is a measure of how people are interacting with content and accounts. It might include:

• Likes
• Favourites
• Shares
• Mentions
• Comments
• DMs etc.

Why does engagement matter?

Having a high number of followers is something of a vanity metric. What is actually important when growing and building a brand is building trust and credibility. The more people engage with you brand, the more they are building a relationship with you.

It also plays a big role in how those mystery social media algorithms treat you, as they prioritise accounts with highest engagement, meaning the more engagement you are getting, the more visibility you will be given.

It can help your SEO, if you use the right terms, meaning you’ll be seen in search traffic.

How do I increase my engagement?

Start by engaging with others. Social media is exactly that – social. So interact with others, and grow your reputation by doing so. It’s a mix of proactive conversation where you try to spark engagement, and reactive, joining existing conversations.

You can:

• Like
• Comment
• Share
• Repost
• Send

To find the right accounts to engage with, try:

• Searching for a hashtag relevant to your interests
• Creating lists of notable people and engaging with them on a regular basis
• Looking at who follows your competitors

The various platforms prioritise engagement in different ways. LinkedIn favours engagement received in the first 60 minutes, Twitter loves a hashtag, and Instagram is all about the videos.

Create sharable and interesting content. Types of content that are more likely to get good interaction are polls, videos, and questions.  If you want people to engage back with you, you need to speak in a credible and authentic voice. Don’t go out with the hard sales pitch. Be chatty, friendly and supportive.

Make sure you keep an eye on your analytics and see which content is getting the most engagement. And then do more of that.

Get engaged

Basically have fun with it. It’s like going to a party (or pub, read more here). Keep showing up, having a chat, and sparking conversation.

This year has been a challenging one. I mean, I write and market great brands and businesses for a living, usually from my sofa. So it’s relative. I’m immensely lucky that my career allows me to do that. But marketing in 2020 has taken on a slightly different hue to usual. It has though, if not taught me things, reinforced a few truths that always ring true. Here are my (and my friends’) takeaways from marketing in a pandemic…

Think outcomes, not outputs

Programming and marketing a literature festival is always fun – but this year became a challenge. At Margate Bookie we didn’t manage the same number of events or to have people together in a room, but did transform lives through power of literature, which is what we’re here for. That purpose drove us to continue producing events and activity to support our community.

It’s all about the human story

Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the whizzy features or technical details of something you’re promoting. A couple of months after I joined Heritage Open Days, Covid hit and we had to rethink things. It ended up being scaled back from 5500 events to 1800 – potentially a ‘bad’ news story. But it did see volunteers embracing digital for the first time, new and innovative ways of sharing history and heritage. That became the story.

And you’re human too

Alex Zeilinger-Goode says that brands and businesses need to remember this. ‘Don’t be afraid to show your soft side. I’m from a hospitality marketing background and one of my biggest takeaways from this pandemic has been the number of previously ‘untouchable’ restaurant and hotel brands that have come out to say that they’re hurting, and that this has been a really difficult time for them. A lot of the language of the bigger, more high end brands has transformed this year to be much more open and honest, from putting their business leaders out there to do opinion pieces to tone of voice on social media. A little vulnerability goes a long way in an industry where, pre-pandemic, things were becoming very focused on flashy installations and experiences.’

Creativity counts

Without the ability to disseminate The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s annual Impact Report, we created a bold new design that runs through the pdf report, website and social media, allowing us to share impact through all channels.

Community matters

Pippa Goulden is founder of Pr Set ‘I’ve seen the brands who have nurtured their community (whether its a small one or a big one, online or offline) have really managed to weather the storm of the last 10 months.  Being accessible, present and caring – and real – has helped them get through and helped to create customer loyalty.  I’d say this year more than ever before, people are championing other people – e.gs local high streets working together to attract customers, small brands collaborating to cross promote to each other’s audiences.’ One great example of this is how Burger King have opened up their Instagram pages to other restaurants, helping to boost the hospitality sector.

Tone of voice is key

Eppie Shepherd says that she has noted how ‘brand tone of voice has adapted – we need to be more empathetic, more cautious or even have more of a sense of humour!’ It’s really crucial to know who your audience is and what matters to them. Crafting tone of voice and brand guidelines is my favourite thing to do – but this shows how it’s really important to have flexibility built into it.

Tess Agnew says something similar. ‘Listen to, understand and communicate *with* your audience & community, not just broadcast to it. Their needs, priorities and pain points will have likely changed during the pandemic so it’s important to put yourself in their shoes to understand how your content can provide answers to their questions.’

Flexibility wins

In fact, flexibility is a key theme of the year, with those who are able to be adaptable winning out. Literally PR a literature marketing business, run by Helen Lewis. She says ‘My biggest learnings about marketing during a pandemic were around the need to not get too stuck on a plan – even if lots of work has gone into it – if the timing isn’t right. The word of the year for me in marketing has been PIVOT!’

If that all sounds a bit meta, I promise you it’s super practical and packed with ideas.

Join me, Francesca Baker, for a workshop focused on how to market your workshops. Whether you’re running writing workshops, poetry sessions, an expressive arts series or something entirely new and cool, this workshop will help you reach audiences and sell tickets.

We will cover

• Finding your target audience
• Writing engaging copy
• Using social media
• Growing your personal brand
• Potential partnerships

My skillset and experience are varied – covering copywriting, journalism, marketing, research and PR – but always centred around communication and creating a connection. Ultimately, I work with stories – and creating the right messages to resonate with an audience.

I’ve been working in marketing for over twelve years, with a particular passion for the arts. Clients include The National Lottery, The National Trust, Margate Bookie, Lapidus International, Moving Pieces, Fairtrade, Tesco, Mitsubishi, Carers Trust, Lord Mayor’s Appeal, Takeda, Diabetes UK, The Times, BBC, Metro, Stylist, Australia Times and more.

You can find out more at www.andsoshethinks.co.uk and follow me on all social media @andsoshethinks

Thursday 21 January 5pm-6pm

Saturday 23 January – 11am-12pm

Friday 5 February – 10am-11am

Cost is on a sliding scale.

• I’ll pay what I feel, thank you very much
• I’m nailing it this year, I’ll pay full whack – £15
• I know this is worth a lot, so I’ll pay a bit – £10
• Can’t quite stretch, so here’s a fiver – £5
• I’m a creative, I’m skint, but I’ll leave a review – free

Get your ticket here – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-workshop-on-marketing-your-workshop-for-creatives-tickets-132707773523

Words are the heart of my creativity. I adore writing and language, and it’s how I make a living. But we also live in a visual world, and so I often need to design posters, assets, banners and images for social media and websites.

I often organise and run events, so need to create and publish posters for these activities. Not being blessed with design skills, it’s useful for me to see what design bundles are out there, and use them as resources. There are a number of different packages available from various suppliers. There are various styles, different colours, exciting layouts and interesting images that can make a design compelling – and it’s this that connects with people.

Because that is the heart of communications – connecting with people. Whether it’s through the written word or visual images, all businesses, organisations, artists and individuals need to communicate and connect with their audiences. It’s crucial to having a successful venture. So both the words and the images need to work.

I often create both mock ups and finished designs, and here are a few things I have learned about design, as a non designer.

Plan ahead

Don’t just start throwing things on the page, or on the screen. Think about what it is that you are seeking to achieve. What is the overall purpose of your design and what are you hoping to achieve? Is it to raise awareness, create an overall sense or feeling, sell a product, or something else? Even if it is not overt, all communications are trying to evoke some kind of action or reaction. Having in mind what the desire outcome is will enable you to ensure that all of the design elements are working towards that as an outcome.

Think about typography

Typography is itself an element of design. So often I see words just bunged on a page, and the font looks at odds with the other parts of design, and the overall message. Everything needs to be consistent. Fonts really matter. A font is a grouping of typefaces that have similar characteristics and styles. Whether you’re choosing something cursive and handwritten, want something bold and striking, or are looking for a typeface that is more traditional, each font evokes something different and has a different feel. Most design bundles for your mock ups also include font bundles that work well alongside them, so it’s worth investigating how well your font works alongside other elements of your design. Another key aspect of font, as well as matching your message, is its overall readability. Most people only skim read a flyer, or glance at a poster, so making sure that the font is legible and clear and easy to read in a hurry is really important.

Use a grid

One way to keep all the elements of your design neat and tidy is to use a grid format. A grid essentially serves as the framework for the page’s layout. This can include both vertical columns and horizontal rows, and is essentially a way to keep everything clear and aligned. Use one column if you’re doing a simple ad, and get more complex with more detailed designs. Organising your design this way will help with hierarchy, alignment and consistency, and make it more compelling and impactful, and ensure that your message is clear. Rather than haphazardly dumping things down, keep them aligned and your overall design will seem much more professional.

Power of contrast

Whilst most design programmes you can get will include complementary colour palettes and elements, you can also play around with contrasts. Whether that’s black and white, or bold and light, small and large, or other aspects that might initially not seem to go together, using contrasting elements can help your messages to stand out more. Contrast also enables the reader or viewer to see what aspect they are meant to pay attention to, and where to focus the eye.

Don’t go overboard

Just because there are so many cool elements you can use, doesn’t mean you should. That’s why picking a design bundle to create your mock ups is a good idea, as an expert will have filtered through different colours, typography, shapes and images to get the best range of complementary items that will work well together. Generally it is recommended to have a primary and secondary font, and no more than three colours, although you can adjust transparency and gradient to have more flexibility here. Similarly, if you’re going for straight lines, stick with it, rather than throwing in the odd wonky graphic. It just makes the whole design much crisper.

Use white space

Never be afraid to leave some white space. Just because you can fill every part of the page, doesn’t mean that you should. Instead embrace negative space and keep the design looking clean and clear. This gives a much more modern feel, and makes the parts of the page that are filled seem more compelling and clear.

Learn from the best

Top tip from Joe Reddington is know, or at least follow, one ‘pure’ designer. You learn an amazing amount by just spending time with them and seeing what they notice (or don’t care about). Have a scroll and see what you discover.

So there you go, even non designers can design great looking assets and graphics that capture the eye and heart of the audience, and get them to do something on the back of it. Whilst I can never claim to be a visual artist or designer, being able to use the various resources out there has helped make my work much easier and look far more professional. There are lots of different platforms out there – I’m a big fan of Canva – and plenty of advice to be found. So why not have a play?

It’s crucial to create a community. Getting active on social media is really important. There are lots of great Facebook groups you can join where advice and support is often free flowing, and you can investigate Twitter chats. Eppie Shepherd is a copywriter and marketer, and recommends that you follow experts in your field on social media, engage with their content and save their tips for future reference. But at the same time don’t compare yourself to others who have been in the industry longer than you. Sara Joelle says that you can use these connections to your advantage, and ‘take all the help you can get without letting it hurt your pride.’

Now is the best time to get started. If you’re searching for a job, start blogging marketing insights and connecting with others on social media. ‘You’re improving your skills and connections, and making yourself more marketable at the same time, says Natalie Tate.

It’s natural to want to do everything right – but no one can. You will make mistakes, and that’s fine, because it means that you’re doing something. As Ruthie Bowles explains, ‘Be okay with making mistakes. Don’t let fear of failure prevent you from taking some kind of action, any action. We can learn from mistakes, but it’s a lot harder to learn from nothing. This goes from finding clients if you’re a marketing consultant or testing new marketing channels and tactics if you’re an in-house marketer.’

Advice differs on whether you should find a niche or be a generalist, but I agree with TinaMarie Gulley that you should learn about different disciplines in the early days and not specialise too much. One way to learn is by having regular mentoring sessions and one to ones with people in the industry.

Remember that marketing is about the audience. You might have a cool product or a swanky event to promote, but you need to think about what’s in it for the customer. Allison Schroeder explains what this means. ‘Always walk in their shoes. At the end of the day marketing is understanding the consumer and how to get their attention and turn them into a customer. Be them. Think like them. Pay attention to your own consumer habits and what drives you to buy.’

And remember, that you need to be willing to learn and grow. Like Patty Godbold said ‘this field is ever-changing and if you aren’t willing to grow with it, you won’t be an effective marketer.’

Wise advice indeed!

It’s important to still stay connected, and support one another. The Lord Mayor’s Appeal’s Wellbeing in the Workplace tool, produced with Samaritans and PwC, provides users with skills and techniques to recognise any signs of distress or concern, and communicate with colleagues about them.

So how can you maintain your mental health – and those of your colleagues – during lockdown?

Have regular meetings

Have regular calls and updates with your team. Use this opportunity to connect with your colleagues and share where you are with your work, as well as how you are doing on a personal level, if you feel comfortable.

Make a list

Set yourself goals for the week and commit to working through them. Writing it down can be really helpful and keep you on track.

Hear a voice

It’s not only important to communicate for business, but also your mental health. Working from a quiet home can be isolating, so make sure you keep talking. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and hear someone’s voice!

Use video

People are social creatures. A great deal of what we communicate to each other will not be what we say but also how we say it — the tone of voice, the expression on the face. Using video to have calls means it can be easier to communicate and understand.

Have a separate space

If you can, set up a home office space, or mark a part of your living room or kitchen table to be just yours for working. This can help increase focus, as well as providing a space that you can walk away from at the end of the day. Not everyone is lucky enough to do this, we know, but it’s a smart move if you can.

Praise and thank you

When you’re in the office it’s easy to say thank you or praise someone for a job well done, but this can be forgotten when you’re working remotely. Make sure your team mates know you’re appreciative of what they do!

Help

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are lots of changes happening at the moment, and it can be anxiety inducing. Whether you have a specific work problem, are struggling with mood, or just want a chat, reach out to your colleagues and employer.

Keep social

We’re used to having conversation in the office, sharing lunch, and having the occasional drink. Why not have an end of the week drink and chat with the team. It can be a great way to end the week, connect with your colleagues, and keep some sense of rhythm and normality to your routine.

Switch off

With always on technology, it can be easy to be always working. But you don’t need to. It’s important to set boundaries. If you usually finish at 5.30, do the same when you’re at home. Work may generally be becoming more flexible and fluid, but it’s important to keep space in your life for relationships, hobbies, health and wellbeing.

Have breaks

Have regular breaks. Sometimes people feel guilty about being at home, and feel the need to work late or do more. It’s ok to stand up and have a stretch, or get yourself some coffee and a biscuit and relax for a while.

For more information about Wellbeing in the Workplace, head here.

So he went searching for it. En route he found his wife Corinna, and explored cities around the world, including New York, London, and Sao Paulo. He fell in and out of love with them. He’s still searching for his place.

Never does the infrastructure overtake the inhabitants in Merrifield’s exploration of what makes a city. As he says: ‘Cities are two-faced. They’re subjective and subjective realites…The objective city is the hard city, made of bricks and mortar, physical and structural…The subjective city is the soft city, the city of the mind, of human consciousness, of human frailty and ambiguity.’

Cafes feature heavily in Merrifield’s assessment of the city. A place to be ‘a part of the action; detached from it, anonymous, sufficiently absent, yet absolutely present.’ Book shops are another key feature. Walter Benjamin once asked ‘How many cities have revealed themselves to me in the marches I undertook in the pursuit of books?’ Both of these places provide Merrifield with a space to create himself, steal out some time in the busy thrum of a city.

One of his favourite commentators on the urban is Jane Jacobs, who talks about the distinction between ‘city makers’ and ‘city users’ and the importance of always listening to the latter when it comes to planning and making. Marxism is another key feature, as the brilliance of cities is often built on capitalism, yet there must be a sense of collectivism to ensure that everyone benefits from the spoils. But Marshall Berman, an American philosopher whom Merrifield befriends, is the character who looms largest in the book. His thoughts on everything from urban streets to Starbucks (a place where the private is made public) make for fascinating reading, and clearly influenced Merrifield. When Berman dies, he is left bereft.

Merrfield doesn’t find his place. It’s not New York, or London, or Paris even, although he describes the latter as ‘a space that’s open to the world.’ He is unsure of where he is from, and whether to describe himself as Liverpudlian, or European, or something in between.

I finished unsure of what the book was – or rather who it was for. A love letter to Corinna, to cities, to literature, to cafes, to Marshall Berman? Towards the end of the book, Merrifield describes the city as ‘a school. It teaches us things about how to live together, how to love together.’ It’s that potent combination of individual lives being so closely brought together that makes a city infinitely powerful. Makes it something to love.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/485914983″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”600″ iframe=”true” /]