Industry Experts & Best Practices

There’s more to a community than just building it and hoping people will come. It takes time, effort, and nurturing. Instead of waiting for people to come pouring in - you must make it worth their while. Remember the adage, “what’s in it for me”? Your audience is likely to ask themselves that question.Since the pandemic, the time we spend online has been increasing. Some signs show many of us are a little tired of it. Initially, it was called “Zoom fatigue” because many people were stuck in Zoom meetings all day long. But when we couldn’t socialize outside of our homes, we also talked to family and friends online, got our entertainment online…and I started calling this digital fatigue. This is important for community folks because it adds a hurdle you will have to overcome to encourage visits to your site. The ecosystem you’re building must be compelling enough to justify the time spent in it. Start with Content Often, when we imagine our ideal community, we think about people connecti

When you’re tasked with starting a community, it can be intimidating to know where to begin. Take a look at the big picture first—there are a few things you’ll want to know before you get started, like planning your strategy before tackling software. Step 1 - Establish Goals and Objectives Before you do anything, ask yourself why I am starting a community. Who is it for, and what type of community will it be? Once you have the answers, talk to the people you’re planning to engage to make sure you’re on the right path. Without their insight and the right data, you’ll have a much harder trek to success. Done that? Go back and talk to more people. I mean it—this is the most important part of what you’re doing. Internal and external stakeholders—talk to all of them. What are the common themes emerging? Is it what you thought? Are the wants of your external users aligned with your internal stakeholders? How will you reconcile them if they aren’t? Once you determine what your external users

Meet Becky I realized recently that I’ve been in community a lot longer than I thought, starting with a small dialup in the 90s called CyberVille that we built from the ground up. It was meant to be a hyper-local version of AOL or CompuServe, and I was the guide who helped members find what they needed. It didn’t last a long time (I think less than a year), but that was probably what fueled my love of things online, community, and building connections. I sure wish I’d kept the t-shirt from that!Currently, I’m the Head of Total Community at JumpCloud, which includes community, meetups, organic social, and influencer outreach. At my core, I am a builder (community), connector (people and resources), and an enabler (networking, awareness, outreach, insights, and yes, connections). Our team sits in marketing, and our goal is to build brand awareness for the company. We do this by building relationships with IT admins, regardless of whether they use our products. We focus on being a communi

Expert Exchange Meetup- We want to hear from you, answer the poll below? 

Thank you for joining the Expert Exchange. We received a lot of questions about Social & PR; below is a link; the below report has all the data and insights you need to make sense of the latest trends.Digital 2023 Global Overview Report We also have a free report on how PR has changed in the age of social influencers. PR in the Age of Influence Meetup SlidesHow Social Media has Changed PR We had a huge interest in this topic and will have a part 2 meetup in April; we will also offer a time for our APAC members. Let us know in the comments what questions you still have about Social Media’s impact on PR.   

I spent my last semester of college working part-time for an architecture firm and was incredibly thankful when the company offered me a full-time job upon graduation. As the communications coordinator, I worked on the marketing team, reporting into the CMO. It kickstarted a trend over the next 16 years where my career has taken me in and out of marketing teams.  I’ve held marketing titles, where I’ve still overseen communications, but also website management, social media, new business, and many other jobs outside the realm of a more “traditional” communications role. I’ve worked at companies with no marketing teams and then I recently wrapped a year-long engagement back in an in-house role overseeing all things communications for a data-driven marketing team, frequently collaborating with revenue marketing and product marketing. Because of my career bounces, I have always thought of myself as a marketing-leaning communicator. And I know that I excel as a communications executive beca

If you’ve been following my posts here over the last couple of weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time talking about data—how it humanizes communications strategies and also connects comms functions (the brand side) with marketing initiatives (the business side).  To me, data is really the backbone that the future of our practice is built upon and while it’s heavily impacting the evolution of our industry, it isn’t the only thing that’s going to enable more opportunities for communicators in 2023.  Here’s what I’m hoping will play out this year: 1. The current tech “downturn” will be a boon for communications.  It feels brash to say, and right now, it might be hard to feel optimistic about the opportunities that may come this year (especially if you’re recently laid off like I am). I feel confident that the tide will turn—especially across the technology corridor where by mid-year (or sooner), we’re going to see the market flooded with comms roles.  Layoffs are impacting many of us, and for th

Our February #ExpertWithInsights is Sara Ajemian. Sara’s focus will focus on Corporate Communications and her posts include: Data-driven storytelling - how to connect with your audience The convergence of communications and marketing - benefiting from the industry evolution The future of communications - where are we heading   Meet Sara I am a storyteller through and through, and it’s something I’ve proudly been able to build a 16-year career around. I have loved stories ever since I was little: my dad would read me The Chronicles of Narnia at bedtime, a tradition I’m now passing on to my own two kids. But what really powered my storytelling passion was the story my paternal grandmother wrote for me just before she passed away when I was a little girl. I’ve now re-read that story—about a grandmother spending a day at the beach with her granddaughter—so many times the type-written letters are starting to fade, but it has always been my source of inspiration to write and tell my own

I like to think of myself as an inquisitive person, and that’s probably a quality that I started honing as a child. I was a kid who asked a LOT of questions. For subjects I found interesting, I couldn’t go deep enough—I wanted to know everything that I could. No detail was too small to overlook in the search to get the root of the story, so to speak. (This is certainly karma coming back around as my kids now ask me a million questions a day!) As a communicator, I’ve found that my inquisitiveness is perhaps one of the strongest qualities that has helped me throughout my 16-year career. Why? Because at the end of the day, no matter what side of the aisle we sit (in house or agency; consultant or full time) or what type of company we work for (B2B, B2C, B2B2C), we are all working toward a singular goal: to reach the person at the end of the line. People come with complicated feelings, a range of emotions, and a significant variance in how they think and act. And I am hard-wired to want to

Today (01/24) at 11 am ET / 8 am PT, we are hosting our first Experts Exchange meeting with @Danny Gardner, Head of Social Media Insights and Analytics at Haleon, and @melissa.walters , Global Trends and Insights Manager at Solvay.  This meetup is focused on Social Listening. Danny and Melissa will facilitate discussions based on the topics and questions you submit when you register. There’s still time to register (session won’t be recorded): Use this post to ask any questions that weren’t covered on the call.

We are evolving our #ExpertsWithInsights program, by holding monthly virtual meetups led by our Experts on industry topics. Experts Exchange is not another webinar, it’s an opportunity for mCommunity members to connect in a small-group setting and get one-on-one time with someone who knows their stuff. During this event, you will also be able to: Spark in-depth discussions about topics you are interested in Ask questions and gain insight from your peers Network with fellow Meltwater Customers On January 24th at 11 am ET / 8 am PT, we are hosting our first Experts Exchange meeting with Danny Gardner, Head of Social Media Insights and Analytics at Haleon, and Melissa Walters, Global Trends and Insights Manager at Solvay. This month we are focusing on Social Listening. Danny and Melissa will facilitate discussions based on the topics and questions you submit when you register. In addition, they will be sharing their expertise on: Using social data to assist in overall business strategy an

Introducing our next Expert, Melissa Walters, Trends and Insights Manager at Solvay. We’ve asked Melissa to share a little about her expertise  About my role and scope My role is a Global Trends and Insights Manager in Corporate Communications at Solvay Group. Solvay is a global leader in Materials, Solutions, and Chemicals headquartered in Belgium. We're a science company whose technologies deliver benefits to many aspects of daily life.  From my home base in Brooklyn, New York and my office in Princeton, New Jersey I lead a data team focused on Solvay's web and social media presence. We aim to develop a strong digital content strategy that fuels our channels and delivers audiences what they want in a compliant way. Together with a Data Analyst, we're in charge of website(s) performance, data strategy, SEO, GDPR, and tools governance at Solvay.  I've been with the company for nine years. My previous roles with Solvay include Marketing Communications with a focus on tradeshow developme

The day in the life of a communication professional could look drastically different from fellow communication professionals, especially depending on the type of company they work for. One thing many of us can attest to is that the day is busy and, at many times, uncertain. It would be impossible to take a deep dive into the specifics of my day for the sheer fact that most of the time, I don’t even know what will happen. Yes, I have my to-dos mapped out ahead of time, but often, I am derailed from my planned work to handle spontaneous and immediate requests and situations. While this is one of the factors I love the most about working in school communications, it also causes a bumpy shift in my day and adds a barrier to ensuring the timely completion of strategic, well-thought-out projects.  To manage the various daily pieces, I am dedicated to remaining absurdly organized. To ensure a successful, efficient, and effective day, I run through a morning routine: checking my email > rev

Developing a communication department for an organization does not happen overnight, and it took me a few months of working for the Environmental Charter School (ECS) before realizing the need for a more strategic approach. ECS prides itself in education innovation, but oftentimes, that means we must build the plane while flying it. This concept is exactly how I established an official communication department. A Step- by- Step Process to Developing a Communication Department To begin the development process, I thought it would be helpful to conceptualize the creation of the department as one large campaign. The diagram below focuses on my main steps.  Step 1: Identify the ChallengeImagine a room filled with four filing cabinets, all of which are empty, sitting ajar. Papers are scattered on the floor, and some have fallen behind the cabinets, just waiting for rediscovery. This is how it felt walking into an organization that did not have a defined communication department. The elements

Happy New Year! Our January #ExpertWithInsights is Deana Callipare, Director of Communications at the Environmental Charter School (ECS).  Deana’s focus will focus on Communications and her posts include: Building an effective communication department from the ground up through research, analysis, and little luck. Leveraging media monitoring to ensure a healthy and safe school environment  How young professionals can continue professional growth and development even as the sole communication expert at an organization.    Meet Deana As the Director of Communications at the Environmental Charter School (ECS), a small K–12 public school district in Pittsburgh, PA, I am responsible for serving as the organization-wide owner of all communication efforts. This includes all internal and external marketing, advertising, branding, public relations with an emphasis on media relations and crisis communication, and digital and online mass media. Simply put, I am the organization’s storyteller,

Social listening is used to discover data for many different reasons. In my previous posts, we focused on proactive crisis management and removing noise when collecting brand mentions. Now, let's explore a use case that goes beyond brand tracking - content ideation and community management opportunities.  At Solvay, a trends and insights report that aims to surface, explore and track emerging trends in our key markets is how we uncover new communications opportunities. Each quarter, we develop a series of strategic recommendations to fuel content creation and brand messaging based on what our audiences discuss online.  The insights report is used to inspire our editorial calendar over the months to come. However, we also need more tactical approaches which capture real-time opportunities and enable Solvay to drive the industry chatter. What we see as a successful approach to social listening for communications opportunities is to combine both strategic in-depth reporting with tactical

Watch our first #ExpertsWithInsights Masterclass that dives into 3 Easy Influencer Holiday Campaigns to Boost ROI. During the session, you'll hear first-hand how Woodloch Resort leverages influencer marketing to build a brand ambassador program that has earned over $70,000. If you are looking to start the new year with key insights into how to drive business impact, watch Woodloch Resort’s Associate Director of Communications, Erica Bloch, and Klear’s Key Account Manager, Antonia Barchenko, discuss:Woodloch Resort’s journey in influencer marketing 3 successful influencer marketing campaigns Tutorial on how to implement 3 influencer campaigns today Let’s continue the conversation below, if you have questions or comments ask below.  

Hello mCommunity! My name is Kelly Costello, and I lead Corporate Communications here at Meltwater. I’ve spoken to many of our clients in PR and Comms over the years as a fellow Comms pro to brainstorm and share knowledge and best practices, and I’m super excited to share with you how I use the Meltwater tool to achieve Meltwater’s communications goals.  Track & analyze coverage, moving from analytics to insights In probably our most traditional use case, we use Meltwater to see who is talking about Meltwater across news and social and what the conversation drivers are. Day-to-day, my inbox is full of competing priorities and being able to scan the daily newsletter and quickly understand where Meltwater has been mentioned is a huge time saver. I also keep track of our competitor mentions and industry news to understand the trends and competitive landscape in the ever-evolving social and media landscape.Drilling in a bit deeper, I use Explore for a more in depth analysis of conversa

I’ve used Meltwaters' tools for a decade now. During this time, I’ve had various marketing and communication roles, each with different goals and priorities - and Meltwater has supported all of them in some capacity. I first discovered Meltwater when I started using the tools while working in the Corporate Communications team at Bosch. As a client, I used the tools for community management, to demonstrate impact via earned media reports, and find and target journalists. But it was only when I started working directly for Meltwater that I became a little more creative with how I used social listening and media intelligence. Here are a few ways I’ve used our family of solutions during my 8-year stint as a marketing practitioner at Meltwater. Partner Projects Twitter Official Partner Programme As part of my current role as Global Head of Marketing Programmes, I manage several partner projects; the Twitter Official Partner Programme (TOPP) being one of them. The partner program involves co

No company exists in a vacuum. Any action a  brand takes will influence––or be influenced––by industry peers or trends. The practice of tracking, analyzing and providing perspective of these factors is Competitive Intelligence. I see it as the “glue” between the various business units which  informs product development, messaging and many other strategic actions. As a Product Marketing Manager at Meltwater, it’s part of my job to be aware of the latest industry trends, competitive product releases and the reaction they generate. Today, I’ll show you how we leverage Monitor as “eyes and ears” across multiple media landscapes.How I use Meltwater I have two carefully constructed Boolean searches. One is set up to capture news mentioning or driven by our competitors. The other is there to capture key trends in our industry.  Here’s an example of industry news Boolean I have set up:  (("Public Relations Industry" or "PR Tech" or "Media Intelligence" or "Media Monitoring" or "Social Media Ma

The year is 2022 and the continued rise in popularity and use of social media means your brand can easily and quickly go viral, sometimes for the right reasons but often due to circumstances you can’t fully control. Today, we’ll explore ways to gain that control and own the narrative with a robust approach to social listening.  The elevator pitch? You must be aware of negative conversations, and arguably, at a higher priority than the positive ones. Read on for the extended explanation! Why every business should consider social listening Given the traditional nature of the chemicals industry, social listening was not always top of mind for a company like Solvay. However, in 2018  a single tweet relating to our brand went viral. Despite the damage it did to our reputation, it was our “ah ha” moment that opened our eyes to the need of having a setup in place that allows us to monitor mentions and be able to respond fast to conversations considered a threat.  This moment also spurred our

The Business Need Preparation-H team wanted to find answers to questions many brands should be asking themselves in today’s reality: Should we have a presence on social media? If so, where? How do we align our brand comms with the voice of our consumer (Starting with basics, including - how do customers refer to our brand?) What should the tone of our social voice be? (Our early thinking was that we should opt for an informative & formal persona) What opportunities are there, outside of direct product mentions, to drive awareness and engagement within our target audience? In the past, those questions would be addressed by traditional research methodologies such as focus groups. While a good source of information, these typically take time, require substantial budget and are limited when it comes to scope. None of these barriers exist for social and so we set out to explore the category and uncover consumer insights. Building the Query - Brand Internally, we often refer to this bran

Continuing our discourse from Tuesday, let’s review another real use case.  Today, we will focus on the Dental Health Care Provider (DHCP) audience. Business ObjectiveIdentify and categorize online stakeholders who are Dentists or Hygienists into communities to better understand how they advise their clients and followership ContextWhat you’ll see below is our first take at setting up the DHCP query. The community we found has been a significant source of insight for our expert team and, as a result of our findings, we’ll be updating the set up. More of that later but this is your reminder to keep reviewing and refinding your queries - markets, preferences and consumer behaviors change - we need to stay on top of it! Our key task in this instance was to understand what role the DHCP plays online, and are they driving the preventative care conversation online.  Step 1 - Building the query & categorizing the tribe members Using the same bio: operator technique as with the Hispanic Tr

Introducing the Social Listening Maturity Model This week's focus is the Social Media Maturity Model. The model will help you answer the “where do I start?” question many of us face when tasked with building or leading a social listening team. I want to make sure we dive into each part and discuss what it means to your teams and businesses.  I’ll share my experience but would love to hear how the model fits within your organizational setup.  A model for every business type  I co-developed this model when I joined GSK, now Haleon.  With no existing roadmap or set objectives, we needed a solid baseline and universal understanding of where we are as an organization, and where we want to be. That’s the biggest reason why I call our model a maturity model - it implies a process that takes time. The first phase and one we will uncover this week represents the building of your social capacities. This is where we experiment and get things wrong. With time, and as we progress in our maturity le

This week, we take a closer look at online communities and how advanced technology can help to identify and better understand these consumer groups. There is so much brands can learn, from the way audiences communicate to simply how they behave online. The tribes forming organically around shared beliefs, dislikes or even geographies are known for their engagement, fandom and often wit and knowledge. They are perfect for gathering social listening insights! I’ll deep dive into two specific case studies, outlining how we utilize the advanced bio operator in Explore: Hispanic Trendsetters (today) Dental Health Care Providers (Thursday)Let’s go! Case Study 1: Hispanic Trendsetters Business ObjectiveIdentify and categorize online stakeholders of Hispanic heritage into communities (tribes) to better understand their interests in our category and pop culture ContextI was advised by my team that “Hispanic Trend Setters” carry a significant amount of influence in the country, as well as pop cu