Industry Experts & Best Practices

Sam Knowles has written three books on the topic of data storytelling. His new course on Meltwater Academy covers a lot of ground. I've summarized the main takeaways in the attached 15-slide deck, but here are my three favorite and most practical takeaways.1. You have to get the brief right!This is the one that saves you the most time, not the least. Before you touch a dashboard, write down who's reading this, how much data they can actually stomach, and what they need to decide because of it. Sam calls it a Pen Portrait, and it takes two minutes: project, audience, data tolerance, format. Finance can handle the detail, marketing wants the headline, the board wants one number and nothing else. Get that wrong and you're rewriting the whole report from scratch.2. This, because of this, means that.This is Sam's test for whether you actually have an insight or just a data point. Try to fit your finding into one sentence: this, because of this, means that. If coverage went up and sales went

If you work in PR or Comms, here’s a question worth asking: Do your metrics show what happened—or why it matters to the business?Meltwater just launched Data-Driven Communications: Business Priority, the first course in a new four-part DDC learning path.In under 30 minutes, you’ll learn how to identify the business priority your communications should support, establish an always-on North Star, and recognize when changing priorities should shift your focus.It’s complimentary and designed to help raise the bar for how our industry connects communications to business impact.Check it out on Meltwater Academy now!

In Singapore last week I ran a workshop at Meltwater's Summit on Tour. Over 350 people at the event, and alongside a panel discussion on Data-Driven Communications (recap coming later this week), I ran a dedicated session for a packed room of 80.We covered a lot!Meltwater and Gartner research — the challenges and trends shaping comms and PR right now The purpose of communications — why we aren't measuring the thing we're actually paid to deliver Team structure and organizational design — the setup a real center of excellence needs to deliver actionable insight The 4 levels of analytics maturity — going from describing what happened to handing your execs a strategic recommendation The 6 data sources of DDC — the ingredients every comms measurement lead should be working with The new customer journey — Reach to Revenue, by way of Relevance and Reputation The DDC Compass — the steps anyone can follow to start delivering measurable impact within 90 daysFor those who weren't in the room for

Hello!I have a methodological question regarding three metrics in X Insights. If Views are defined as “The number of views on all X mentions. Anyone logged into X who views a Post counts as a view, regardless of where they see it (e.g., Home, Search, Profiles, etc.) or whether or not they follow the author.” And Estimated Reach is defined as “Reach is an estimate of the de-duplicated follower count for all unique X handles. It is an estimate of the potential total audience of the posts.” And Estimated Impressions are defined as “An estimate calculation based on the number of followers per author. If an author has posted multiple times, they will be counted for each post.” Hence Views = effective impressions.  Then what is the purpose of the Estimated Reach and Estimated Impressions metrics? Are they to be understood as “the potential audience of the posts if they had been shown to all authors’ followers” (knowing that it is very unlikely that the algorithm displays a post to a whole au

What tips do you have for crafting email subject lines to maximize open rates? For instance, is there a suggested order of words? Will certain special symbols like “&” or “-” land my email in far more spam filters? Should I limit the subject line to a certain number of characters? Should I get the “main idea” or key words of the subject line within a certain number of characters? Does “click bait” language work well? How should clearly identifying the topic of my organization’s emails -- which are overwhelmingly press releases -- be balanced with brevity and intrigue? Looking for advice beyond the line “… long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to be interesting”? Does Meltwater already generate any analysis showing what has worked in the subject lines my colleagues and I have used? How much time do PR professionals on average dedicate to creating their subject line and how much time should they spend? I will add the caveat that I know that subject line crafting is onl

Sentiment, share of voice and mentions aren't crude, they're just the wrong layer A question came in through the course feedback on the North Star module last week, and it's exactly the right one to be asking at that point:"How can we move beyond crude data like sentiment, share of voice and mentions to really measure whether comms is helping to enhance reputation?"It's a meaty topic, and it's the entire focus area of the next module. But here's some practical advice you can use while we put the finishing touches on that course.First, a reframe. Sentiment, share of voice and mentions aren't necessarily crude. They're just the wrong layer for what you're trying to prove. They measure the conversation and the coverage. Reputation is a belief sitting in someone's head. Those are two different things, and no volume of coverage data will tell you what people actually think of you.So here are three moves to get from measuring the conversation to measuring belief.1. Name whose perception you

You may have started seeing Data-Driven Communications (DDC) pop up across Meltwater. Now, we’re bringing more of it here to mCommunity.DDC is a practice designed to help communications professionals use data to make better decisions, connect their work to the priorities of the business, and become more strategic advisors to their organizations.And you’ll be hearing a lot from me as the head of the Data-Driven Communications practice at Meltwater. (I hope you enjoy analogies, but hey, I have to be known for something!)I’ve been at Meltwater 17 years and work closely with communications leaders at complex global organizations exploring some of the biggest questions facing the profession: How do we move beyond reporting metrics to generating intelligence? How should AI change the way communications teams work? How do we earn greater influence with leadership? And how do we demonstrate the impact communications has on the business?A great place to start is Earning Your Seat, our podcast s

The best product marketing campaigns don’t come from creativity alone or data alone. They come from combining instinct, cultural awareness, and a deep understanding of your audience. Great marketing isn’t about choosing between gut feeling and analytics. It’s about knowing when each should lead. And yet: too many teams swing to extremes, either chasing what “feels cool” or over-validating ideas before they have a chance to grow. Neither works. Campaigns that actually drive results start with a strong point of view, then use data to refine and validate it, not replace it. This post breaks down how to balance all three so your campaigns are not just safe or trendy, but effective.  Start with instinct, then validate itEvery strong campaign starts with a point of view. A tension. A feeling. Maybe you can sense that your audience is tired of hyper-polished messaging, or that they crave transparency. Maybe you feel that your product deserves a little irreverence in an industry that takes its

In the age of AI, mass layoffs, and portfolio careers—how do we provide mentorship and support to the next generation of marketers and leaders? The workforce has changed faster than our approach to mentorship. So, if we want to support the next generation, we need to stop giving career-path advice and start teaching adaptability, thinking, and resilience. Traditional guidance—pick a path, climb the ladder, follow the plan—no longer reflects reality. Careers today are fluid, uncertain, and constantly evolving. Mentorship needs to reflect that shift. I’ve been to my fair share of conferences and have had the chance to talk with recent grads and young women stepping into their first roles. There’s a real sense of responsibility in those conversations—the pressure to offer something well-meaning and genuinely useful.  Here are five pieces of advice that actually helps early-career professionals navigate what comes next.  1. Don’t chase the “perfect path”, build adaptabilityFor decades, car

I finally have the time to go back and catch up on the Data Driven Coms courses. These were so good at providing new ways of how to deliver actionable insights to managers and leadership about media monitoring. I’ve spent the most time on the 2nd course because it could really change so much of what I do. I already took the quiz  for ‘Actionable Intelligence’ now I want to take the quiz for part I and part III but can’t find them in mAcademy. Any suggestions on how I can get to them?  

So, you’ve got Meltwater. You’re pulling sentiment reports, tracking brand buzz, maybe even dabbling in the art of a boolean query. But here’s the thing: having access to a tool isn’t the same as actually using it well, or helping your team do the same. Are you gatekeeping the tool or sharing the wisdom? Having access to any tool, Meltwater included, means nothing if no one else knows how to use it. I’m fortunate to be at a marketing agency, Quantious, that promotes a culture of innovation and ensures cross-training for every vertical. If your team members don’t know what Meltwater is or how to leverage it, you have some work to do. Let’s fix that. Here’s how to turn your tools from a mystery into muscle memory for everyone, not just for you. 1. Document your processesKnowing how to use a tool like Meltwater is only half the battle. Ensuring consistency and making sure your processes are repeatable is where the real magic happens. Has anyone ever asked you, “How did you pull that?” and

You can lead a team to data, but you can’t make them listen… at least, not without a little strategy.  You can share all the data you want, but chances are, you’re not making the most of it. I understand. When you’re bombarded with numbers and ROI calculations, it’s hard to decipher what this information means, let alone use that information to inform and update your strategy.  With social listening, for example, it’s likely that a team only sees hashtags and sentiment scores. The data is important, but the underlying meaning is often overlooked. Social listening is so much more than what’s at the surface. It’s how the world is talking about you, your competitors, your industry, and your future.  Be honest: Is your team effectively transforming your strategy, using the insights you have? How do your colleagues view social listening? Do they see it as “just a cool tool for marketing”? Or, are they able to connect the dots, refine strategy, and maximize their impact? If it’s not the latt

If you’re a marketer like myself, stepping into 2025 may have felt less like a smooth stride and more like running on ice. The fast pace and endless to-do lists that come with the new year can be overwhelming, but I’m determined to channel all that momentum into fresh opportunities, bold strategies, and a high-energy approach to the new year.Whether you’re looking to level up professionally, shake up your creative process, or expand your horizons, 2025 is brimming with potential. Here are ten bold, exciting, and maybe even questionable ways I plan to make the most of the year ahead. You’re invited to join me on this adventure of breaking routines, sparking creativity, and finding growth in unconventional places! Send a Cold DM to Someone You AdmireLeena Nair, Chanel’s Global CEO, recently gave a fascinating interview at Stanford Graduate School of Business, where she shared how bold, intentional networking helped to shape her career. In the early days, she would reach out to inspiring