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Regular use of social media by businesses has become one of the most reliable ways to communicate with customers and clients quickly and easily. Public relations campaigns no longer rely solely on traditional forms of content such as print media, so it is crucial for businesses to keep up with evolving trends. While it has become increasingly common to see firms managing LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts, a new contender is quickly making an impact in the market.

Through utilising short-form content, TikTok is proving highly popular with the younger generation in the form of snappy, humorous and easily shareable videos, but why? And is there a place for businesses to capitalise on its growing popularity?

If we look into the psychology behind short-form content, a case has been made that for Generation Z, attention spans have shortened. Content can now be accessed more quickly and more easily, creating greater levels of instant demand for multiple pieces of content, and TikTok has continued this trend by putting a 60 second limit on multiple clip uploads. And it’s not just video. Pop songs are now 1 minute and 13 seconds shorter than they were 20 years ago. Increased quantity of content in a shorter form is now the name of the game.

Much has been said on the benefit that video content can provide to organisations. It has shown to grab a customer or prospect’s attention in a way images can’t, so many are now taking advantage of original video creations in their social media campaigns. But there’s a case that it may be time to complement those 2-3 minute informational videos with short-form light-hearted content to add a new dynamic to customer relations, with TikTok potentially holding the key.

As the PR landscape continues to be driven by social media more and more, is it time for businesses to jump on the TikTok bandwagon? TikTok’s potential in the business world could well be fulfilled by Microsoft’s apparent interest in acquiring its US operations in the near future.

With LinkedIn already a part of the Microsoft portfolio, could we see TikTok video integration on the platform in the future? Some of the world’s biggest brands already use TikTok to communicate with customers, with NBA and Apple Music sharing unique short-form videos to their followers. The uptake of the platform with other major brands may well hinge on current investigations on how the firm currently handles sensitive data. Many global businesses are likely to be watching these developments with interest.

With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting many across the globe, organisations and industries have looked to bring a new light-hearted approach to their marketing and bring people together during these tough times. Many organisations could well find that by utilising TikTok and other social media platforms to share fun and engaging content, a whole new type of bond can be built between customer and business.

Name, title and how long you’ve been at Whiteoaks

Maddy Birtles, Account Executive, have been at Whiteoaks for 1 year 9 months

In your current role, what does a typical day look like?

Every day can be different in PR, but a typical day in my current role usually starts with reading the morning papers and looking online for the latest headlines and news stories. From then, my day will involve a couple of weekly catch-up calls with clients, team meetings and brainstorms and speaking to lots of journalist in media to secure ops for clients; ranging from press releases, thought leadership articles, briefings, features and news hijacking.

How did you get into PR?

I worked as a marketing assistant prior to my first PR role at Whiteoaks. Having experienced marketing for a couple of years, I was keen to explore another avenue and I was always intrigued by the buzzy fast-paced environment surrounding PR. I saw Whiteoaks was recruiting for a Junior Account Executive, and the rest is history.

What did you study and how has it helped you grow your career?

I completed a marketing apprenticeship while working at my previous job, which not only gave me some great workplace experience, but also gave me the confidence to get myself out there and explore new opportunities and a career path in PR. I think the knowledge I gained and confidence I built helped me right from the interview stage and kick-started all the new skills I have learnt now.

Why PR?

I’ve always kept myself up to date with the news and what’s going on in the world, which plays a huge part in PR. I like getting creative and being able to use that creativity towards building a brand, and I like being part of that brand’s journey. Being in a PR agency environment also gives you such a variety of different clients and sectors to work with. I enjoy building my own knowledge on the wide industry landscape, as well using it to secure opportunities for clients.

What is the best part of your day?

Receiving good feedback from a client always boosts my day. Knowing that the results you and the team are delivering are having a positive impact for the client and making a real difference to their business is definitely a motivator for me.

What advice would you give to people who want to get into PR as a career?

If you’re keen to get into PR but don’t necessarily have the qualifications, don’t let this prevent you from getting your foot in the door, work experience goes a long way. Don’t be afraid to get creative, keep up with the news agenda and touch up on your social media profiles if you haven’t already – these are a great way to connect with journalists and others in the PR network, as well as build your own personal PR profile.

What do you like most about your current role?

Being in the thick of the excitement when you secure a great opportunity for your client has to be one the most enjoyable parts of the role. Collaborating with the team and coming up new ideas is also something I really enjoy.

If you didn’t work in PR, what would your ideal job be?

I’d be an interior designer and own a bakery on the side.

Social media is now firmly part of the marketing mix and is a powerful way to communicate with customers, partners, employees and prospects. A core part of social media strategy is to make your target audience stop, engage with your content, and take action. The question you have to ask yourself when creating content for your brand is what makes a user stop, what’s in it for them? A person will only stop if they are getting something in return. Will it educate them? Help them? Humour them? Can they relate to it? Content is the ultimate currency when it comes to social media. And how that content is distributed adds another layer.

Having a corporate social media account that shares great content is powerful but there is more that can be done. Your employees are the backbone of your business. They drive it forward and deliver customer success. Employees are the lynchpin of your organisation, and arguably your biggest advocates. Encouraging your leadership team, spokespeople, key representatives or sales team to join social media and be part of your corporate social media strategy is a hefty mix. Not only does it expand your reach, but it expands your reach with the right audience by tapping into networks your employees have built up. Having your employees on social media also helps put a name and face to your brand and can deliver your content in a more genuine, trustworthy way. People like people.

Careful consideration should be given to who should represent your business. You should also make them aware of your social media policy and what they can and can’t do. Keeping them updated with what social media best practice looks like will also help them get better results. Whether an individual is about to start representing your business on social media, or  looking to refresh their approach, they should always remember the basics:

– Your profile is your online introduction. Create a professional looking page with a professional photo (no holiday snaps)
– Grow the right audience. Think quality over quantity. If someone can’t add value to your network, don’t add them
– Share your knowledge with captivating insightful information and updates
– Establish a good post frequency between business and industry updates. Don’t spam your audience by constantly sharing corporate post activity
– Balance professional and personal. The more transparent an individual is, the more trustworthy they will be. No ‘business babble’
– Listen engage and interact with your audience

Combining corporate social media channels with key individual accounts will not only enhance your social media strategy, and social ROI, but it will position key employees as thought leaders in their field of expertise online. Growing an army of social media influence will allow people to engage with your business in a more friendly genuine manner. Find out more about our digital capabilities here

Laughter is good for soul. Or so the saying goes. We find humour in everything, from dog and cat videos online, to stand-up comedians and 30-minute sitcoms. But what about elsewhere like adverts or brand communications? Definitely yes — the Old Spice ad of The Man Your Man Could Smell Like sticks in my mind, as does the self-deprecating humour of the Skoda ads or the classic Skittles.

 

It’s easy to recall it in the B2C environment but when it comes to B2B why aren’t we using more humour? But I guess the question many people would rather ask is should we use humour in B2B.

Again, my answer is definitely yes.

B2B isn’t some impenetrable fortress of earnestness. Because the one thing we often forget about this space is that B2B decision makers are people too. It’s true that the purchasing decisions are bigger and require more research (aftershave versus buying hardware for an entire enterprise, for example) and the consequences of making the wrong decision are also greater. But…brands still need to attract attention and help buyers along that journey. And what better way to do that than with humour?

There are many things that don’t translate from the B2C environment, but humour isn’t one of them. B2B audiences are more serious, because let’s face it, automation software or cloud aren’t inherently funny. But humour can be used to help brands connect with their audience and get their message across.

Humour can also help brands stand out in a competitive marketplace and make a product memorable. Just consider how this worked in the B2C context for Old Spice. It’s just an aftershave which is pretty subjective for most people and on its own definitely not something we find funny. And yet, humour works. Makes it memorable.

In the business to business space, and especially the B2B tech space, the same can be true. The key thing is that it needs to be done properly, tastefully, and align with the target audience. It also needs to fit in with the brand values, purpose and messaging, and form part of the wider marketing and PR strategy.

Ultimately, tapping into humour is often the key to unlocking people, even in B2B. The path to success, as with many things marketing and PR related, lies in its execution.

It’s those three short words many of us have come to recoil from – ‘the new normal’. We’d not heard this phrase much before 2020 and we’d be happy if we never heard the world’s most famous oxymoron again. Who was it who sanctioned taking the word ‘normal’ from the adjective box and dumping it into the one for nouns where it really doesn’t belong? Language pedants should be up in arms! Besides, surely ‘abnormal’ would be more appropriate to describe a situation that nobody could consider normal in any sense of the word.

What the new normal actually means has been changing seemingly every week and has extended to being asked not to scream on rollercoasters. It’s such a powerful phrase because it conveys the sense of inevitability – it’s the new normal so get used to it. This is perhaps the reason so many object to its overuse in the media, and by politicians and even scientists. There is an implied sense of permanence and we are left wondering if the old normal will ever come back.

The language of the lockdown is a fascinating subject to observe, especially as a writer, as a whole new vocabulary has sprung up over the past few months. Language has a powerful effect on our emotions and when we are exposed to negative vocabulary such as crisis, restrictions, quarantine, panic, unprecedented and death count, day after day after day it is bound to sink into our subconscious and have an effect on our psyche.

Many also question the widespread use of the term ‘lockdown’ itself. Dictionary definition, “the confining of prisoners to their cells, typically in order to regain control during a riot.” It is one thing to voluntarily stay at home to fight the spread of the virus, but ‘lockdown’ can conjure up feelings of being under house arrest in one’s own home and removes the concept of volunteering from the equation.

Another phrase nobody had ever heard before this year is social distancing – another oxymoron, which should have been dubbed anti-social distancing due to the effect it has on human relationships. Then there is the increasing use of uncertain, especially ‘we’re living in uncertain times’ and ‘we are uncertain of the outcome’. Similar to ‘unprecedented’, these words have dozens of synonyms, but the politicians and media have come to rely on these phrases to push home the point. It would be nice if they could have the imagination to conjure up some more uplifting alternatives.

On a lighter linguistical note, some creative souls have come up with a whole dictionary’s worth of lockdown lingo which may or may not end up in the dictionaries published in 2021, but can certainly give us a chuckle. Of the lockdown slang which has sprung up all over the place online, some of the stand outs include:

  • Coronials – “The generation born between December 2020 and March 2021, as a result of the enforced quarantining of their parents due to the Covid-19 pandemic” – Urban Dictionary.
  • Quarantinis – “experimental cocktails mixed from whatever random ingredients you have left in the house.”
  • Coronacoaster – “The ups and downs of your mood during the pandemic. You’re loving lockdown one minute but suddenly weepy with anxiety the next. It truly is “an emotional coronacoaster”.
  • Blue Skype thinking – “a work brainstorming session which takes place over a videoconferencing app.”

With so much negativity around the language of lockdown, finding such humour in it is important to maintaining our psychological wellbeing and to deal with adversity during what hopefully will actually turn out to be only a ‘temporary normal.’

While June saw the reopening of many non-essential shops (dependant on the following of new COVID-19 secure guidelines), it’s now the turn of pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants in England to welcome back customers for the first time since lockdown began in March.

From tomorrow (July 4th) England will also see the likes of hairdressers and cinemas opening their doors once more. However, for the hospitality industry, as they start to resume operations, entering these establishments could be a very different experience from how it was before the coronavirus outbreak and much of the sector’s success will rely on technology to ensure the safety of both customers and staff.

To support the NHS’ Test and Trace initiative, the government is encouraging the likes of pubs to take records of customer data, including visit duration and name and number, when they enter the premises and maintain that information for at least 21 days. As well as having your pub session monitored, customers can also expect to be more widely using food and drink ordering apps to reduce contact with staff members.

Despite these safety measures, a recent survey from EY stated that more than two-thirds (67%) of UK consumers believe it will take months or longer before they feel comfortable going to a restaurant, with similar sentiments for visiting cinemas and bars/pubs.

Quite rightly, EY also identified that this reluctance to flock to the pubs when they open has caused a rise of the ‘anxious consumer’. With this in mind, it’s worth considering that while many backend operations have had to be put in place for businesses to integrate new apps and technology, in the months they’ve been closed, many establishments won’t have had the time to expand their own or their staff’s digital knowledge – particularly as the ONS found 80% of hospitality staff had been furloughed in this time.

Those new to this increased level of digital services also have GDPR to contend with which could become a legal minefield if not correctly monitored. Customer data is going to be pivotal to successfully and safely keep food, drink and entertainment businesses open, so handling this sensitive information correctly is going to be one of the most important aspects to a more digital hospitality industry.

As your time-honoured local is set to be a bit more tech-conscious, it’s probably inevitable that there will be some teething issues as they start to work with more app-based ordering and booking systems but hopefully they have used the lockdown time wisely by working with technology partners to help manage their capacity and safeguarding of data.

Ultimately it’s a positive step for England’s economy which has been hit hard since March 23rd, and as the hospitality sector is one of the UK’s biggest employers and contributes billions in revenue, hopefully this keeps us on a safe path to a ‘new normal’.

Before the Coronavirus outbreak, organisations were facing mounting pressure to become more sustainable and ethical. But the pandemic has also inadvertently shone a spotlight on a new priority: human relations. Once this situation eases, there will be a clear divide between the businesses that got their communications strategy right and those that didn’t. Not just externally, but internally too.

How organisations treat their workforce and support their mental health has become one of the most prominent re-occurring themes in the press as a result of many of us being forced to work from home in either isolation or challenging scenarios. As a B2B tech PR agency, we are fortunate to work with many HR technology providers who have solutions to these problems, which until now had been down de-prioritised in the boardroom.

In my experience of working with these HR tech companies, it’s all about delivering value not taking advantage of low-hanging fruit as there is an obvious opportunity for significant growth right now. Instead, they are very conscientious and aware of both their external and internal image. That may be due in part to an abundance of surveys conducted prior to COVID-19 that showcase the importance of having purpose as a business. One such survey found that 64% of millennial employees wouldn’t take a job if the employer doesn’t have a strong CSR policy, and 83% would be more loyal to a company that contributes to social and environmental issues.

Imagine what the statistics are now for those businesses that simply treat their workforce properly, and those that support their local communities.

The c-suite has taken note of these statistics. Many business leaders have upped the ante on their efforts to show empathy not only to their workforce, but to the wider community. We may be in the middle of an unprecedented time, but we’re also witnessing amazing gestures when the world needs it most. You need look no further than the many supermarkets who are opening earlier for the elderly and key workers, or to footballer Marcus Rashford’s drive to get free school meals to children that need them.

These big brand names and celebrities haven’t been forced to start these types of initiatives. They knowingly did so to help people. From a PR perspective, the moment a business or spokesperson show that they are passionate and care about any issue is the moment that their story becomes more impactful to the end audience.

But how does play out in the corporate or B2B environment?

A survey by Gallup of more than 10,000 employees want their leaders to show four primary feelings; trust, compassion, stability and hope. It could be argued that stability and hope are dictated by economic means whereas compassion and trust are firmly within a business leader’s control.

HR technology has a unique and powerful role to play right now as it doesn’t discriminate or assume who needs help. These solutions provide tools for everyone, and those organisations that have begun using new forms of technology to empower and support their workforce are reaping the rewards. As we slowly move forward and look to recover, those businesses that have embraced improving their own culture will become more attractive to new talent. The business leaders that use these solutions are demonstrating compassion by providing a support system and as a result, are more likely to be trusted by the employee because they are seen to care about them. In turn, that employee is likely to become more productive as a result, and be more desirable to the employer from a career progression viewpoint.

Firms that demonstrate empathy and compassion are the ones that the public will trust. Shifting the perception of your business through positive communication will have a knock-on sales impact because the choice doesn’t just come down to price. It comes down to whether that provider is trustworthy and likely to value you as a partner, which can often be identified by the way they handle their communication.

There is one question that everyone wants the answer to: what is the secret of success? Whether that’s writing a book, baking the perfect Black Forest Gateau or running a business. In the highly competitive B2B tech market, success has many different elements. As a PR agency that has worked with high performing tech businesses for the past 25 years we wanted to understand more about what success looks like, especially looking at sustained growth.

We spoke to a handful of CEOs and CMOs to get their views on success, the use of PR and marketing and the approaches they were taking to ensure sustained growth, and created the Secrets of Tech Growth ebook.

Interviewees Martin Philpott, CMO of Adatis, Alistair Mackenzie, CEO of Predatar, and Mark Paraskeva, from paiyroll, joined our most recent Team Talk Session to share their insights with us and some of our clients.

Many ingredients for success

Culture, business model, building the right team, and the use of PR and marketing all have a role to play in helping businesses sustain growth. But our focus for the session was on the way that PR and marketing helped these businesses.

The consensus among participants was that communications should be used early on in the growth journey — whether that is to create awareness or as part of a wider campaign. While it’s relatively quick to get started as a business, it is more challenging to stand out once established, and that’s where communications is important. Especially with the right core message and consistency across channels and touchpoints, which often ties in with co-ordination between sales and marketing.

Finding your niche

The interviewees in our session each took a different approach to the use of communications, because there is no one-size-fits-all approach. One company began its journey attending technical forums, presentations and networking events, before evolving into using its colleagues to generate knowledgeable content, and then formalising a defined marketing approach and team. Another relied on PR and marketing to frame its narrative and origin story as it transformed its business model and became a SaaS business — not just for external audiences, but getting buy-in from staff too. While another adapted its marketing approach as it went, with the result that marketing itself helped refine and influence its product development for new audiences that were not initially considered.

While each approach was different, the one common factor was that each organisation ensured its communication objectives were aligned to the wider business objectives. After all, a good idea is only a good idea if it forms part of the bigger picture.

Talking to many

Another point of discussion was around the challenges of addressing multiple audiences — refining different messages for different personas is essential and something that integrated marketing campaigns can help with. Not all audiences engage with content in the same way or on the same channel, but by developing tailored messaging across touchpoints companies can reach their desired audiences.

The biggest secret

In the quest for success, whether that’s achieving sustainable growth, launching a new product or changing business models, we can all agree that PR and marketing plays a starring role. That’s no secret.

So what is the secret to success? Simply put, there isn’t just one. There’s no single point that makes tech businesses successful. Instead, success is all about evaluating your business, your marketplace and the opportunities that exist, while evolving your approach as your business evolves, and making the most of the resources you have in the best way possible.

More secrets to tech growth are revealed in our eBook — download your copy today to find out what they are.

Or keep an eye out for our next Team Talk session. Keep an eye on your inbox and our social feeds to find out more.

We are living in a time that is full of innovative and disruptive technologies. This is supported by the vast number of companies that are receiving huge funding rounds each week, just so they can find the smallest competitive advantage in their market. But with the sheer number of tech companies that are operating in your market, how do you achieve sustainable growth?

This is an ongoing challenge for business leaders. How do you ensure your company is financially stable enough to stay in the market, while continuously investing in your technology to stay ahead of the competition? It’s a bit of a Catch-22 and one that many experts have tried to answer. A good example is Uber who has been operating for over 10 years and received $24.7 billion in funding to date but has never turned a profit. With increased pressure from its investors to prove that the business can be profitable, what are the next steps? What can fast-growth tech businesses like Uber do?

To answer those questions, we spoke to business leaders  who are currently and successfully managing their path to sustainable growth.

Introducing The Secrets of Tech growth — our research designed to answer these questions and shed some light on the experiences of those who are at the helm of successful, fast-growth companies. We interviewed a series of past, present and prospective clients, both CEOs and CMOs, to gather their insights on how their businesses are pushing forward, how they are using PR and marketing, and what advice they would give future market entrants.

The research covers multiple industries and the interviews reveal some shared views as well as differing opinion. For example, some focus their growth on providing customer value, whereas others prioritise company culture..

The views on when to deploy PR and marketing also differ between CMOs and CEOs but the use of it is considered vital in the growth of a company. Some companies opt to use purely digital platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn and others are focused on staff-generated content. The eBook reveals some reassuring and some surprising yet thought-provoking insights into the journeys, challenges and practices of a cross-section of fast-growth tech businesses.

With over 25 years as an established tech PR agency, that has worked with many fast-growth companies and played a part in their success, we recommend that any fast-growth firm considering PR investment first ask themselves how it can aid their growth plans. Our deliberately different approach ensures that you are getting the maximum out of your investment.

Gain insight into how to achieve sustainable growth in a competitive market by downloading The Secrets of Tech Growth.

 

What is the one piece of tech / software / device that you discovered you can’t live without during lockdown?

ZH: I’ve rediscovered my Xbox over lockdown. Of course, I’ve heavily relied on my phone and streaming services too, but I haven’t really played my Xbox for a couple of years, since I was in university. It’s helped to pass the time.

AC: Zoom’s been an essential during lock down — not just for work but also to attend live workout classes with studios I would attend prior to this. I’ve found that it’s hugely helped cement a routine into each week and has allowed me to check in with friends who have similar interests.

Spotify has also been key. Discovering new podcasts/ creating new playlists for running etc., has played a major role in giving me some time out.

 

What has been your favourite lockdown activity so far?

ZH: I’ve done a few virtual quizzes that have been lots of fun, but getting outside in the sun for daily walks and runs has made this lockdown bearable — thank goodness the ‘April showers’ never arrived! Whilst it may feel like the sunny weather has been wasted because we haven’t been able to go to the beach and have garden parties with friends and families, I think if we had all been trapped indoors because of rain, this lockdown would have been even more challenging.

AC: For me it’s being able to be at home. As a society, we spend so much time out of the house at work so despite the circumstances, I’m truly grateful that I’ve had time to enjoy the space we live in.

 

What is your favourite lockdown snack?

ZH: Percy Pigs. Lockdown or no lockdown, I feel very fortunate to live near enough to an M&S so I can pop in to restock. Over lockdown I’ve discovered the ‘phizzy pigtails’ variety too, which I’d highly recommend to any fellow Percy Pig lovers.

AC: OMG YES, great question! My sister dropped round some homemade rocky road the other week and it was incredible. It lasted all of 2 hours, with me indulging in all 4 slices in one sitting. The next day I texted her to request that she never brings any round again as I have zero control!

 

What are you currently watching / reading / listening to?

ZH: I’m in between Netflix shows at the moment, having recently finished both Ozark and Hollywood, both of which I really enjoyed. I’ve been listening to a few more podcasts on my longer runs too — Peter Crouch’s podcast is always funny and has somewhat helped the need for a football fix.

AC: Just finished binge watching White Lines on Netflix. Absolutely obsessed. It’s got everything a great series should have — action, mystery and romance. I can’t go into much detail but it’s a must-see!

At the moment I’m also reading The Tournament by Matthew Reilly. I read one of his books earlier this year and loved his style of writing so had to give this one a go. It’s set in the Tudor times which isn’t normally something I’d go for but after diving into a couple of chapters in the sunshine, I’m hooked!

 

Have you learnt or tried anything new?

ZH: I have something of a new running routine which has given me a goal to work towards. With no commute and more free time, I’ve been doing these 1-mile runs most days. It’s short enough that I can’t make any excuses not to go out on them, but not too long that I need to plan my evening around them. I’ve been timing myself too, so it’s been rewarding to see myself get quicker each week. I’m still just short of my goal which is sub-7 minutes, but hopefully by lockdown-end, I’ll get there. It’s also really improved my speed on longer runs too, which is a bonus.

AC: My partner and I have perfected the recipe for cinnamon buns — oh yes, we did shamefully jump on the bandwagon.

We’ve also discovered three nature reserves within walking distance of our house which is incredible considering we recently got a new puppy!

 

What’s the first thing you’ll do when lockdown is lifted?

ZH: It will probably involve seeing my family. Me and my mum have birthdays in June and July, so it would be nice if lockdown is lifted in time to celebrate those.

AC: I’d love to say something really exciting but in all honesty, I can’t wait to go to the hairdresser, my hair is crying out for some attention!