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Category: Social Media + Influencer Engagement

Soccer PR: USWNT World Cup Win

Soccer PR: USWNT World Cup Win

November 11, 2019January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagementpr strategy, Raleigh PR Agency, Womens Soccer

I’m a soccer fan – more specifically, a U.S. Women’s National Team (USWNT) fan. So you can imagine, as the concluding whistle blew at the World Cup finals this summer and the USWNT paraded around the field in Lyon, France, I was watching from my home in Charlotte with tears of joy in my eyes. The beloved team I have ardently followed for the last six years won the greatest match in its sport.

With the lingering excitement from the USA win, I can’t help but think about how these soccer icons employed an unofficial – yet effective – PR strategy during the World Cup to support their own goal of securing equal pay in the industry. Through establishing relationships, understanding their audience and leveraging the tools and circumstances at hand, these pro-athletes fostered support and acceptance for equal pay activism.

Here’s how the USWNT made an impact in the PR game.

@kelleyohara

Social Media: Every day of the World Cup, the players were extremely active on social media. These interactions garnered excitement and attention, encouraged fellow players on match day and eventually gained worldwide engagement. Seeing the team not only post consistently but also intentionally interact with each other on social media platforms helped the nation to adore the friendships and camaraderie on the team. Bolstered by this bond with its fans, the USWNT effortlessly collected supporters to rally behind it on and off the field, even yielding “equal pay” chants after securing the final victory. 

The Power of Relationships: Due to the attention drawn to the wage conversation during the World Cup, USWNT sponsors willingly responded to the noise. Secret Deodorant, LUNA Nutrition Bars and other team sponsors donated money in an effort to help close the wage gap. Because of the positive relationships cultivated by the team, the sponsors made a statement of support, providing the team greater exposure, agency and acceptance. 

Press Coverage: The women knew the amount of news coverage they would get surrounding a World Cup win, so they took advantage of the opportunity. For example, the players weaved the topic of wage equality into post-match and post-win interviews. Players Carli Lloyd, Christen Press, Morgan Brian and other notables even sat down with then-CBS News Correspondent Norah O’Donnell to discuss their next steps in spurring the end to wage inequality in their sport.

With a win, the team more powerfully leveraged its position in the media’s presence to earn circulation of its equal pay message. The country that so faithfully supports the team’s on-the-field effort has now rallied behind its message of equality.

I love soccer and PR. Check out my introduction blog to learn a little more about me!

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Clocking Time on the Newest App: TikTok

Clocking Time on the Newest App: TikTok

October 3, 2019January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement#generationz, #socialmediamarketing, PR

Have you heard of TikTok? It’s the latest social media app that’s used to create videos, and it’s creating a craze among Gen-Z (and celebs)!

TikTok’s content is largely comedic and ranges from lip-syncing and dancing to random talents. The platform’s laidback and unsophisticated tone presents an opportunity to showcase the fun, candid and expressive side of your company. 

Below are four ways you can use TikTok to promote your brand:

  1. In-feed Native Content: Companies can promote content through full-screen advertisements. Similar to Instagram Story ads, these are 9-15-second videos. The success of in-feed native content ads can be measured through engagements, video views, click-through rates and impressions.
  2. Brand Takeovers: TikTok gives companies the opportunity to take over the app for the day and create images, videos and GIFs. Users can also embed links to their own brand sites for easy access. And since analytics are key, the companies can evaluate brand takeovers through impressions and click-through rates.
  3. Hashtag Takeovers: Companies can create their own hashtags, often in the form of a challenge, to encourage participation and engagement. Dreamwork Pictures and McDonald’s have both utilized this feature in their TikTok digital marketing strategies. Dreamwork Pictures promoted its new Netflix show by challenging users to create TikTok videos of themselves dancing to the show’s theme song. Users were asked to post their videos using the specific Dreamwork hashtag. The campaign reached more than 34.4 million users with more than 2.6 million engagements.
  4. Branded Lenses: Similar to Instagram and Snapchat filters, companies can design custom lenses that users can select to overlay or filter their videos. Featured under the “hot” and “trending” categories on the platform, this new element can live for up to 10 days on TikTok.
tiktok.com

Bottom line, because the platform isn’t saturated by influencer presence and heavy marketing (yet), your approach to TikTok, as with any other successful strategy, should be guided by authenticity. But the clock is ticking, and this app has the potential to become a favorite; so jump on board early to have some fun and see if TikTok is right for your brand.

Looking for ways to get your brand noticed? We can help with that! Drop us a line!

By Haylee Hicks, Clairemont Intern and junior at NC State University.

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Leveraging LinkedIn

Leveraging LinkedIn

August 27, 2019January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Professional Development, Social Media + Influencer EngagementLinkedIn, linkedin marketing, LInkedin Profile, Online Branding

How you present yourself to the world matters.

If you brand yourself intentionally and authentically, you are much more likely to stand out and hone a positive image. While some elements of your brand are beyond your control (you can’t control what people say about you, for example), you can control the passions, skills, experiences and personality traits you share with the world. And LinkedIn is the perfect platform for doing so.

In fact, LinkedIn should be the starting point when building or refining your personal brand. Read on for tips on how to make the most of this popular platform.

Managing your time: LinkedIn vs. Resumes

“What’s better than the best resume? No resume.” These are the wise words of Gary Kayye, a professor at UNC whom I had the pleasure of listening to at a workshop. What he meant by this scandalous phrase is that your online presence should be so strong that you don’t need a resume. And LinkedIn is the perfect starting point for establishing a killer digital footprint.

According to Kayye, for every hour you spend on your resume, spend two or more on LinkedIn. First of all, most hiring managers look for candidates on LinkedIn. Second, the platform has an amazing job search function. Third, resumes have to be one page, but LinkedIn doesn’t even have pages. It allows you to connect your blog posts, upload graphics you’ve designed, link to articles you’ve written and more. LinkedIn is dynamic, whereas the resume is static.

Avoid a photo faux pas

Include a photo of yourself on LinkedIn. Profiles without pictures are not taken as seriously! While it goes without saying that your LinkedIn photo should be high-quality and professional, it’s also important that it is reflective of your personality. If you never wear suits, don’t wear a suit in your profile picture. Looking professional doesn’t necessarily require formality, especially if that’s not who you are. For instance, I’m a writer, I’m creative, and I like design; so my cover photo — an aesthetic desk featuring a typewriter — encapsulates these elements of my personality. You can go on sites like Unsplash, Pixabay and Canva to find quality photos you like and re-use them for free.

Experience

For each position you list, include a detailed description. Providing a lot of information demonstrates your full range of skills, your growth and your dedication to your previous jobs. If applicable, upload or link to portfolio pieces you created in each position.

Engagement

Consistent engagement on LinkedIn keeps your profile fresh, deepens your connections and supplies you with up-to-date knowledge on your industry. To stay engaged, it is important to like and comment on posts so that LinkedIn shows you are active. Post your blogs on LinkedIn, share work you’re proud of and mention seminars you’ve recently attended. In essence, you can’t put too much information on your LinkedIn page. Follow outlets, companies and agencies that you admire. This is the equivalent of a “like” on LinkedIn. If you apply for a job at a certain organization, make sure you follow it on LinkedIn.

Connecting

Connect with as many people as possible. Don’t decline invitations, unless the other person appears questionable. The more people you connect with, the more likely you are to have second-degree connections with people with whom you really want to connect. Furthermore, when sending an invitation, always add a note. If you’ve met the person before, mention your shared history in some way. If it is a cold invite, make sure to include in your message why you want to connect.

Recommendations

Ask a supervisor to write you a recommendation on LinkedIn. Similar to how people tend to trust product reviews by customers more than they trust advertisements, they place value in profiles that feature a thoughtful recommendation. It shows that your future success is important enough for a colleague to have taken the time to write a paragraph for you.

Just remember that LinkedIn isn’t a log-in-once-a-year kind of platform. If you want it to thrive after you invest time into polishing your profile, then you need to spend at least 15 minutes on it a week. And these few minutes will be well worth your time once you score a high-profile connection or discover a great professional opportunity.  

Next up, it’s time to grow your professional network on other social media channels. Check out this blog on making the right connections, no matter the platform!

Piper Anderson is a recent graduate of UNC. Check out her LinkedIn here.

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Pasta PR

Pasta PR

July 11, 2019January 31, 2023 Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer EngagementBanza, influencer marketing, Kristen Bell

Getting creative with influencer outreach

When a box of chickpea pasta stuns someone with its splendor, you know creative PR has been at work. This very thing happened when noodle company Banza dazzled Kristen Bell in such a way that she had to post a video about it. I came across this video at a Raleigh Public Relations Society meeting, where Abigail Quesinberry, AVP of social media and influencer marketing at French West Vaughn, was discussing the ins and outs of working with influencers. While outlining the importance of personalized outreach to influencers, she showed us this Instagram post:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BfuFQ58B0w6/?hl=en

Kristen Bell had sent a “love note” to Banza, a company that produces chickpea noodles, telling them how much she adores its product. In response, Banza sent her a completely customized pasta box. Mimicking the packaging’s typical design, the Banza logo was replaced by “Kristen Bell,” and phrases like “25 g protein, 13 g fiber” were replaced by “25 g charm, 14 g humor.” The box makes reference to various aspects of her personality, from geekiness to vocal range.

“And apparently, Banza, they’re a bunch of comedians,” Bell said. “You guys have just made my day! Thank you.” She also declared that this was probably the best present she has ever received. That’s some high-level praise! Praise made even more remarkable by the fact that it’s earned media. Not to mention that in the sea of influencer-brand content, this interaction stands out for its cleverness, humor and originality.

The secret of Banza’s success? Bell nailed it when she referred to the company as comedians. Bell is funny herself, so comedy is the most direct way to her heart. Banza delivered its response to her note in a way that matched Bell’s sense of humor. A more serious or traditionally professional response wouldn’t have garnered the same reaction. The box is not only fun and quirky just like Bell, but the gesture is also totally unexpected. By exceeding expectations in such a phenomenal way, Banza all but guaranteed her response.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzTM1PqFKsv/

Research is important. Banza obviously did quite a lot when curating characteristics of Bell’s personality to include on the box. However, this video also demonstrates that creativity is just as essential. All the research in the world won’t help if the execution falls flat of stunning.

Evidently, if a PR professional wants to see outstanding results when reaching out to an influencer, they have to make the extra effort to create a hyper-personalized message. And, if possible, a clever, inventive message. The same concept applies if you’re trying to create feelings of surprise and joy in a customer.

One of Clairemont’s areas of expertise is creating stunning, head-turning influencer campaigns. So if you’re itching to reach out to an influencer in a memorable way but don’t know where to start, check out Kelli’s blog on nano-influencers!

Piper Anderson is a Clairemont intern and recent graduate of UNC.

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Getting Personal: Building Your Brand

Getting Personal: Building Your Brand

May 31, 2019January 31, 2023 Kelli FletcherBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagementbranding, branding tips, personal brand

In the digital age when everything from cars to cats has an Instagram account, a Facebook page and even a Twitter handle, it has become obvious that branding isn’t just for businesses anymore. Branding, it seems, is necessary for anyone (or anything) with a public presence.

Carefully cultivating your personal brand is important. It allows you to control your narrative both visually and verbally, which is critical in a time when first impressions are often in the form of a Google search. In fact, in a survey last year, it was found that a whopping 70 percent of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process.

When you consider that big companies put a hefty amount of money and time behind establishing a brand, you may think you don’t have what it takes to create your own. But really, it’s a lot easier than you think. Simply put, your personal brand is what you do, how you do it and why. Which means, it’s nearly impossible to fake. And building your personal brand will do for you what it does for big businesses: make you stand out from the crowd.

We’ve rounded up a few easy steps that will assist you with establishing your personal brand and getting it up and running.

Know Yourself

Push past your passions to dig a bit deeper. What are your strengths? Values? What is your expertise? But keep in mind that (ironically) building your personal brand isn’t actually all about you. Think about your friends, family and coworkers – all the individuals in your circle. What are their needs and wants? What frustrates them? More importantly, how can YOU help, and how is it different from anyone else?

Know Your Audience

From their jobs to what brings them joy, study your audience. Where are they located? What makes them happy? But even more, get to know what they value and the challenges they face.

Once you identify them, reach out to connect to further explore what makes them tick. Begin creating content that aligns with each of these points to capture their eyes. Perhaps it’s an article with valuable tips on how to save time or money. Or maybe it’s simply a tell-all about your personal approach to an issue (anything from a design challenge to a parenting problem).

Know Your Message

Make it short. Make it simple. Make it strong. These things will make it memorable.

Position yourself as a person familiar with your audience’s interests, tastes and outlooks. Transfer this message across all your profiles – personal and professional. Most importantly, embody it in nearly everything you do. Doing this will help your message gain momentum and further make your mission clear.

Stay on Mark

Now that you have these three pillars in place, make sure you stay consistent with both your content and your cadence. Doing this will not only help you retain your audience (while also attracting new followers), but it will also keep you sharp and skilled, ready for interactions – on and offline.

Want to learn how we can help you build an authentic and strong personal brand? Send us a note!

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