Category Archives: Photography

Jan 13
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Smash search in 2019

Smashing search with your content marketing and digital PR for 2019

By | Blog | No Comments

I am doing a review for some clients of the work we have done last year. This type of analysis is vital work, because it is essential that you know what is working and what isn’t, especially when it comes to online content and your search SEO and other results. It is only by having objectives and then intelligently measuring performance that you can plan for the results you want going forwards. Of course, the beauty of content marketing is that everything is measurable; and paradoxically, that is also part of the problem.

 

Making sense of the data

In this world of big data, the intelligence lies in knowing what to measure and then, more importantly, what sense to make of that. Only then can you smash your performance year on year, or at least keep ahead of the tricky algorithm changes that have contributed to the decline in organic reach.

So here are some results. For 2 days a month activity for a 50-employee strong business with ca 2 million GBP turnover:

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Jan 06
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You are missing out by not using digital PR

SEO Warning: if you don’t know about PR backlinks you will be seriously damaging your search rankings

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I know so many people who are paying a lot for pay per click (PPC). I am no expert at SEO and this is my opinion, but I do honestly believe that unless you are a serious player with even more serious money, or in a niche big enough to make a long tail SEO strategy work, PPC is not the best way to improve your search engine page rankings (SERPS). Backlinks are Google’s most important signal when it comes to ranking your site, yet many businesses I know have never used them.

Now more than ever Google wants trustworthy, quality, expert content. Google does not want social media ‘wallpaper’ – posting for the sake of posting can end up being vapid and empty (and actually damage your SEO) – it wants insightful, knowledgeable, well researched pieces. Quality definitely trumps quantity. Whether that content is an article, video, infographic, graph, graphic, collage, animated infographic (and so on), if it is well-planned and created with knowledge and insight, Google will see it as valuable and what Google sees as valuable will get you clicks.

 

The No.1 source of content for SEO that you might be missing

According to Google itself, the two most important signals used by the world’s number one search engine to rank your website for search are high quality content and backlinks.

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Dec 28
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Do blogging well

Why it could be better not to have a blog this year

By | Blog | No Comments

I think by now we all know the benefits of blogging. Even the most SEO illiterate of us tell our web developer ‘I must have a blog section on my website’. But must you?

For sure blogging is about adding content to your site. Google likes content. The more content you have, the more traffic you will get, the more domain ‘authority’ you will build. It will get you search engine page rankings. But not necessarily.

Blogging can hurt your SEO

Ok even if you are posting on a regular basis, because everybody got a blog ‘because it was good for SEO’, that is precisely the reason why it is not good for SEO now. Google changed. In fact, in 2019 blogging can actually hurt your SEO (IMHO).

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Nov 06
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27413183_l

Why are manners in the workplace relevant to Changeworks?

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We are – more so than companies in other sectors – in the relationship business: we work in “public relations”, “media relations” and “employee engagement” amongst other fields,  so we think long and hard about connections between people, and how to influence  relationships, thoughts, feelings and behaviours.  As marketing professionals, we’re also interested in social trends – but you’ve noticed the decline of ties and pinstripes too.  Read More

Oct 01
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picture of man and woman in space laboratory

Doctor, Doctor

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Autumn’s here, the leaves are turning brown, the nights are pulling in and on Sunday 7th October the new series of Dr Who was launched.  Yeay!

For the first time there is a female Doctor – and about time too. At Changeworks we’re quite excited about that, even though we don’t handle PR for the programme.  As it’s is about time travel, let’s imagine a time in the future when the Daleks want to do business with us, rather than exterminate us.  Read More

Sep 11
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illusion of competence

The Illusion of Competence Epidemic

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At Changeworks we have an interest in psychology, so we’re familiar with the Dunning-Kruger effect – and you may be too – even if you haven’t heard the name. The effect is a type of cognitive bias, where people with minimal ability assume they actually have superior expertise or ability. This overestimation occurs specifically because they don’t have enough knowledge to know that they don’t have enough knowledge, which is an interesting paradox…

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May 11
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45946781 - modern flat design of email marketing. laptop with envelope or letters on world map background

How to make your emails impossible to ignore

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112.4 billion business emails are sent and received each day – that’s 122 emails a day per person! Despite the growth of other online communication channels, email continues to multiply.

Email marketing works because it allows you to reach your customers (and potential customers) in the place they visit every day. But once you get to the inbox, how do you make sure your emails actually get opened? Read More

Apr 16
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54160251 - listen communication listening noise concept

Why you shouldn’t copy JD Wetherspoon and close down your social media accounts

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It’s been reported this morning (Monday 16th April 2018) that JD Wetherspoon is closing its Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts for all its 900 pubs and head office following the abuse directed at MPs. Abusive behaviour has become an unfortunate spin-off of social media and often it does get in the way of productive discourse. However, the backlash is coming and such behaviour is becoming increasingly socially unacceptable. Much of it, of course, is also illegal.  Read More

Feb 26
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press releases

Proven results that the press release is not dead

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Some people may think the press release is dead and buried, but many of us believe it’s very much still alive. 

In recent years industry professionals have declared that the press release is dead. Once seen as the most effective ways of PR communication, press releases have been criticised to spam up journalists emails with irrelevant content. Read More

Jan 16
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92732695 - notebook with notes general data protection regulation ,the gdpr with the office tools . concept gdpr may 25, 2018.

Are you (and your clients) ready for GDPR?

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As a PR Agency we need to plan for GDPR. From May 2018 the game is changing and the old rules of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) are being updated.

Most of us probably know by now that the stakes are higher. With the DPA there was a cap of £500,000 that the ICO could levy, however with GDPR the penalties will reach an upper limit of €20 million or 4% or annual global turnover – whichever is higher. Serious stuff. It is also a game changer in that, as a business, we have to earn trust in order to have people want to share their data with us. Read More

Nov 20
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PR (1)

Guest Blog: How To Write A PR Brief For An Agency

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Your agency will appreciate you writing a clear brief, and the process of composing it will help you define your requirements and expectations and help to justify the expenditure to other decision makers in your organisation. They might also have something to contribute to the brief:  it shouldn’t be a document written by a committee but it should a document, not just a verbal brief, and it should be drafted by one person and scrutinised by at least one other, preferably more. This is true of a brief for any form of marketing communications, not just PR.  Read More

Nov 13
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images

What is the future of PR?

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Predicting the future (accurately) is notoriously difficult;   radio didn’t signal the death  of newspapers; TV didn’t either,  and  although  the internet may be signalling,  it’s probably safe to assume that The FT,  The  Times, The Daily Mail  and even The Guardian aren’t about to fold any time soon.   However, in the next five years one or more may become web only, like The Independent, and more Christmas shopping will be on line this year than last, as has been the case every year for many years.  In the last two decades the internet has changed marketing for ever.

Amongst other trends, the internet has seen the rise of content production by amateurs.  Anyone and everyone can write copy and upload it with pictures – sometimes to professional standards… more often not. That doesn’t make the profession of journalist redundant; indeed reporting and commenting on social media – and interacting with it – has become part of the journalist’s role – and part of the role of PR.   Drafting blog posts, responding to Twitter storms, creating content for Facebook pages,   search engine optimisation and smoothing the customer’s digital journey may not fall within the traditional definition of PR – but they are all concerned with relationships with the media and the public.

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Nov 08
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research-images-2015031203033814

Research for PR

By | Blog | No Comments

Research means different things to different people, but there’s a consensus on it being a process of enquiry and investigation; systematic and methodical, a contribution to knowledge.  It’s essential for evidence-based decision making (“seat of the pants” decision making is so last century).

There’s still a role for intuition, in management in general and marketing and PR in particular, but even the best intuition needs to be supported by having a handle on the facts.   Guessing or assuming may appear to save money but it can lead to costly mistakes.

For example, it’s simply no good speculating on how many High Net Worth individuals there might be in the UK, and where they are.

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Nov 01
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brand-eye

Keeping Your Brand Safe Online

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Keeping your brand safe and secure is vitally important in the age of digital marketing. In this blog we’ll talk about your own online presence such as blogs, websites and social media. However, it’s worth noting that you have a responsibility to your customers too, especially if you hold personal and financial information about them on your systems. Read More

Oct 25
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social networks

Top Social Media Trends for 2018

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Staying on top of social media trends is vital if businesses want to increase user engagement, share company content and drive sales.

The requirement for a strong social media presence has been reinforced this year and the impetus behind digital marketing is set to gather pace over the next 12 months. With 2018 just around the corner it’s time to start preparing for the changing social media landscape. Read More

Oct 04
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SocialMediaCheatSheet

Social Media Cheat Sheet

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Social Media is one of the biggest and emerging industries in the modern world. Due to constant updates, social media platforms continue to grow in popularity. Social media is no longer limited to the younger generation, but has now become popular across all age demographics and is an essential marketing tool for millions of growing businesses. Through this popularity, standout trends continue to emerge each year.

The need for strong social media presence has continued to soar in 2017 and will only increase in prominence in 2018.

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Sep 21
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email marketing

9 Things You Should Know About Email Marketing If You Work In PR

By | Blog | No Comments

You may be surprised, but public relations and email marketing have a lot more in common than might first appear. Despite the facts that email marketing is more technology and internet based while PR is more writing based, both seek to achieve a lot of the same goals and can learn from each other.

Every industry is different and has its own language. The email marketing community, too, has its own jargon that sets it apart. Whether you send email campaigns or receive them, you should be aware of the email terminology. However, many PR professionals see email marketing as overly technical and fail to understand its relevant insights.

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Aug 17
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gdpr

Is your business ready for GDPR 2018?

By | Blog | No Comments

By 2018 the new GDPR law will impact businesses across all sectors! 

This will also have a significant impact on how you conduct your marketing activities. 

What is GDPR? 

The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new legislation that will protect all EU citizens from privacy and data breaches. It introduced tougher fines for non-compliance and breaches, and gives people more say over what companies can do with their data. The GDPR will apply to all companies processing Personal Identifiable Information (PII) of those residing in the EU.

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Aug 09
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fbnewsfeed

Upgrade your Facebook Marketing! Top Tips to Become an Expert in the Field

By | Blog | No Comments

With more than 1.5 billion people using Facebook, it’s no secret that the social network is the place to be if you want to reach a large audience.

Facebook offers a variety of opportunities to attract and engage potential customers, yet organisations often say they find it difficult to build an interesting and attractive page.

If you’re looking to encourage people to follow you, it’s vital to reward them with relevant content which they will find interesting and will be keen to share. This means developing a content strategy that works for your company and is both business-led and in keeping with the organisation’s culture.

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Jun 02
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41328405 - blog blogging online design web page website concept

Generating fresh content is easier than it looks!

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Generating fresh content is easier than it looks!

Organisations all over the world are constantly looking for ways to promote their business.

There are several strategies that rely on good content, which include blog posts. While your website or blog site is bursting with new, fresh content, unfortunately soon enough it becomes hard to think of new topics that will engage your audience.

If you’re in an active industry with real time news, there is always something to write about. With Election Day coming up, we can see real advantage for growing political, opinionated and inspirational content.

Below are Changeworks’ top tips to use to make content creation easier and keep generating valuable and interesting content.

Infographic: Generating Fresh Content

No amount of promotion or SEO is going to drive ROI for your content if no one cares about it. Without demand for the information it provides, your content has little meaning. Start generating ideas that people want to learn about, or your content strategy will not succeed.

Generating Fresh Content

Fresh Content

Mar 13
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email marketing

How to Write Catchy Email Subject Lines

By | Blog | No Comments

33% of email recipients decide whether or not to open an email based on subject line alone. It is vital to craft subject lines that are compelling enough to get users to click through.

We have just started working with a new client which is solely based on email marketing campaigns, so we thought it was only right to share our insight of the tips we use to draft open worthy subject lines.

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Feb 07
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try something new handwritten on whiteboard

New year, same me…?

By | Blog | No Comments

The queues at gym doors around the country may be dwindling a little bit as we get towards the end of January but the numbers will remain up for a couple more months at least. Similarly, the weight-loss group meetings will be squeezing into village halls across the UK for a little while longer, trailing off after the obligatory six months or so…

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Dec 19
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sharing-team-success-for-2016

Sharing Team Success for 2016

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Sharing Team Success for 2016!

From your Changeworks team Sue, Claire, Jordan, Sarah-Jayne, Rory and Martine.

As the year comes to an end we would like to thank the clients and strategic partners we have worked with in 2016. Changeworks has had a very successful year and is looking forward to what 2017 may bring. Read More

Oct 26
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62456995 - continuous improvement workflow process action plan concept

There is always room for improvement – but let’s celebrate success as well

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There is always room for improvement – but let’s celebrate success as well

Do you think you are doing a good job or even a great job? If the answer is yes then you can sit back and relax, rest on your laurels and give yourself a proverbial pat on the back.

Or not.

One thing you should acknowledge – no matter how accomplished you are at whatever you are doing – is that there is always room for improvement.

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Sep 26
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britishbake-off-675x400

What The Great British Bake Off Has Taught Us About PR

By | Blog | No Comments

Wednesday nights sure have become more exciting with the Great British Bake Off returning to our screens. The ‘Bake Off’ showcases groups of extremely talented men and women who dedicate hours of their time to push themselves to be the ultimate star; watching the show has inspired us and we have definitely learnt a few lessons from watching the show.

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Aug 23
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46195886 - thin line flat design of website under construction, web page building process. modern vector illustration concept.

The Importance of Blogging

By | Blog | No Comments

Blogging is one of the greatest tools for learning how to become a better writer, connect with like-minded people, showcase your skills and build your brand. Whether you’re a beginner blogger or you’ve been doing it for years, we are sure you are still looking for advice to improve.

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Jul 25
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45298555 - overworked exhausted businessman writes with a typewriter

Five ways to get the most out of your copywriters

By | Blog | No Comments

There is a trend in this age of zero hours and minimum wage to take on graduates who are desperate for a first job and give them work that is well beyond their capabilities. The inevitable result is that the quality of work produced will not be to the standard that the employer is wanting and disagreements, disappointment and disillusionment will follow.

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