Posts by Katie West
Engagement vs. follower numbers
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Katie West
In the early days of social media, the number of followers you had determined success. However, as social media has evolved, so has the understanding of what makes a successful social media presence. Now, engagement is seen as a far more valuable metric than the number of followers alone.
First glance at someone’s profile, it’s often difficult to gauge what their engagement is like, especially if they have an impressive number of followers! But dig a little deeper and you can find the real story. This is usually where it is interesting.
Engagement is a much harder metric to fake than follower numbers and we’re not talking ‘likes’. Sure, it is easy to buy followers or likes, but it's much more difficult to fake meaningful engagement with an audience. When someone has a high level of engagement with their followers, it's a sign that they're truly interested in what the person has to say and are actively engaging. This has the added bonus of making the social media algorithms work in favour and show content to more people. With video platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok, engagement is not hidden and is a great way to actually gauge the persons online presence.
When it comes to engagement, a good indicator of the impact someone is having on their community. It's one thing to have a large number of followers, but followers may not be actively engaging with the content.At the other end, if someone has a smaller number of followers who are highly engaged with the content, then they are having a much bigger impact on their community.
Building genuine connections with an audience is essential and the only real way to do this is with engagement. When someone takes the time to respond to comments, create and engage in conversations, and build relationships with their followers, they are creating a loyal community.
Authenticity, interaction, and connection are the key. By prioritising engagement over follower count, anyone can build a more authentic and impactful social media presence.
Those mini toiletries are facing a European ban
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We are probably all guilty of taking toiletries (at least once 😉) from your favourite hotel after your stay but that all could be coming to an end – at least in Europe. The European Commission is introducing a new scheme to possibly ban the use of miniature toiletries in hotels as part of new rules on packaging and waste across the European Union.
“Packaging is one of the main users of virgin materials as 40% of plastics and 50% of paper used in the EU is destined for packaging,” a report from the European Commission about the ban states. “Without action, the EU would see a further 19% increase in packaging waste by 2030, and for plastic packaging waste even a 46% increase.”
Guests will have to provide their own or use a refillable alternative if provided by the hotel. A small price to pay, if you think about the grand scale of these small and hard to reuse, plastic packaging products.
Do you think we should jump on this initiative here in Aotearoa?
Buying pre-loved, re-loved, second-hand has no stigma
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The attitude around buying pre-loved clothing has certainly come a long way. It was only a few years ago that buying pre-loved or second hand come with an attached stigma – it was not the ‘done thing’.
Nowadays, with more conversations and greater education, people are starting to open up to the idea of buying pre-loved and it is even encouraged. With more awareness of the impact the fashion industry is having on the environment, people are becoming more conscious of their buying habits. Just like any industry, the pre-loved industry is evolving and growing as people learn and participate more in the cycle of recycling. We love watching this progression and are proud to be a part of the conversation.
TikTok has definitely had a part to play in the rise of thrifting. From people showing the ‘on trend’ outfits they got for a low price, to the top second-hand stores in your region to even people asking TikTok if they can find a certain item of clothing they love from their parents old pictures.
With previous fashion styles coming back (hello maxi denim skirt), we are even lucky enough to have niche thrift stores specialising in specific styles of vintage clothing.
In 2023 it is now ‘cool’ to buy conscious clothing and we are here for it!
The importance of PR in a fragmented media landscape
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In today’s world of hyper-connectedness, PR is fast becoming more important than ever. Consumers are looking online, asking questions and looking to their favs and trusted sources to learn before experiencing for themselves. Print has also evolved to create content for their online platforms all so we can experience and identify where our purchasing dollar will go.
How does a company measure PR? This has been a question asked of so many PR professionals. We talk about ROI outcomes and placement, recommendations and endorsements. Add in that the PR repertoire has evolved with a range of services and expertise from media management, content creation, event management and social media management all adding to brand affinity, long term conversation, brand trust and building influence.
PR outcomes and ‘hits’ aren’t guaranteed, when do they do happen they add to brand affinity. What about the harder to measure outcomes:
Building relationships and trust with media and consumers. PR professionals are the link between a brand and media, building their knowledge and understanding as well as what is unique. They know what media are working on and the trends they are following and how they can support their efforts through a client’s knowledge and products. Building relationships and affinity is not ‘selling’ instead it is finding a way a brand can be of service.
All brands is most categories have competitors and many have multiple competitors, by keeping your brand in the media, it can detract the attention away from competitors. Media mentions, placement, editorial inclusion, social media mentions all add up – are your competitors as proactive?
Building relationships and keeping competitors out of the spotlight, building influence, knowledge and relationships are not easy to place a defined value or ROI, on but today and in the future they can be essential. As a brand, what value can you place on brand knowledge and relationships?
As the owner, founder or manager you are the most visible representative of your business, and by default become the spokesperson managing your own public relations. However, if you have a project or campaign that requires more dedicated hours and higher profile, additional PR support can be invaluable. Assisting to refine messaging, create content, not to mention additional media contacts and outreach are xxxx. A PR professional can provide placement and endorsements through to building longer term relationships and trust with media.
Add in that the PR repertoire has evolved with a range of services and expertise help with content creation, event management, and social media support that all add to brand affinity.
Do you know your certification logos?
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The words ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘sustainable’ are terms that people can instantly identify. It goes beyond the desire to have ingredients grown organically, but as consumers, we want the company’s to be ethically and socially aware. As the demand for natural ingredients and sustainable practices skyrockets, so do companies desire to push organic, green natural alternatives.
As the price of natural ingredients and resources depends on crop yield, global supply and demand, the additional costs of transport and quality testing added in, most companies will exaggerate how ‘green’ they are to hide this, a term commonly known as ‘Green Washing’.
So how to spot the brands that do this? Look beyond the front of the label – the place for all those marketing buzz words. Go straight to the back of the product where companies are required to list all the ingredients in their products.
Here are our quick tips for what to look out for when separating legitimate green, organic products from others.
- Know your logos – look for independent certifications you know are legitimate. BioGro, COSMOS, Certified Cruelty Free, Child Labour Free, ECOCERT Certified Organic, Environmental Choice, GE Free, NATRUE, Vegan Society Approved, Vegetarian Society Approved. We recommend learning them or keeping a picture on your phone. The word ‘organic’ is still loosely regulated in New Zealand, so do your homework.
- Scan the ingredients list – check what is actually in the product. Some brands include an ingredient’s scientific name with the common name in brackets. If the front claims to contain organic or plant-based ingredients, check it isn’t just one ingredient among 20.
- How to dispose - anything that’s compostable or biodegradable should be clearly labelled. Know your recycling numbers for your local council recycling collection or local composting facility.
- When you can, shop local - check out your local farmers markets, weekend markets or buy from people in your community. They want to sell to you, and they are often the growers or creators of the product. Most of the time they won’t come with certifications and accreditations as it is a lengthy process, but with the seller right there, you have the chance to ask and learn first-hand.
- Finally know your brands - check what you are looking for before you go shopping and don’t just take something at face value.
Supporting small business
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Christmas is coming up soon. where has the year gone. 2023 has been a blur with some of the worst weather we have seen in a long time, natural disasters and the announcement of the recession putting everyone over the country into a panic.
The impact of inflation has affected so many all over the world but particularly small or local businesses. Christmas is the perfect time to give back and to support the ones that have been hit the hardest.
If you can, choosing to support a local store or boutique to buy for those special to you. If Christmas gifts aren’t on your radar this year another way you can help out is by a simple follow, like and share on their social media.