Social media is central to many of our campaigns at Peak. We consume news about the impact these channels have and apply our learnings to client projects.
If you’re still struggling to get buy-in on social media, this list of 30 facts provides useful need-to-knows on why engagement is important.
Did You Know?
- Over 75 percent of all internet users use social media (source: Makeuseof)
- 71 per cent of women use social media compared to 62 percent of men (source: SearchEngineJournal)
- 91 percent of brand mentions on social media come from people with fewer than 500 followers and 94 percent of those mentions are positive (source: Business2Community)
- 21 percent of consumers will unfollow brands that post repetitive or boring content (source: Social Times)
- 89 percent of 18-29 year age group use social media (source: smallbusinesscan) and 84 percent of C-level/VP execs use social media to support purchase decisions (source: smallbusinesscan)
Facebook:
- Facebook accounts for 21 percent of all social media referral traffic globally (source: TechCrunch)
- Facebook drives 23 percent of all traffic across the internet! (source: Shareaholic)
- 189 million of Facebook’s users are ‘smartphone only’ (source: wersm)
- 23 percent of users check their accounts at least five times a day (source: SearchEngineJournal)
Pinterest:
- 80% of pins are actually re-pins (source: Mashable)
- Shoppers referred to a site from Pinterest are 10 percent more likely to buy (source: Socialmediatoday)
- Pinterest referrals spend 70 percent more money than visitors referred from non-social channels (source: Socialmediatoday)
- Pins with a call to action increase engagement by 80 percent (source: Socialmediatoday)
- 80 percent of Pinterest users are women; 50% of all users have children (source: Socialmediatoday)
Twitter:
- The fastest growing group of new users on Twitter are aged between 55 and 64 years (source: wersm)
- 65 percent of users expect a response on Twitter in less than two hours (source: SearchEngineJournal)
- 88 percent of Twitter users are on mobile and 500 million tweets are posted each day (source: Jeff Bullas)
LinkedIn:
- LinkedIn has nearly a quarter of a billion users (source: smallbusinesscan)
- Only 20 percent of LinkedIn users are under the age of 30 (source: SearchEngineJournal)
- 40 percent of B2B buyers say LinkedIn is important when researching technology and services to purchase and 65 percent of B2B companies have acquired a customer through this channel (source: business2community)
Instagram:
- More than 70 million photos and videos are sent daily (source: Hootsuite)
- 53 percent of internet users aged 18-29 use Instagram (source: Jeff Bullas)
- Instagram is considered the most important social network by 32 percent of American teens (source: Hootsuite)
- Among top brands Instagram has been adopted by 85 percent (source: Hootsuite)
- Brands on Instagram are seeing a per follower engagement rate of 4.21 percent – that’s statistically 58 times higher than Facebook and 120 times higher than Twitter (source: Hootsuite)
- Still photos are more popular on Instagram than videos – generating 36 percent more likes (source: Hootsuite)
- Posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6 percent more engagement and posts tagged with a location receive 79 percent higher engagement (source: Hootsuite)
Google+:
- 18 percent of marketers plan to increase efforts on Google+ this year (source: SearchEngineJournal)
- The +1 button is hit 5 billion times per day (source: Jeff Bullas)
- Google+ has more than 2.5 billion users but only 10 percent are active (source: smallbusinesscan)
Tags: facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, social media, Twitter
Social media is still a relatively new phenomenon and the features are constantly being updated. PR professionals should consider how these changes impact or enhance their campaigns.
Below is a round-up of recent ‘need to know’ social media news this fall.
Dislike is the new thing
Facebook announced that soon a ‘dislike’ button will launch. Mark Zuckerberg explained that the new function would allow people to show ‘empathy’.
Brands need to pay attention to this; consumers will be able to voice their dislike for campaigns with a simple click of a button. Brands will make headlines for the wrong reasons when a campaign backfires as a result of this function.
Purchasing power
Twitter is making its ‘Buy’ button available to everyone in the US, as a result of a partnership with Stripe. This is great news for online retailers and enhances the importance of Twitter as a customer service channel – the more followers you have, the more likely customers are to make an instant purchase.
The value for this activity will be measurable based on sales directly through the Twitter platform – this will make it easier getting buy-in for social media at the executive level.
Retailers should enhance their social media plans to develop an engaged, relevant and sizeable following on Twitter as a result.
Numbers count
Pinterest announced in September that it had hit the 100 million users’ milestone. Out of this number, around 70 per cent are considered to be ‘actively’ engaged. The company also confirmed that while Pinterest users are predominantly women, the gender gap is closing month by month.
The benefit of Pinterest for brands is people are often browsing the site for items they potentially want to buy; it is often treated like a shop window. Advertisers can proactively pay for promotional pins now and this feature will become more valuable as the number of users grow.
Pose for a portrait
Instagram is moving away from simply showcasing square images; now users can choose to post portrait or landscape photos. This is generally better for brands. Images won’t need to be compromised to fit the square frames, and will be better for accommodating specific brand guidelines.
At Peak Communicators we monitor for these social media updates daily and consider how they can be used in client campaigns. We’ll continue to share relevant updates via this blog and also our social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin).
Tags: Vancouver PR, Vancouver public relations, Vancouver social media
When it comes to media expertise, Peak’s leadership in preparing, training and representing your brand is unparalleled. We have plenty of case studies, stats and accolades to back that up. But we don’t rest on our reputation. We care about yours, too. Whether it means harnessing current or emerging technologies to support your organization, or preparing you personally for a media scrum – you can count on us.
Brand awareness and attracting new customers through media relations can generate buzz and deliver your message to the right audience through TV, radio, print, online and social media. Peak was founded by two well-networked TV journalists, giving us an edge with the media — and we’ve since earned the reputation as the go-to agency in Western Canada for delivering quantity and quality media coverage.
Peak has trained thousands of people. Our on-camera practice gives a comprehensive experience and provides the highest level of preparation. We offer media training as a half-day or full-day session, depending on the number of spokespeople being trained.
Let us help you develop a crisis response plan before an incident happens. If you are currently in the midst of a crisis situation, do not worry – we can manage the communication from start to finish.
Discussions are happening online right now about your brand, your industry and your issues. Are you an influential part of the conversation? Peak Communicators has the experience and knowledge to ensure your communications strategy works in the ever evolving digital landscape.
Our complete list of services help to support our clients’ PR and communications needs, from strategic planning and branding to digital and social media.
Harbour Air Group, consisting of Harbour Air Seaplanes, Westcoast Air and Whistler Air, has become the largest all-seaplane company in the world. Harbour Air has been in business for over 30 years and has more than 40 aircrafts.
Client objective
Harbour Air came to Peak in 2013 originally for media training, and soon realized the benefit that pro-active media relations and crisis preparation could bring.
The goal of the PR program was two-fold:
- Prepare for issues and ensure communications to stakeholders were effectively and efficiently executed
- Increase brand exposure in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island
Campaign
Peak works with Harbour Air to provide communications support in several key areas:
- Identify and share newsworthy stories with media
- Provide counsel on issues management
- Assist in partnership relations
- Social media campaign support
Key results
Peak has successfully provided crisis council on various issues and aided the company in increasing its already strong brand recognition.
Since 2013 over 100 pieces of print, TV, radio, trade and online coverage have been achieved. Highlights include:
- Securing stories on the front page of the business section of the Vancouver Sun and Times Colonist several times
- Coverage in every traditional print publication in every market they operate
- Nearly 40 million impressions across the Lower Mainland
Peak still works with Harbour Air today.
Client Objective
Fitness Town originally came to Peak to launch its 90 Day Family Fitness Challenge. After the success of this initial campaign, Peak worked to secure further coverage for the brand in community, consumer, lifestyle and fitness media across Western Canada. Fitness Town has been a project-based client for three years now.
Campaign
- Monitored news daily to identify any news hijacking opportunities for spokesperson comment
- Worked with local ambassadors including Tommy Europe to secure attendance at media events and give interviews on behalf of the brand
- Pitched some of the brand’s most innovative products, e.g. Power Plate
- Drafted creative Christmas gift guide pitches and positioned key products as must-haves for the season
- Brainstormed and drafted seasonal features: e.g. New Year trends and tips
- Worked with marketing agency to generate new research for media pitching
- Planned and managed the brand’s first Twitter Chat which trended in the first hour
Key Results
- 162 pieces of quality coverage in local, trade and vertical media
- 9 million impressions among key audiences
- Key highlights include Huffington Post, Georgia Straight, News1130, Metro, 24 Hours, The Province, Vancouver Sun, Winnipeg Sun, Edmonton Sun, Surrey Leader, CBC, CityTV, Shaw TV
Client Objective
Caya, a sophisticated brand of boutiques powered by TELUS, wanted to raise brand and product awareness among consumers in the Greater Vancouver area.
Campaign
Peak and the internal Caya marketing team worked collaboratively to create a 12-month media relations campaign using key annual milestones—including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the Holiday season—to position Caya as the go-to boutique for stylish and unique gifts. This publicity was enhanced by consumer contests with key media outlets and Vancouver-based influencers to promote the breadth of Caya’s product range which includes the latest smartphones, a curated camera selection, photo printing/keepsakes and stylish accessories.
Peak and Caya also hosted an in-store blogger event as well as leveraged media coverage around Caya’s sponsorships of Le Dîner en Blanc®, The OPUS Street Party and Make Music Vancouver.
Key Results
Client Objective
Burton Software is a leading North American technology company that produces innovative food safety software, to help food producers and food manufacturers improve the quality and safety of their products. Burton Software’s tools are cloud-based and user-friendly—they automate fragmented and largely manual food safety procedures by using advanced technology to manage food safety planning, e-document and safety certifications, and conduct real-time food plant inspections.
Burton Software engaged Peak to raise brand awareness and to educate potential customers in select North American markets about its flagship product, Icicle, via a public relations and social media campaign.
Campaign
Peak worked with Burton Software over a three month period to execute a multi-channel, traditional and social media campaign that targeted key business, trade and technology markets in North America.
Given the technical nature of Icicle, Peak prioritized developing a portfolio of explanatory communications materials to educate and inform the target market. Peak then identified and monitored industry trends, interests and topical news to leverage as “story hooks,” and subsequently pitched relevant stories to key media to secure quality coverage.
For the social component of the campaign, Peak’s social media team identified online opinion leaders and influential bloggers, and established enduring relationships with them to secure monthly blog placements, boost inbound traffic to the Burton Software website, and raise search engine rankings.
Key Results
The campaign’s media relations component enabled Burton Software to secure quality media coverage in reputable North American outlets. It enhanced Burton Software’s online brand presence among multiple social media channels, including LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and supported Burton Software to develop partnerships with high-tech and influential bloggers in the food safety industry.
Key results include:
- Articles placed in the Huffington Post & Business in Vancouver
- Monthly column in Food Quality News
- Increased inbound web traffic and further engagement across all social media channels
Client Objective
TELUS International is a global provider of customer service and contact centre outsourcing solutions. TELUS International has partnered with Peak since 2010 to increase its brand awareness in the trade and business media.
Campaign
Peak created a staged media relations and social media campaign for TELUS International, to position the company as a customer service outsourcing expert and thought leader.
Peak targeted top tier US and UK media including business, contact centre and outsourcing publications, as well as trade titles for consumer electronics, financial, telco, utilities and retail. Publications in Europe, Australia and New Zealand were a secondary focus.
To achieve coverage, Peak pitched feature ideas, profile opportunities and opinion pieces, and pursued editorial calendar opportunities.
Peak also developed a publicity strategy for each whitepaper released by TELUS International, in addition to capitalizing on the company’s speaker program by arranging journalist briefings on-site at global events.
The campaign’s social media component enhanced TELUS International’s brand on blog collectives, Twitter, LinkedIn, Delicious, YouTube, Facebook and Google+.
Key Results
In 2013 alone, we achieved the following:
- 50+ pieces of earned and owned coverage in top tier trade publications – online and print
- Coverage included placement on Forbes.com, Fast Company, Financial Times, Internet Retailer and Globe and Mail
- Owned blog posts secured in The Social Customer, The Customer Collective and Social Media Today
- 37 per cent increase in Twitter followers
- 80 per cent increase in LinkedIn connections
Vancouver developer Reliance Properties approached Peak to help promote ‘micro-lofts’ in the Downtown Eastside. The apartments were the smallest rental units in Canada at the time. Space-saving design principles from Europe and Asia were a major influence in creating the ‘micro-loft’ design.
The construction company took 25 per cent off the cost of construction, which represented a $1 million saving making the venture possible. The City of Vancouver agreed to allow the conversion from single-room occupancy zoning to market rental. The heritage density credit was then transferred to a planned development at Burrard and Drake.
the campaign
The campaign began in 2010 with a news conference announcing the conversion of the Burns Block hotel into rental ‘micro-lofts.’ The campaign wrapped up in 2011 with another news conference and media tour of the completed lofts – tenants were on hand to show off their accommodations. Throughout the campaign interest from potential renters greatly exceeded the number of suites available.
the key results
The campaign achieved international coverage and attention. New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg pointed to the project as an example of an innovative approach to real estate. Reliance was invited to New York to demonstrate the success of the micro model. The city subsequently implemented a major micro-loft design initiative.
The two news announcements combined for some 170 media hits, including:
- Front page of the National Post
- Front page of the Globe and Mail
- USA Today
- Yahoo Canada
- MSN
- Bloomberg BusinessWeek
- Huffington Post
- Vancouver Sun
- CBC
- Global TV
- CTV
Discussions are happening online right now about your brand, your industry and your issues. Are you an influential part of the conversation?
In the space of just a decade, digital tools have changed the way we connect, meaning we can now reach audiences directly, without relying on traditional publications and media. Understanding the benefits, and the risks, of these communication methods can make or break a business.
Social media is easily accessible, instantaneous and powerful. It is no longer just for personal use but it has become a professional staple too, and can be an excellent platform to build your community.
Peak Communicators has the experience and knowledge to ensure your communications strategy works in the ever evolving digital landscape. We work with the latest social tools to manage your brand across multiple platforms, that allow you to engage with your target audiences directly.
Don’t just be a participant, be an innovator in your industry. Let us help you develop a strategy for your online conversations to build your brand and audience reach. We will ensure your social profiles represent your brand voice and persona, and support your online content through SEO, marketing, and ad spends where appropriate.
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