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Social Media – How Petplan turned bad PR into great PR with an integrated internal communications and social media strategy

Northern Lights | 26 April 2013

We’re always looking for examples of businesses that use social media well. Its immediacy can be both a blessing and a challenge in PR. One company that uses social media really well is Petplan. As a B2C pet insurance company, they have a great presence on Facebook, as they know that’s where their customers are. … Social Media – How Petplan turned bad PR into great PR with an integrated internal communications and social media strategy

Search engine optimisation training (SEO) – what is a good bounce rate for a website?

Northern Lights | 17 April 2013

We have recently been asked this question by a client who has seen a slight increase in their bounce rate since we started to manage their blog. Bounce rate should not be looked at in isolation; it should be considered in the context of other metrics, the type of organisation the website belongs to, and what activities have been happening to cause the increase in bounce rate.

5 social media lessons every chief executive should learn from Paris Brown

Northern Lights | 11 April 2013

Paris Brown, youth police and crime commissioner – Kent Police, demonstrated why young people do not have the skills to manage social media for corporates.

What businesses can learn from mental health practitioners

Northern Lights | 28 March 2013

I was delighted to be asked by Victoria Betton to co-author an ebook for the NHS on using social media to help mental health practitioners. Packed with examples of best practice and case studies, I have been so impressed at how professionals are using social media – from consultants and GPs to occupational therapists and … What businesses can learn from mental health practitioners

Google changed its algorithms this week – three steps to ensure your website is highly ranked

Northern Lights | 18 March 2013

This weekend Google changed the algorithms that affect how your website is ranked on its search engine. If your rankings on Google have suddenly changed – this is why. These are probably some of the most significant changes Google has ever made – thanks to @chrisnorton and his excellent blog for alerting us to the … Google changed its algorithms this week – three steps to ensure your website is highly ranked

How to build a successful intranet for your company

Northern Lights | 12 March 2013

Does your company have an intranet? How useful is it? If your intranet is a useful and time-saving portal that you visit many times a day, then you’re in the minority. An effective intranet that is functional, easy to use and has been created with the buy-in of both senior managers and employees is one … How to build a successful intranet for your company

Where should internal communications sit – in HR or external communications?

Northern Lights | 4 March 2013

This was the question that a client emailed me last week and it set me thinking. My immediate response was, it has to be in external comms. Then I started thinking about some companies where they have outstanding HR teams and it would sit more naturally there. I posted this question on LinkedIn and Twitter … Where should internal communications sit – in HR or external communications?

The genie is out of the bottle – social media is here to stay. Are you managing it or avoiding it?

Northern Lights | 28 February 2013

Lucy Kellaway wrote in her FT column this week about the distraction of social media and her own ‘cyber loafing’ at work.

She rightly points out that corporate response to internet abuse is ‘wildly inadequate’, with most companies relying on issuing guidelines and doing some monitoring – but says they might as well not bother.

What Makes A Good Blog and Do They Have A Future?

Northern Lights | 27 February 2013

The Liberal Democrats have had better months. The will they won’t they regarding the Eastleigh By-election is enough to deal with, without the reveal by Channel 4 about Lord Rennard. And of course, there is Chris Huhne’s guilty plea to add to the pile.

Or it could be seen as a good result as the internet is awash with stories, comments and blogs about the controversies surrounding them. And it is all free – you couldn’t pay for such publicity and whilst none of it is positive, it is ensuring daily coverage and encouraging a flock of commentators to come out of the woodwork and blog their two pennies worth.