Sensible Innovations

For more than a year now, we have been working with Rasha Said, founder and CEO of Sensible Innovations. When we first met with Rasha in early 2015 she had recently launched the first version of the Aware app. Aware is designed to help improve the lives of America’s 21 million visually impaired, using Apple iBeacon technology to communicate information about a person’s surroundings.

The app has been created with the visually impaired in mind, but is also being used by people with dyslexia and the elderly, who find it difficult to navigate a new environment. The iBeacons' signals trigger the app, which identifies the location, downloads the information and a text reader on the smartphone describes the environment. Access to information at the right time and place for the visually impaired, or individuals who have difficulty understanding signs, negates the need for memorization or fear of getting lost. Rasha’s ultimate goal has been to provide the visually impaired the opportunity to explore the world without limitations – and she’s doing exactly that. 

After her pilot installation at Glenwood High School in Chatham, Illinois, Rasha then placed iBeacons, free of charge, at The Mary Bryant Home for the Blind in Springfield, Illinois. Gem PR & Media has worked with Rasha to develop a pro-active public relations campaign, which has built brand recognition here in Springfield, in the state of Illinois, across America (especially amongst her target market), and around the world. Rasha is now installing iBeacons across the country and will have a pilot scheme go live in London, UK, later this year. 

We have spread word of Sensible Innovations’ Aware app through a number of channels, including attendance at conferences for the visually impaired, technology symposiums, building a relationship with and installing iBeacons at Chicago Lighthouse, speaking occasions, interviews on TV, in newspapers and magazines – including, and perhaps one of our most successful activities, an interview in the American Foundation for the Blind’s publication and online. 

Most recently, and the reson for this blog, we entered Rasha for two regional awards: the ATNENA Leadership award, which is presented to female leaders in the community for their personal and professional dedication and the Springfield Business Journal’s Women of Influence award. Rasha has been shortlisted for the ATNENA award, of which there are 10 nominees, and is one of five 2017 winners of the Women of Influence award. 

It goes without saying how extremely proud we are to work with Rasha, continue to help her build the Sensible Innovations brand, and deliver the Aware app to those who will benefit from it most around the world. 

If there was ever the perfect example when it came to a client who understood the positive impact of public relations Rasha Said and Sensible Innovations is it. 

Gem PR & Media shapes message for Sangamon County Fair 2017

We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with the committee to promote this year’s Sangamon County Fair, which takes place between Tuesday 13 and Sunday 18 June. 

The most important messages that we needed to deliver to the fair’s stakeholders were changes to the event, which is steeped in tradition – and expectation. The committee decided that this year, following feedback from previous years, that it would reduce the admission fee to the fair – with a separate fee for grandstand entertainment. Also, we announced that the 2017 Sangamon County Fair would run six days instead of the usual five with the Sangamon County Fair Queen Pageant taking place on Tuesday (opening day of the fair) opposed to the Wednesday. The committee made these changes with the aim to increase attendance, particularly for families. 

With Gem PR & Media being headquartered in Sangamon County (home to Springfield, IL) we are always excited to get involved in local events. The Sangamon County Fair committee had the challenge of sending out a clear message about changes to the event so we were only too happy to provide them with the support they needed.

As a result of the campaign so far, multiple news organizations in Central Illinois have reported on the fair and the changes positively, which were announced on Friday 31 March. 

We look forward to continuing to manage the public relations campaign for this year’s Sangamon County Fair. 

Why you should hire a social media manager

Gem PR & Media can improve your social media and manage the day- to-day operation of your accounts.  We know you're busy and social media often is pushed back to take care of your clients. That’s where a social media manager comes in. 

The main role of a social media manager is to represent your business through the various social platforms and engage with your stakeholders. The return on investment comes with his or her know-how, experience, and time. 

If you work with a team, such as ours, you don’t just get the support of just one, but of many. When immersed in the world of social media it’s easier to respond quickly to changes on individual platforms – and to stay abreast of current trends. We know the central Illinois community and manage numerous accounts in the area successfully.

A good social media manager should respond effectively to questions from your stakeholders, create original content, remain informed about best practices and provide feedback after analyzing results. 

If you want a successful social media campaign there must be a strategy, defined goals, and a chance for evaluation. You should expect to engage with your social media manager on a regular basis. He or she should develop a relationship with your key staff and have an opportunity to meet with them to find out about activity within the business so that they can inform your stakeholders. 

Make sure you work with someone who is enthusiastic about social media. And, like I’ve said before, don’t be afraid to ask for samples of work from past clients, this is a good way to evaluate whether he or she has a clear understanding of how social media plays a key part in any marketing plan. It certainly doesn’t hurt to do a Google search of the social media manager and their own social media platforms. Their image is as important as yours. 

Writing award entries

It’s that time of year when we sit with our clients and recommend a list of awards they should enter some local, some statewide, and others that are national. Our experience and some research mean we are able to identify award opportunities that will not only suit them best, in terms of their business development goals, but we genuinely believe they have a chance of winning.

 
In the past, I’ve talked about the importance of award entries in building brand awareness, but I haven’t talked about how to write an award entry, which I will do now. 

First, you must identify which awards suit you, and your goals, best. If you want to build your brand in the community perhaps you need to look at a volunteer award. If it’s the community you want to relate to you must focus on local opportunities. If you want to demonstrate your capabilities then you’ll want to enter a business award, such as the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce awards, for example. Perhaps you want to gain recognition for something more specific to your industry. If that’s the case you may need to look to an association. We have a number of female clients who have not only excelled as entrepreneurs – there are plenty of award opportunities here too. 

Once you’ve identified the award to enter you need to read over the criteria. Can you fulfill all of the criteria? Will you stand out against others in the same category? If so, you can begin drafting your responses. If you don’t meet the criteria, work out what it is you need to do in order to meet the requirements of the award entry and work towards this over the next year. 

I always start by copying and pasting all of the questions into a word document. Often, these awards are entered online so it’s a good idea to create a draft in case the site crashes. It’s also a great reference point for future entries. 

Make sure you have all the salient details correct, such as contact numbers, email address, names etc. When responding to a question I like to highlight the words that explain what the judges are looking for. That way I can refer back to make sure I’m answering the questions.  
I always try to write award entries in the first person. This demonstrates the relationship between the nominator and the nominee. It is a much stronger entry if the judge believes he or she is reading the words of the person who has nominated the nominee.

 
If you’re entering your business for an award, opposed to an individual, you need to write passionately about your business. As in all good stories, especially if the entry form calls for it, start at the beginning, work through the crux of the business, and talk about your future goals. 
If the entry asks for additional documents, in support of the nomination, choose wisely – don’t send too much that you’ll drown out the reasons for the nomination. 
Proof your responses, errors are frustrating for judges who must read multiple entries and, if you’re entering an award for your business, appear unprofessional. Don’t waffle; get to the point. Have another member of staff review the entry; there may be something you have forgotten, which is crucial. 

Finally, make sure you make yourself available to the judges if there are any further questions.  

Experience speaks volumes in our opinion

Lead by our CEO, who has not one, but two degrees in Journalism, a diploma from the Press Association and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, one of the largest bodies representing public Relations professionals in the world, our team has worked in marketing, PR, and media roles around the world.

Together we have worked on political campaigns, helped bring companies back from the brink, and won numerous awards for our clients. We believe in creating and delivering a strategy tailored to each client and their business’ individual needs.   

So, next time you hear or see that someone ‘does’ PR, social media, or marketing ask what it is exactly that they do. Don’t be shy about asking for examples of their work.

Ask to speak with clients to find out if they had a good experience. Do clients feel they have achieved a return on investment? And, with that in mind, did the consultancy meet the objectives set at the beginning of the campaign?

For the team at Gem PR & Media, it’s about putting into practice the skills we’ve learned, the knowledge we’ve gained and the experience that sets us apart from all others that say they are experts or visionaries in the field.

10 tips for a press release

When I began drafting press releases more than a decade ago there was really only one consideration – how would the information appear in the newspaper? That may sound a little harsh, but often when it comes to TV or radio the news editor wants a sound bite from the spokesperson you are representing they don’t want to read from your press release. Now, you’re not just writing for print, but you’re also writing for online content too – and that’s a whole other ballgame. The headline you write for a newspaper will be significantly different to the one you write for the web, for example. 

So, how do you combat this? Well, when I launched Gem PR & Media three years ago I began writing content for individual media outlets, whether radio, TV, print or online. A few tweaks here or there can make all the difference. This is definitely something to think about. 
If you’re a complete novice, or it’s been a while since you drafted a press release, here are 10 things to take into consideration.

1. Make sure you cover the who, what, when, where, why and how of the story 
2. Provide a title – ensure you adapt it for different media 
3. Write a great intro  
4. Provide contact info for the company’s spokesperson (and yourself) 
5. Don’t bury the lead – that never works 
6. If you need a sponsor included in the published version weave this into the quote (from your spokesperson) 
7. Don’t use jargon - Joe Blogs on the street needs to be able to understand what it is you are saying 
8. Don’t cap up job titles or roles - the only people that deserve caps are the Queen, the President, and the Prime Minister 
9. Include a release date 
10. There’s no need to rewrite War and Peace – a press release should be clear and concise – I try to keep mine to 300/350 words

When drafting and issuing a press release make sure you are a) writing for individual media platforms, b) providing all of the salient details and, c) communicating clearly with your audience. 

11 business networking tips

Networking and building relationships have been key to the growth of Gem PR & Media. Making time for networking is tough, I know, but it is important. I’m talking about making the best of your time, building relationships, and giving back. 

So here are my top tips when it comes to networking: 

1. Join the committee or board of a non-profit
2. Volunteer at a non-profit
3. Join an association
4. Join a networking group – in which you will be the only one representing your field
5. Use your LinkedIn profile wisely -spend a few minutes every day updating your contacts, commenting on, sharing or posting content
6. Attend open days or ribbon cuttings
7. Offer yourself as a speaker
8. Always make sure you have business cards on you – keep them in your car, house, or office
9. Offer yourself as a commentator to various media outlets
10. Hold an open house or coffee morning at your place of work
11. Always follow up with someone once you’ve secured his or her business card

Make networking part of your everyday work life and I promise if you think of it this way it will become less of a burden and more of a pleasure. 

Internal communications

I would strongly argue that internal communication is just as important, if not more important, than external comms. Your people are your brand. They are the ambassadors for your company. If you want to develop a great reputation and relationship with your stakeholders you must first address the way you communicate with your team. 

There are a number of ways of you can improve your internal comms. One is simply to communicate clearly with your staff. Make sure they understand all policies and procedures. Ensure there is two-way communication – do your staff have someone they can go to at any time to discuss questions they have? Do you keep your staff updated with the latest information about your business, whether that’s the opening of a new branch, the recruitment of additional staff, or a new bonus scheme? How do you keep your staff updated? Do you have regular meetings? By regular meetings, I mean more than once a month. Do you have an internal newsletter or blog where you can share the success of staff members – inside and out of the workplace? Do you recognize when someone you employ reaches a milestone – say their fifth year of employment? Do you have an employee of the month program or an internal awards process? 

If you develop clear communication with your staff when the going is good you’ll have a much easier time when things get tough. If you’re unlucky enough to experience a crisis the first person you should tell is your public relations consultant and the first thing they will tell you is to inform all staff so that everyone is on the same page. In my experience, if you are going through the closure of a division of your business or redundancies an open line of communication with those involved will prevent rumors and upset from the outset. 

If you don’t have an internal comms plan then I highly recommend that you speak with your public relations team about creating and enacting one. Happy staff mean happy clients and a better bottom line. 

What makes a good story?

One of the first things you discuss as a journalism student or newbie journalist is ‘what makes a good story?’ Something that public relations professionals also face on a daily basis. 
Sometimes your client thinks they have a great story, but really it’s just the promotion of a new service or product – and you’re the one that has to tell them it’s a no go. On the other hand, clients, who understandably are busy in their day job, often miss the signs of a great story – so it’s your job to seek out the good stories by asking the right questions and staying abreast of the issues. 

If you know you have a good story, you must now consider whose interest it will pique. Is it a news story? Does this have feature written all over it? Do you need to speak to the sports editor? Is there a special section of the newspaper or magazine where your client’s story will feature more prominently? Is there a radio program that features topics such as this? Is there room for an interview? Could you organize or offer photos to accompany the story? If you find the right slot for your client’s story and the editor or journalist bites then you’re golden. 
Another thing to consider is timing. Sometimes it’s worth holding onto a good story, which will gain increased traction at a certain time of the year or on a certain date. 

I talk about the need for corporate social responsibility often, however, when it comes to the media, this market is becoming saturated so you need to look at alternative ways to gain exposure for your clients. I have turned to blogs and online newsletters where I know I have a decent story to tell for my client, but at the same time know that I’m almost certainly wasting my time and my client’s money when it comes to the daily newspaper. 

I’d also consider, in this day of 24-hour news, how your story will play out online – including social media – and at what time of day you might want to release it to the media – if you know they will want to run with it a.s.a.p. 

Also, do you want to provide an exclusive to ensure coverage versus a blanket approach?  This may not gain the exposure you were hoping for. 

And finally, if you’re approaching an editor or journalist make sure you can quickly and easily provide them with a synopsis of the story and/or the who, what, when, where, why and how. Oh, and don’t pitch to them as they are approaching deadline wait until they have time to listen to your idea. 

Social media audits

At Gem PR & Media we often talk about how important it is to set goals and measure success, whether that’s a political campaign, marketing plan or public relations strategy.
Engaging in a social media campaign without having a clear strategy is a waste of time and money. You may have great content on your platforms, but without an objective and lack of measurement how do you gauge what is a success and what is not? The time you take developing goals, creating a strategy and measuring the value of your activity will truly pay off for you and your business. 

In order to develop goals, a strategy and measure activity you must first conduct an audit. 
To begin with, decide what your objectives are. Do you want to improve SEO? Do you want to increase traffic to your website? Do you want to engage a greater number of past, present and potential clients online? You may find it’s actually a combination of these things. 
Next, and this is something people often forget to include when developing their social media strategy, identify your competitors. If your competitors appear to be achieving the goals you have set for yourself check out what they are doing to make this happen and make sure you are doing it better. We can also learn a lot from what people do wrong so that we do not make the same mistakes ourselves. 

In the same way that you keep a close eye on your competition make sure you have a clear idea of your own strengths and weaknesses so you can combat these early on. 
Don’t think of an audit as a static thing. Continue to evaluate your activity and identify whether it is meeting your objectives. This will give you an opportunity to go back and correct what has failed or build upon what has proved a success. 
Make sure you know all of the social media platforms you are on and accounts you have – you don’t want a rogue Instagram account out there that an ex-employee set up that you no longer have access to. Have your passwords saved somewhere secure and make sure you’re not the only one who has access – what if you get hit by a bus? 

Measurement is key. I go on and on about it all the time, but that’s because it’s vital to the success of a campaign. Make sure you’re up to speed with the analytics each platform offers you and if you require a more in-depth look at your activity there are plenty of third-party platforms, which offer great insight. We use Sprout Social at Gem PR & Media. 
Don’t just rely on analytics, speak to your staff, customers and those that are engaging with you online. Are your posts engaging? Do they contain calls to action? Are your users acting on your posts? Are you asking new clients where they found out about you? Or what prompted them to use your service or product? It’s really important to gain feedback from clients – you need to know what is and isn’t working. 

Make sure you communicate with your team; relay positive and negative feedback and allow them to contribute to your audit so that they can take ownership of the strategy to follow. 
Don’t think of an audit as a chore; instead look at as the beginning of a great strategy, which leads to opportunities for you and your staff, happy customers and increased profits. 

Welcome to 2017!

After the Holidays, as is often the case, many of us are thinking about the year ahead; job satisfaction, work life balance and bottom lines. I know that’s something always at the top of my agenda come each January. It’s months since I sat down with Chris, my husband, and business partner, and we wrote our business plan for the year, but now is the time to put it into action. 

As well as setting budgets and targets for the 12 months ahead I also use this time to reflect on the professional relationships I’ve built over the past year or so and begin to make a list of those I can reach out to for a catch-up, coffee, or glass of wine. This takes time and patience, but if you do it right and with enthusiasm the results can be rather pleasing. What you have to remember is that everyone else, or those on the ball, is doing the same. Many have already set their budgets and targets but may have scope for growth if you can prove your worth. 

Last year I reached out to more than 25 connections I’d made over the previous 12 months, met for coffee, shared a lunch and networked like there was no tomorrow. It paid off. In a matter of months our business here, and in Europe, grew as a result. Hence, we’ll be doing the same this year. I’m not saying you need to be the world’s greatest salesperson because that’s not what it’s about. It’s about offering a service that helps increase that person’s/company’s bottom-line – in the world of public relations anyway. Our goal is to build brand awareness, create a positive relationship between the client and their stakeholders and, ultimately, grow profits. 

If any of this sounds like a good plan to you feel free to get in touch with the team – we’re here to help! 

What a year!

Like I’ve said before, it’s important to celebrate the wins in this competitive world of public relations and media. So, now’s the time to recap on the year and celebrate all the good stuff! 

Our business has doubled in size in the past 12 months! We are working with clients in Springfield, IL, St Louis, MO, Guernsey and Jersey (the Channel Islands, Europe). Our portfolio of clients is rich and diverse. We’ve worked on state projects. We have worked with politicians. We are involved in a number of non-profits, civic and networking organizations. We sit, and advise, on several boards. We have opened our US headquarters in Springfield. We have welcomed two new faces to the team and we have launched our free, online, lifestyle magazine – Eighteen21.com. 

But what is most important is the recognition, awareness and revenue growth we have achieved for our clients. Several have been shortlisted and won awards. Others have appeared in a range of publications from The State Journal-Register to Guernsey’s Chamber of Commerce magazine, Contact, and on TV from Good Day Marketplace Illinois with host Melanie Streeper to Fox 32’s Good Day Chicago with former Springfield native Natalie Bomke. We’ve seen their businesses grow and as a result the need to increase staff numbers and move into large offices or workshops. 

It’s been a great year and we cannot wait to see what 2017 brings.  Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Eight ways to engage with your local audience online

It’s all very well wracking up the likes on your Facebook page or increasing your followers on Twitter, but how do you make sure you’re engaging with your local audience – the people that will walk into your gym for an annual membership or those who need a good realtor to find their forever home? Well, here are a few tips from the team at Gem PR & Media when it comes to engaging with your local audience. 

1.    Encourage your Facebook followers to check in when they visit your store or showroom. You could even run a competition; for anyone that checks into your location, a certain number of times each month, they get entered into a draw for a prize. 

2.    Use key messaging to target your local audience. This is so important. You need to remind people, your potential customers, and clients, why they are spending their valuable time visiting your social media platforms. Use local #s to emphasize messaging. We use #Springfield #SpringfieldIL and #LoveSpringfield in our local client posts all the time. 

3.    Relate to local events, activities, and news. Give people a reason to engage with your page. Post about an event and ask people to send in their own photos so you can share them on your page too. 

4.    Think of your social media as your very own newsfeed. If you don’t have the capacity for a blog or news page on your website, use your social media to disseminate important information, such as opening and closing times around the holidays, any special offers you have, when an employee has been promoted, or a new volunteer has joined the team. 

5.    Join local Facebook groups or professional groups on LinkedIn. 

6.    Create a call to action. We manage the Illinois Women in Leadership Facebook page, and so, in the run-up to a major event such as the annual women’s symposium or the ATHENA awards, I create a call to action – such as ‘Book now’ on the page and link that directly to the group’s booking system. Sometimes, I even create a banner for the page that reminds the audience the option is available. 

7.    Join in on the conversation, whether you’re focusing on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, engage in a dialogue with a business or individual in your area about a topic that interests you or relates to your audience. Remember, the key to a successful social media campaign is two-way communication – this is when our clients see the best results. 

8.    Give your audience a reason to ask questions. You always want to provide people with accurate and up-to-date information, but at the same time, you want your audience to engage with you. If you’re a retailer and posting images of products you have for sale perhaps leave off the cost of each product in order to prompt your audience to ask for it – this may seem counterproductive, especially when it comes to making your life ‘easier,’ but it will lead to open dialogue and create further interest in your post. 

Journalism versus public relations

I feel like I can talk about this topic honestly and openly because I’ve sat on both sides of the fence. Having trained and worked as a journalist in the UK, Channel Islands, and Australia and as a public relations consultant in Europe and the USA I believe I have a unique perspective on the matter. 

I can tell you now that not all journalists dislike public relations consultants and not all public relations consultants dislike journalists. I think, for those who have crossed over to the ‘dark side,’ we have a different point of view because we’ve experienced the riggers of being a journalist and the frustrations of working in public relations. 

As a news editor, I had, even more, respect for good public relations consultants and companies out there, dare I say it, at times I even relied on them to help fill the paper. I fondly recall, and he knows who he is, exchanging calls with a PR chap (who’s gone on to do great things by the way) about the state of my basket (usually on a Friday at 3pm while I was putting to bed Saturday’s paper, planning Monday’s and worrying about Tuesday’s edition) was it full, room for improvement, or empty. On the other side of the coin I once heard a PR colleague or mine say (following a presentation by an economist) ‘well, if he (the journalist) can write a story so can I,’ I hasten to add that she struggled, mostly because she didn’t have shorthand or a Dictaphone so missed chunks of information. This is what I’m talking about when it comes to respect for the other team. Journalists are trained to extract the salient details of a story, report accurately, and interpret information even a seven-year-old can understand. I loved being a journalist – I love the newspaper industry – it’s where I learned my trade and I put a lot of the success we have now at Gem PR & Media down to the fact I was taught by some of the best journalists I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. When I was news editor (and if you’re a West Wing fan you’ll know what I’m talking about) I had a post-it note on my computer and it read ‘WWJD’ – short for ‘what would X do’ J will remain unnamed. And, for the first year in the job I often got calls from J challenging my editorial decisions and pushing me to look at the newspaper I’d helped produce with fresh eyes – for this, I am truly thankful. One of my best friends crossed over from the dark side to the newspaper world and still, today, I hear her voice giving me advice when it comes to making decisions about my clients because she too understands the relationship between PR and journalism. 

From a PR perspective, I think my best advice is to always go with your gut – if it doesn’t feel right then trust your instincts. It’s also the way you can justify your decisions. Experience counts for a lot. I’ve made some mistakes, the kind that causes sleepless nights, but I’ve always come away thankful for the experience and the knowledge I’ve gained to better serve my clients. 
At the end of the day if you can build great relationships with the media, show respect for their work, and confidently provide good quality content you’ll do ok! 

Election 2016

It’s Election Day 2016 and although I can’t vote in the national election yet, I’ve had a busy morning liaising with various UK media outlets. As a former journalist and UK/Guernsey resident people back home are interested in how the last weeks, days, and hours of this election have played out from someone on the ground.  American elections are local with global implications.  

I’ve been honest about where I stand and my impression of the race so far. I’ve given my thoughts to my old paper, The Guernsey Press, and I’ll be up early tomorrow to do an interview with BBC Radio Guernsey. 

I’ve always enjoyed providing commentary, in a way that’s what I do each week with this blog, so I’m pleased to be asked and to contribute in a small way to raising awareness of the democratic system.  I’ve also been lucky enough to be involved with a few political campaigns since my arrival in the US.  

Whatever happens tomorrow it’ll be an interesting few weeks to follow. Locally, in Springfield, I think little will change for some time – our economy is stable, despite the continued political impasse. Our clients seem pretty confident that their business models are robust enough to weather the storm – and we know ours is! 

Gem PR & Media Account Manager, Ericka, on life as a PR professional

So far, working at Gem PR & Media has been a bit of a whirlwind – to say the least.  I hopped on the Gem wagon in late August and since then not only have I been exposed to new areas of PR and media, but I’ve also had the opportunity, and support, to raise my game as a working professional.

From day one I knew that this was going to be a fast-paced environment where I would learn hands-on how to navigate my way through the world of Gem PR & Media. I have learned an extraordinary amount of information on topics I have never thought of reading about, whether it’s retirement planning, mortgage loans, website development, or even local Springfield businesses – and enjoyed it. Who would’ve known that there is so much to see and do in what is perceived as such a small town from the outside looking in?

Overall, I find that each day is a new adventure. The proverbial anthill that I started upon continues to mound as I explore new areas, am pushed outside of my comfort zone, and find creative ways to help each of our unique and wonderful clients discover their, and my, true potential.

Search Engine Optimization

I write about social media, in my blogs, a lot and there’s a reason for this. I want people who are searching for social media companies in Springfield, IL, or Central Illinois to come across Gem PR & Media early on in their search. 

We blog almost every week and post links to our Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. We do it because we know this will improve our search engine optimization (SEO). 

The key to improving SEO is adding new and relevant content to your website and social media platforms regularly. By relevant content I mean anything that is helpful, or of interest, to your online audience. So, I tend to write about social media, the benefits and my top tips for a successful campaign. I also talk about public relations, because that’s a major service we offer our clients. Content creation is another thing that we are known for so I try to write about that too. And finally, I’m always telling you what we’re up to because then you know that we’re not only investing in the communities in which we operate, but that we are continually educating those around us of our expertise.  

Making sure you’re properly registered with Google is key. There are other things you can do too, to help with SEO, such as registering with search engines other than Google, like Bing, for example. 

When it comes to social media, it’s all about quality over quantity. It doesn’t take too much to visit your LinkedIn page every few days, like an article or even comment in the feed. Anytime you write for a publication, have an interview on TV or radio or are featured in an industry journal make sure you list these on your LinkedIn profile. 

Engage with one or two people each week on Twitter, whether that’s a retweet, a like, or by having a conversation with them. 

Improving SEO is something we work on for many of our clients and their businesses. 
If you have any concerns or questions about your SEO get in touch with the team at hello@gempremdia.com.  

Public relations in action

The world of public relations can be brutal at times. You think you have a great story but no one will buy into it because everyone else believes their story is great too. Sometimes a crisis can occur and your day, week, or even month is thrown completely off schedule and you have to spend your time doing damage limitations.

Natalie Bomke and Sensible Innovations founder and creator of the Aware app live at Fox 32 in Chicago.

That’s why, at Gem PR & Media, we think it’s important to enjoy each and every success our clients experience – and today we had a major win for Sensible Innovations! Our client, the founder and creator of the Aware app, Rasha Said appeared on Fox 32 in Chicago with Springfield native Natalie Bomke to talk about the impact this technology is making, and can make, in improving the lives of America’s 21 million visually impaired. 

A massive thank you to Natalie for recognizing a great story! And a huge thank you to Sensible Innovations for trusting us with the brand and allowing us to be part of your journey. 

Today we are a step closer to bringing this technology to the mass market for those who need it most! 

Eighteen21.com one month on

Since we launched Eighteen21.com at the beginning of September we’ve had more than 10,000 visits on the site and reached more than 30,000 people on Facebook. Our content has ranged from reviews of new businesses to interviews with artists to the donation of more than $90,000 to local non-profits by the American Business Club. One story, about The Real Estate Group, was shared on facebook.com/est.1821 more than 50 times and reached more than 8,000 users. Proof that positive, quality, and relevant content about Springfield Illinois is what you guys want! 

In the first four weeks, we published more than 20 stories and we even broke news with the donation by the American Business Club because we were able to publish the article immediately. 
We are proud of what the team has achieved so far and are grateful for your support in reading and sharing our content. 

This month we’ll have a fall fashion shoot with clothes from the Itty Bitty Fashion Truck and photos by Kate Spencer Photography. We’ll also have further stories on businesses and people in, and around, Springfield that makes this great city tick. 

If you have a story to tell get in touch! If you want to gain exposure and build your brand on a positive, online, and FREE lifestyle magazine then get in touch by emailing eighteen21@gemprmedia.com. 

5 ways to optimize your social media platforms.

1.  Make sure that updating Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. with the latest information about your company, is part of your social media strategy. On Facebook, for example, pay attention to your business description, category designation and fill in your address, hours, and location; providing relevant information on the platform can help boost your SEO. Think of the short description as your digital elevator pitch; use your platforms to network and business develop. 

2.  Reinforce your branding with your cover and profile photos. Cover and profile photos have a high level of visibility on your social media platforms so make the most of the potential brand awareness raising and exposure. You can promote an event, fundraiser, product or service through your cover photo. Use Photoshop or Canva.com to add text to your cover image. Make sure your cover and profile photos look good on both the desktop and mobile devices. 

3.  Add a call to action button on Facebook. If you’re promoting an event you can link to the registration page on your website or if you are involved in a fundraiser link to the Go Fund Me page, for example. You can match your cover photo and call to action and even add an arrow to your cover photo pointing to the call to action button. 

4.  On Facebook and Twitter, you can pin posts to the top of your page so that anyone who visits will see these posts first. You can continue to send out posts to your followers, but this is a great way of alerting people to a campaign that you may be running, for example. Don’t forget to unpin when you want the most recent post to appear at the top of your feed. 

5.  Did you know you can add milestones to your Facebook page? Visit your timeline and click Offer, Event +, then click milestone and fill in the details. This is a great way to highlight your business’ achievements and continue to build brand awareness.