Tag: Social media

General

B2B content visibility: “If I put myself out there, do people think I’m a bit of a dick”

Marketing consultant Eimear Strong had to become more comfortable with being visible on social media

INTERVIEW When marketing consultant Eimear Strong started publishing on LinkedIn, her approach was “spray and pray” and felt, she confesses, like “absolute torture”.

In the years since she set up Strong Marketing and Communications, Eimear’s adapted her approach and learned to practice what she preaches to her construction and built environment contractor clients.

We met up over Teams to discuss how her content strategy has evolved, the lessons she’s learned and where the property industry is missing a trick with its storytelling.

Stacey: What was the trigger for starting to publish content regularly, and where did you start?

Eimear: My content has come from being self-employed. I went on LinkedIn, but I was really nervous about it and found it absolute torture.

My ADHD might have been playing into that a little bit with rejection sensitivity: If I put myself out there, do people think I’m a bit of a dick, or am I as good as I’m saying?

Then COVID hit, and I realised that what I was recommending to clients, I wasn’t doing myself.

If no one knows anything about me, how are they going to buy from me?

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General

Randomly going viral on LinkedIn and why it was pointless

Woman using smartphone on a train beside oversized social media icons. The LinkedIn app icon is showing 999+ notifications.
Going viral on LinkedIn is more flattering than it is useful, I’ve discovered. Image: AI-generated

A LinkedIn post I wrote went viral completely randomly, but it’s just highlighted the pointlessness of virality.

I don’t know why the algorithm picked this post up for special treatment; it’s a topic I’ve written about before, in some shape or form.

It was a story with a tip attached, a style of post that isn’t unusual for me to use.

The trigger seemed to be a 3rd-degree connection reposting it. Since then, impressions climbed and climbed, reaching more than 72,000.

It’s all very flattering, but ultimately it’s just hot air.

I’ve carefully built my LinkedIn connections, and yet the impressions are 99% from outside my network.

That leaves in-network impressions slightly above the average I’m currently receiving in this low-reach phase of LinkedIn.

Engagement from outside my network

While I’ve had some of my connections engage, for which I’m grateful, a significant proportion is coming from people so far outside my network that, while appreciated, it serves little purpose other than to boost my ego.

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General

Writing for conversation: A different approach to LinkedIn content

Two women in business attire talking and holding drinks at a conference networking event
Create content that is a conversation starter, think networking rather than broadcast. (AI-generated image)

Writing readable LinkedIn content is, of course, important, but writing to encourage engagement or action on your LinkedIn post is an increasingly important strategy.

LinkedIn wants genuine and meaningful interaction with content. It’s not merely about broadcasting anymore; it’s about conversation and value.

The platform increasingly seems to reward posts that get people talking and valuable content that people want to save, share and send to others.

So how can you write to encourage engagement that goes beyond a simple ‘like’?

First of all, think of it as striking up a conversation with your peers and potential clients as you would at a networking event.

💡 Comment on other people’s posts. Aside from being great for visibility, showing goodwill and a willingness to have a conversation is more likely to be reciprocated.

💡 Don’t just share company news, share a view or observation about something happening in your industry.

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General

How to leverage value from trade shows and conferences with B2B content

Outdoor pavilions at the UKREiiF property trade show in 2025

Trade shows and B2B conferences are expensive to attend, but there are ways to start leveraging the value in the weeks before by using content.

Here’s a content strategy and ideas for what to publish in the 5-6 weeks leading up to the event opening, and how it might help you once you are at the show.

Why create content in the run-up to a trade show or conference?

• Good content can position you or your team as experts and the people to talk to, opening the door to meetings. It can shift your position from simple attendee to authority.

• It can help get the conversation started before you go, and once there, it can give people an easy reference point when meeting up: “I read your LinkedIn piece on…”

• The algorithm rewards early movers, and you benefit from the rising tide of search and interest in the weeks before the event.

• If your LinkedIn profile pic is clear and up to date, pre-show activity on the platform can make you easily recognisable.

What content should you publish/post in the run-up to a trade show or conference?

Make sure your content is specific, and showing a bit of personality can help amplify its effect. Here are some content ideas for any trade show or conference:

Thought leadership series

Harness your expertise or that of your senior spokespeople and develop a series that creates a talking point, for example:

• Something that no one or not enough people are talking about.

• A contested issue or a different approach to solving an industry challenge.

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Audience engagement, Repurposing, Video

Getting value from panel events and podcasts

Panel discussion at MIPIM 30th edition event on 'UK: Regeneration & Waterfront Developments.' The stage features four seated male panelists and one female moderator standing at a podium. A large screen above displays the panel title and participant names and roles: Moderator Stacey Meadwell (Freelance Editor), Cllr Jon Collins (Leader, Nottingham City Council), Steve Dunlop (Chief Executive, Scottish Enterprise), Mark Sitch (Senior Partner, Barton Willmore), and Cllr Huw Thomas (Leader, Cardiff Council). The event branding and social media information are also visible on the screen.

Panel events and podcasts are powerful platforms for raising your profile as a thought leader to a broader network, expanding your brand reach beyond your own social media connections and email list.

These powerful formats help your audience connect with you or your team’s expertise on a more personal, human level. It can help build connections and brand trust, and open doors to other opportunities and conversations.

Panel events and podcasts foster brand storytelling in a way that builds trust and familiarity, especially compared to more polished written communications.

But you and your business want to come across well and get the most out of the experience or event. Here are just a few tips to get you started.

Invited guest: Delivering your message effectively

Tip 1: Align your messaging with the theme and audience

Do some preparation ahead of your panel or podcast appearance. The audience has turned up or downloaded the episode to hear a conversation on a specific topic, so make sure your messaging aligns with the overarching theme.

If you go off topic or fall into a marketing pitch, you risk damaging audience engagement or, on a podcast, being edited out.

Equally, to engage the audience, make sure you are speaking their language. What is their level of technical knowledge? Use plain English with a clear point of view, as it will always land better than jargon. 

Tip 2: Give the right answer

Listen carefully to the question you are asked and answer that. There is a danger of being overprepared and answering a question you anticipate rather than the one being asked, or giving too much away too soon.

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