Category: Blog

190 Thank Yous

Cherith AndesAwards, Blog, The Clairemont Team, , , , , ,

At the end of the day, you might eyeball your check list, cross through the accomplishments and reticently port the straggling items to tomorrow’s list. Another ho-hum day in books.

But at Clairemont, we feel a little differently. We love the work we get to do and clients with whom we get to work. We’re energized, jazzed — thrilled! — to delve into our clients’ strategies and campaigns. And we’re grateful that we can partner with such incredible businesses and people.

At the 2018 North Carolina Public Relations Society (NCPRSA) InSpire Awards banquet, we got the opportunity to celebrate these wonderful client relationships and fun campaigns. We were honored to receive 15 awards from the NCPRSA for our client work, including:

  • Bronze Best in Show “Newland Feature Story”
  • Best in Category for “Social Media: The Vita Vite Lifestyle”
  • Best in Category for “Press Kit/Media Kit: Il Palio’s Freshly Baked Media Kit”
  • Best in Category for “Integrated Communications: Babalu’s Grand Opening Rocks the Guac”
  • Best in Category for “Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Newland Editorial: Gains of Going Green”
  • Award of Excellence for “Feature Stories: Newland Feature Story”
  • Award of Excellence for “Press Conferences: WGU NC Launch”
  • Award of Excellence for “Integrated Communications: Babalu’s Grand Opening Rocks the Guac”
  • Award of Excellence for “Events and Observances: Briar Chapel’s Annual Pepper Festival Turns 10”
  • Award of Excellence for “Social Media: The Vita Vite Lifestyle”
  • Award of Excellence for “Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Newland Editorial: Gains of Going Green”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: Talbots and Oprah Magazine Dress for Success”
  • Honorable Mention for “Videos: Wendell Falls Builder Spotlight Videos”
  • Honorable Mention for “Press Kits/Media Kits: Il Palio’s Freshly Baked Media Kit”
  • Honorable Mention for “Creative Tactics: Il Palio at the James Beard House”

Since inception, Clairemont has earned now 190 industry awards for its work in the public relations industry. We consider this 190 times we get to say “thank you” to our clients for partnering with us!

Interested in some of the work we do? Check out a few of our case studies!

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A “Royal” Furniture Affair

Cherith AndesBlog, Furniture PR, , , , , ,

With the royal wedding just around the bend, Clairemont is stacking its tea tray with scones for another noble occasion. We have the immense privilege of partnering with Theodore Alexander, one of the world’s leading furniture manufacturers, for a gala in Toronto featuring a furniture collection of “royal” proportions.

On May 23, 2018, Charles, 9th Earl Spencer will personally unveil the latest masterpieces in the Althorp Living History furniture collection. Designed in partnership with Theodore Alexander, this collection encapsulates reproductions from the Althorp Estate, the Spencer family’s ancestral mansion that housed 19 generations of British nobility, including Diana, Princess of Wales, Earl Spencer’s older sister.

Photo credit to the Althorp Estate.
Photo credit to Theodore Alexander.

Launched in 2004, the Althorp Living History Collection came to life under the artful craftsmanship of Theodore Alexander; artisans combed the 90-room Tudor mansion to select more than 300 pieces for inspiration from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Theodore Alexander captured hand-tailored, old-world artistry to create historically rich pieces and imbue the 21st century home with royal elegance.

If you’re in Toronto in late May, don your best plumed hat and join the gala at the Kennedy Galleries to meet Lord Spencer in person.

If not, set up a time to join us in the Clairemont kitchen for a spot of tea and see how we can make your next event a “crowning” success!

Cover image courtesy of Althorp Estate and John Robertson.

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Boost Your Blog

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , ,

Inception warning: we’re writing a blog on blogs.

You’ve spent hours researching, writing and editing your blog post. It’s perfect. You want the entire world (well, your key publics) to read and love it.

Clicking the publish button isn’t the end of the blog’s journey, though. Ensure that your post doesn’t just live on your website by tapping into other communication mediums to expand reach and boost engagement. To accomplish this, here are four tactics on our radar:

Instagram Story

Example from Sugar & Cloth on Instagram.

If your business page has more than 10,000 followers, you can embed a link in your Instagram Story. With a simple swipe, followers are whisked directly to your website to read the blog. In your story, entice viewers by announcing the blog’s topic and including a CTA like “Swipe up for the full post!” On the Social Media Examiner podcast, Sue B. Zimmerman recommends creating a “Blog” highlights folder where all of your blog-related stories can live forever. (Check out our previous post for more info on Instagram Highlights and why they’re important.)

For an advanced social media move, try going live on Instagram to talk about the post. Sue goes live for 45 minutes the same day she releases a blog post to talk in detail about the topic and bring in guests. Her efforts create an engaging, exciting experience of each post for viewers.

Infographic or Visual Graphic

Itching to show off your creative side? Turn words into pictures through a graphic. Visuals are not only more interesting to look at than long-form text but also easier to share with others.

Is there a piece of info in your blog post that could be depicted visually? Share the graphic on social media to hook viewers and accompany it with a link to the full blog.

Podcast Episode

This ever-growing audio platform was made for the multitasker. Listeners tune in while making their morning commute or evening dinner, which drives deep engagement because there’s less effort needed. Repurpose your written content into an episode that expands on the topic and brings in guests.

Does it seem daunting to take the mic? Check out “How to Start a Podcast” for an in-depth guide by The Podcast Host.

Social Sharing Schedule

This tactic is shorthand for publishing your post more than once on each social media platform. Garrett Moon with Kissmetrics defends the blog repost because it provides your audience the value you promised them. Sharing the blog a second or third time captures the viewers who missed your initial post, and it demonstrates that your content is still relevant weeks and months later.

Garrett cautions against becoming a spammer to your audiences. In his step-by-step guide to create a social sharing schedule, he recommends varying how often the blog is shared on each platform and switching up the message to create different hooks.

From Blog to Brand

These tactics drive traffic to the mother lode: your website. When audiences arrive at your blog post from an Instagram story, Facebook infographic or podcast episode, they may stick around and explore everything else your website has to offer. The boost to your blog will translate into overall brand strength as your activity across all platforms builds a central brand identity.

What do we love more than our own blog posts? Those of our clients. Drop us a line to see how we can help you get the most out of your blog content.

Written by intern Elizabeth Comtois, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

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Mastering Insta’s New Algorithm

Cherith AndesBlog, Marketing, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , ,

In March of 2018, Instagram launched an announcement that uprooted the Instagram community.

Article from Huffington Post

For the last two years, Instagram has operated on an engagement-based algorithm, prioritizing posts that received the highest engagement. Instagram posited that this system allowed its users to enjoy content that mattered most to them. (Sound familiar? *cough* Facebook *cough*) However, Insta fans revolted, claiming that the algorithm violated the platform’s real-time dynamic and forced businesses into paid strategies.

The Change

After two years, Instagram took the hint. The revamped algorithm that launched in late March unveiled two major changes.

1. “New Posts” Button

In the past, Instagram utilized an auto-refresh function that interrupted the user’s experience by unexpectedly bumping him or her to the top of the feed. Now, with the New Post button, users have the option to refresh their feeds at will or simply continue scrolling through posts. Notably, this button is still being tested and slowly offered to users. While not earth-shattering, the adjustment eliminated a common thorn in the side of the Insta community.

2. Newer Posts at Top of Feed

Of more import, Instagram will now give priority to “newer posts.” While not a complete return to chronological feeds, the algorithm accounts for the post’s recency, ensuring that your feed isn’t clogged with stale posts from days past. Instead, users have access to current updates with an opportunity to engage in a more real-time dynamic.

What Does This Mean for Businesses?

Pay attention to when your audience is online and active. It matters again! For business accounts, this data is readily available within Instagram’s Insights function. (Incidentally, it also provides additional demographic data to inform target marketing.) By no means disregard the types of content that have garnered strong engagement in the past. Simply include timing into your equation to maximize efficacy.

Best Times to Post

As a bonus tip, research from Sprout Social pinpointed these as the best times to post on Instagram:

  • Wednesday: 3 p.m.
  • Thursday: 5 a.m., 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Friday: 5 a.m.
  • “Safe times” to post are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Tuesday – Friday, with Sunday securing the least engagement.

Keep an eye on analytics and a heart for genuine, meaningful content to continue growing your Instagram. And remember, treat it like a coffee-shop date: real, personal conversations held at a convenient time for the other party.

Looking for more tips? Learn how to take an Insta-worthy photo!

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Real Estate’s Top Three Social Tools

Clairemont InternBlog, Real Estate PR, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , ,

Learn how to harness the power of social media visual content on Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook to build your real estate brand.

Triangle Real Estate Trends

If real estate in the Triangle was a children’s fable, it would be a beanstalk shooting into the sky to meet the giants.

According to a 2018 report from Capital Compass, the Triangle experienced record growth in commercial real estate last year, leasing more than 1.4 million square feet. Class A space – the crème de la crème of properties – continues to be in highest demand, indicating that buyers will pay more for premier quality and central location. The Dillon – the 18-story mixed-use building that will join the downtown Raleigh skyline – has leased 43 percent of its residential units and nearly 77 percent of its retail space, leaving more room for real estate growth in the near future.

Photo of Hargett Place in Downtown Raleigh.

Residential real estate in the Triangle is also on fire. In Zillow’s 2018 list of hottest housing markets, Raleigh earned the No. 2 spot “based on its rising home values and rental prices, steady income growth, abundant job opportunities and low unemployment rate.” The Triangle remains in the running for Amazon’s HQ2, which would bring 50,000 jobs to residents and accelerate the area’s growth. As the Triangle establishes itself as a technological, health care and financial hub, homebuyers and business owners alike are flocking to the Triangle to set up shop.

Key Social Media Marketing Tools for Real Estate

In layman’s terms, the time to invest in real estate is upon us. As a real estate developer, builder, investor or agent, effective marketing strategies are more crucial than ever to ensure your properties are the ones getting filled. To stay on top of the trends, we have our eyes on these three social media tools that will shine the spotlight on your brand.

  1. Snapchat Geofilters: The real-time visual platform offers so much more than flower crown filters. With 158 million daily users who exchange 2.5 billion Snaps and check the app an average of 18 times a day, Snapchat boasts a freakishly high engagement rate. Snapchat’s on-demand geofilters encourage direct interaction with key publics and broaden your brand’s reach to other people’s networks. The unpolished, real-time content lends authenticity to your brand, which builds trust and familiarity with your key publics, leading to meaningful relationships.
  2. Instagram Stories: Unlike Snapchat, Instagram more easily builds and maintains a steady audience. Stories can expire after 24 hours or be archived as a “highlight” to live forever on your brand’s page. Use a story to document the course of an activity, like a new property tour or community event. Which stories should turn into highlights? Choose the story clips that get the most views and engagement, says Michael Stelzner, host of the Social Media Examiner podcast. You can even separate highlights into different branded categories, like “Blog,” “Homes” or “Events,” which makes it easier for followers to view what interests them. These snippets provide a peek into the daily life of your brand, putting faces and adding personality to your logo.
  3. Facebook Live: The social media giant’s streaming feature marries long-form video content with real-time presence. These videos provide deeper engagement with your followers, since you can respond to a viewer’s questions or comments while live. Facebook Live seems made for the real estate industry; what viewer doesn’t want to hop on an impromptu tour of the newest properties and communities without leaving his or her living room?

Although they have their differences, these three social media tools tap into the power of visual. Videos and photos with intentional, innovative content give viewers a personalized experience when finding their perfect home or office space.

Are you ready to get social? Tap us in to help build your brand with our strategic social media know-how.

Written by intern Elizabeth Comtois, a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill. 

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