The blog
Best social media courses for comms professionals
If there’s one thing we all know about comms professionals - there’s just not enough time! You have a list as long as your arm, deadlines for...
Dealing with negative social media comments – dos and don’ts
The subject of dealing with negative social media comments crops up in almost every social media training course I run, so I thought I’d share my...
Social media flow chart for comms pros
* 09/01/21 Social media flow chart - updated for 2021! When I first posted this chart 7 years ago (and more than 52,000 downloads ago!), I had no...
How to create a podcast for your brand
Increasingly communications pros ask us how to create a podcast - and comes as no surprise. It’s safe to say the popularity of podcasts isn’t...
What makes a great Social Media Manager?
If there’s one thing we know for certain here at Comms Creatives HQ it’s that social media managers are hugely talented. Whether it’s your full time...
How brands respond to the Queen’s death on social media
How and why do brands respond to the Queen's death on social media? What goes on behind the scenes? A few , let's say 'unexpected' brands...
How to kick-start your idling TikTok account
Five TikTok tips for communications and marketing professionals... Anyone who’s active on TikTok may have noticed that Kevin De Bruyne, the...
Why we got comms pros drawing llamas
What do you call two llamas standing next to a bell? Llama llama ding dong. Why the corny joke? Well, we hired a real llama is for one of our Comms...
TikTok and Reels for university comms – better than a brochure!
A lesson here from university comms that is inspiring for us all - and once again we're talking Tiktok and Reels! Content of the week goes to the...
5 ways to persuade your boss to join TikTok
TikTok recently surpassed 3 billion downloads around the world- the only app not owned by the artist-formerly-known as Facebook to achieve this...
Fun heatwave social media content
I couldn’t choose just one content of the week, so we have three this week. What they all have in common is they’re fun. Some people can’t see the...
Council announce Chief Exec on TikTok
A COUNCIL has stormed TikTok, with CORPORATE NEWS! Who would have thought?!So this week we’re handing the content of the week medal to Redbridge...
TikTok comms strategy: 0 – 100k followers in 8 months!
If you want to be inspired and learn loads about how a comms team can blow up on TIkTok, you'll love this interview....
Introducing the Comms GOATs!
Who are the people in comms pioneering creative approaches in their work? You may not even know who the comms greats out there are, as they aren’t...
Find your career path as a comms pro
There’s no right way to have a comms career. You don’t have to feel stuck on a particular path. I did sales, press, comms strategy, social media,...
Get approval for social media training
If you work in corporate communication or marketing, social media training will help you learn new techniques and strategies to improve reach and...
If the comms profession had an advertising budget
This #CommsAds idea was a fun way to show off our new brand style - hope it makes you smile more than you groan! (More about this mini-campaign...
The top free online communities for comms pros
This is a list of some cracking comms communities online, that offer support, inspiration and chat about comms issues we have in common. We all need...
Social media strategy: a guide
We all know we need a social media strategy for our organisations. But when you're a busy communications professional juggling all the work, it's...
Three Twitter tips for comms pros
These three Twitter tips for comms pros may seem simple, but they make a big difference. We comms professionals are often bonkers busy, so we can be...
Social media interview questions
16 Social media interview questions: prepare to land that dream job Here are some social media interview questions - so you can prepare for before...
The comms approval process
If you've been through the comms approval process a few times, you'll know: the pain is real.Getting through layers of people to edit and sign-off...
The comms unicorn
The comms unicorn exists!This comms unicorn is often the cartoon people remember me for. I drew it because I can't count the number of times people...
Funny tweets from nonprofit brands
People don't expect funny tweets from nonprofit brands. They think serious, solemn communications is all that's appropriate when our mission is for...
Building comms conf idence
Building your confidence is as important as developing skills, if you really want to get maximum impact. I can often be found researching and...
Going viral
Going viral - it's the dream of attention and love for our brand. But we comms pros are not miracle workers. If the content is important to your...
Why humour on social media should be part of your strategy
People tell me that they can't do humour on social media, or any fun content, because their comms is for an organisation that does important work....
Pets: the secret weapon of housing associations on Facebook
Housing associations on Facebook often have a tough time engaging residents.We work with comms pros who manage Facebook pages that are either:• A...
How brands can be more authentic on social media
Comms professionals often ask us how to be more authentic on social media. This desire to be more human and less corporate is great, but people...
Workshop: Lunchtime Creativity Boost For Comms Pros
LIVE WORKSHOP FOR COMMS PROS: TUESDAY, 1ST JUNE AT 12.30PM Based on the science of creativity, we set you tasks to get you feeling happy, productive...
Comms is not common sense
I've heard a few people say that communications is common sense. It's not. https://twitter.com/commscreatives/status/1364654765314084866 It could...
How to deal with procrastination?
Ever wonder how to deal with procrastination? Me too*. Here's how procrastinating shows up in my work:...
Superb storytelling on social media
Storytelling on social media, like the kind we teach on the Social Media Expert Course,is a special secret weapon for the comms pro. Here's a...
The best church social media content
You can learn a lots from the best church social media, no matter what kind of organisation you work for. I've noticed a lot of church-type content...
The Weetabix and beans tweet marked an important moment in comms history
I expect you have seen the Weetabix and beans tweet this week, and all the brand reactions to it. And maybe you've guessed it: content of the week...
Council fun and empathy is content of the week
We admire cool stuff from brands of all sorts. We've noticed: local government has been nailing it lately! So content of the week goes to THREE...
Empathy – the secret ingredient in social media engagement
Empathy is one of the core elements to getting your social media content and tone of voice spot on. First off, knowing who your audience is: (it's...
Powerful real-life storytelling on Facebook is content of the week
Storytelling on Facebook is one of the most effective skills you can have in your comms bag of talents. And I'm getting my best Miley Cyrus singing...
Manchester Council’s touching Christmas message video
Winner of content of the week is a Christmas message video: Our Social Media Academy members, Manchester Council, have knocked this out of...
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue’s Burger King spoof is content of the week
This week we're celebrating a cheeky and fun Facebook post from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue (SYFR)! If it seems familiar, but you can't put...
Council’s social media illustration is content of the week
I want to talk about social media illustration and cartoons in your comms. It seems relatively rare! We see so many social media graphics that are...
The ‘commsplanation’: duff advice from the non comms colleague
I made up a word: "commsplanation'. Have you ever been commsplained? It's where someone who is less qualified than you, or less experienced,...
Cameo celebrities: endorsement small brands can afford
Getting a celebrity to promote your brand has long been a desirable but costly way to get your audience's attention. Some charities could rely on a...
Creative thinking for comms pros: brand metaphors
Creative thinking is not just something we do at work when we're designing campaigns. We can apply creative thinking to all parts of life and work....
Ten phrases social media managers hate
You might imagine that the phrases social media managers hate to hear would be "we're out of coffee", or "there's nowhere to charge your phone". But...
Comms strategy: when dreams don’t match reality
I hope you know that you're not alone if you find your comms strategy dream does not always match the reality. I drew a doodle to illustrate this....
A day in the life of a social media manager. Explained by The Simpsons
Creative social media during the coronavirus crisis – 5 tips
This is a practical guide to maintaining creative social media during the coronavirus crisis. Actually, all of the advice here is relevant at any...
The future of PR & communications: 2020 & beyond
As a creative PR and comms trainer, I’m often asked, ‘What is the future of PR and communications?’ It’s a fun and daunting topic to explore. Will...
How to give your brand an engaging social media tone of voice
Developing an interesting and engaging social media tone of voice is a hot topic for lots of us who look after social media for brands. It's all...
The comms Christmas gift list
If you’re anything like me, you do your shopping at the very last minute. And maybe you save time by wrapping your gifts in scrunched tinfoil… just...
Take the 31 Days of Creativity Challenge
Take The 31 Days Of Creativity Challenge Unleash your creative side in under 15 minutes a day Our gift to you: an easy programme with 31 quick tasks...
Are you inbox zero or creative hero? My email rebellion
Lately I’m lucky enough to have got some help with responding to email enquiries and such like. What a luxury. When I was an in-house communications...
Do you get the comms butterflies of dread?
Being a creative comms person is not the easy option. You create something a little different that you think is pretty good - but you don't know how...
A PR and comms stress epidemic: survey results 2019
I am seriously concerned about the stress faced by the hundreds of comms and PR professionals took part in a survey, and the hundreds of people I...
Comms and PR stress, and the workload dilemma
Stress is often seen as part of the job of being a communications, PR and marketing professional. But I don't think the pressure we face is healthy,...
Punctuation: five fun facts
It's National Punctuation Day! So I thought I'd share five more-interesting-than-it-sounds trivia about punctuation. Because I KNOW you comms...
Replace your inner critic with an inner fan club
How much do you let your inner critic hold you back? Maybe it's a comms and marketing thing, but we seem to be quite hard on ourselves. We view our...
Could you work with your brother or sister? Introducing my new business manager, Lel
Hey! I have taken on my first permanent member of staff, and guess what? She’s my big sister! Introducing Lel Reynolds: bringing order, ideas and...
Great comms takes courage
For a few reasons, creative, engaging social media doesn’t just take skills and creativity – it takes guts.
12 Podcasts for comms, PR and marketing pros
I want to share some podcasts to inspire comms, PR and marketing pros, because it’s often hard for us to slot in learning, or CPD of any kind, into our schedules.
Social Media Marketing Awards: I won!
On Monday, I won Freelance Social Media Marketer Of The Year at the Social Media Marketing Awards! I’m super chuffed, especially since I was up...
Social media for a royal wedding – behind the scenes
These days during huge news events, we are all scrolling through social media to find out the latest updates and see photos of what’s going on. As...
Creating a communications strategy – advice from a comms specialist
The first time I was asked to get creating a communications strategy, I was super intimidated by the task. It seemed so important and I had no idea...
My advice for a career in communications
I'm sharing some advice for a career in communications as part of the second #CommsCreative challenge: to blog useful tips for other communicators...
The creative communications strategy
We can make a real difference to the impact of our comms by working to a creative communications strategy.The thing about being involved in your...
Communications strategy, snakes and ladders style
Ever have that feeling when you see something so nifty, and simple that you wish you'd thought of it? That was me when I saw this very creative...
Comms Creatives Club newsletter: fancy some inbox inspiration?
Have you signed up to the The Creativity Coffee Break newsletter? Sign up now! Every week, I send an email newsletter with comms stories, ideas...
Ten tips for comms pros from the NHS Communications Conference 2018
It's amazing how invigorating it can be to get out of the office to learn and network with other communications professionals. Yesterday I loved...
2018 survey: Comms in the UK housing sector
Busy UK housing communications professionals rarely get time to meet other comms teams to compare teams and work experiences. So in early 2018, I...
What should be in your communications kit?
The modern communicator is asked to turn their hand to lots of techniques, and if you want to be prepared for all sorts - here’s my guide to the 13...
The top 10 of UK public sector tweets of 2017
Yes, public sector tweets can be exciting and interesting! In the public sector, we often have small, or no, budgets for social media. But our...
Public engagement: crap apps, Lego, conversation and politicians
Public engagement is something all public services do, and many do badly. This is an opinion piece on crap apps, and what makes useful public...
Posting text and video bilingually to Facebook and YouTube
Posting text and video bilingually to social media sites is possible, but not simple! This is a practical post on posting to social media...
The comms manifesto
In my opinion, modern and professional communications has nothing to do with spin, lies and propaganda.
This is my idea of what we do.
Is your fear stopping your social media comms from saying anything?
Communicators often confide in me that they don’t really like using Facebook (and other social media) for their organisations because people...
A comms guide to the ‘sorry not sorry’ statement
Is it ever OK to respond to a breaking story about a mistake your organisation has made - with a joke? A BBC story about Cardiff Council I read this...
Let’s play comms bingo
Do you want to cry when someone asks if they can have an app? Do you shout for mercy when a colleague tells you to make their boring story go viral?...
The most important social media measure? The ‘ex-haters’ number.
I’ve been developing a course on social media evaluation, and one metric stands out to me as most important. I call it the ‘ex-haters story’: the...
Writing statements: avoid clichés like the plague
If you write media statements, advise colleagues or clients or speak to the media regularly yourself - it can be comforting to fall back on familiar...
Standing up for the skills of the expert communicator
Have you ever wandered over to your head of finance and told them how they should interpret the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill of...
Just how social is your social media?
Most are not serial killers - in fact psychopaths are more likely to find their way into politics, boardrooms or media organisations than be jailed...
Some tips for new podcasters
A few weeks ago, I made the trip to London to do a podcasting course at the Guardian offices - this meant driving from South Wales at 5am on a...
Best trait in a social media communicator? Bravery. No contest.
Which qualities are most desirable in a social media manager or communications employee? I think the most valuable trait is bravery.
The social media election in nine tweets
It's getting a bit of a cliché to describe it as a 'social media election' but things have changed drastically since 2010. In 2010 adults spent 14.2...
The public sector has no obligation to be boring: tweets that show the funny side of gov
I've been lucky enough to work with people doing some pretty important, serious stuff. Social work, policing, health, public finances, planning,...
Why Awards Matter – Communication, Leadership and Rhetoric
Note from Helen: It's such an honour to share a guest post on this blog from a communicator I have admired for years, Laura Davies. As a judge and a...
My five favourite 2014 tweets with pictures
My top two most read blog posts this year were: number 1: a 'how to' flow chart, and number 2. a look at how social media can help public servants...
#probooks: Join the Cardiff Professional Book Club
A book club where we read business and professional development stuff - if you’re near Cardiff and your New Year resolution is ‘read more’ or...
Seven tips for using Facebook if you work in the public sector
Facebook can be a hard place for brands. It’s a lot like a wedding: friends and family gather to have fun, catch up and talk to each other. Brands...
Council social media: forget about the price tag
A great report from business advisory and accountancy firm BDO, Direct Message, has been released this week, showing results of councils...
#samaritansradar: Appealing for real in the social media apology
Samaritans have suspended their Twitter monitoring app. I initially thought it was a nice idea but I was being naive and the case for rethinking it...
Livestreaming council meetings on YouTube
Broadcasting meetings to residents live on the Internet needn’t cost the earth, as Monmouthshire County Council has demonstrated in recent weeks....
Public sector comms: how to not be evil
(Or, ‘How social media helped me get my heart back’) I’m going to keep this quite short considering this is post about obedience, public sector...
Three ways leaders can get more from social media
If you’re a chief exec or a leader, you’ve probably given Twitter, blogging or even Facebook a go. Maybe you love it. But are you getting the most...
Digital Leaders: I won! A big big enormous thank you
I promise not to harp on about this after today but I WON AN AWARD! I asked people here to vote for me in the local government official category of...
How to respond when rumours start to spread on Facebook
'Rumour Cascades', a joint study from Stanford University and Facebook, provides some fascinating insights that can serve as advice for public...
Digital Leaders 100: on impostor syndrome (also, vote me!)
This is a unusual post from me that: a) asks you a favour (I want your vote!); b) ponders why talented people are so modest. a) The favour I’ve...
Five interesting ways councils are using infographics
This article was first published in the Guardian, you can read the original on their website here. We are in an era where we get our news and...
IC Space: three social media ideas for internal communicators
Here's an article I wrote for the IC Space, sharing three social media tips for internal communicator. You can read the original posting over on the...