Caroline Watkin

When chima mmeje🏳️‍🌈 moved to the UK in 2022 and launched the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries, she quickly noticed something surprising: 90% of people signing up for the Tech #SEO training thought it meant “SEO for tech companies”. This was a simple misunderstanding caused by a lack of awareness and she knew she needed to do something about that. She realised many people from developing countries had historically gravitated toward content work, as it’s often the easiest entry point into the industry. Chima shares how she herself first got into SEO through content, simply because it was something she could teach herself without formal training. Chima also shares how instrumental Aleyda Solís was in getting the FCC off the ground in its early days - and how she didn’t hesitate for a second to offer her help. Watch the full episode here https://lnkd.in/eyaWT7Ks

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A note on how to handle redundancies (and how not to), for PR & Comms agencies 💡 Redundancies in the PR agency market seem to be higher this year than last - despite PR Week reporting there would be less in 2025 vs 2024. Would you agree? I'm cautiously optimistic we're over the worst. However, having spoken to many people on the receiving end it's clear there are good vs not so good practices surrounding this. My top tips: - Don't drag the process out. Anticipation (especially for those with anxiety) and being kept in limbo is difficult for everyone. The best processes I've seen are ones where staff are given the notice they're at risk and the decision is made as quickly as possible. - Be fair with severance pay. Some agencies seem to be giving the bare minimum/statutory - others are giving more generous severance payouts which reduce stress for employees at a difficult time. - Consider voiding their garden leave. Candidates shouldn't have to wait 1-3 months and let opportunities slip by, they should be able to work immediately. - Don't behave weirdly. One candidate I spoke to said that like a breakup, she knew it was coming for months. Slowly being frozen out, distancing and even after the news, an awkward and tense atmosphere at work. This compounds an already difficult situation and what for? - Clear communication with the rest of the team. Explain why the redundancies were made, what the plan is for the business and the health of the business going forward. Whilst no one can guarantee anything, communication and transparency are crucial to avoid a domino effect where others leave out of concern for their job security. What are your thoughts, anything I've missed? #bradshawsearch #redundancies #pr #communications

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My annual post recommending digital marketing trends to watch is now live, covering the new techniques and opportunities to look forward to in the year ahead. ✨ 🔮 📈 🚀 https://lnkd.in/ejh6s5GZ Of course AI is the main game in town, but which aspects of AI should you be taking a look at from a strategic POV? I cover 5 top-level use-cases of using AI to support marketing. But AI isn't the only game in town and I also look at the latest Gartner hype cycle, our updated Martech tools wheel and other opportunities to improve marketing across our RACE framework. Please take a look and let me know the new techniques and trends which you think will be important for you in the year ahead.

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This is me at the lectern last week giving a talk on AI, SEO and Digital PR. It was a Figaro Digital event for marketers working within financial services, professional services and B2B. I've been asked quite a lot about this subject recently so here are a few of the main take-aways from my talk: 1. Don't panic. Yes things are changing and it's ok to feel overwhelmed by the avalanche of AI news, but things aren't changing quite as quickly as some would have you believe. AI search is tiny compared to organic Google searches and the intent behind those searches is quite different. You have plenty of time to consider your approach and adapt activity before Chat-GPT overtakes Google, if it ever does. 2. SEO isn't dead. If you are doing best practice SEO then you are already doing most of what the LLMs care about. Ignore the hype. Rather than being dead I think we'll see the opposite, a boom in demand for good SEOs who understand how to rank in both search engines and AI. 3. Brand mentions are vital. Having your brand spoken about and reviewed in the press and on social channels is one of the most important things if you want to get more AI traffic. That's why being great at Digital PR is a superpower. 4. Data is limited. We're at the start of things so the tools we are used to haven't been created yet or are far from where we need them to be. Those great keyword suggestion tools and the ranking software you're used to aren't really a thing yet. This is important if you are requesting or defending budget for this work as it's a lot harder to do projections and harder to prove value. I was hoping people would find the talk useful and thankfully the attendees did, with 94% of the room rating it "very good" or "excellent". With that in mind I'll be delivering it at other event in the coming months. Watch this space.

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10 Ways to Do Charity Partnerships Better (aka: How Not to Be That Corporate) 1. Stop mistaking us for unpaid brand consultants. Slapping your logo on our work doesn’t count as “impact.” That’s called marketing. And you’ve already got a budget for that. 2. Give cash, not your interns. We love enthusiasm. But we can’t pay rent in pizza-fuelled “skills-based volunteering.” (Unless your intern knows how to negotiate with our procurement teams or has made sales or fundraising skills.) 3. Don’t call it a “strategic partnership” if it’s really a photo op. A novelty cheque and a LinkedIn post is not strategy. It’s theatre. And not even good theatre. 4. Commit for longer than a financial quarter. People’s lives don’t run on your Q4 reporting cycle. If you want transformation, stick around past the press release. 5. Stop asking for ‘impact in real-time.’ This isn’t Deliveroo. Social change doesn’t arrive in 30 minutes or less. 6. Let us lead on what works. We’ve been doing this for years. You Googled “CSR best practice” last week. Let’s not pretend the expertise is evenly spread. 7. Don’t make us justify admin costs. Yes, we use your money to keep the lights on. Shock horror: impact requires functioning organisations, not just fairy dust and passion. 8. Share the credit, not just the content. If your ESG report reads like you single-handedly solved poverty with a bake sale, we’ve got a problem. 9. Put your people where your purpose is. If you want your staff to feel proud, give them a reason. Show them that their employer invests in something bigger than quarterly earnings. 10. Remember: partnership means partnership. Not dictatorship. Not performance art. Not “look how generous we are.” Partnership. As in: two parties, working together, with equal respect and skin in the game. _______ Oh hey! 👋 I’m Emma Freivogel , co-founder of Radical Recruit a small but mighty social value creating charity that helps people to get awesome jobs. Fancy a chat about how we can help your business win work, retain custom, strengthen your employer and corporate brand AND make the world a better place? Me too! Get in touch 💛

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CEOs. Neglect LinkedIn at your peril. If your work in any way connects to corp comms, can I point you to Helen Dunne's excellent, weekly ‘Corporate Affairs Unpacked’ Newsletter. The latest one is right here https://lnkd.in/eZHYnJQm. It’s 15 minutes well spent for interesting views and information. I don't love a self-promotional plug BUT digital exec comms is a hot topic of mine, so, full disclosure, I do feature in the latest one (feel free to eye roll me. Let's not get into the argument that ALL LinkedIn posts are self-promotional). To expand on the lunchtime chat I had with her, this is what I'd say to those in senior corporate positions: 🟢 Traditional media isn’t enough: press opportunities are shrinking. LinkedIn has become a credible alternative front page for modern business, where audiences and journalists already are. In a crisis, it also enables CEOs to speak swiftly and directly. 🟢 People perform over pages: CEOs generate 35% more engagement than their brands, despite having less than 10% of the following. Their voices cut through further than logos ever can. 🟢 Authenticity is expected: stakeholders want leaders who are human and visible. A credible digital presence now signals modern leadership - building trust, reputation, and even career advantage. And should you want to go even deeper here, you can read our full report on People Over Pages. https://lnkd.in/eijARMuQ

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