Three things we’re upskilling in during 2024
People never stop changing how they engage with the world, so in marketing and communications, we can never stop learning, or we’ll fall behind!
That’s why at Crossbeam we’re committed to staying on top of all of the latest information, trends and strategies that are working in the marketing world – from the biggest global brands through to the tiniest local charities. There’s so much to learn, and we’re here to learn it, on your behalf.
So here are (just) three of the (many) things we’re planning to upskill in during 2024!
1. Creative content on social media
Late last year, we repackaged our social media offerings in our retainers. Crossbeam’s NEW social media packages give a lot more flexibility for our clients’ social media to make the most of relevant trending techniques. Rather than simply being aligned to a certain number of posts per week, our packages are tiered based on volume of posts, but also type of content - so the higher the package, the more diverse the types of content we’ll be doing for our clients.
So, we’re trying to get even more creative in the content we produce for our clients. That means more carousel posts, more reels, more IG stories, more use of trending formats, more swift adoption of new tools… more fun!
What we won’t be doing…
Sacrificing consistency at the altar of creativity. You can still do great things on social media with a consistent, simple approach. We will never invest all our energy in one PHENOMENAL post if that means your channels then remain silent for two weeks. It’s all about balance.
2. Paid social media advertising (?)
Up until fairly recently, it’s been doable to achieve good reach and engagement on social media without paying. But that’s becoming less and less the case – you’ve probably noticed this in dropping numbers liking your posts! Our feeds are SO crowded these days, and that’s very intentional on the part of the social media overlords. They want to force businesses to take out paid ads on their platforms to cut through the clutter.
Note that I said businesses… if we were working with B2B or B2C clients seeking to make a profit, well-targeted paid advertising would be a no-brainer these days. But for non-profits and ministries, we are still trying to work out what the best approach is to generate the kind of results that actually matter to our clients. Not sales, but encouragement, positive reputation, prayers, volunteers and donations… it’s not what the ad platforms are built for, but we’re going to figure out this year whether pay-to-play social media is worth it for our clients.
What we won’t be doing…
Forcing everyone to pay. Paid social is necessary for everyone. For some of our clients, they actually don’t need to achieve huge reach or engagement on their channels – they just need something that’s active and ticking along with positive, welcoming content for those who come searching. No point paying unless you actually have a goal to reach more people via socials!
3. AI and ChatGPT
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionised the way businesses approach marketing, and we should take note of this in ministry spaces too. Our agency is continuing to invest heavily in upskilling our team to leverage AI for data-driven insights, creative content and personalised journeys for the diverse groups of people our clients serve. By harnessing the power of machine learning algorithms, we can ensure that our clients benefit from cutting-edge technologies that can allow us to make more of an impact!
What we won’t be doing…
Skipping the talented human writers who shape the very human, very meaningful stories of those to whom our clients minister.