Lizzie Hough

Spotlight on Lizzie Hough: Founder of White PR & Marketing

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This week we’re turning the spotlight on boss lady and company founder Lizzie Hough. Lizzie has been running White PR & Marketing since 2016. Outside of work, she is a proud mama to Henry and loves the work/life balance she has achieved by running her own business.

Q: Ok, first things first, what is your name and where are you from?

A:  My name is Lizzie Hough and I am from Lancaster in the United Kingdom.

Q: What made you want to get into the marketing sector?

A: I’ve always been interested in the way we communicate, particularly when it comes to persuading people to act a certain way. I got my degree in English Literature from Liverpool John Moores University and then studied for a PGCE in English and Drama. Rather than go into teaching, I headed into the corporate sector and worked in sales for organisations like Morecambe Football Club. I realised I had a real passion for building relationships and communicating with people. I then decided to branch out and start my own company in 2016.

Q: What does your company do?

A: I offer quite a wide range of services to my clients, including marketing and PR. In general, I help to bring direction to their marketing campaigns and grow their businesses through strategy and planning, generating new marketing ideas, content creation, design, social media management, and blog services. I work with big and small companies to help them achieve their desired results.

Q: What do you love about running your own company?

A: I love the flexibility it gives me. I can work from anywhere in the world and I’m not tied to a 9-5 job. It also allows me to be really creative and come up with new ideas to help my clients grow their businesses. No two days are ever the same and I love that I have the flexibility to grow my career in any direction I want to move in. It also allows me to be fully present for my son, Henry.

Q: What has been your proudest moment since starting White PR & Marketing?

A: Honestly, every client win is a big moment for me. Whether it’s helping a small business owner to get their first press coverage, or working with a large corporation on a huge campaign, seeing my clients succeed is what it’s all about for me.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

A: The biggest challenge has definitely been time management. As a one-woman band, I have to wear a lot of hats and this can be exhausting, particularly when I have to learn how to do something new.  I’ve definitely had to get better at delegating and outsourcing tasks that I either don’t have time for or that someone else could do better than me.

Q: What would be your top tip for anyone wanting to start their own business?

A: Just go for it! It’s never going to be the perfect time, so don’t let your doubts and fears hold you back. You’ll never regret taking the leap, but you will regret not trying. There is so much help available out there if you just ask for it, and the small business community is so supportive. If you have questions about how something works, you can guarantee that someone will be able to help you.

Q: Outside of work, what else do you love to do?

A:  In my spare time, I love spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoy reading and going on walks in the countryside. I’m also usually training for a race, so running takes up a big part of my time.

Q: What is your “why”?

A: I have a few different causes that are incredibly close to my heart. I grew up as a close sister to a very special man, called James, now 34. My brother has a genetic disorder called Noonan syndrome which has caused a wide range of health problems and difficulties throughout his life.

James was also born with a hole in his heart and has autism. Throughout his years, we have been on a journey as a family, to try to find the best care, schooling, and quality of life for him.

At the age of 14, James went away to a Barnardo’s school in Ripon. It was heartbreaking at first, especially for my Mum and Dad, for him to have to live away, however, this is where he had to go to develop as an individual. I don’t believe he could have gotten to where he is now, without this education and support from such a cause.

12 years ago James had to go through major heart surgery to replace the valve in his heart, therefore I am also wishing to give part of the funds raised this year to The British Heart Foundation. James is a real gent and loves movies, his favourite characters being ET, Indiana Jones, and Mary Poppins, to name but a few. He is a very special individual, and I feel so lucky to have seen life through his eyes.

So, in 2016, I set myself a twelve-month running goal to run twelve races, all mixed distance, in aid of a few select charities that are close to my heart: MIND, The British Heart Foundation and Barnardo’s.

Q: How can people get in touch?

A: If you’d like to discuss a PR or marketing project, you can reach me on my email, or you can follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn.

Social Media Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

Social Media Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

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As a small business, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest marketing trends. One of the most effective ways to reach potential clients is through social media. However, not all social media platforms are created equal when it comes to marketing your small business. In this article, we will discuss some tips for using social media to market your business effectively.

Building a following on Facebook

When it comes to creating awareness about your brand, we believe that Facebook is still the king. With over 1.62 billion active users, there is no denying that Facebook is a powerful tool for reaching potential customers. However, simply having a Facebook page is not enough. In order to be successful on this platform, you need to be active and engage with your audience.

Posting quality content is essential, but you also need to make sure that your posts are timely and relevant. In other words, don’t just post photos to drive sales – post photos of projects that you’ve worked on, or share blog articles about your industry. And be sure to respond to comments and questions from your followers.

Finding success on Instagram

Instagram is another great platform for small businesses. This visual social media platform is perfect for sharing beautiful photos of your work. And with over 1 billion active users, there is a large potential audience for you to reach.

When it comes to marketing on Instagram, it’s important to use hashtags. Hashtags help users find content that is relevant to their interests, and they can also help your content be seen by more people. Use relevant hashtags when posting photos or videos, and be sure to use a mix of popular and niche hashtags.

Captivate your crown on Pinterest

Pinterest is another visual social media platform that can be used to market your small business. This platform is perfect for sharing inspirational photos of your product or service, as well as photos of your own work. And with over 433 million active users, there is a large potential audience for you to reach.

When it comes to marketing on Pinterest, it’s important to create pins that are visually appealing and easy to read. Be sure to include keywords in the descriptions of your pins, as this will help them be found by users who are searching for relevant content.

Get down to business on Twitter

Finally, don’t forget about Twitter. This social media platform may not be as popular as some of the others, but it’s still a great way to connect with potential customers. And with over 229 million active users, there is a large potential audience for you to reach.

When it comes to marketing on Twitter, it’s important to use hashtags and keywords. Use hashtags to find relevant conversations that you can join, and use keywords to ensure that your tweets are seen by users who are searching for relevant content. In addition, be sure to retweet and like other users’ content – this will help you build relationships and gain followers.

Closing thoughts

By following these tips, you can use social media to grow your small business. But just remember that you can’t let this marketing activity dominate your life. There is no one size fits all and if you find that you are struggling to decide what channel to use, what to post and say, it might be time to scale back or outsource. Get in touch with us to learn how we can help.

A Quick Guide to Content Creation

A Quick Guide to Content Creation

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Creating content is one of the most important things a small business can do to attract and convert customers. But it’s not always easy to know where to start, or how to make the most of your budget. In this article, we’ll outline some tips for making the most of your content creation efforts, so you can maximise your results without breaking the bank.

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how to research the right hashtags

Hashtags – what are they and how to research the right hashtags

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Hashtags are a way to group together posts about a certain topic on social media. For example, if you want to see all the posts about Love Island, you can search for #LoveIsland on Twitter.

Hashtags are an important tool for small business owners who are managing their own social media accounts. By using the right hashtags, you can make sure your content is seen by the right people. Read more

Guest Post: Karen Ritchie VA – How to maintain a healthy work/life balance

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I am super excited to introduce a blog from Karen Ritchie VA, all about maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a business owner. I know this is something we could all do with a bit more of! Thank you to Karen Ritchie VA for letting me share this incredible advice with my audience.

The transition from employee to business owner is not always an easy one. There is so much to learn about running a business, and taking care of your personal needs often slips to the bottom of the list. There’s no shortage of tales of business owners facing burnout because they never managed to find their work/life balance.

While growing a business is certainly exciting and worthwhile, it should never be the only thing happening in your life. You need to take care of your health and wellbeing away from your business so that you have the energy and drive to show up every day and do your best work.

Maintaining a good work/life balance is one of the most effective ways to achieve this. If you’re a new business owner struggling to find balance in your life, read on to learn my top tips for finding the work/life balance sweet spot.

What is work/life balance?

Finding work/life balance is a conscious decision to not allow work to dominate your life. It’s easy to get sucked into the excitement of running a business and neglect everything else in your life, including partners, family, friends and even yourself.

But this isn’t a sustainable way to live. If you neglect your health, you might soon find that you’re unable to work because of illness. And if you neglect your relationships, you might find that you have no one left to share your success with.

Why is work/life balance so important?

Humans need a few things to survive, and work isn’t on that list. Neglecting your work/life balance will damage your business in the long term because you won’t be able to keep up the momentum. Eventually, something has to give.

By learning early on that your work/life balance is worth protecting, you can safeguard your mental and physical health and ensure you become a more effective business owner in the process.

Simple ways to maintain work/life balance

Most office workers have set hours they have to be present in the office. Whether this is 9-5, 10-6 or a more flexible arrangement. Maximum working hours are enshrined in law, so you should make sure that you observe these laws for your wellbeing.

Setting and sticking to your working hours is a simple way to make sure you clock off at a decent time every day. When you know you have to power down your laptop by 6 pm, you’re far more likely to get your head down and focus on tasks.

But setting working hours and sticking to them are two completely different things. Who here hasn’t said they would only work Monday to Friday from 9 to 5, and then found themselves working all hours of the day and into the weekend?

The simplest way to make sure you stick to your hours is to make plans outside of these hours. Tell your family you always want to eat dinner together. Or arrange to meet a friend for drinks after work. Planning a weekend away will also help to make sure you get your work finished before 5 pm on a Friday.

Other ways to protect your work/life balance include:

  • Scheduling your social and personal time as you would your work time. If it’s in the calendar, it’s more likely to happen.
  • Stop checking your work emails outside of office hours. You can’t get sucked into weekend and evening work if you aren’t triggered by the notification ping.
  • Make sure you schedule time off throughout the year. Running a business is no excuse not to take a holiday.
  • Never work on your birthday. It’s a simple boundary and one that every business owner should have.
  • Create a dedicated workspace. If you’re working from home, there’s the temptation to never really switch off. By creating a dedicated workspace, you can power down, close the door and return to home life with ease.
  • Make time for yourself. Self-care is not optional as a business owner. You need time to recharge your batteries.
  • Review your workload regularly. If you think you might be taking on too much, look for ways to delegate or lighten your load. If you’re regularly going over your assigned hours, it might be time to think about working with a VA.

Finding the perfect work/life balance takes work. And it might not always work out perfectly. Sometimes, business demands mean that you will need to finish a project in the evening or over the weekend, but try to make this an exception rather than the norm.

The difference between Facebook and Instagram: what you need to know

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Facebook and Instagram are two of the most popular social media platforms today. They offer businesses different ways to connect with customers, and it can be difficult to decide which platform is right for you. In this blog post, we will discuss the differences between Facebook and Instagram so that you can make an informed decision about which platform is best for your business.

What is Facebook?

Facebook is a social networking site that allows users to connect with friends and family. It also allows businesses to create pages so that customers can learn more about their products and services. Facebook offers a variety of features, such as the ability to post photos and videos, create events, and join groups. You can also promote your content through paid advertising to help reach new audiences.

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share photos and videos with their followers. It is a great platform for businesses to showcase their products and services, as well as connect with customers. Instagram also offers a variety of features, such as the ability to add filters to photos, tag locations, and share stories. Like Facebook, Instagram also offers the ability to promote your content with paid advertising. This offers a low-cost way to reach your ideal target audience.

What is the difference between Instagram and Facebook?

The main difference between Instagram and Facebook is that Instagram is primarily a visual platform, while Facebook is more text-based. This means that businesses should focus on using high-quality photos and videos on Instagram, whereas Facebook allows for more text-heavy posts. Both platforms will benefit from strong visuals, so don’t neglect your image in favour of your message.

Which platform is right for my business?

When deciding which platform is right for your business, it is important to consider your goals. If you are looking to connect with customers and build relationships, then Facebook is a great option. However, if you are looking to showcase your products and services, then Instagram may be a better option. There is also the option to add a shopping button to your Instagram posts, which is ideal for eCommerce businesses.

No matter which platform you choose, make sure that you are active and engaged with your audience. The key to success on either platform is authenticity. People don’t want to feel like they are interacting with a brand. They want to feel like they are connecting with the people behind the brand. This is one way in which small business owners have a distinct advantage over larger companies. You have the ability to show your customers who you are and what your brand is all about. So take advantage of that!

We hope this blog post has helped you understand the difference between Facebook and Instagram. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. We would be happy to help you navigate these platforms and find your audience on Facebook, Instagram and beyond!

5 things you need to know about SEO in 2022

5 things you need to know about SEO in 2022

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SEO is considered to be a bit of a dark art. We don’t fully understand what it takes for a website to rank well, so SEO professionals instead have to guess what search engines are looking for. This is why there are no guarantees when it comes to SEO. However, with a persistent approach, you should be able to improve your search rankings.

If you want to stay ahead of the curve and continue to see success with your online marketing campaigns, it’s essential to know what changes are in store. Here are 5 things you need to know about SEO in 2022.

Voice search is here to stay

As voice-activated devices like Amazon Echo and Google Home become more popular, people are using them more and more to search the internet. This means that keywords that are spoken rather than typed will become more important for SEO. Optimising your website for voice search is something you’ll need to do in order to stay ahead of the curve.

User experience will be more important than even

As search engines continue to evolve, they’re placing more and more emphasis on user experience. This means that things like page load time, mobile-friendliness, and overall design will become even more important for SEO. Make sure your website is optimised for users, and you’ll be in good shape.

Schema markup continues to pull its weight

Schema markup is a code that helps search engines understand the content on your website. It’s becoming increasingly important as search engines get better at understanding and interpreting online content. If you want your website to be visible in SERPs, you’ll need to make sure it has schema markup.

This will enable you to make the most of rich snippets, which are essential for something known as “zero click searches”. These are searches that are completed without ever clicking through to a website because the information is right there in the SERP. A great example of this would be a potential customer searching for your phone number.

Social media will continue to influence SEO

Although it’s not technically part of SEO, social media is becoming increasingly crucial for visibility in SERPs. This is because social signals are being used more and more as a ranking factor. Make sure you’re active on social media, and you’ll see an uptick in your SEO results.

Reviews are also becoming increasingly important, as rich snippets in search mean that website visitors can see even more information before they even click through to your website.

Content will continue to be king

Content is and always will be the most important element of SEO. This means that creating high-quality, keyword-rich content is essential if you want your website to rank well in SERPs.

Make sure you’re producing quality content on a regular basis, and you’ll see success with your SEO efforts. Adding a blog to your website is one of the simplest ways to make sure it is constantly refreshed.

How to use your blog to position yourself as an expert and grow your audience

How to use your blog to position yourself as an expert and grow your audience

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If you want to be an expert, you need to act like one. And the best way to do that is by using your blog to position yourself as an authority in your field. Not sure how?

Start by creating content that is both informative and engaging. Then, make sure to share it with your audience on a regular basis. By doing this, you’ll not only grow your audience but you’ll also be seen as a thought leader in your industry.

Ready to get started? Check out these tips for using your blog to build credibility and grow your business.

What makes a good blog?

When it comes to blogging, quality is key. That means creating content that is both informative and engaging. But what does that look like?

For starters, your blog posts should be well-researched and well-written. They should also be relevant to your target audience and offer something new or unique. In other words, don’t just reheat and serve what you read elsewhere. If you want to be seen as an authority in your field, you need to be sharing original thoughts and content.

What types of blogs are most popular with readers?

Not all blog posts are created equal. In fact, some types of blog posts are more popular with readers than others. Here are 10 types of blogs that tend to perform well:

  1. How-to guides – Share your insight and help to solve real-world problems for your audience.
  2. Listicles – A good round-up article is perfect when you want to share short and snappy bits of advice.
  3. Free resources – Everyone loves a freebie. If you’re offering free resource downloads, make sure you share these in a helpful blog post.
  4. Product reviews – Can you help to guide someone else’s purchase? Sharing product reviews could also be lucrative if you can add affiliate links.
  5. Industry news – Let your audience know that you have your finger on the pulse by sharing the most relevant industry news they need to know.
  6. Expert interviews – You don’t always have to be the expert. Sharing insight from other industry leaders will help to expand your audience.
  7. Case studies – Done something you’re proud of? Let your audience know how you did it and what you achieved with a case study.
  8. Trendspotting – Can you spot a trend before anyone else? Help those new to your industry get to grips with what is going on by sharing your trendspotting insight.
  9. User-generated content – Sharing content found on social media and on review sites is a great way to give your audience a sense of what potential customers are thinking and doing.
  10. Infographics – Sometimes it’s better to show rather than tell. A well-designed infographic could help you to get your point across better than pages of text ever could.

Ready to supercharge your blogging efforts? You don’t have to go it alone. White PR & Marketing is here to help spruce up your blog and help to position you as a thought leader. Get in touch to arrange a consultation call.

Free Marketing Resources

Where To Find Free Marketing Resources For Your Business

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If you’re running a small business, you are likely handling your marketing on a shoestring budget. The good news is that a low budget doesn’t have to mean low quality. By making the most of the free marketing resources out there, you can achieve amazing results without breaking the bank.

So many organisations are willing to give away incredible tools and resources for free. Sometimes you’ll need to hand over a small piece of information like your email address to access them, but this seems like a fair trade when you consider what you are gaining. Read more

How to get started with a content plan

How to get started with a content plan

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A content plan is a document that outlines the goals, objectives, and strategies for content marketing. It’s a blueprint for how you will create and distribute your content. A content plan can be used to identify gaps in your strategy, set realistic goals, and measure the success of your efforts.

Without this essential plan in place, your content marketing efforts may be difficult to measure and could become inconsistent. Over time, this can lead to wasted effort and suboptimal results. If you’re thinking about getting started with a content plan, consider these important steps.

Find out what your customers want

Research is perhaps the most important part of the content marketing strategy. It helps you to understand what your audience wants and how best to provide it. Do they prefer articles or videos? Are they visual learners or would they like the option to listen to your content?

There are many ways that you can do this research, but there are some key steps that you need to take in order to make sure that you are successful.

  • Look at what your competitors are doing.
  • Determine what has been successful for you in the past.
  • Look for content marketing trends that could help you to tap into new audiences.
  • Ask your customers what they would like to see more of.

Determine your resources

What resources can you put towards your content plan? There’s little sense in creating an extensive content plan if you only have a few hours each month to actually work on it. Likewise, there’s little sense in planning video content if you don’t have the skills to produce it.

If you don’t have the time or skills required to execute the content plan, think about how you might be able to outsource this. Knowing that someone else can consistently produce quality content for you can be a huge weight off your shoulders.

Set some goals

Every step in your content strategy should have a goal attached to it. Take a moment to ask, why are you producing content? Do you want to increase views, improve the customer experience, or increase sales? When you set goals, make sure that you keep them SMART, which means they should be:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Relevant
  • Timely

Create a workflow

Once you have a content plan in place, determine the workflow you will use to achieve results. Creating a workflow will help you to stay focused and make sure that every piece of content meets and exceeds your minimum standards.

A workflow is also a helpful document to share if you decide to outsource your content plan in the future. It can help to keep a freelancer or an agency on track so that work is always of a consistent standard.

Be consistent

Consistency is key when it comes to content marketing. Rather than release a lot of content at once and then go silent for months, aim to share your content on a consistent schedule. When you set a realistic schedule for sharing content, you’re far more likely to be able to stick to your goals.

Need help creating your content plan? White PR & Marketing is here to help. We can help set you on the right track so that every piece of content you produce hits the mark. Get in touch to learn more.