There’s been no “April Fools” here at the IBA International office, which has been jam-packed full of social media event support, industry analyst reports, and back-to-back expert briefings!

The beginning of 2023 has passed by in a flash. Much like the saying “time flies when you’re having fun”, we’ve certainly had plenty to celebrate! It’s been a busy start to Q2 with a month of social media support for events activity, briefing calls with subject matter experts (SMEs) to help shape new content, elevating the power of third-party research – and even a trip across the pond to Canada for client meetings for our CEO and Head of Client Services.

And a quick disclaimer, none of these activities have been created with ChatGPT – not a large language model in sight – but more on my involvement on that polarizing topic later.

So, without further ado, here’s what April had in store for the IBA team and our clients!

Finding the credible research link to boost brand equity

The best content marketing strategies are those informed by data, customer insights, and industry knowledge – which can significantly influence the buyer’s journey. Research reports and insights from reputable organizations are key ways for B2B marketers to create a piece of thought leadership that elevates a brand’s position in the market and builds a foundation of trust and credibility.

When our data movement client was featured in a research survey from a leading international analyst – we sprang into action. This survey, which found that enterprises in financial services, manufacturing, and retail see ROI ramp-up as they embrace Event Driven Architecture, meant that the spotlight was on our EDA client and its target markets! We worked swiftly to repurpose for specific industry markets – and coverage in top-tier publications is starting to roll in! But it doesn’t stop there – drafting of a full bylined article has already begun to build out a PR content stack from this rich trove of research material!

Our business management software client has recently sponsored the UK’s Top 500 Retailers Report and we have used this valuable insight resource to set the record straight about what works in today’s digital retail marketplace. A really helpful analysis following an unquestionable disruptive period for retailers shaped by widespread strikes, supply chain disruptions, and a global energy crisis. The team has drafted and pitched out a ‘Q&A’ response piece to tier one targets on how retailers can keep pace with changing consumer behavior – it’s a perfect opportunity to establish our client as a leading voice during this perfect storm of disruptions.

Getting subject matter expertise onto the page

Executive profiling is all about establishing a spokesperson for a particular industry or technology area and determining a media hook that can produce thought-provoking, relevant and fresh content that offers real solutions to the pain points your prospects are experiencing. By building up the profile of your executives, you can influence the entire corporate reputation.

We virtually sat down with our Contact Centre client’s SME to talk all things recording and reporting in the Contact Centre. This SME briefing provided so much content that the team decided to write not one, but two thought leadership pieces!

Spreading the word that events are here to stay!

The events industry is predicted to grow to $1,552.9 billion by 2028 – so I think it’s safe to say that the events circuit is officially back in full swing following the pandemic! As the number of events rise to pre-pandemic levels, the amount of social media support required is also reflecting this.

There has been a steady stream of events for our Aerospace and Defense client so far this year. This month alone they attended a high-profile Maintenance Repair & Overhaul convention in Atlanta which required both corporate and executive social media assistance across multiple platforms. The team were on hand to write content to tight deadlines (and 280 character limits) and post real-time images, all at the drop of an email!

Never one to miss out on the action, events for our insurance technology client are also ramping up! We have added the first posts for a drumbeat of promotion leading up to our client’s attendance at the largest UK-based event on the insurance calendar. This was slotted into our usual weekly social media activity alongside the appointment of their new Managing Director. We are busy pitching the MD’s appointment press release, and it has generated excellent media traction so far and top tier interview opp!

May this be our best month yet?

It has been a great month for the IBA team, and as we jump into May, it’s safe to say that we are progressing through Q2 full of the joys of Spring! I only wonder what we can expect for next month – my crystal ball predicts a top-tier placement of our CEO’s take on ChatGPT. But as this action falls within my remit, I better get back to making sure I get those placements, so watch this space!

Caitlin Goldsmith is PR Executive at IBA International.

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