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Generative AI is everywhere now. You see it in content, campaigns, customer experiences, and even internal workflows. It promises speed, scale, and efficiency, but there’s a harder question sitting underneath all that progress; Do your audiences actually trust it?

Trust in the Age of AI: What Consumers Really Think About AI Generated Content

Today, PR teams aren’t just tracking media coverage and share of voice. They’re also measuring how their brand shows up in AI-generated answers, search summaries, and large language models (LLMs). This new LLM visibility layer is quickly becoming a critical part of PR performance.

15 Must-Have PR KPIs and How to Track Them

See how one platform can power every decision across PR, communications, and marketing.

The Meltwater Blog

Blog Topics: Generative Engine Optimization, Media Intelligence, Media Relations, Social Listening, Consumer Intelligence, Influencer Marketing

Find out how you can leverage Facebook to boost your brand's online presence and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

Facebook Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage Instagram to boost your brand's visual appeal and gain a competitive edge. Explore our category page today!

Instagram Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage LinkedIN to grow your professional network and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

LinkedIn Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage TikTok to elevate your brand with creative content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

TikTok Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage X / Twitter to engage your audience effectively and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

X / Twitter Blog | Meltwater

Find out how you can leverage YouTube to create engaging video content and gain a competitive edge. Explore the Meltwater category page today!

YouTube Blog | Meltwater

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is transforming how brands show up in AI-powered search. Explore insights, strategies, and best practices to help your content rank and resonate across conversational engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot.

Explore insights and strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help your brand stay visible and discoverable in AI-powered search.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Blog Collection | Meltwater

Every day billions of conversations take place on social media: tweets, posts, comments, blogs, reviews, podcasts, and much more.
Learn how to use social listening to make sense of all of that data.

On our social listening category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around social listening and social media monitoring. Read more.

Social Listening Blogs | Category

Business Reputation Management: What does it take to add reputation management to your marketing strategy? More importantly, how do you keep your reputation sparkly and shiny? Here’s your all-access guide to online reputation management for the long term.

On our reputation management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around business reputation management. Read more.

Reputation Management Blogs | Category

From your brand's logo to your website, your social media presence to your customer support—these elements combined are what constitutes a brand in the minds of customers. But, there are thousands of other businesses that have a logo, website, social media presence, and website. So, how can you position your business on the market and make it stand out from the competition?
The key to success is branding & brand management!

On our brand management category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around brand management. Build your strategy and reach your goals!

Brand Management Blogs | Category

Competitive intelligence and the act of collecting competitive data can be seen as growth drivers for a company. Our guide will help you understand the concept of competitive intelligence (CI) by answering questions such as: What is the definition of competitive intelligence? How is competitive intelligence useful to organizations? What is the goal of competitive intelligence? And more.

On our competitive intelligence category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around competitive intelligence. Learn how to stay ahead.

Competitive Intelligence Blogs | Category

Let’s dive into the customer journey framework and how to optimize the process by creating a customer journey map and using metrics that matter when analyzing the customer journey.

On our customer journey category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Customer Journey Blogs | Category

What Is Data Analytics? [Beginner’s Guide 2023]
How can I grow my business? 
How do customers interact with my newly launched product?
How do I increase the productivity of my employees?
How do I know if my marketing efforts are working?
We have just two words for you...Data analytics!

On our data analytics category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around AI and data analytics. Technical and still easy to understand.

AI & Data Analytics Blogs | Category

Public relations and media relations can add impact to any marketing strategy. It’s an opportunity for brands to grow their reach beyond traditional sales messages. PR helps to shape the image you want people to have of your brand.
So, what is PR and how do you use it? This guide shows you everything you need to know to build a strong public relations foundation.

On our public relations (PR) category page, you find all our blogs covering public relations and communications topics. Step up your PR game.

Public Relations (PR) Blogs | Category

We all know exactly what the roles of sales or accounting are in a company, right? We might even have a slight idea of what the IT guys are doing.
But there is another business discipline, that plays a crucial role in organizations, even more so during the pandemic – internal communications!
But what exactly do we mean by that, what purpose does it serve and what steps can you take to ensure you and your employees will communicate effectively?

On our internal communications category page, you find all our blogs about internal comms topics. Learn about the intranet, internal newsletters, and more.

Internal Communications Blogs | Category

As the internet has taken root in more areas of our lives — everything from entertainment to shopping to paying bills and more — traditional marketing is becoming less impactful. As any marketer knows, you need to focus on where your audience is if you want to reach them. Since the average person spends about seven hours a day online, it’s no surprise that content has maintained its hold on marketers.

Here's a closer look at what content marketing is and why it matters more than ever in our digital-first economy.

On our content marketing category page, you find blogs about content marketing topics. Learn about strategies, KPIs, tips, and more. Make your content king!

Content Marketing Blogs | Category

The rise of the influencer marketing space – today a $10 billion industry, growing 50% per year – is one of the clearest examples of how social media is transforming traditional marketing. These days having a business website, presence on social, PR coverage, and your own content isn’t enough to compete.
We'll dive into the intricacies of influencer marketing to help ensure that you're equipped with the insights needed to be successful in this space.

On our influencer marketing category page, you find blogs about influencer marketing topics. Build your strategy, find influencers, and measure results.

Influencer Marketing Blogs | Category

Have you just launched a new product or service that you want to get the word out about? Maybe you want to share with consumers why it is awesome and how it is so much better than the one your competitors offer.

Well, then, there is one thing you can't do without...Marketing!

On our marketing category page, you find blogs about marketing topics. Learn about all the different angles and types of marketing and improve your results.

Marketing Blogs | Category

In this guide, we want to give you a peek into the definition of social media management, the daily schedule of a social media manager, social media platforms to promote your business, and the do’s & don’ts of social media management.
Are you ready to begin the journey of becoming a social media superstar?

On our social media management category page, you find blogs about social media management topics. Build and manage your online community.

Social Media Management Blogs | Category

Building a following and using social media platforms to reach a wider audience requires a well-planned social media marketing strategy. In this guide, we’ll be looking at why social media marketing is so essential and how you can make it work for your business.

On our social media marketing category page, you find blogs about social media marketing topics. Learn how to get the highest paid social ROI!

Social Media Marketing Blogs | Category

In the fast-evolving realm of digital marketing and public relations, utilizing the right tools is crucial for success. Our interdisciplinary category showcases all the pertinent tools for digital marketing & PR. These tools help in enhancing your online presence and effectively reaching target groups, whether through reputation management, influencer marketing, or social media management.

On our digital marketing and PR tools category page, you find all our blogs covering topics around mapping and understanding the customer journey.

Digital Marketing & PR Tools Blogs | Category

Learning how to schedule TikTok posts ahead of time will keep you one step ahead — and make sure your audience is never hungry. Picture it: Your content goes live at the moment where your followers are the most active. That means more chances to get likes and shares, which can help even more people discover your stuff.

It’s easy to schedule TikTok posts in app, either via desktop or mobile device. As a marketer, you’ve got enough going on, especially when it comes to social media management. There’s not always time to drop everything and post a new video. Let a TikTok scheduler do the heavy lifting so you can focus on creating quality content your audience will devour.

Follow these steps to schedule posts on TikTok on desktop and mobile devices, whichever you prefer.

How to Schedule TikTok Posts: Desktop and Mobile

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Scheduling TikTok Posts

If you have a business or creator account, you can schedule TikTok videos using two types of tools: the native TikTok scheduler or third-party TikTok scheduling tools.

TikTok’s platform lets you schedule posts in advance. You can access the TikTok scheduler via desktop or mobile. It’s free to use, and you can schedule posts up to 10 days ahead of time.

Third-party tools can also let you schedule posts on TikTok. Rather than heading to TikTok, you’ll connect your third-party tools to your TikTok account and use that interface to schedule posts.

Using third-party apps gives you extra flexibility you might not have with the TikTok app itself. For example, you might be able to schedule TikTok posts more than 10 days out. Additional recommendations like the best time to post can remove the guesswork from scheduling content.

TikTok’s scheduled posts offer you advantages over brands that aren’t scheduling content in advance. When you plan your content instead of posting “in the moment,” you can expect to:

Be consistent with posting TikToks, which helps you attract the algorithm

Post at times when your audience is most active and engaged

Free up time by batch-posting content and avoid disrupting daily routines

Craft a more thoughtful and cohesive content strategy

Avoid last-minute scrambling to create or post content

Allow team members to review or approve content in advance to help maintain brand consistency

More easily adjust your strategy without disrupting your schedule

Scheduling posts on TikTok gives you the gift of time. You have more leeway to think about your content rather than rushing to post something. You move away from the “done is better than none” mentality so you can focus on quality and engagement.

And if a better idea comes along, you can just as easily unschedule your posts and replace them with something else.

TIP: Check out our Social Media Management Toolkit for a wealth of resources to help any social media pro!

You can use TikTok’s built-in scheduler tool from your desktop or mobile device. 

If you want to know how to schedule TikTok posts on a desktop, there are just a couple of extra steps to take compared to posting in real time. 

Click “Upload” next to the search bar to add your video.

Fill in the details of your post, including the description, hashtags, mentions, cover image, and privacy options.

Use the “When to Post” option to choose “Schedule.” Select the desired date and time, keeping mind you can post up to 10 days in advance.

You can schedule TikTok posts on mobile, but there’s a catch — you can’t do it from the TikTok app. Instead, you will need to open a web browser on your mobile device. 

Here’s how to schedule TikTok posts on iPhone or Android.

Open a web browser on your phone (e.g., Safari, Chrome) and go to TikTok. 

Click “Upload” next to the search bar to add your video. Your video will need to be on your mobile device’s storage or accessible from your mobile device.

Add your post details, including the video’s description, hashtags, mentions, cover image, and privacy controls.

Under “When to Post,” choose “Schedule” and select your date and time.

TIP: Need a hand managing your TikTok posts and other social channels? AI can help! Download our free Ultimate Guide to AI for Social Media Management to learn more.

Learning how to schedule TikTok posts can give your strategy a significant boost. You aren’t constantly posting content manually and can think about and plan your content more effectively.

But even simple-to-use tools like a TikTok scheduler can come with unexpected learning curves. 

Over-relying on scheduling tools can mean falling into common traps, like these:

Scheduling TikTok posts ahead of time offers convenience to marketers. But it can also damage your visibility if you’re scheduling content when your audience isn’t active. 

Use TikTok analytics or other social media management tools to find when your followers are most engaged. Use this data to schedule your content accordingly, and review it often, as habits can change over time. 

Scheduling posts in advance lets you maintain an active presence on TikTok without having to think about it. However, don’t let convenience lead to overkill.

Filling your schedule with too many posts can lead to content fatigue for your audience. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

It’s best to stick to a consistent yet manageable schedule. This will help you keep your audience’s interest without overwhelming them. It also leaves a little wiggle room to be spontaneous when new (and timely) ideas come up.

TikTok lets you schedule posts up to 10 days ahead of time. If you’re using other social media management platforms, you can schedule posts even further in advance. 

But don’t think too far ahead; it can diminish your ability to be spontaneous, and that’s part of TikTok’s charm.

You need to keep current trends in mind when creating your content. A new sound, theme, or challenge might crop up at any time that you’ll want to flex into your strategy. Hopping on that trend and making it your own, a practice known as trendjacking, can help your content reach new audiences and turn new potential customers onto your brand.

Or, cool trends might fade overnight. If your scheduled posts contain them, your content will feel irrelevant and outdated.

TIP: Download our free Ultimate Guide to Trendjacking to learn more about how to turn viral moments into big marketing wins!

Automated TikTok schedulers (either built-in or third-party) can ease the burden of posting every day for you. But don’t assume they’ll work perfectly every time. You need to double-check that your content has been posted successfully; otherwise, no one can engage with it.

Also, it’s helpful to review your schedule over time to make sure you’re still posting at the best times. If engagement starts to slip, you might need to rethink your posting strategy.

Running a copyright check on your TikToks before going live is a good idea. However, a lot can happen between the time you run the check and when your scheduled post goes live.

Sometimes, sounds or effects can become outdated or restricted due to copyright issues. As part of your scheduling strategy, make sure you stay up to date on TikTok’s sound and effect policies and replace questionable or outdated elements.

Once your scheduled post goes live, your work is far from done. Scheduled posts aren’t “set it and forget it” posts. You still need to engage with your audience once content goes live.

Set aside time to respond to comments and engage with viewers after each post. This will help you maximize views, feed the algorithm, and bring more people to your channel.

When you schedule posts, don’t let testing fall by the wayside. You still need to test your content, including content styles, posting times, and hashtags, to see what resonates.

Experiment with different strategies to find the best practices for your brand. Even if you’re using data to identify trends and posting times, it’s still a good idea to try new things and see if something else might work better.

Things can go wrong with scheduled content, such as errors or inappropriate timing due to unexpected events. When this happens, you need a backup plan that will help you minimize risks to your brand.

Have a process in place to quickly pause or adjust scheduled posts if needed. You might also have a stockpile of “filler” content just in case you need to pull a post and replace it with something else.

How to Schedule TikTok Posts for Maximum Engagement

Dry January, the month when thousands of people around the world try to abstain from alcohol, has been an annual tradition since 2013 when non-profit Alcohol Change UK launched the first Dry January campaign. However, in 2025 the month gained new gravity across the pond in the U.S. after the nation’s surgeon general released an advisory linking alcohol consumption to increased risks for cancer. Lucky for non-drinkers, sober people, and the sober-curious, the non-alcoholic (NA) beverage sector is expanding each year. And as the New York Times noted last summer, the growth of the non-alcoholic spirits, wine, and beer sector is outpacing its alcohol-included counterpart many times over. 

We used our social listening and analytics solution to dive into how the NA beverage conversation has looked on social media over the past year.

How big was Dry January on social media this year?

Social media mentions of Dry January in January 2024 and January 2025.
On social media, Dry January had less buzz than it did in 2024. From January 1 to January 21, 2025, there were about 87,200 mentions of Dry January across 16 social media platforms and channels, about a 13% decrease from the same period in 2024.

However, there have also been about 74,200 mentions of mocktails and other NA drinks in the first three weeks of 2025. This is up 40% from about 53,000 in the first 21 days of 2024.

So while the popularity of Dry January has waned on social media over the past year, buzz about NA products seems to be gaining steam.  

How big is the buzz around non-alcoholic beverages?

Social media mentions of non-alcoholic beverages in 2024.

Star power helped drive the NA drink conversation in 2024. Over the year, there were about 952,000 social media mentions of NA beverages. The volume of conversation was about 22% higher in the second half of the year compared to the first, thanks in part to actor Tom Holland. On October 14, the day after he announced the launch of his non-alcoholic beer brand Bero, NA drink social media mentions spiked 26x higher than average. 

Bero’s first Instagram post on October 13, 2024 has generated more than 15,200 likes. 

He wasn’t the only celebrity to drive the visibility of the NA sector last year. In August, Pernod Ricard acquired a minority stake in Almave, the NA agave brand owned by F1 driver Lewis Hamilton. By September, rumors began to spread that Hamilton, who now drives for Ferrari, may sponsor himself via the Almave brand, alongside other backers like Monster Energy and Puma.

With these and other household names drawing attention to the NA sector, celebrity influencers could play an even bigger part in its growth in 2025.

Learn more about how Pernod Ricard uses consumer intelligence to stay ahead of beverage industry trends and learn more about the three types of influencers driving results for alcohol brands.

What is the biggest driver behind choosing non-alcoholic beverages?

Our analysis of mentions of three drivers — health, taste, and sobriety — from January 22, 2024, to January 21, 2025 showed that health was the most discussed topic in the overall NA beverage conversation. However, discussions of taste were not far behind. 

In both conversations, recipe sharing played a large part in driving engagement, with instructions on how to make mocktails like cucumber elderflower spritzes and strawberry mint mojitos being especially big on Pinterest. 

Food and beverage industry marketers should brace for an ever bigger year for NA drinks in 2025. As more celebrities drive buzz and more consumers share mocktail recipes, there’s a huge opportunity to leverage consumer intelligence to stay ahead of emerging trends around favorite flavors and mixers. And while the NA sector was traditionally geared towards sober audiences, today, there are many more people beyond that niche who are simply looking for drinks that taste good and are good for them. Marketers can meet this rising interest with innovative concoctions and messaging that speak to the concerns of health-conscious foodies.


Learn more about another major industry trend in our Consumer Insights: Food & Beverage report.

Dry January and the Non-Alcoholic Beverage Sector

Did you catch the hubbub around the first viral fashion item of 2025? For a brief moment this year, the Walmart Birkin was the must-have social media bag of the holiday season. And for marketers, the discount alternative to the luxury Birkin bag offers an interesting case study into how name-brand items fare in online and media conversations when their duplicates go viral. We used our social listening and analytics solution to learn more about the virality around the Walmart Birkin and how it has impacted Hermès Birkin buzz.

The bags informally known as Walmart Birkins, or Wirkins, were dupes of luxury brand Hermès’s iconic Birkin bag sold at the chain retailer. Unlike Birkins, which cost tens of thousands of dollars, the original Wirkin was only about $80. Just before Christmas, the Walmart bag, made by a third-party seller, began trending online. Soon, it went viral, generating a slew of discussions about exclusivity, value, and “dupe culture".

Dupes, short for “duplicates”, are cheaper, alternative options for in-demand, high-end, or highly exclusive products. Unlike counterfeits, which claim to be the branded products they imitate, dupes are more affordable competitors sold by legitimate brands. Dupes are particularly hot in the beauty sector, with consumers flocking to platforms like YouTube and Instagram for influencer recommendations of the best drugstore dupes of luxury skincare and cosmetics.

This dupe review video from beauty influencer James Charles racked up 3.4 million views in 10 months.

In recent years, demand for dupes has exploded as more consumers strive to keep up with evolving style trends (as well as fleeting microtrends) without breaking the bank. And while dupe culture has created new complexities for high-end brands, some have used it to strengthen their identities. For example, in 2023, Lululemon hosted a “dupe swap” in Los Angeles that successfully appealed to new, Gen-Z consumers while reinforcing its unique selling points. 

From December 25, 2024, to January 12, 2025, there were about 6,300 mentions of the Wirkin across social media, as well as news and broadcast. In that period, the media that drove the most engagement was a YouTube video by luxury-on-a-budget content creator Autumn Beckman, which racked up more than 179,000 views in just two weeks. In it, she reviews the Wirkin and shares her recommendations of luxury handbags with comparable styles as the Birkin, but at lower price points. Within the 888 and counting comments left by viewers are numerous valuable perspectives about what budget- and style-conscious shoppers are looking for from their purchases. Budget luxury fans expressed valuing attributes like craftsmanship and emotional attachment. Meanwhile, Wirkin-owning commenters appreciated getting the designer look at a price they could afford without the hassle of paying and caring for an expensive item.  

Posted on December 28, the video preceded the peak of the Wirkin’s virality on New Year’s Eve, when the bag was mentioned over 1,600 times across sources, including more than 600 times on broadcast channels alone. Interest in the Wirkin could have ended there, but conversation spiked again on January 3, when mentions on Reddit surged thanks to lively discussion in the r/handbags community. Finally, mentions spiked a third time on January 6, soon after TV personality, entrepreneur, and 2023 Meltwater Summit speaker Bethenny Frankel reviewed the Wirkin in an Instagram Reel.

In the video, which generated more than 28,000 likes in one week, Frankel walks viewers through the dupe bag’s differences from the Hermés Birkin, including stitching, leather quality, and interior lining. Though Frankel declared her preference for the original, her comments were full of people advocating for the Wirkin’s price point and availability.

So why did the Wirkin hit such a nerve? The discussion it sparked divided consumers on the question of what purchases are (and aren’t) financially and emotionally “worth it” to the people who buy them. On one side were Wirkin fans championing the bag for bringing an in-demand style to the masses. On the other side were not only Birkin and luxury fans but also vintage and slow fashion enthusiasts who value craftsmanship and quality over instant access to coveted trends. So while speculation abounded concerning how the Wirkin could impact consumer perceptions of Birkins, it essentially revealed, through videos like Beckman’s and Frankel’s, that each bag’s audiences are different.

How did the Walmart Birkin affect the Hermés Birkin?

Each time discussion about the Walmart Birkin rose it also boosted mentions of the Hermés Birkin, including on December 31, 2024, when mentions of both bags spiked. And while the January 3 surge in Reddit conversations about the Wirkin almost helped conversations about it surpass those of the original Birkin, Hermés still generated more than double the mentions of its alternative from December 25, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Overall, the Wirkin helped to boost the Birkin’s visibility. 

Budget-conscious luxury fans and dupe luxury fans aren’t necessarily the same audience. While both are looking for a good deal, the former may be more willing to play the waiting game to score the on-sale or secondhand finds that can deliver the name brand and quality they want. Plus, that wait only deepens their emotional investment in their purchase. By contrast, dupe fans may place more value on immediacy and convenience than brand loyalty. 

Dupes don’t automatically dilute the presence of the brands and products they duplicate. In some cases, they may have the opposite effect, enhancing the exclusivity attached to the original. When it comes to visibility, as we saw with the Wirkin, viral dupes can actually drive conversations about the originals — that’s the thing about dupes, you can’t talk about them without mentioning what they are duplicating. Brands on either side of the dupe/luxury divide can use those comparisons to their advantage, emphasizing the attributes, like affordability or quality, that made consumers love them in the first place. 

What Marketers Can Learn from the Walmart Birkin

How a business communicates with its audience is just as important as what the business says. It’s useless to craft a great message if the right audience won’t see or hear it. That’s why choosing the best communication channels is a key part of your messaging strategy.

A communication channel is any medium that carries a message to an audience. In some cases, that audience will be your own workforce. For example, you might share a company-wide organizational update with your employees. In other cases, the audience will be prospective or existing customers. For example, you may send a marketing message selling a new product to prospective customers. Or you may send existing customers a thank-you message. No matter the message, you need an effective channel to communicate with your audience.

You can choose from a variety of channels of communication. Some are better suited for certain use cases than others. The trick is to find and use the best distribution channel for each message.

Let's review the most common internal and external channels of communication for formal and informal communication. We'll also explore how to use them in your communication channel strategy.

Common Internal and External Communication Channels for Businesses

Why Are Business Communication Channels Important?

Tips for Building a Good Communication Strategy

What Are the Best Communication Channels for Businesses?

Before we dive into strategy, let’s review some of the most common channels of communication. Your strategy may include some or all these channels. You should think about how to best use each channel before building it into your strategy:

One of the most common internal communication channels is direct, face-to-face communication. Use this verbal channel for current and prospective employees, vendors, and other organizational shareholders. Use your tone, body language, and facial expressions to support your message. With face-to-face communication, you have the advantage of seeing your audience's reaction. That way, you can gauge your message's effectiveness and ask for feedback during your interaction.

Use internal and external mobile communication to share quick thoughts and private messages. You can also use mobile to share personalized offers. Retailers can send push notifications to users with special offers or sales. These just-in-time messages encourage retail conversions. Or, to provide private details to a team, you can use quick messaging tools such as Slack or SMS text. This helps you to avoid having to set up a face-to-face meeting.

Digital communication refers to any type of channel that uses digital technology. This includes email, social media, the company intranet, and websites, for example. For message distribution, digital tools are easy and cost-effective. Plus, they allow you to reach a wide audience in a short amount of time.

Social media is an example of an informal channel. It is a great external marketing channel because it helps customers connect with brands on a human level. Consider using discussion forums to hear the voice of your customers. For B2B companies, LinkedIn is the social media platform of choice. You may also find Facebook and Twitter to be useful channels of communication.

Written material is often viewed as a formal communication channel. Communications might include employee handbooks, newsletters & newsfeeds, policies, and notices, for example. Many businesses reserve written material for critical information to save on printing costs.

Sending a message by the wrong channel or at a bad time frustrates the recipient. Worse yet, it leaves them with a poor impression of your brand. It is not effective communication.

Consider the context of the message you are trying to convey. Which channels of communication will ensure your message has the desired effect? When can you send the message to best meet your objectives?

For example, if your message is technical or lengthy, use a channel that enables the recipient to ask clarifying questions. 

Marketing messages have great potential to shape your brand image. They can also promote your value proposition, boost conversions, and create top-of-mind awareness. You can only achieve these results when your communication is clear. Using the wrong channel might cloud your entire message.

The same holds true with your internal audience. You don’t market to them in the same way, but you do need to keep them engaged with your organization. Your success depends on their buy-in to your mission and company vision.

Any message worth sharing must be shared in a way that will be well-received by its audience.

To build a good communication strategy, determine your chosen communication channels. Then, decide when to use each one. Here are some tips to help you build your strategy:

Assign Someone to Be in Charge of Each Communication Channel

To be effective, business communications need governance. Appoint a person to be responsible for each communication channel.

This person can take charge of a specific channel. You might have one person in charge of social media, another person in charge of email, and another in charge of written communications. In smaller organizations, this person might be the same for all channels.

Consistency is important. A designated person for each channel can ensure each message conforms to your company’s brand, tone, and style.

Some channels are better suited for certain communications than others. You wouldn’t want to announce mass layoffs or poor company performance via text or email. But you also don’t need to call each employee to tell them about a changed meeting time.

Having more than one channel in your communication strategy allows you to choose the best fit for the message you need to share. This gives you control over how and when and to whom communication flows.

Create Customer Segments for Your Communications

Some communications are one-size-fits-all, but many messages are not. Employee and customer segmentation should be part of your communications strategy. Effective segmentation helps you send information only to the people who need it.

Assign Someone to Follow Up On Communication Flows

Whether you’re using social media, email, messaging apps, or written documents, make sure to include follow-up in your plan. Sending the message isn’t always the final step.

In some cases, you need to be available to take questions or clarify information for your audience. Track engagement on social media to see how many people your message reached and how people responded. Prepare to respond when necessary to ensure your communication is effective.

As you’re developing your communication plan, make sure you document every detail. Don’t leave this step to chance. Your team needs consistent guidelines that align with your brand on how to share internal and external information.

Having a documented plan gives everyone on your team a go-to resource for how to handle business communications. Keep this document up-to-date as you start using new channels or make changes to your comms strategy.

How will you communicate with your customers, employees, and company stakeholders? The answer depends on why you're sharing information in the first place. For example, channel marketing has different requirements than organizational communication.

The distribution strategy is different, too. Do you need to use formal channels? Should you consider indirect channels?

These key communication channels should be part of your strategy:

Email works well as an internal and external communication one-to-many channel. You can send messages en masse for a very low cost. This method works across many use cases, from your internal sales team to customers to stakeholders. This method works best if you are sending it to people who are familiar with your brand.

The main downside is that your email may get lost in the inbox or go unread. More than 319.6 billion emails are sent each day. Another downside to email is that it is not always an interactive communication channel. You lose the advantage of nonverbal cues when recipients open and read your email without responding.

Interested in exploring new channels of communications? Here's our guide on how to create an internal newsletter.

A social media channel gives brands a way to meet their audience where their audience already is. Brands like Nike and Xbox use social media as ready-made customer service networks. This aligns with customer expectations of receiving a response from brands within 60 minutes of contact on social.

Social media is a popular internal communication channel to improve employee engagement. Platforms like Facebook and IG are informal channels employees are likely already using for other things. Companies can meet employees wherever they are to increase engagement.

For example, you might create private Facebook groups to recognize employees’ accomplishments. Or you might establish social channels geared toward prospective employees.

Messaging apps such as Slack or project management tools like Asana and Basecamp can be as segmented or as broad as you need. They make it easy to tailor your internal communications to the right end-user and share information quickly. Send messages to individuals, teams, groups, or the entire company with ease. Plus, these apps are geared toward mobile users, ensuring users get important information as quickly as possible.

Another benefit of project management apps is the cost. Small businesses with small budgets can take advantage of free or low-cost apps and use them throughout the workplace.

Employees and customers alike rely on your website as an intermediary of information. Many companies have a portal for employees to view internal communications. Employee communication portals are cost-effective and easy to update. They are also a great single source of information for your workforce.

Customers use your website when they have questions, need troubleshooting, or want help with a product or service. You can create a better experience by having an internal blog, FAQS, or other resources clearly marked and organized on your website.

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