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COTSWOLD CONNECTED
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Blog

Are blogs worth the hype?

1/6/2025

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Put simply... YES!!

Blogs are more than just a marketing add-on. It’s a powerful, multi-purpose tool that supports your brand, your online visibility, and your connection with your audience.
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4. They encourage engagement through comments.
Blogs open up a two-way conversation through comments and shares. They invite your audience to engage, helping to build a community and deepen your customer relationships.

5. Depending on your industry, they showcase your writing and communication skills.
Blogs show your tone, ability to explain things clearly, and the personality behind your brand. This is especially valuable for copywriters, coaches, educators, and consultants!

6. They can help people.
Whether it's giving advice, sharing knowledge, answering a common question or something else, every blog article has a purpose.
​7. They are evergreen
Unlike stories that disappear, or social posts that get buried in a feed, blog posts live on your website forever... unless you choose to remove them.
1. Blogs are great for SEO.
Search engines love fresh, relevant content - and that’s exactly what blogs provide. Regularly updating your website with blog posts helps you show up in search results.

2. They show your knowledge and expertise.
Blogging allows you to show what you know, build trust and it position you as someone worth listening to (and buying from!).

3. They show you're active and engaged within your industry.
Publishing blog posts shows you're active within your business and staying up to date with trends, questions, and industry changes.
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Need a hand getting started?
Whether you’re stuck on topics, need help writing your posts, or want to make blogging part of your wider marketing strategy — I’d love to help. Let’s get your blog working hard for your business.
Contact me today
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Social Media Trends for 2025

7/1/2025

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Social media fundamentally is very unpredictable. Largely influenced by world events, content that performs well today probably won't in a month, let alone a year's time.
Following extensive research emarketer.com created this staggering social users vs TV viewers forecast... and it's currently on course to exceed their predictions!

Though this research is based on the US market, the prediction for the UK will not be drastically different.

The sheer number of social media channels available can make marketing relentless. I recommend selecting a few platforms, the ones chosen would depend on the target market, and be a constant presence on those. Posting to all platforms results in a splatter gun effect with very little, if anything, being shown to the target audience.
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So, what are my predictions for social media over the next 12 months...
1. Short form video​
Short-form video content will continue to dominate in 2025, with platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Facebook Reels leading the way.

The more short form content an audience watches, the shorter their attention span gets, meaning videos need to be highly engaging as well as offer a mix of entertainment and education.

​Video marketing is the way forward:
- 91% of businesses use video as a marketing tool.
- 96% of video marketers say video marketing has increased user understanding of their product or service.
- 91% say video marketing has helped them increase traffic.
- 89% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a product or service.
- 79% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a software or app.
*Above stats are from Wyzowl

Social media users spend an average of 45.8 minutes per day on TikTok and Instagram users watch 17.6 million hours of Reels daily!
2. AI
​The rise of AI-generated content is indisputable. Enabling businesses to create content quickly and efficiently, the demand for high-quality, engaging, and personalised AI content is vast.

While there are benefits, such as faster content creation and cost savings, there are also drawbacks. The biggest concerns being AI's lack of creativity and authenticity. There is also a potential for errors, biases, and ethical concerns at this point in time.

​As tools improve, I believe we will see more AI content in social media marketing.
3. UGC - User Generated Content
Audiences, especially Gen Z and Millennials, are really focusing on relatable and transparent brands where raw, unfiltered content is the ultimate proof of authenticity.

Consumers are tired of overly polished, generic content. Instead, they crave genuine interactions and relatable storytelling. By blending UGC with brand-created content, businesses build trust and enhance their engagement. For instance, 75% of professional marketers find UGC to be a more authentic content type, and engagement increases by 28% when consumers can view a mixture of user-generated product videos and official brand-authored content.

Research shows that 90% of consumers value authenticity when choosing brands, and a huge 82% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase after seeing user-generated content!
4. Private communities
From broadcast channels to groups, according to the Global Web Index, 76% of internet users are participants in online communities.

Audience members are looking for deeper connections and a more personalised experience. By joining a private group, fans are being given greater access to an account, business or individual fostering trust and greater engagement. Followers feel special and brands can therefore build lasting relationships that drive engagement and loyalty.
​5. Goodbye hashtags
With social media platforms increasingly becoming more akin to search engines, the humble hashtag is taking a back seat.
For example, Instagram are removing the option to follow hashtags, and hashtags you follow will no longer appear in your feed.

With this in mind Social SEO is becoming increasingly essential. Your content should focus on search friendly keywords, and an accurate description, to be most effective.  
6. A new platform will emerge...
An inevitable fact is that every year there are one (or more) new social media platforms that take the world by storm. Names that spring to mind are platforms such as Houseparty (a distant lockdown memory now), threads, TikTok and currently Bluesky... as well as many others.

​Though not all stand the test of time, the fact new platforms will never stop appearing is doubtless.
Though there are more social media users now than ever before, accounts are still able to GROW!

Contact me today for expert advice and let's get your account working for you!
Let's go
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Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Midlands StartUp Awards

17/10/2024

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​I am absolutely delighted to have been named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Midlands StartUp Awards.

The UK StartUp Awards were established to highlight the success of startups across ten UK nations and regions, including the Midlands, to celebrate the achievements of entrepreneurs in all sectors of the economy. 
​
This is a huge honour and recognition of years of hard work. With over ten years of marketing experience, specialising in social media, I'm passionate about using my expertise to help businesses grow. Many people find social media overwhelming with its constant changes, however, I love that about it.

Focusing on organic content, I take great pride in staying up to date with the latest news, trends, and algorithm changes, ensuring that Cotswold Connected stays at the cutting edge of the industry.
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When I think back to the beginning of my business, the saying ‘sometimes you have to get knocked down lower than you have ever been, to stand up taller than you ever were’ comes to mind. It began when I was at my lowest and has made me stronger, more resilient, and have more belief in myself than I ever thought possible.

Now helping businesses achieve exceptional results, I relish helping businesses grow!

Don't forget, Cotswold Connected also offers social media training, auditing, and event content creation.
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In the press!

6/8/2024

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I was incredibly honoured to be featured in the July 2024 issue of ‘the business magazine’.

​I was pictured and listed within their "10 cool ways to make a living" feature page 67. Read the article
here
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Going Viral!

20/2/2024

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With my full social media management, one customer grew their business to such an extent they were able to expand their team. A reel I created went viral on Instagram with 2.9 million views, and they gained nearly 10,000 followers over three months. One month in particular saw Instagram reach increase by +15,484%.

Another business success saw their Facebook account reach increase by +170.8k% to 336.8k people.

These are just some examples of the remarkable success I have facilitated for my clients.
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