Most North East SMEs treat business events as something that happens in the room and stays in the room. But every event you attend, the North East Expo, a Network+ session, or a local chamber breakfast, is packed with networking event content ideas you can use for days or weeks afterwards. You just need a plan for capturing it.

Set Up for Content Before You Arrive

The best event content does not happen by accident. Ten minutes of preparation the night before makes the difference.

Decide what you are capturing. Pick two or three content types you want to walk away with. A short video of your key takeaway, a photo with someone interesting, and a behind-the-scenes story are enough for most events. You do not need to document everything.

Prepare your captions in advance. If you know the event name, the hashtag, and roughly what you are attending for, draft your post copy before you arrive. On the day, you just drop in the photo or video and publish. This removes the ‘I forgot to post’ problem entirely.

Charge your phone. It sounds obvious, but arriving with 15% battery kills your content plan before it starts.

Three Intentional Moments Beat Constant Filming

You do not need to be glued to your phone. A few intentional moments are worth more than constant filming.

Your arrival. A quick story or Reel of you walking in, the venue, the signage, the buzz of the room. This works because it is immediate and easy. Caption it with why you are there and what you are hoping to learn.

One genuine conversation. Ask someone you have just met if they are happy to do a quick 30-second video: ‘what is your business and what brought you here today?’ People almost always say yes, and the resulting clip is authentic, shareable, and interesting to both your audiences. This is the single most underused format at business events.

Your key takeaway. Before you leave, film yourself for 20 seconds sharing one thing you learned or one idea you are taking away. This positions you as someone who shows up, pays attention, and shares value. Our April piece on TikTok prompts for SMEs has more on how to frame these clips so they perform.

Speaker content (with permission). If there is a talk or presentation, capture a short clip or a photo of a key slide. Tag the speaker when you post it. This extends your reach and builds a connection you can follow up on.

Turn One Event Into a Week of Networking Event Content

This is where most businesses leave value on the table. One event can generate five or more pieces of social media content across different formats and days.

Day one: the recap post. Share your top three takeaways from the event. Keep it practical and specific, not ‘great event, loved the energy.’ What did you actually learn? What will you do differently?

Day two: the connection post. Tag someone you met and mention what their business does. This is generous, it costs you nothing, and it strengthens a new relationship publicly. It also gets engagement because the other person and their audience interact with it.

Day three: the behind-the-scenes Reel. Stitch together the clips you took during the day. Add text overlays and a caption about why attending local events matters for your business. This format performs well because it feels real, not rehearsed.

Day four onwards: the follow-up content. Turn your key takeaway into a standalone post, a carousel, or a short blog. The insight you picked up at one event feeds your social media content for the rest of the week. If you already produce episodic content or a recurring series, event footage slots in naturally as a special episode.

Stop Feeling Awkward About Filming at Events

The concern comes up constantly: ‘I do not want to be that person with their phone out at a networking event.’ Fair enough. But most attendees at modern business events are already capturing content on their phones. A quick, purposeful video between conversations is normal. Nobody minds if you ask politely. Most people are pleased to be featured.

Be intentional, not constant. Three planned moments of content capture across a two-hour event takes less than five minutes total. The rest of the time, you are networking.

Make Your Next Event Work Twice as Hard

The next time you attend a North East business event, go in with a plan. Capture three things, post the same day, and schedule the follow-up content for the rest of the week. One event becomes five pieces of content. Do that monthly and you have a content calendar that practically fills itself.

If you want to practise this approach in a supportive setting, join your first free Network+ session in Newcastle and network, learn, and capture content at the same time.

The post Your Next North East Networking Event Is a Networking Event Content Goldmine appeared first on Social Plus.

Supporting Charities in Real, Practical Ways

One of the charities closest to our hearts is The Charlie & Carter Foundation. The foundation provides financial support to families caring for children with life-limiting conditions, often where one parent has to reduce work hours or specialist care is needed around the clock. Our role with them goes beyond sponsorship; it’s about awareness, fundraising and giving our time and expertise to help them reach more people.

Through our channels we’ve been able to shine a spotlight on the vital work they do, helping their message reach further and inspiring more people to donate or get involved. We’ve also joined them at events, offering support on the ground as well as behind the scenes. This is what community marketing means to us: being present and active, not just cheering from the sidelines.

Events That Bring People Together

Events are where community spirit really comes to life, and they’ve become a big part of what we do at Social+. A recent highlight was the Charity Golf Day organised by Bespoq & Stephen Hope Wealth, which we attended to show our support. It was more than a great day of sport, it was an opportunity to help raise money, connect with people, and celebrate the power of local businesses and charities working side by side.

We’re also committed to supporting other community fundraisers across the North East, whether that’s by promoting them through our marketing channels, lending a hand with organisation, or simply being there on the day. And from time to time, we host events of our own, giving clients and causes a platform to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. By being on the ground, we see first-hand how these gatherings strengthen relationships and make a real difference.

Helping Brands Grow With Purpose

Of course, our work doesn’t stop with charities. Every day, we’re helping businesses of all sizes grow in ways that have a positive impact. That might be through designing social media campaigns that tell authentic stories, guiding brands towards partnerships with charities that align with their values, or creating marketing campaigns that highlight not only what a business sells but what it stands for.

For us, community marketing isn’t an optional extra, it’s an essential part of building trust. When businesses show they care about the people and places around them, audiences notice. That’s what turns customers into loyal supporters, and brands into recognised community champions.

Why This Matters

Helping brands is important, but doing so in a way that also supports people and communities is what defines Social+. We believe businesses have a responsibility beyond profit. Audiences expect authenticity and purpose, and the strongest relationships are built when brands step outside their office walls and into the lives of the people they serve. Whether it’s raising money for a local cause, giving a charity more visibility, or simply being part of events that bring people together, the impact is real and long-lasting.

Join Us in Making a Difference

If you’re a brand, charity, or organisation looking for more than just marketing – if you want community impact, meaningful events, and a partner who genuinely cares, we’d love to hear from you. From sponsoring and co-hosting events to running joint awareness campaigns or supporting CSR initiatives, we’re here to help you grow while making a difference.

Reach out to us via our contact page or connect with us on LinkedIn and social media to see our latest projects in action. Together, we can show what true community marketing looks like.

The post How Social+ Drives Impact Through Community Marketing: Real Stories & Partnerships appeared first on Social Plus.

Brand identity is the face of your brand. Your brand identity is the combination of visual, content, and tone choices to represent the personality of your business.

Your visual brand identity is composed of the visual elements you have depicted. This could include fonts, colours, and content. Additionally, this also includes your brand’s tone of voice and how you present yourself to your audience.

Elements of brand identity could include:

• Fonts
• Colours
• Layouts
• Design elements
• Tone of voice
• Tagline
• Brand values
• Messaging

Your brand identity is defined by your purpose, values, and mission. It should tell the story of your brand and have its own personality.

Why is it important?

In today’s digital space, there’s so much competition from different businesses. If you want to succeed, you need to stand out.

It’s important to create a strong and consistent brand identity to be easily recognisable to your target audience.

This is what sets you apart from your competitors. You need to highlight what is different about your business and why your audience should choose your products/services.

How to create a consistent brand identity

Align your digital components

Aligning all digital components will help to create a clear and consistent brand identity. It’s important to convey consistent messaging across all digital components including your:

• Website
• Social Media
• Email Marketing

Although each digital aspect has a different purpose, they should ultimately promote the same message.

Does your business promote a more serious product or service? Or are you more on the fun side? Your content should align across all channels distinguishing who you are as a brand and what you stand for.

Develop brand guidelines when creating content

Your brand guidelines can be defined as a set of rules to explain how your business visually presents itself.

Your brand guidelines consist of:

• Logos
• Colours
• Typography
• Imagery
• Graphics

Utlisling brand guidelines ensure that your brand both looks and feels the same across all touchpoints. Whether it be your website, social media, or weekly newsletter, your brand is easily identifiable through these elements.

Incorrect colours, random fonts, and misplaced logos can all factor in disrupting your brand identity. Your brand identity should be at the forefront of everything you do and your visual elements should reflect this.

Delivering your brand clearly and consistently when networking

Networking is great for making new connections and building relationships with like-minded individuals. However, for this to be beneficial to your business, you need to know what you’re talking about.

Having a clear brand identity will help you to convey your business to others. On the other hand, mixed messaging can have the opposite effect. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, it can be damaging to the reputation of your business.

A strong brand identity will allow you to present who you are and what you do with ease.

Are you interested in attending networking events and getting your business out there? We offer monthly events through Network Plus.

To take a look at our upcoming events, click here.

Need a little help creating a consistent brand identity for your business?

Whether you’re a newer business starting to create your brand identity or need a little help with your existing one, we can help!

At Social Plus, we offer Full Circle Digital Marketing. This service runs on the concept that all your digital marketing components should align and work together in harmony.

We work with our clients to create the best strategy for their business from choosing the right platforms to be on, creating engaging content for your audience, and finding your people.

We cater to businesses from a range of industries, and we tailor your package to your business needs.

Visit our website for more information!

Additionally, why not take a look at our socials to see what we’re about – Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The post Full circle digital marketing: Brand identity appeared first on Social Plus.

Following the best practices can help you get the most out of your time!

Let’s explore the importance of customer engagement and provide some tips on how you can maximise customer engagement with consumers.

 What is customer engagement?

Customer engagement is the process of building and maintaining a relationship between a customer and a brand. This can be done by interacting with customers through a variety of channels.

Channels for customer engagement include:

• social media
• email
• websites

And any other space where your customers are communicating or consuming content.

Simply encouraging customers to spend more money with your brand isn’t enough. In some cases, it can make customers feel transactional and less meaningful to your company.

Instead, you should work on improving the customer experience to strengthen their loyalty to your brand through customer engagement.

Why is customer engagement important?

Increased Customer Loyalty

By engaging with your customers, you are showing them that you care about their experience with your brand.

This can lead to increased loyalty and a stronger relationship between your customer and your brand.

Improved brand advocacy

Engaged customers are more likely to recommend your brand to others, which can lead to brand advocacy and word-of-mouth marketing.

Personal interaction or personalised content is much more likely to cause this kind of response from customers.

Repeat business

Engaged customers are much more likely to continue doing business with your brand in the future, leading to increased revenue and growth.

Tips for effective customer engagement:

Create personalised experiences

Customers want to feel like they are more than just a number.

By personalising their experience, you can create a stronger connection with them and improve their overall experience with your brand.

This could include personalised emails, targeted marketing campaigns, and personal product recommendations.

Some companies like Amazon have software that makes recommendations based on purchase history.

Not every company has to invest in such complex technology, personalised experiences can be as simple as asking customers what you can to do help or improve their experience.

Listen to feedback

Listening to customer feedback is essential for effective customer engagement.

By listening to their concerns and suggestions, you can improve your products and services to better meet their needs.

This can also help you identify areas for improvement and opportunities to improve your experience for customers.

Use multiple channels

Customers have different preferences when it comes to communication.

Some prefer email, while others prefer social media or phone calls. By using multiple channels, you can reach customers in the way that they prefer and improves your chances of engaging with them effectively.

Provide value

Customers want to feel like they’re getting something of value from their interactions with your brand.

This can include providing helpful content, exclusive discounts, or personalised recommendations.

By providing value to your customers, you build a stronger relationship with them and increase their loyalty to your brand.

Be responsive

Customers expect quick and responsive communication from brands.

By responding to their inquiries and concerns in a timely manner, you can show them that you value their time and are committed to providing excellent customer service.

This encourages customers to make repeat purchases. It also makes them feel safer knowing you will deal with any issues quickly and effectively.

Build a community  

Building a community around your brand can help to foster engagement and loyalty among your customers.

This could include a social media group or forum where customers can share their experiences and connect with each other.

Social Networking

Here at Social Plus, we utilise social networking to interact and engage with our social online communities. This includes engaging with our followers’ posts through likes, comments, shares, and reactions.

Social networking allows you to build relationships with your existing audience and connect with new ones. It plays a part in growing your social online community and creating long lasting relationships.

We understand that on top of everything else, it can sometimes be difficult to find the time to social network. However, this is a vital part of making new connections online and growing your audience.

At Social Plus, we take care of this so you can focus on the running of your business!

Need help with your customer engagement to create new opportunities?

Social Plus is here to help! We offer social networking in our Social-media management packages!

We help you develop customer engagement for your brand building long-lasting relationships.

Visit our website for more information!

Additionally, why not take a look at our socials to see what we’re about – Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The post Customer Engagement – Building lasting relationships appeared first on Social Plus.

Networking is a crucial aspect of career growth and professional development. It helps you build connections, increase your knowledge base, and create opportunities for collaboration and advancement.

 In today’s competitive job market, networking has become more critical than ever before. A simple “Hello” can open doors to new opportunities for your business.

How can I network?

Networking can take many forms, from attending industry events and conferences to joining professional associations and online communities.

By connecting with like-minded individuals, you can gain valuable insights into trends and best practices in your field. Additionally, it provides you with the opportunity to learn about job openings and potential clients.

What are the benefits?

Not only can networking help you stay informed, but it can also help you build your brand. Alongside establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

By sharing your knowledge and expertise with others, you can demonstrate your value and credibility. This can lead to new business or career opportunities.

Networking indeed presents the opportunity to engage with other businesses that may offer future collaborations. However, there are so many other benefits. Meeting other individuals in your local community can be seen as something enjoyable.

Keeping passion and enjoyment in your business and work life alive can be just as motivating as developing new knowledge and expertise.

How do I make the most out of networking opportunities?

Networking is all about making new connections and getting your business out there.

To get the most out of networking, it’s essential to be strategic and intentional in your approach.

Identify your goals, and target the right events and organisations. And be prepared to engage with others in a meaningful way.

Remember, networking is about building relationships. Focus on creating genuine connections and adding value to others.

Here are some quick tips for Networking your business:

• Have a clear elevator pitch about yourself and your goals.
• Follow up with people you meet and express interest in continuing the conversation.
• Volunteer for events or causes that align with your interests and career goals.
• Practice active listening and ask thoughtful questions to show your interest in others and what they have to say.

Where could it take me?

The connections you make have the potential to lead you toward new business and career opportunities.

Networking can benefit your business by

• expanding your professional connections.
• creating opportunities for partnerships.
• increasing brand visibility.
• providing access to valuable resources and knowledge.

Making new connections has the potential to lead to new clients or customers. Additionally, it can help you stay up to date on industry trends and developments.

It can also lead you into new channels of business in wider categories that you may not have considered before. This could be collaborating on a project with another business or individual.

Collaboration and unity can be powerful tools for your business.

The importance of networking

Networking is a critical component of career success.

By building relationships, increasing your knowledge base, and establishing your brand, you can create new opportunities and accelerate your professional growth.

So, make networking a priority and see the benefits it can bring to your career.

New to networking?

Are you looking to get started with networking?

Our events at Network+ are perfect for you. We hold events designed to allow you to socialise with like-minded and ambitious individuals, as well as grow your digital marketing knowledge.

Why not take part in our upcoming event? Come along and network with like-minded and ambitious individuals, all whilst enjoying a drink on us!

Get your free ticket here!

Check out some of our previous events on our socials – Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The post Networking: Why is it so important? appeared first on Social Plus.

As one year ends and another begins, the nostalgia starts creeping in.

2022 was a great year for the team at Social Plus so we thought we’d take you through our highlights.

Making new connections

In January 2022 we held our first networking event!

What better way to start the year than to make some great new connections.

We started off small with 20 attendees but as they year went on our events became more popular.

In September we gained 100 signups to our networking event held at The Alchemist, Newcastle.

Networking has multiple benefits including increasing brand awareness, knowledge, and potential clients. Here at Social Plus, we use our brand Network + to plan events to create opportunities like this in and around our local area of Newcastle.

We can’t wait to continue to grow out networking events in 2023!

If you’re interested in attending, you can find regular updates on our LinkedIn page.

New Starters, Promotions and Team Updates  

Over the past 12 months, our team has grown and evolved.

We hired Caitlin as our new Digital Marketing manager, and she fit right in! We’ve loved seeing her grow this year and can’t wait to see her progress in 2023.

Our Digital Marketing manager Rachel was promoted Head of Social. In 2022, she continued to impress our clients and is a great team leader! We’re excited to continue to see her fly in her new role in 2023.

Our managing director Emma became a speaker on an expert panel at The Business Show UK in London. It was great to see her share her knowledge and expertise within the industry!

Our resident web designer Danielle ended the year on maternity leave to welcome her gorgeous baby Zara into the world. Zara is a little bundle of joy, and our team couldn’t be happier!

With our growing team, we decided it was time for a new office space. We said goodbye to our IT team and set up our home in the office next door.

London Business Show

In November, our team was invited to attend The Business Show held in London.

The Business Show provides a platform for entrepreneurs looking to start a business or SMEs looking to grow and develop their business.

It was great to see so many different businesses in one place and build new connections.

Our team had some great conversations, and we can’t wait to attend again in 2023!

We went viral!

Caitlin decided 2022 was the year to grow our TikTok account.

After 2 months of focus on our TikTok strategy, we gained over 500,000 views on one of our videos.

We then continued our viral streak with a trending TikTok that gained 1.3M views!

Our goal for the early months of 2023 is to hit 1,000 followers and continue to grow on this platform.

We’d love for you to follow us on our TikTok journey and we can’t wait to see what 2023 brings!

Norah’s North Pole

Again, this year we were proud to support Norah’s North Pole.

Norah’s North Pole works in the Northeast to provide a small sack of Christmas presents to those children who go without.

This year we were a drop off-off point as we wanted to do everything we could in support of this amazing charity.

Goodbye 2022, Hello 2023!

With 2022 being such a great year for Social Plus, we’re even more determined to make 2023 a better one!

We have lots of new and exciting upcoming projects so stay tuned via Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

The post <strong>Our 2022 Highlights</strong> appeared first on Social Plus.

Did you know a simple “Hello” can open doors to new opportunities for your business?

Networking has multiple benefits including increasing brand awareness, knowledge, and potential clients. Here at Social Plus, we use our brand Network + to plan events to create opportunities like this in and around our local area of Newcastle.

Here are 5 benefits of attending networking events.

#1 Friendship

Running a business in a competitive industry can, at times, feel lonely, and we believe in celebrating and supporting like-minded people in all industries. It not only makes work life more exciting, but it can also open doors to new connections for your business.

#2 Connections

Have you heard the saying “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know?”

Connecting with like-minded people in the industry allows companies to engage with other businesses that may offer a collaboration or service which may further your career.

This could be a new job opportunity, work collaboration, or being introduced to new potential clients. All of which have a positive outcome.

#3 Advice

As mentioned, networking is all about meeting like-minded people within the industry and being surrounded by successful supportive business owners and employees.

This is the perfect opportunity to ask local businesses for advice.

When asking for advice, it’s important to be sure that who you are asking is the right person. At the end of the day, not all businesses will be open to offering advice and some businesses may also offer poor advice.

We advise you to build your working relationships and gain confidence in attending network events to give your business the best chance to find and create long-lasting, supportive industry friendships.

#4 Referrals

Meeting new people within the industry can not only open doors, but they may also refer your business to people within their circle. This can increase your brand awareness at no financial cost and is a great way to meet even more like-minded people.

#5 Personal Development

A great benefit of attending networking events is not only building working relationships but being able to ask for honest business and personal feedback. This will allow you to view your work from an unbiased point of view and will help you improve your pitch and approach in industry and client situations.

Keep up to date with Network + latest events by following our socials.

The post Benefits of Networking appeared first on Social Plus.