Creating a community for aspiring expats Background Liberate Media began working with PSS in April 2014. The family-run business, with over three decades of experience in international removals and shipping from the UK to destinations around the globe, wanted to raise its profile among those considering migration. The overall objective was to be migrants' first choice for international removals from the UK. The Brief After a strategy session, 5 key objectives were highlighted: Raise awareness of PSS among people considering relocation Differentiate PSS from competitors, highlighting USPs Position PSS as an authority in issues related to moving overseas Inspire potential migrants - selling the dream of living abroad Generate leads and increase conversions Strategy & Tactics Raise awareness of PSS among people considering relocation A combined approach - media outreach; launching the PSS blog & posting weekly; engaging with relevant audiences on social media; expat community engagement; and contributing guest articles on expat sites - meant that PSS was seen & heard in all the right places. Differentiate PSS from competitors, highlighting USPs Content was underpinned by key messages: family values, heritage, specialism in overseas removals, industry accreditation, professionalism. We developed case studies for the PSS blog to drive home these points, and shared them on social channels alongside positive customer reviews.
Position PSS as an authority in issues related to moving overseas We researched and developed high-value content (blogs, guides, videos etc.) for people interested in moving abroad. We demonstrated: expertise in international removals; knowledge of issues involved in moving to key destinations, such as Australia and New Zealand: and deep understanding of the migration journey and migrants' concerns. Content offered advice, information and inspiration, aimed at alleviating worries and creating excitement. It was seeded in high profile media, popular online expat hubs and on the PSS blog. It was shared on social media channels to further expand its reach. To maximise the value of sharing content to social media, we built communities of relevant followers across all channels. Following and engaging with expat and travel bloggers, as well as leaders in the migration industry (visas, insurance, banking etc), we encouraged followback. This ensured that our content was reaching, and being amplified by, influencers trusted by people with an active interest in migration. Inspire potential migrants - selling the dream of living abroad We created content for the PSS blog and social media channels - posts, images, banners, quotes etc - designed to highlight the benefits of travel and of living, studying, or retiring abroad. These included the enjoyment of new experiences and cultures, improved quality of life, achievement of ambitions, career opportunities, educational value, financial benefits etc. We also curated content from travel/expat blogs and portals with the "wow" factor (e.g. amazing wonders of the world, bucket list activities and destinations) and shared this on PSS' social channels. This was effective in attracting likes, comments, shares and new followers.
An Instagram profile - Teddies Travels - was set up to inspire potential expats in a humorous way. It chronicles the adventures of the globe-trotting PSS Teddies, which are packed into clients' cartons. Generate new leads and increase conversions PSS' social media channels became a valuable tool for CRM. We used them to answer queries, respond to feedback, resolve issues, and collect leads - passing on requests to the PSS team regularly for quotes and assistance. Results Our content, including blogs posts, videos, case studies and social media content, established PSS as an authority, and trusted source of information, on migration issues. Our daily social media and engagement campaign built a targeted community of people involved in the immigration industry, travel and expat influencers, and those with an interest in living abroad. These channels have seen impressive growth in 3.5 years: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn +2,707% +43% +225%
Results Our media liaison campaign resulted in national coverage (including two pieces in The Telegraph), positioning PSS as a leading specialist in international removals. Further articles appeared in:
Conclusion Liberate Media achieved its goals to raise awareness of PSS among expats-to-be. Our campaign successfully established a sizeable social media community and has widely reinforced the distinct qualities that give the PSS business standout in its sector. PSS is firmly positioned as an authority on international removals and wider issues affecting the migrant community - and is the proud owner of a well-developed content hub. The value of the PSS blog to the business is huge - it is a magnet for web traffic, attracting visitors with a keen interest in migration. There is clearly great potential to convert readers into leads. What the client said... Liam Witham, Director, PSS: We've worked with Liberate Media since 2014 and they have taken our marketing communications to the next level. They immediately saw the opportunity to focus on why people move to other countries. This became the foundation of a campaign around selling the dream of living overseas. "Liberate revolutionised our social campaign, driving massive growth across our channels, running our social customer services and delivering leads. They developed a variety of content, launching our blog and posting hundreds of posts to inform and inspire would-be expats. They also created videos to explain our services and engage potential customers. "The cherry on top was the PR coverage in trade, expat and national titles, which has been great to cement our positive reputation within the industry and among consumers. Two articles in the Telegraph was fantastic. "No request has ever been too big or too small, Liberate has consistently delivered in record time and worked autonomously to produce great results when we have not been available to offer guidance."