Acclaimed singer songwriter Jacqui Sharkey will release her new single – Home this month.
The reflective and soulful version of Home echoes Jacqui’s memories and emotions, and is her first release since her 2017 version of The Whole of the Moon, made famous by The Waterboys, made a significant impact.
Jacqui sums up why the lyrics of Home resonated so much with her. “The concept of the song is something that hit me right away, as there is no doubt that I have always been a home bird, despite my extensive travelling over the years.
“No matter how much fun I have travelling or performing, it always lifts my heart to be home” she said.
The Donegal based Singer/ Songwriter, known for her soulful, deep tones, has three albums under her belt, and since Whole of the Moon, she has been taking time to reflect on her journey so far, as well as writing and recording tracks for a forthcoming album.
“I really needed to take some time out and just breathe,” she explained. “Between one thing and another, life was overwhelmingly hectic, and not easy in a lot of ways.
“I can’t go for long without writing, recording and performing. Music is truly my sanity and my peace, and I can’t imagine life without it. Music creates feelings and feelings create music. I am blessed to be able to do it, and I am looking forward to sharing quite a few new songs in 2020.”
Home will feature on Jacqui’s forthcoming EP with the same title, to be released in July 2020.
Find out more at or jacquisharkey.com or connect with Jacqui Sharkey on social media.
Most small business owners understand how important Google has become in helping customers and potential customers find their website. However, the use of paid Google advertising can do so much more than just direct a user to a website, but it can feel like an absolute minefield, with many small business owners not knowing where to start.
Jemma Geary is a Digital Advertising Specialist from Groundswell, a specialist ecommerce and digital advertising agency. Groundswell develop and implement digital advertising strategies, using a funnel approach, for clients from a diverse range of industries to help them sustainably grow.
Jemma delivered a Lunchtime Learning session facilitated by the Cathedral Quarter BID (Business Improvement District) on an introduction to Google Ads, and here are the key takeaways:
Google Ads are paid for advertising that can be shown to a targeted audience across the internet in a range of different formats, including display adverts on websites, video adverts on YouTube, and in-search adverts when someone uses Google to search for something. Which types of adverts you choose to use will depend on your objectives, where your potential customer is in their purchase journey, and how much of a budget you have.
Jemma believes Google Ads are a great tool because of how transparent they are:
“With Google advertising you can see how many impressions and click-throughs your advert had received, as well as the cost per click. It’s a very effective way to monitor your return on investment. But before any campaigns go live, I would recommend that full conversion tracking is properly set up on your account, as well as any ecommerce tracking if you sell products online. That way the performance data will be most useful.”
In 2020, there are an estimated 2.3 million Google searches carried out per second, and most of those will include paid for ads. For many businesses, Google search ads are the first place to start.
“Optimise your landing page and include a strong call to action. Make sure your search ad does not take your user to your homepage – their landing page needs to be relevant to the search terms they used to take them there. If you are selling a product using a search ad then make sure all of the product information is available on the landing page. You want to make the purchase process as smooth as possible for the customer.”
In addition to search ads, product-based advertising (or shopping advertising) is becoming increasingly popular. It is expected that 18% of all UK retail purchases will be made online in 2020, so if you are selling product online you should consider product ads.
“Product listings or showcase adverts on Google come from shopping feeds on your Merchant Centre Account, all of which you need to set up yourself. This is more complex than other forms of Google advertising and requires some technical thinking. While it isn’t rocket science, it would be a good idea to work with a company experienced in setting up this type of advertising, whether that’s your web developer or a specialist company like Groundswell.”
Video advertising via the YouTube platform has grown exponentially in recent years. This is likely in part due to the vast amount of YouTube that is now consumed daily. In 2020, over 1 billion hours of YouTube are watched daily. That’s more than Netflix and Facebook video combined!
Google serves YouTube ads to viewers based on a range of targeting objectives. This can include audiences that Google define as relevant based on search criteria, custom audiences you can create by using competitor URLs, custom intent targeting based on user searches for the previous seven days, remarketing adverts to individuals who have previously visited your website, and even targeting individuals based on key milestones or life events.
“There are different types of adverts you can show through YouTube. For example, there are adverts that users can skip after 5 seconds, and there are adverts that the user cannot skip. There are pros and cons for each, and which you choose is largely based on your advertising objectives and your budget. It’s worth bearing in mind that for adverts users can skip after 5 seconds that you are charged per view, but the first 10 seconds don’t count. For adverts that users can’t skip you are not charged per view but instead per 1,000 impressions. However, these are restricted to a maximum of either 6- or 15-seconds duration, depending on which type you go for.”
If you do decide to try Google Ads yourself and don’t enlist the help of an experienced professional, here are some of Jemma’s top tips to maximise the opportunity and avoid some of the potential pitfalls:
“Always consider your budget first. Decide what you are happy to spend monthly and divide it by 30.4. Remember, Google budgets work on a daily spend.”
“Figure out your keywords that you want to be found for when using Google search ads. This can be refined over time and it is a bit of an artform. Lower search frequency terms that are more specific are better than more popular terms that are more generic. Relevancy to your product or service is key.”
“Monitor your return. Whatever you decide to do, review your ad performance regularly – even daily. Are your keywords relevant? Are you getting a good return? Should you try a split test to see if certain keywords perform better for you? Are irrelevant keywords directing users to your website and should you exclude these going forward to ensure you aren’t paying for irrelevant clicks? Don’t just set up Google Ads and leave it running without monitoring it – it can be a costly mistake.”
DERRY YouTube sensation Adam Beales last week handed out more than £1,000 on a spur of the moment decision to help those in need as the financial impact of the Covid-19 crisis deepens.
On Wednesday night Adam posted on Twitter that he wanted to support in some way those struggling.
Within a few hours he was sending money to his followers via PayPal as he responded to heart-rending messages from people in dire situations.
Known as Adam B online, the 20-year-old star has amassed more than 2.7 million subscribers, and his gesture even prompted others to help out too.
“I just had a feeling of helping out that night and so posted out a tweet asking if anyone was struggling and needed extra help during this time,” he said. “It was just a spontaneous thing.
“The more and more people who came forward with their struggles, it was hard not to help. I kept working through all the messages until my phone battery literally died that night.”
From appearing on children’s TV to flying first class across the globe the full time YouTuber has carved out a unique career for himself online.
The Wednesday night gesture helped people with their rent, utility bills, single mothers struggling, and some who just wanted a little to treat them and their loved ones.
He posted his tweet at 10:45, simply saying “I wanna help a few people out, who’s struggling atm? Let me know and send me your PayPal”.
Replies quickly flooded in, some moving him to tears.
And, his gesture drew people to commend him on his generosity, one user said: “You’re so sweet, loving, kind human being”, and another simply called him “an angel”.
Apart from some jokey responses Adam’s aim was to help those finding it tough without income.
“I wanted to help people who were especially struggling during this time so anyone who replied to the post, usually gave a story about what’s going on in their lives at the moment,” he said.
“It was once again a reminder of how lucky I am. Whenever you see people and families be torn apart by this pandemic, it’s very hard to ignore. My deepest love goes out to all of whom are affected.”
As well as his Youtube channel Adam has more than 500,000 followers across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Tik Tok, where his witty antics and pranks have attracted growing numbers of followers.
He describes himself on his Facebook profile as “a not so funny person trying to be funny”.
But he recognises that his online success has left him in a better position than most during the pandemic.
“I do feel very fortunate that me and my family haven’t been too affected by what’s going on in the world at the moment,” Adam explained. “Of course, with YouTube, we are just seeing everyday as it passes by to see if there are any changes but as of yet, we are incredibly lucky to be in the position to help others out and it is always such a good feeling, being able to help and surprise others.
“And the support from others was a clear indication that you can help people who are in need with the smallest gestures.”
Those gestures reminded Adam of the positivity in these dark times
“There were no ulterior motives behind my reasoning that night,” he said. “I wanted to help people out, so I did just that. But what really warmed my heart was seeing other people actually send money to the people who I didn’t get a chance to get back to.
“The comments under those tweets were almost like a little community of everyone helping everyone. It made me very emotional and reminded me that the Internet can be a good place.”
The decision to post on Twitter was so he could reach out quickly.
“Twitter is a handy platform because you can get immediate response from people and personally interact with them in a way that YouTube or Instagram doesn’t support.
“It’s a great way to get instant communication between myself and people who watch my videos.”
His initiative showed Adam that there is a positive message that can be sent.
“It proved to me that night how special community spirit truly is. We’re all fighting this silent killer together. We’ll battle through it together. And we’ll come out on the other side together.”
On his Youtube channel Adam describes what he does that attracts so many subscribers.
“You can catch me doing pranks, challenges, vlogs, Q&A’s, life hacks, gaming, eating food and so much more!”
You can see Adam’s tweet at twitter.com/Adam_byt and check out his videos on his YouTube channel Adam B.
Whilst working with influencers is not a new concept in marketing, working with digital influencers on platforms such as Instagram is still very much unchartered territory for a lot of small businesses.
And although it’s easy to get it wrong and waste a lot of time and money on “fake” accounts or the wrong type of influencers – getting it right could be the secret to success for your company.
Leanne Gannon, the Founder of She & Co Digital, is a specialist in social media and influencer marketing. If you have spent any time on social media, it is likely that you will have been exposed to influencer marketing, but what is it, how does it work, and what are the regulations surrounding it that you need to be aware of?
Leanne explained: “Influencer marketing is using someone else’s influence or relationship with an audience to promote your product or service. It can be tricky to do well, but if done well it can be very effective.”
Influencers can be found on almost all social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, through their own personal blogs, and even on Snapchat. While they are most commonly associated with the beauty and fashion industries, almost all sectors will have influencers out there – from hobbyists to those who do it professionally.
During her session Leanne advised that the key to a great influencer is authenticity: “Most of the successful influencer marketing campaigns encourage the creation of content that is original and/or adds value for the audience. Today, more than ever, consumers look to fellow consumers to inform their purchase decisions. Influencer marketing, when it is authentic and trustworthy, increases a brand’s credibility.”
While influencer marketing is certainly not new, it is something we are likely to see increasing going forward. The industry is set to reach a whopping $10 billion by 2020, with more and more brands increasing their influencer marketing spend.
What does an influencer marketing strategy look like?
Research thoroughly – investigate the influencers that are popular for your industry, as well as the smaller ‘micro’ influencers – make a list of who you would like to approach that have authentic content and engage regularly with their audiences.
Set your campaign goals – do you want to increase brand awareness or increase conversions? This will impact the type of advertising you do and likely your budget.
Set a budget – consider the return on investment that you would like from your campaign, as well as the lifetime value of a potential customer.
Target the right influencers for your brand – do you want one bigger influencer, or multiple smaller influencers? Do you want to exchange (‘gift’) free product to micro influencers in exchange for an honest review?
Use tools to your advantage – ask influencers to provide evidence of their engagement levels and the impressions, clicks and uptake numbers from their previous collaborations. Heepsy is a useful online tool you can use to check out their stats.
Review and analyse the results – see what worked well and what didn’t work so well, and use the information to inform future campaigns.
Beware of Regulations
“As influencer marketing has grown in popularity, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – and in the Republic of Ireland the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) – have released guidelines on how these adverts should be disclosed” said Leanne, adding: “There are rules regarding how these adverts are tagged, such as using #advert, #gifted, or #sponsored. Free downloads are available from their respective websites, so make sure you are aware of how to disclose properly and that any influencers you work with follow the rules.”
The final takeaway message is to be clear in your expectations when working with influencers, especially smaller influencers who may not have undertaken much advertising work before.
Clearly state how many posts you will get, check that captions are spelt correctly, and that any necessary hashtags are used and spelt correctly. If undertaking paid-for advertising, pay a percentage up-front and the balance upon completion of the work. Your aim should be to create a mutually beneficial relationship so you can continue to work with those who produce positive outcomes for your company.
Do you need help creating content for your business?
At Excalibur Press we have a team of over 12 writers in a variety of specialisms writing blogs, website content and more for clients on a daily basis. Maybe this is just one thing we could help you with – even just to get you started.
If you would like to speak to a content creator or would like more information about our rates and process just call 07305354209 or email team@excaliburpress.co.uk
With four out of five business to business successes on social media directly attributable to LinkedIn it’s no wonder why companies across Northern Ireland are using their time in lockdown to master the platform.
This Thursday (May 7, 3pm) Tina Calder from Excalibur Press and The Content Club will draw on her own experiences with the platform to help attendees of Supercharge Your LinkedIn With Great Content tackle the basics of their profile optimisation as well as helping them learn how to create great content.
The 90-minute webinar will help to unlock some of the secrets of the popular b2b social platform and is packed full of top tips, tricks, tools and techniques to help you go it alone and do it yourself.
Speaking of what attendees should expect publicist and content creator Tina said: “Supercharge Your LinkedIn With Great Content will go over some of the basics of optimising your profile, however, what we will focus on more is the content, what should you share, how do you share, where do you find it and how can you use it to maximise your opportunities, get sales leads and raise the profile of yourself, your brand and/or your business.”
Supercharge Your LinkedIn is part of a series of free webinars each week by Tina and Excalibur Press helping businesses look at a variety of elements of their digital transformation during the Covid-19 crisis.
“As a result of the Covid-19 crisis more and more of our clients at Excalibur Press are asking us to help them with their digital transformation.
“We had already launched a plan for a range of training sessions and masterclasses across Northern Ireland for 2020 that had to be scrapped so we thought the best thing to do would be to move them all online.
“However, I wanted to be able to bring value to people whilst raising profile for our company – that’s when I decided to make the webinars free of charge for anyone to attend.
“We have everything from Setting Up Your First Webinar and Turning Your Training Into An Online Course to Podcasting, Blogging For Business and something coming up to help business owners with their Thought Leadership strategy.
“The plan is to have around six per month with at least two of them being newly created sessions.”
Beginning at 3pm on Thursday May 7 places are still available to book for the Supercharge Your LinkedIn slide/video-based session.
“LinkedIn has sometimes been forgotten about amidst the array of social media platforms,” said Tina, adding: “But the evidence is that businesses seek out and receive work through it. “This webinar has been created to give you the tips and tricks to make LinkedIn work for you.”
The slide/video-based webinar cover the basics of setting up a LinkedIn profile, types of content, using hashtags effectively, reading metrics, best practices, what content people are looking for, how to stand out from the crowd, the importance of storytelling, effective content, useful tips on headlines and subject titles and using LinkedIn to supercharge your thought leadership strategy.
“We’ve set aside an hour and a half for this webinar which will help you start thinking about what you need in order to get LinkedIn working for you,” said Tina.
“There will be an opportunity to ask questions throughout.”
Northern Ireland’s Content Queen, Tina Calder is a journalist and commentator of 20 years, a publicist of 12 and a multi-platform media professional. The Belfast entrepreneur owns publicity management agency Excalibur Press based in the city’s Cathedral Quarter.
From travelling across the UK and Ireland as a showbiz reporter, publicist and tour manager to becoming an award winning business journalist, Tina uses her varied and colourful career experiences to deliver bespoke publicity and communications strategies.
To put it bluntly she’ll show you how to get stuff done!
With self isolating and working from home being a brand new situation for many people, it can be hard to know how to use your time effectively or organise your day. Here’s some top tips on how to survive self isolation:
If You Have To Go Out
Clothes
Have a separate pair of shoes for leaving the house, the germs can get stuck to the soles of your feet and you don’t want to be walking them through your house. So keep one pair of shoes on your porch and do not bring them inside your house. Similarly have one outfit for wearing outside. Leave a black bin liner on your porch and don’t wear this outfit into your house. This way you are minimising the amount of germs you could be bringing into your home.
Shopping
Don’t stockpile, just buy what you need. Once you arrive home with your shopping, use a pair of gloves to remove each item from the bag and sanitise it using antibacterial wipes. Then throw the gloves, bag and wipes in an external bin outside your home. This way if these items have been infected at the supermarket, they will be clean for coming into your house. Make this a routine for getting essential supplies.
Interactions
Whilst you are out keep your distance from other people even if you are simply passing them. Try to go to the supermarket at what might be a less busy time so as to come into contact with as little people as possible. Don’t hug, shake hands with or touch other people as this is what spreads germs. If you and your family are self isolating do not invite other people into your home while doing so, as they could be bringing in germs leading to infection. Being at home is the best place you could be and you want to avoid contaminating this space.
Working From Home
Get Dressed
There can be an urge when working from home to sit in your pyjamas all day and even stay in bed to do your work. But this can be de-motivating and makes it hard to tell the difference between working and relaxing. You should get up and get dressed everyday, even put some makeup on if it makes you feel normal. Choose one area in your home to sit and work and make that your workspace.
Create Routine
It can be easy to get into a rut being in the house for so long, but try and create a routine in your day. Make an agenda or plan of what you want to do and stick to it. Set an amount of hours you want to work for and what hours those will be. Don’t work outside these hours, use the rest of the time for relaxing or spending with family.
In Isolation
Take up a New Hobby
Don’t see this time inside as a negative experience, use it to take up a new hobby or do something you’ve always put off. That could be knitting, reading, learning a language. Often in our daily lives we don’t have time for the simple things, so take this time to relax and focus on something new.
Spend Time With Your Family
With your children being off school, take the time to enjoy their company, as often with work and school you might not get enough time to spend as a family. Organise activities such as games, baking or cooking together or crafts to keep them entertained. Set up competitions or star charts with prizes to motivate your children to do some learning each day.
Former Vogue model and TV dancer Patience Bradley releases her memoirs book Where Do You Go to My Lovely
Pictured: Patience with husband Ivor Bradley
Picture by Debbie Deboo Photography.
Publicist & Publisher: Tina Calder, Excalibur Press, 07982628911 / tina@excaliburpress.co.uk
Adopt a Positive Mindset
It can be very easy to fall into a negative outlook on life during this situation, but there is a lot to be grateful for. Turn off the news and instead write a list of things in your life that you are grateful for. This will give you perspective on the situation. Whilst it might not be ideal to be stuck in the house, be grateful for your health and family.
With many businesses using the Covid-19 lockdown downtime to work on their communications and marketing assets this is the perfect time to find out how blogging can help you increase brand awareness.
Northern Ireland communication specialists Excalibur Press have announced a free webinar this Thursday April 30 at 3pm to help businesses understand how creating effective blogs can help them create new leads and generate more sales opportunities.
Delivered by Content Queen, Tina Calder, of Excalibur Press, the 90-minute webinar will reveal the benefits of blogging for business, together with a series of tips and tricks to make your blog a success.
In this unique online training and support session Tina will show how to make your blog work for you all the time.
“As a result of the Covid-19 crisis more and more of our clients at Excalibur Press are asking us to help them with their digital transformation” explained Tina.
“That was when we decided to release a range of free webinars in area such as LinkedIn, social media, thought leadership, blogging, creating online courses and webinars, publishing and communication skills.
“The idea was to help businesses use this downtime to fast forward or accelerate their desires to move their services and products online as well as prepare their communication and publicity strategies for when lockdown has been lifted and we can begin to go back to normal.”
Beginning at 3pm on Thursday places are still available to book now for this slide/video-based session.
“Many still see blogs as something for hobbyists, but they are a key part of explaining your business and relating to your clients,” said Tina.
“But to make it work for your business you need the focus and direction to make the content do the right thing for you every time.”
The webinar will see publicist, journalist and commentator, Tina cover why blog for business, what types of blog to use, how to create quick and easy blog posts, the key ingredients for a successful blog, the tools, tips and tricks for content, and how to create quick and easy content from blog posts.
“There are a lot of small tips and tricks and tactics that people can use to ensure they create a long-lasting business rather than just something that will subside when the crisis subsides.
“We’ve set aside an hour and a half for this webinar which will help you start thinking about what you need in order to supercharge your digital content. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions throughout.”
Throughout the session Tina aims to simplify the blog creation process and give attendees real and practical tips and advice on how you can begin working on their digital content today.
Northern Ireland’s Content Queen, Tina Calder is a journalist and commentator of 20 years, a publicist of 12 and a multi-platform media professional. The Belfast entrepreneur owns publicity management agency Excalibur Press based in the city’s Cathedral Quarter.
From travelling across the UK and Ireland as a showbiz reporter, publicist and tour manager to becoming an award winning business journalist, Tina uses her varied and colourful career experiences to deliver bespoke publicity and communications strategies.
To put it bluntly she’ll show you how to get stuff done!
When it comes to creating content for your business it’s easy to resort to a “do it yourself” attitude.
Sometimes it’s just simply quicker than trying to grapple with third party contractors who just don’t get your business. Or, maybe you just don’t have the budget for the luxury of getting help.
Whatever reason you’re doing it yourself, thanks to a fantastic Lunchtime Learning session facilitated by the Cathedral Quarter BID (Business Improvement District) by marketer Darren Diven, Founder of NI Explorer here are some quick and easy tips to help you supercharge your video and photo content.
Darren began documenting his passion for all things Northern Ireland and adventure as a hobby, using his mobile phone to capture amazing images and video. His hobby soon turned into a business, and he now works freelance with like-minded individuals, local businesses, and brands.
Photos and videos are crucial to success with digital marketing, In Darren’s Lunchtime Learning Workshop he shared his top tips and tools for shooting brilliant content for your business with your smartphone:
Start with the end in mind
Darren said: “When taking photos for your business, tie the imagery to your objectives and consider the purpose of the image – is it for a blog post, your website, or social media? What’s the message that you want this image to covey?”
The rule of 3rds
The full video explains this concept really well, but the key take-away is when taking a photo think of what you want the viewer’s eyes to focus on first, and where you want their attention to go next.
“Image composition is really important – consider the environment and the perspective. Put the viewer in the photo and make them feel like they’re there” explained Darren.
Get creative
Play around with props, light, and colour in your photos to really bring them to life, and keep them on-brand for your business.
“The best way to take great photos for your business is to practice a lot – be proactive and start taking more photos of your hobbies, friends, and family” said Darren.
Play with settings
Today’s smartphones can do so much more than we tend to use them for. According to Darren the camera app on your mobile alone has more settings than you can probably imagine: “The HDR setting takes an over and under exposed image and blends the two together, tapping the screen when taking a photo adjusts the focus and light settings automatically, and you can easily change the size settings to take images at a higher resolution. Don’t be afraid to play with the settings on your phone’s camera to take the best possible pictures.”
Get some gadgets
When you’re just starting out, you’re not likely to need many extra add-ons, but as you get more comfortable with using your smartphone, and if you want it to do more, Darren recommends some extra bits of kit to take your photo skills to the next level:
Darren said: “A tripod or stabiliser can make a massive difference to the overall quality of your images and video, and you can even get a different lens for the camera on your smartphone to take shots with a wider angle. Ring lights are really popular with makeup artists, but they can also be used for product shots, and you can pick up a white box for a really reasonable cost online.”
The practical basics
Darren shares his top lessons learned from getting out there and taking his own photos and videos:
“Always keep your camera lens clean – it makes such a difference” said Darren, adding: “Spare chargers are a must as taking lots of photos and videos can really drain your battery. You can get microphones that attach to your phone for shooting video with sound you want to capture. And I always recommend bringing an umbrella with you if you’re taking photos or video outdoors – it keeps the water off the lens and you can brighten up any shots you take by editing it afterwards.”
There are many schools of thought when it comes to determining what truly makes a blog post successful. And, if I’m honest, I probably don’t have the answer you want.
However, as controversial as my opinion might be, despite all the research I’ve done I can’t come up with a more plausible answer to the question “what is a successful blog post?”
As far as I’m concerned – a successful blog post is one that’s published. At the end of the day, when so much work has gone into thinking, researching, developing, writing and publishing a blog it would be insane not to acknowledge that as an achievement.
Not all about the stats
In my experience, it’s not the volume of people that read a blog that’s important, it’s the quality, influence and position of purchasing power of the reader that’s important.
If, for example, you’re writing a blog about your own personal development it only takes one person to be positively impacted by that blog for you to have made a difference.
The “social media gurus” and modern wave of “digital marketing experts” might dazzle us with reach, views, and even linger time metrics but we have to be careful not to be sucked into the black hole of vanity metrics.
Whilst there’s a place for them in any communications, publicity, PR and marketing strategy they certainly should be hailed as the champion if KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators).
What do you want?
One of the easiest ways to determine the “success” of a blog post is knowing what you wanted it to do in the first place. Having a clear purpose and goal and concise call to action meant it will be much easier to consider the “success” because you’ve set out the expectations in the first place.
Of course, knowing what you want from a blog post can, at times, be the most difficult part of the process, especially if it’s for business purposes.
Time and resources
Another consideration is the time and resources writing a blog post is taking. If you find you’re spending hours on something that isn’t converting in the manner you want it to, it might be time to re-think your strategy.
Although blogging is an incredibly powerful content marketing tool for businesses and influencers it’s vital that this single marketing activity doesn’t take your focus away from other key elements of your strategy and plan.
To be clear, I’m a massive fan of blogging as a very powerful content marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) tool. But, it is worth asking yourself whether you actually need to be the person writing them.
For more top tips, tricks and techniques of how you can successfully use blogging to promote your business check out the FREE webinar Blogging For Business with Tina Calder from Excalibur Press & The Content Club this Thursday April 30th, 2020 at 3pm >> https://bit.ly/3cV9aYB
When it comes to communicating with your child on the autistic spectrum it can often be a difficult and frustrating task for both of you.
But one parent found books were the perfect communication tool for her daughter.
Meta Auden, owner of Spectra Sensory Clothing, was so convinced by the power of books she added them to her online shop for other parents.
“My daughter is 19, and never spoke much, never tried to tell me how she was feeling and didn’t have facial expressions to show me” explained Meta.
“When she was being told off she would smirk and it took me a while to realise that she wasn’t being disrespectful.
“Like many other children Kirsty would have had meltdowns and she would have gone up to her room and start banging her head off the wall, which of course meant we rushed upstairs to try to calm her.
“It was following a conversation with Kirsty recently where she revealed she would do it out of frustration because people didn’t understand how she felt, including us – her parents.
“But she doesn’t do it anymore. She says it’s because we now understand better what’s going on with her and I 100% credit the books with that.”
Meta started stocking books at Spectra Sensory due to her own love of reading and the realisation that if they could help her understand her daughter better then they could help other parents who would regularly use the website.
“Throughout her teens Kirsty would use books and newspaper articles to help me understand how she felt” said Meta.
“I’ve now brought in many titles covering all areas from toilet training to autism in adults. My favourites are mostly the children’s books.
“I brought in one called ‘All cats have Asperger’s’ because Kirsty loves cats. When it arrived, I thought it was too young for her, but I gave it to her and she thought it would be great for younger children, probably aged seven upwards because it explains how children feel.
“One of my customers told me that her father had bought it for his grandson, who had taken it into the school to read to the rest of his class, to help them understand.
“Another book I really like is ‘I will tell you why I won’t wear those clothes’. Oh, how I wish I had that book when Kirsty was growing up, especially before her diagnosis as clothing was a bit of a battleground for us before her diagnosis and ultimately the reason I set up the business.
“My final personal recommendation is ‘Teaching social skills through Minecraft’. If they did degrees in Minecraft, my daughter would have got a first.”
Meta Auden Spectra Sensory Clothing
Here are 20 Books Meta stocks that could help you and your child:
1. Older Adults and Autism Spectrum Conditions
By Wenn Lawson
Packed with practical advice, this is the first book to address the challenges facing older people with autism. With first-hand stories and drawing on the latest research, it will help to support older adults with autism through lifestyle changes as well as physical and sensory challenges post-retirement.
This full-colour, photographic workbook is designed for adults and children to read together and explains the physical reasons a child may become emotionally overwhelmed by some daily routines involving touch. The workbook format allows them to explore their own feelings about their touch-related sensitivities, helping them to feel supported.
Taking the form of short narratives, the book takes children step by step through basic activities such as brushing their teeth, taking a bath and getting used to new clothes.
It also helps children to understand different experiences such as going to school, shopping and visiting the doctor.
These stories are written for preschoolers aged from two to six, and the book is a useful primer for all young children – but most especially those on the autism spectrum. My Social Stories Book contains over 150 Stories, and is illustrated throughout with line drawings by Sean McAndrew, which form a visual counterpart to the text. A helpful introduction explains to parents and carers how to get the most out of the book.
At eighteen months old, Jodi Shaw suddenly changed from being a happy, lively, loving baby into the toddler from hell – withdrawn, refusing to talk, play or be touched, unable to concentrate or be still. Written by his mother but told from Jodi’s perspective, this is a fascinating, funny, and insightful account of growing up with autism.
Jean Shaw, the mother of two children, is a housewife and full time carer. She hopes that the story of her autistic son will reassure and help many other ordinary families and also educate the general public about the problems associated with autism.
5. Managing Meltdowns and Tantrums on the Autism Spectrum – A Parent and Caregiver’s Guide
By Jenna Ward Hawkes And Melissa Rodi
Provides helpful and practical tips to understand, manage and even avert tantrums and meltdowns. For parents of children with ASD (and other conditions) aged 2-9, who need advice on managing meltdowns.
This book offers an empathetic approach and provides explanations of what goes on in the brain and body of someone experiencing a meltdown, describing sensory reactions and brain processes. The authors help the reader to distinguish between tantrums and meltdowns, and how to react to these different emotional states.
This book takes a playful look at Asperger Syndrome, drawing inspiration from the feline world. Touching, humorous and insightful. This book evokes the difficulties and joys of raising a child who is different and leaves the reader with a sense of the dignity, individuality, and potential of people with AS.
Reassures other parents that there are lots of people out there in the same boat, and to suggest practical methods of dealing with the problem. As well as drawing on her own experience, the author has spoken to parents, children, and professionals with first-hand knowledge of dietary difficulties, and their advice and comments form a key part of the book.
8. Special Kid to Super Kid- Overcoming Learning Disability, Language Delay, And Autism
By Ruthangela Bernadette
This book promises to help you unleash your child’s super powers. Discover how the author triumphed over autism, learning disability, and language delay without breaking the bank. The book promises that your child will Improve social interaction, make friends and gain confidence.Transform school from being a battleground of obstacles into a playground of opportunities.
9. The Little Book of Autism FAQS – How to Talk with Your Child about their diagnosis & Other Conversations
By Davida Hartman
Concise and easy to read, ‘The Little Book of Autism FAQs’ answers parents’ questions with accessible language, preparing them to approach this difficult conversation in a constructive manner. It equips parents with a language of positivity and prepares them to support their children’s relationships with peers and family members.
Chris and Andrew are here to help people understand the experiences of a child with autism, and how others can help by understanding how they are different, and recognising their unique talents.
This fully-illustrated book is targeted at boys and girls aged 5+, and also serves as an excellent starting point for family and classroom discussions.
This really is a heart warming book, one which many parents will relate to. I was told to read it by my daughter, it is not often, in fact probably never, that she has given me a book to read, yes, youtube videos or quotes. So I asked her to give me a review of the book, at first she said no, then she gave me a few words, which I am writing as they were given to me, so excuse spellings and grammar.
“This book is told by the boy’s mother, but it shows how one animal helped her understand her son. In a way she could not be able to. It opened her eyes to what she needed to see instead of what she wanted to see.”
Contributors from across the world share their experiences of creating a successful life on the autism spectrum. The positive and inspiring voices in this book explain how it is possible to draw on autistic strengths not just to make your way in the world, overcoming challenges and obstacles, but also to make your life a real success.
From America to Australia, and stopping off in every continent in between, these stories from mothers of autistic children highlight changing attitudes to autism. Debunking the myth that autism is a result of bad parenting, this book radiates with the warmth of parent-child relationships and unites autism families across the globe.
Tom invites readers to learn about autism from his perspective in this beautifully-illustrated book, suitable for readers aged 7 and upwards. He explains the challenges he faces with issues such as social communication, sensory overload and changes in his routine and describes all the ways he can be helped and supported by those around him.
Eight-year-old Quinn, a young boy with AS, tells young readers about the achievements and characteristics of his autism heroes, from Albert Einstein, to Lewis Carroll, Benjamin Banneker and Julia Bowman Robinson, among others. All excel in different fields, but are united by the fact that they often found it difficult to fit in-just like Quinn.
Parenting a child on the autistic spectrum can be tough, but few books take the time to celebrate the love and laughter an autistic child can elicit in their parents and those around them. In this warm, honest and laugh-out-loud tale of bringing up Bobby, now ten, Georgina Derbyshire shares and rejoices in his ‘slightly different’ childhood.
17. Teaching Social Skills to Children With Autism Using Minecraft
By Raelene Dundon
An accessible guide to setting up Minecraft groups to promote social skills in children with autism. It has over 150 pages of session plans, visuals and handouts, as well as setting out a curriculum for educators and professionals to use in the classroom.
This book looks at toilet training difficulties for children with autism spectrum conditions, and presents practical interventions to help children overcome these problems. Packed with essential information on bowel and bladder function, this book also gives helpful advice for developing and implementing a toilet plan in different settings.
This book offers effective, long-term strategies to resolve common problem behaviours such as physical aggression, self-injury, verbal abuse, and property damage. It is organized around common messages conveyed by behaviours and the underlying issues driving these messages. Practical ideas for intervention are provided alongside case examples.
20. The Autism Discussion Page On The Core Challenges of Autism
By Bill Nason
This book compiles posts from the popular online Autism Discussion Page to provide simple and effective strategies for helping children with autism spectrum disorders to feel safe, accepted and competent. This volume focuses on the core challenges faced by those with autism: cognitive, sensory, social and emotional.
