Global Marine Systems
Challenge
Thought leadership positioning
Sometimes, being the hard working communication professionals that we are, we engross ourselves so much in daily activities and driving goals that we run the risk of creating and working in our own little bubbles. No business is an island, and working in a bubble is not ideal. When we're unfamiliar with the goings on in the industry around us, we put ourselves in a vulnerable and un-competitive position.
Analyzing our competition is one way to stay ahead, another is increasing the amount of publicity we receive. Although, as Global Marine Systems found out, this is easier said than done. Regular press mentions helps to establish companies as experts. If we're often mentioned in the media, audiences naturally assume we're the leaders in that field and the go to for a particular solution.
That being said, receiving a large number of press mentions isn't helpful if half are negative. "Whether or not we are being portrayed in a positive light is important to us." the Marketing & Communications Manager notes. With media on our side we see many benefits such as boosting credibility, engagement, message reach and our overall competitiveness. So how does Global Marine Systems ensure they're perceived favorably?
"We use Meltwater media monitoring as a research tool to ensure we remain on top of industry developments. Moreover, measuring online presence gives us a good indication of how far we've come and need to go in order to reach our goal."
Solution
"Industry trends are likely to shape our strategy, so the quicker we know about them through media monitoring, the more time we have to plan for their impact. Not only this, keeping tabs on our industry is also a great way to spot threats and opportunities and remain one step in front of our competition."
In order to fulfill the goal of positioning Global Marine Systems as a leading player, the communications team must first know where the company currently stands. "Meltwater's media intelligence platform helps us gain insight into brand exposure based on media activity." Gail comments. The team find benchmarking and monitoring metrics such as message volume, share of voice, top publications and geographic spread interesting to report on a monthly basis.
There are a range of factors that influence brand reputation and positioning, from product development to customer service. "The word cloud gives us a quick overview of our reputation based on trending themes." Gail explains. Meltwater's media monitoring tool allows users to dodge noise and find which positive or negative themes are most influential or apparent at any given time. Users can then adapt their strategy to amplify positive areas and act on developing ones in order to improve brand reputation.
Summary
Meltwater Helps The Global Marine Systems to
Reach goals
"Measuring online presence gives us a good indication of how far we've come and need to go in order to reach our goal." By leveraging past press coverage, Gail is able to make more informed data driven decisions.
Streamline communications
Keeping stakeholder in the loop Global Marine Systems use Meltwater's branded newsletter distribution tool each morning to streamline announcements and broadcast important articles, headlines and announcements internally. "Meltwater's newsletter comes in handy when communicating both industry and company news."
Stay aligned
"We use Meltwater to inform stakeholders around where we stand competitively, as well as our future line of work." Keeping stakeholders in the loop is in the company's interest as it helps create alignment across the organisation and buy in through transparency.
