Promoting the Lincolnshire Institute of Technology through organic PR and social media SERVICES PR, Social Media 46 pieces of coverage secured in 12 months 30 backlinks in 12 months 179K+ social media impressions in 12 months 204 new social media followers in 12 months The Lincolnshire Institute of Technology (LIoT) is a partnership between educational institutions and employers across the county. It was founded in 2019 to develop and deliver STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) training and qualifications that meet regional needs. We were brought on board to provide PR and social media support, with the aim of encouraging more individuals into the world of STEM and creating greater engagement with local businesses. Our goal was to raise awareness of what LIoT is and what it offers, helping to drive student referrals to education partners and increase enquiries from businesses wanting to get involved with LIoT. Our PR strategy included a combination of press releases, thought leadership activity and blog writing. Press releases focused on awareness raising by promoting key events and milestones, such as the launch of the annual STEM Challenge and the number of new students joining in September. This activity resulted in local coverage in publications such as Lincolnshire World, Love Business East Midlands and The Midlands Gazette. Alongside this, we positioned Mick Lochran, the director of LIoT, as a thought leader in the local education space. To do this, we secured coverage for insightful, advice-led content targeted towards both consumers and businesses, with the aim of driving enquiries to study a LIoT course or become a LIoT employment partner. Thought leadership coverage included lifestyle and business publications including Lindum Colonia and Commerce & Industry. In addition, we used national awareness days, such as National Apprenticeship Week and World Teachers’ Day, to shine a light on LIoT students and teachers, sharing their positive experiences to encourage others to consider a LIoT course. As a result of our PR work, we secured 46 pieces of coverage in 12 months and there were 30 new backlinks to the LIoT website in the same period. As part of our social media strategy, we created engaging and informative content for all LIoT’s channels – Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X and TikTok. Content focused on highlighting key messages such as the benefits of studying/working with LIoT, the courses on offer and the educational institutions that offer the courses. Each post utilised eye-catching graphics based on LIoT branding and colours, to encourage greater impressions and engagement. We also created a series of engaging videos which were adapted for each platform. These showcased students explaining their courses and aspirations, as well as staff giving an overview of the course they teach. We also produced videos of key LIoT events including its annual School STEM Challenge. Alongside LIoT’s social media channels, we also created and shared two social media posts a week for each of the nine education partners, in order to reach more people across Lincolnshire. Content and graphics for Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Instagram were shared on a weekly basis, with partners encouraged to tag LIoT’s channels to increase impressions and followers. As a result of our social media work, we saw a total of 179,781 impressions across all channels in 12 months, along with 204 new followers in the same period. Driving STEM education and skills in Lincolnshire
“Carrington were an amazing PR and marketing partner… They took time to build relationships and an understanding of the LIoT’s nine partners in order to be innovative in providing marketing solutions that responded to their needs. It’s been a real pleasure to work with the team at Carrington and I would highly recommend them as a PR and marketing partner.”
Mick Lochran
Lincolnshire Institute of Technology
Results
The Brief
Our Approach
Our Social Media Approach
