So you’ve got the hang of tweeting and finding other people to follow on Twitter. But how do you ensure your Twitter profile fits with your brand? This post is the second part in our series of ‘Guides to Twitter’, written by Alisha Ramos. You can follow Alisha on Twitter at @alishalisha and Bright One at @brightonecomms.
The background image of your Twitter profile can be a useful tool in building your brand.
Many users add a static background image with a “sidebar” of content that reflects them or their brand. The sidebar is a loophole around the limited amount of information Twitter allows its users to display on their profile page. The sidebar can include anything from a photo of that brand or individual, a brief description of what they do, a list of their websites, and a method of contact.
Below are some examples of Twitter profiles that have been successfully branded by companies or individuals:
Bold Creative’s Twitter account (@boldcreative) displays a simple sidebar image with its logo and important contact information and a URL that directs back to its website. All the information you need to understand what the company is and how you can find out more is there.
Pepsi (@pepsico) advertises a current campaign, the “Dream Machine,” on its sidebar, directing users to the Dream Machine Facebook Page. They also feature members of Pepsi who are tweeting for the company, so that users can know who exactly is behind all those tweets. Many companies opt to do this because it creates a more personal touch to Twitter accounts owned by large, seemingly impersonal companies.
GM (@gmblogs) similarly displays the people who are in charge of their Twitter account, probably for the same reasons as Pepsi. GM also displays their Twitter policy – a disclaimer that states that any 3rd party articles linked to from their account is not their responsibility.
Charity Water (@charitywater) is one of the nonprofits that has done an excellent job with its online presence. Its Twitter is beautifully designed, with a simple background that points users to a specific campaign.
Travel Channel’s Twitter (@travelchannel) has a nicely designed background that is branded well. It points users not to its website but to its other Twitter accounts for its various shows. If you go to these other Twitter accounts, you will see that each of them are also consistently branded with the Travel Channel, sometimes even using similar sidebar graphics – which is brilliant. Even in its variety of shows, the Travel Channel manages to maintain a consistent image.
As you can see, these companies have successfully used the user’s screen to provide relevant information and links — all simply in their background image.
5 Steps to Make A Background Image With Sidebar on Twitter
It’s simple to create a background image that has a sidebar on twitter. Here is the simplest method:
- Take a screen grab of your Twitter account (with the window maximized.)
- Paste the screen grab into a photo editing program of your choice (like Photoshop).
- Create a sidebar graphic in the empty space you see to the left of your Twitter feed, making sure that it is not too wide or too close to the top or left side of the canvas.
- Select the rest of the image that is not the sidebar and delete it.
- Save your background image, upload to Twitter, and you’re done!
If you are well versed in graphic design, you can get fancy with this method – for example, you could a background color, add a gradient as the background color (as Pepsi has done), and so on.
If you are searching for a generic background, or one with a ready made template, websites like Twitrounds or Twitrbackgrounds work well.
We’ve got a lovely growing community here at Bright One. In fact, over 100 of them have signed up to our monthly newsletter.
How To Get a Job in Charity PR
So you want to get a job in Charity PR, but you don’t know where to look or how to start. You may also need to build up your skills and experience in the sector before going through the application process of a job that’s of interest. With it currently being tougher than ever to find the right job for you and with increasing competition, it can seem like a hard prospect.
But don’t panic! Bright One is on hand to help guide you through the process and give you the best chance of getting your dream job in Charity PR.
Read about Charity PR
One of the best ways to get a feel for what working for a charity might be like is by reading about those who already work for a charity. There’s plenty of information out there.
A good place to start is the askCHARITY blog, where you’ll find posts about charity communications from a host of experts. There’s also the PR Week Volunteer & Charity News section and a range of good article, case studies and interviews on CharityComms. For wider issues around charities communicating in the digital age, take a look at Beth’s Blog, which is US focused but equally valuable for online comms advice for charities around the world.
We also feature a range of Charity PR articles here on the Bright One blog (such as this one!) so you should subscribe by RSS or subscribe by email.
Subscribe to Job Alerts
When you’re looking for a job in Charity PR, you’re going to need to know when they come up and who they’re with. There’s lots of places to get job alert from, with the most popular ones being Guardian Jobs, PR Week Jobs, Third Sector Jobs and Charity Jobs.
If you’re on Twitter, we’ve created a handy little service that will aggregate all of these sites together, so you’ll never miss an opportunity. Simply go to @brightonejobs and follow the feed to start receiving updates. You can even subscribe by RSS or email.
Do an Internship
To get a real experience of what it would be like working in Charity PR, without committing yourself to a long term career, a good start is to do an internship. This could either be done with an agency that works with charities or directly with the charity itself.
For example, Bold Creative are looking for a PR and Social Media intern. This is a fantastic opportunity for a recent graduate with an interest in the creative industry and strong experience of social media to join the Bold team. The role offers real variety and responsibility, so find out how to apply here.
Also, beautiful world are looking for a lively, motivated social media intern to work on an exciting Christmas campaign that aims to raise money for homeless young people. You will be responsible for managing content, monitoring and evaluating all social media activity in order to expand the Charity’s online community. Find out all about it and how to apply here.
If those two positions don’t take your fancy, head on over to Enternships, where you can find the best internship and full-time opportunities in small but fast-growing companies.
Volunteer for a Charity
An alternative to interning is to approach a charity about volunteering to help with their PR. Lots of charities rely on volunteers for support, so do a bit of research on the charities that you are passionate about and see what volunteer opportunities they have available. If they are not advertising any positions, send them an introductory email with your CV and offer your support – you’ll be surprised at just how many charities would welcome your support!
Of course, Bright One offers plenty of volunteering opportunities for people at all levels and stages in their career. Whether your a grad looking for you foot in the door or a more experienced professional looking to switch careers, then volunteering with Bright One is a great way to build your skills and experience in PR. Find out more, take a look at our volunteering opportunities, or apply now to get involved with Bright One.
If Bright One doesn’t take your fancy, then why not check out the Media Trust’s Media Matching Service, which offers one-to-one support for charities from media professionals.
Network with other Charity PR Professionals
Another good way of finding out about Charity PR jobs and roles is to network with this who work in the sector. With the proliferation of social networking, there’s now lots of ways to connect with other Charity PR professionals.
One of the longest running communities is the Third Sector PR and Comms Network on Facebook. Setup and managed by Rob Dyson, PR Manager at Whizz-Kidz, the group contains all sorts of useful information related to Charity PR.
There are networks that look at more specific areas. For example, the NFP Tweetups are a series of events looking at how charities can best make use of Twitter. There’s also Because It’s Good, a community blog for digital communications professionals working in the charity sector.
Write About Charity PR
Now that you’ve read what other people are saying about Charity PR and you’ve connected with those already working in the sector, why not start your own blog on the subject? Blogging is a great way to set out your thoughts on various different topics, but also making you keep up to date with the latest news and trends.
But if setting up your own blog seems like too much trouble, why not write a guest post for the Bright One blog? It can be on anything you like to do with Charity PR, so if you have an idea for an article, simply get in touch and we’ll happily publish your work!
Have you got any other tips on how to get a job in Charity PR? Know of a great blog to read or a site that lists jobs? If you already work in Charity PR, what advice would you give to those looking to get their break? Let us know in the comments!