Are You Ready For Scroll Free September?

We’re all so connected these days, thanks to our smartphones, tablets, smart watches, desktop PCs – there are so many different avenues for spending our time online that it’s no surprise we’re all increasingly digitally focused at the moment.

And for brands, this is certainly a good thing because reaching customers has never been easier. But you might find that your social media PR strategies are suddenly a little less effective than usual come September, thanks to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) which has just launched its first Scroll Free September campaign, designed to improve mental health and wellbeing.

An RSPH survey found that 65 per cent of people in the UK who do use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram would consider taking part in the scheme, so it is highly possible that your usual profits for next month could take a bit of a hit.

So why is the RSPH so concerned with social media usage? The study also found that a third of social media users believe quitting for a month would improve their sleep, a third said the same about real-world relationships and 31 per cent said they thought their mental health and wellbeing would improve. And 45 per cent said the break would improve their productivity.

“Scroll Free September offers us all the opportunity to take back control of our relationship with social media, whether you choose to go cold turkey, or just abstain at social events or in the evening.

“The aim is that by the end of the month, we will be able to reflect back on what we missed, what we didn’t, and what we got to enjoy instead of scrolling through our newsfeeds. That knowledge could help us build a healthier, more balanced relationship with social media in the future,” chief executive of the RSPH Shirley Cramer said.

You as a brand could also take a break from social media for the month and divert your attention to other parts of the business, looking to see where else you could engage with customers online – and off. What about trying to build up customer trust on platforms like Trust Pilot and Yelp, both of which are organisations designed to help people find the company they’re looking for.

Or you could use the time to revamp your website and put a lot of effort into your blog, working on your SEO rankings and increasing your visibility online so that when people carry out relevant industry searches your site pops up first.

You could even think about running a promotion that ties in with Scroll Free September, offering discounts on products and services bought via an email marketing campaign or direct from your website… as long as it doesn’t come from social media sites, the discount stands!

Do you need a social media agency in Marlow? Get in touch with us today to find out more .