When I joined Hive in April 2022, it was thanks to Zuzanna Wilson, the company’s CMO, who had previously worked with me at GBx Global and trusted my work. My initial role focused on copywriting and SEO. I crafted blog posts, optimized content for search engines, and monitored trends to attract qualified leads.
It was valuable work, but by September 2023, user behavior was changing rapidly. People were turning away from Google searches as AI tools became more prevalent, and social platforms were increasingly where professionals discovered content.
Competitors were investing heavily in marketing, hiring actors and video producers to create polished content and running campaigns across billboards, subways, and other high-visibility channels.
Hive, on the other hand, focused on product development and customer-driven innovation—marketing budgets were lean, and flashy campaigns weren’t part of the plan.
That’s when I pivoted my focus to social strategy. My challenge was clear: figure out how Hive could stand out on LinkedIn and other platforms with a strategic, resource-efficient approach.
Instead of billboards or video production teams, I went grassroots.
I dove into Reddit forums, monitored LinkedIn groups, and researched what professionals were struggling with. When we hosted a university-targeted webinar, I personally reached out to communications teams with warm, researched invitations. Cold emails? Technically yes—but never cold, because each message reflected my understanding of the person and their work.
That’s when the strategy began to shift: from writing and optimizing blogs to building a data-driven social strategy that not only delivered traffic but forged meaningful connections, nurtured community, and drove measurable results.
Setting the Strategy
By September 2023, Hive needed a fresh LinkedIn strategy. Competitors were investing in high-budget campaigns, while Hive relied on user advocacy and strong product features.
I developed a three-pillar content funnel to guide the strategy:
1. Value: Educational content on automation, innovation, productivity, and future-of-work trends.
2. Proof: Case studies, awards, testimonials, and real user stories.
3. Need: Pain points, solution-focused posts, and calls-to-action driving webinar and trial signups.
Here's how Hive's content strategy comes to life through our key pillars: value, need, proof, and community engagement.
Value - see post here
Value - different format - see post here
Need - see post here
Need - different format - see post here
This top-of-funnel strategy that brought the right leads to the event. Post-event, we received several LinkedIn mentions praising the high-quality content delivered.
Proof - see post here
Proof - different format - see post here
Focusing primarily on LinkedIn allowed me to maximize impact with limited resources. I combined social listening, competitive analysis, and audience research to create content that resonated with Hive’s diverse B2B audiences—from small businesses to agencies and nonprofits.
Execution and Actions
To turn strategy into action, I:
- Created high-quality content informed by audience insights.
- Developed graphics and collaborated with Hive’s designer to standardize templates for consistent branding.
- Maintained weekly performance reports with three key takeaways, which kept the team informed and engaged.
- Humanized the brand through employee stories, company anniversaries, and team milestones.
- Engaged in multilingual content to expand global reach.
- Advocated for one clear CTA per campaign, persuading leadership to keep messages focused. This approach increased clarity, engagement, and overall campaign performance.
One moment that stood out was when Hive’s CEO—normally hands-off with social—sent a note saying how much they were enjoying the content. That acknowledgment reflected how weekly reports and human-centered storytelling were building engagement internally as well as externally.
Employee story - see post here
Community engagement
Even in a B2B context, community matters. I focused on connecting directly with Hive’s audience:
- Engaging industry professionals via LinkedIn polls, Reddit, and niche forums.
- Conducting personalized outreach to universities and partner organizations.
- Encouraging employees to reshare content and provide quotes for posts, fostering an authentic, participatory approach.
Efforts like highlighting a team member’s work anniversary or interviewing a C-level executive added personality to the brand. These posts created authentic engagement that extended Hive’s reach and credibility.
Employee story - different format - see it here
Results
The strategy delivered measurable outcomes across multiple metrics:
Engagement Growth
- Engagement rate increased from 3.8% to 10.4% (174% improvement).
- 50.9% higher engagement than competitors.
- Exceeded B2B industry average (2.4%) by 333%.
- Post volume increased by 104.6%.
Platform Performance
- Profile impressions up 2,016%.
- Unique profile views up 1,805%.
- Profile clicks up 3,241%.
Strategic Impact
- Positioned Hive as a top solution for small businesses, agencies, and nonprofits (recognized by CNN Underscored).
- Generated qualified leads beyond brand awareness.
- Built a scalable content strategy despite limited resources.
- Strengthened internal buy-in and participation through humanized content.
Work Samples
Copywriting & SEO
Over time, I combined data-driven research with strategic storytelling, leveraging tools like SemRush and AnswerThePublic. I also conducted in-depth interviews with C-level executives, turning insights into compelling content that ranked well and positioned Hive as a thought leader.
- Developed SEO-optimized blogs and product comparisons, generating consistent leads.
- Hive 2.0 series: interviews with CEO John Furneaux showcasing platform evolution.
- High-ranking articles: “The Best Content Calendar Template for Marketing Success,” “From Zero to Hero: Crafting a High-Ranking Article on Proofing Tools,” “The Best Client Portal Software to Boost Customer Retention in 2024” and “5 Best AI Assistants That Will Transform Your Workdays in 2024.”
Social Media Strategy & Community Engagement
- Value: Educational posts on automation, AI, productivity (#ProjectManagementSoftware #FutureOfWork #AI), including polls that informed content direction.
- Need: Carousel posts addressing pain points (e.g., wasted hours, project management struggles) driving high-value webinar registrations.
- Proof: Case studies (Eggland’s Best) using relatable challenges and metrics (78,000+ quality checks).
- Community Building: Highlighted employee stories and milestones, sparking genuine engagement and shares.
What colleagues at Hive say
- “Ana significantly increased our social post volume and drove LinkedIn engagement well beyond typical B2B benchmarks.” — Eric Typaldos, Co-founder & CTO, Hive
- “Ana is a very proactive and strategic addition to any marketing or social media team!” — Michaela Rollings, Head of Marketing, Hive
- “Ana is reliable, hard-working, and an absolute pleasure to work with!” — Addison Goff Becker, Head of Community Experience
Key Skills Demonstrated
Community Engagement, Social Media Strategy, Copywriting, SEO, Content Design, Multilingual Content, Analytics & Reporting, Audience Research, Internal Collaboration, Partnership Advocacy, Scalable Content Systems.