As the year draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made together through #HaltonHour in 2024. From building connections to supporting small businesses and community groups, it’s been a year of growth and impact. Let’s dive into the highlights of 2024 and plans for 2025.
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Our #HaltonHour Twitter Community
Twitter/X remains the beating heart of #HaltonHour. Every Thursday at 8 pm, our live, interactive sessions bring local businesses and groups together to network, share, and grow.
It has been a bit of an interesting year on Twitter now X. I know…
X will be Twitter for me for a long time!
With another batch of users defecting to other platforms. I’ve been asked several times (I’ve lost count but enough times that I made a graphic!) if #HaltonHour will be present on BlueSky – the answer is no.
I have no idea what the latest fuss is about. I've been asked a few times if I am moving to some other platform.
— #HaltonHour Community Networking Thursdays 8-9pm (@HaltonHour) November 15, 2024
No I am not.
I LIKE Twitter.
I LIKE the range of opinions.
I don't have to agree with them.
If you want to follow #HaltonHour elsewhere- brilliant! @HaltonHour 👇 pic.twitter.com/cylzU0859U
The rebrand to X has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for many people and questions about Elon Musk’s agenda. The way I see it is all platforms have an agenda. #HaltonHour is on Facebook and Instagram, so we will see how 2025 treats us!
Many people on Twitter complain at sudden drops in follower count. I think the platform is trying hard to keep bot accounts down and you do regularly see purges. I’ve also had to clean the followers of semi naked women several times this year!
The upshot is the #HaltonHour follower count waves around the 2800-3000 point.
I did take advantage of the Black Friday X Pro account sale so the #HaltonHour account now has a blue tick for a year.
Here’s how we’ve performed:
- Followers: Currently at 2,986, staying consistently around the 3,000 mark.
- Impressions: Averaging 22.8K per month, showing good engagement and visibility.
The #HaltonHour Community networking live Twitter sessions continue to be the cornerstone of #HaltonHour, helping local businesses connect and thrive. I’d love for you to join us for #HaltonHour X Chat on Thursdays at 8pm.
Social Media Growth
Beyond Twitter/X, #HaltonHour has seen steady growth across platforms, extending our reach and building connections:
Facebook:
- 279 likes and 360 followers.
- Reaching 7,555 people monthly, with an audience of 86.1% women, mainly aged 35–54.
- Top locations include Runcorn (137 followers) and Widnes (84 followers).
Sharing the What’s On updates to several groups on Facebook has made a difference to the Facebook post reach and to the website traffic to the local events page. I will be carrying on sharing What’s On events to Facebook into 2025.
Instagram:
- Reached 996 followers, making it a growing hub for visual content.
I’ve recently started a dedicated Pinterest account for HaltonHour. It will be used to support the blog, What’s On Calendar and YouTube channel. I really would like to fill my Pinterest home-feed with UK based small and independent businesses and creators. Follow #HaltonHour on Pinterest – I will follow you back!
Across all platforms, we now have a combined following of over 4,300 people, reflecting the growing support for #HaltonHour.
The What’s On Calendar
The What’s On Calendar launched in May and has quickly become a go-to resource for promoting local events. Here’s how it performed:
- 54 users submitted their events.
- A total of 157 events were featured, connecting the community and showcasing the brilliant activities happening across Halton and beyond.
There were a few teething problems! Now I know that when you submit your event to the calendar:
- Basic cookies need to be on for the submission form to work. (Browsers and apps that block everything by default can’t be used to submit events)
- If you are using a VPN must be set to a UK IP
- .gov email addresses don’t receive the password to log in! (I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing…)
Overall, the What’s On calendar has really contributed to the #HaltonHour mission to support small businesses and community groups to stand out and thrive in our local area of Widnes, Runcorn and the Liverpool City Region.
Introducing the #HaltonHour Online Shop
In 2024, I launched the #HaltonHour online shop. It is currently set to a “pay what you can afford” model with a suggested price.
The #HaltonHour shop has guides and resources designed to help small businesses and community groups thrive. More tools and resources will be added throughout 2025, so keep an eye out for new additions that can make your marketing easier and more effective.
Achievements in 2024
This year, I’ve worked hard to make a real difference through #HaltonHour. Here’s what has been achieved:
- Put local businesses on the map: Boosted visibility for events, services, and community initiatives around Runcorn, Widnes and into the wider Liverpool City Region.
- Supported small businesses and groups: Offered practical tools, advice, and sponsored websites for two local community groups.
- Created genuine connections: Hosted live #HaltonHour sessions on Thursday’s at 8 pm on Twitter/X which have connected several businesses and community representatives.
I understand the challenges small businesses and community groups face – limited time, resources, and skills can make things tough. That’s why #HaltonHour exists, to provide tools, resources, and platforms to help you grow and succeed. I want to build on this in 2025.
Plans for #HaltonHour in 2025
Looking ahead, here’s what’s planned for the coming year:
- Relaunch the Business and Community Spotlight: Shine a light on even more local businesses and include community groups by opening up the blog to them.
- Expand the What’s On Calendar: Reach new audiences and promote more local events in Runcorn, Widnes and the Liverpool City Region.
- Grow online connections: Build Facebook and Instagram while keeping Twitter/X as a strong hub.
- Launch an Email Newsletter: Use email to keep the community updated, share highlights, and promote local events and resources.
- Expand the online shop: Create more digital downloads available in the #HaltonHour shop.
- Provide more practical support: Share additional tools, resources, and advice to help small businesses and community groups thrive online.
Thank You for an Incredible Year
To everyone who joined a Thursday session, submitted an event, followed #HaltonHour online, or popped over to say hi – thank you! Your support has made 2024 an unforgettable year.
Here’s to even greater things in 2025!
Pin our achievements
