Maintaining Authenticity while Paying for Social Content

If I had one PR superpower, I would choose the power of foresight. Being able to know what big trends were coming down the line in five or even just two years would be immeasurably valuable. With our all-too-common power of hindsight, we now know the value of infographics, video content, social media and photo networks – but, imagine being able to know how big these trends would be for PR before they burst onto the scene.

If you take a snapshot of what the PR industry looks like today, that may literally just last for today. Who knows, tomorrow we may be trying to think of ways to get our clients’ content on Google Glass lenses! The world we live in is constantly evolving and one of the keys to staying on top of this near-constant change is asking questions and engaging in industry discussions.

Are Photo Networks Worth Your Time?

While often thought of as another way to broaden a company’s reach, are photo networks like Pinterest and Instagram really worth a business’ time? With 48.7 million users on Pinterest and 100 million users on Instagram, it seems companies may be missing a trick if they don’t work to leverage these popular tools. But, without a clear strategy in place and reasonable expectations, they might not be as successful as they’d like.

Google Trends Show PR Insights

Google Trends may be one of my new favorite tools. Not only is interesting to see fluctuations in hot topics of the day or things you’re interested in, but it’s great for PR campaign measurement too. Something public relations professionals constantly struggle with is showing ROI on media campaigns, which are often more tangential in nature. But, thanks to tools like Google Analytics, which can (hopefully) show traffic spikes on clients’ websites after major announcements or media pushes, and, now also Google Trends, the task of demonstrating ROI is becoming a bit easier.

Is the PR Industry Being Impacted by Rising Brand Journalism Trends?

At the start of every New Year, it seems that each industry sends out a list of top predictions for what’s to come… and PR is no different. There have already been lots of expectations set around 2013 being the year for further social media growth, the rising importance of visual representations, and increased measurement for ROI, to name a few. But, one trend that has caught my eye for 2013 is brand journalism.

82 Percent are More Thankful in 2012 than 2011

A few months ago, March Communications posted a comment on its Facebook page, asking what people loved most about PR. Comments flooded in ranging from the creativity of the industry and constant learning opportunities, to the fast pace and how no two days are the same. And, as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S., I think it’s safe to say that many of us are thankful for these qualities in our growing industry.

But, beyond PR, people generally seem to be more thankful this year than in years past. According to a Harris Interactive poll, in 2011, just 32 percent of those surveyed were more thankful thank in 2010. And, this year, with an interactive poll being conducted at the bottom of this article, stats are already showing that nearly 82 percent of people are more thankful in 2012 than in 2011 (at least at the time when I took the survey). Perhaps it has something to do with the recovering economy and improving unemployment rates since the 2008 economic downturn. But, whatever the reason, it’s encouraging to see thankfulness spreading nationwide.

The Importance of Tailoring PR Pitches

Earlier this month, I observed a Twitter conversation, instigated by Boston Globe reporter Scott Kirsner’s tweet, “I love PR pitches offering to ‘introduce’ me to a company that I’ve covered a half-dozen times (at least), like @Wayfair.” And, while I applaud Wayfair PR leader Jane Carpenter’s prompt response, Kirsner’s tweet and subsequent conversations bring up some interesting points that PR firms and executives should pay attention to.

Using Twitter for Customer Service

While we know Twitter can be a great platform for marketing and PR, allowing for the near-instantaneous, mass distribution of news, content and press, what about using Twitter for customer service? Many companies may shy away from such a public forum for interacting with disgruntled consumers, but Twitter has become the primary soap box for many to voice not only outrage, but also satisfaction with both products and services alike.

Becoming the Master of Your Message

What’s the most important messaging for your company? Perhaps it’s your website “about” page or corporate tagline. Or, maybe it’s your product descriptor or press release boilerplate. While all valid examples of messaging importance, many would argue the most important corporate messaging actually isn’t written down anywhere at all. Instead, it’s the spoken description your corporate executives and employees use day in and day out to describe what you do.

Where Do Journalists Source Their Stories?

As part of PR outreach campaigns, we implement a lot of different strategies and tactics to get our clients’ news in front of journalists for potential inclusion in their upcoming articles. But are our pitches always the most effective way to help reporters source their stories? Perhaps our other efforts, including press releases, blog posts, and tweets are more preferable in some instances.

Social Media Growing as a News Source; If Trustworthy

More and more journalists are turning to social media channels as a source of news, as well as to validate stories and uncover new article angles, topics and ideas. And, who’s to blame them? With more than 632 million registered Twitter accounts and upward of 900 million active Facebook users, social media sites have a plethora of publically accessible content, opinions and posts that can act as a ready-made ecosystem for reporters to leverage.