Archive: June 2016

In 2002, social networking came into play with the launch of Friendster, followed by LinkedIn in 2003. In 2006, Facebook opened up to the general public and Twitter launched. With each new social media milestone, the movement to cultivate relationships with influencers has grown. As we know, modern-day social influencers are prominent people, often bloggers, who have the reputation and power to sway others with their opinions. They represent opportunities to shape perceptions about your corporate and brand reputation, in addition to your products and solutions. The long-term goal is to convert them into brand advocates.

Perhaps you’ve sent a pitch to Ms. Senior Editor only to remember that it’s Mr. Senior Editor. Or you’ve invited a reporter to a press conference on Monday the 3rd and received a message back saying, “The 3rd is a Tuesday. What day is your event?” So you know great content doesn’t mean anything if a document is poorly written or contains typos. Focusing on a process for writing can set you up for success. A thorough process means you have time for planning, drafting, reviewing, quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). Juggling multiple projects and deadlines can make it hard to set aside time for all of these steps, and the planning step often gets sacrificed. Still, taking a few minutes to plan your writing before you begin will make editing much easier.

For communicators looking to implement visual campaigns across the social spectrum, there’s no shortage of things to consider when building a measurement framework. Large multinational corporations like Oracle, for example, need to take into account which platforms have greater impact in various countries around the globe. Though many organizations don’t have to deal with this kind of complexity, there’s always the issue of making sure everyone is speaking the same measurement language.

There are several brands that have stood apart from the pack and created a cult-like following: millennial consumers who are rabid for new products, a brand experience to call their own and the status or lifestyle that the brand commands. These brands all have one thing in common: an outstanding social media presence that conveys to consumers an attractive brand lifestyle.

Optimizing content for traditional, typed-in search is not like learning how to find the right notes on a clarinet—the algorithms, unspoken rules and methodologies keep changing. Voice search is a whole new ballgame entirely. The phrases people use for voice searches tend to be different from written-out searches, and those content marketers who can adapt their content for voice searches are going to be the early winners in the race for brand visibility.

If you’re anxious to find out how best to reach your target demographic on Snapchat, you’re not alone in wondering where to start. Snapchat’s users expect authenticity and creativity, and the platform’s ephemeral content isn’t as associated with polished photos and videos as Instagram and Facebook. “Snapchat is the cool new kid on the social media block,” says Hannah Law, VP of strategy, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide. “But don’t let that stop you from jumping in without a strategy.”

President Obama’s decision to announce his endorsement of Hillary Clinton on YouTube falls perfectly in line with how he’s conducted himself throughout his presidency. The president routinely speaks to the people on popular social channels like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. It’s all part of a carefully crafted strategy to increase government accessibility and transparency thought up by Obama, but orchestrated by a powerful digital team operating from the White House.

2015 PR News Salary Survey: PR Compensation and Benefits Report (click link to view)

2016 PR News Salary Survey: PR Compensation and Benefits Report (click link to view)

SHIFT Communications social media policy template (click to view)