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As the year draws to an end, there are many lessons that young PR people should have learned from 2016 news reports that can apply to our business. Here’s a second look back at the learning moments of the year that sprang from the headlines.

As the first person to live stream from all 50 U.S. states, Chris Strub has a great feel for what works and what falls flat when it comes to real-time video. PR News recently sat down with Strub to get his thoughts on live streaming best practices, where companies go wrong in their approach and how the industry will evolve in 2017.

Social media provides a great opportunity to connect directly with journalists, who often turn to platforms like Twitter to find sources, track breaking stories and promote their work. But how can you best use social media to get their attention? Michelle LeBlanc, social media strategist with Industrium, offers up this quick checklist of do’s and don’ts.

It’s OK to be of several minds on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and especially at this time of year. Even communicators working in CSR can’t agree on exactly how to define it, a recent study from Aflac revealed. And during the holiday season, it’s hard for journalists to avoid numerous brands pitching stories about how much good they’re doing.

It’s OK to be of several minds on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and especially at this time of year. Even communicators working in CSR can’t agree on exactly how to define it, a recent study… Continued

Outdoor grill brand Char-Broil struck social media gold in 2016 with a 60-second sped-up video that showcased its Big Easy Oil-Less Turkey Fryer. The video, posted about two weeks before Thanksgiving, spread like wildfire, garnering more than 1.9 million views, 6,291 shares and 1,281 comments on Facebook alone. So, what made it so successful?

Video is now king on social media, and Facebook Live has emerged as a crown jewel, a powerful way for brands to reach and engage a larger audience in real-time. One of the earliest and most successful adopters of Facebook Live is NASA. And here, John Yembrick, NASA’s social media manager, offers best practices to optimize your live-streaming efforts.

Building your business’ reputation and boosting revenues is all made possible through video outreach. But where do you begin when you’re just starting to dip your toes into video marketing? How do you know which factors will supercharge your video ROI and which components are critical for a stellar video marketing strategy?

End-of-year fundraising is important for nonprofits, but as we hear more and more bad news, it’s impossible for our empathy not to hit a ceiling. What can you do to overcome empathy fatigue and stand out among all the other nonprofits clamoring for contributions? Here are a few suggestions from a communications perspective.

IKEA, the Sweden-based furniture giant, agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit over deaths that occurred when its dressers tipped over onto children. It’s a significant black eye for the brand going into the holidays; one wonders, then, if another bit of related news was carefully timed to divert the conversation to something a bit more lighthearted.