PR Insiders

A best practice of crisis communications, or any branch of PR, is to avoid making statements to the press that you are unsure about or might be unable to prove later. It’s far better to say you’ll check on the question’s answer and ask the media member when he or she needs an answer. Several recent examples have put this best practice to the test.

It seems that nearly everything Mark Zuckerberg supports grows like a mushroom. Facebook Live is just one example. So why hasn’t your brand begun using it? Fear? Fear not, as Jamie Izaks provides several tips that will help ease your worries as you make an initial foray into Facebook Live streaming.

It’s far from breaking news that video is dominating many aspects of the social media scene. Despite overwhelming statistics affirming this proposition, many brands have yet to embrace a Facebook video strategy. So, what can you do to grab eyeballs with video? Here are Facebook video strategies that, when combined, will propel your brand.

The work of a coalition can be critical in influencing public perceptions on a social issue, promoting new scientific findings, advocating for a profession or advancing legislation. Getting a coalition of disparate groups to work smoothly sometimes can be challenging, however. Below are takeaways that are relevant for groups considering forming or joining a coalition to advance a cause.

After volunteering to write press release for my son’s rowing team, I began thinking of the difficult work that communicators like you do every day and the possible lack of appreciation for your trade. Hence, this epic list of daily obstacles faced by PR professionals. For communicators to gain more steam and prestige, it must chip away aggressively at these challenges.

Reality checked in with me recently when a few parents on my son’s rowing team, knowing my affiliation with PR News, asked me to write the press releases for the club. Sure, it’ll be easy,… Continued

Getting your brand covered in the media is great. Unfortunately, from a brand awareness perspective, it’s merely the appetizer in a far larger PR meal. After that first story has bought you some media interest, it’s time to use every tool at your disposal to get even more coverage and name recognition for your brand. This can be done with both social and traditional media tools.

Delta Air Lines jettisoned the bland, cheery persona employed typically by social customer care representatives in favor of stoic sarcasm in two now-notorious Twitter replies to author and political commentator Ann Coulter. Execs may have felt like heroes for an hour or two—now they just have to deal with the full-on conflict.

Delta Air Lines jettisoned the bland, cheery persona employed typically by social customer care representatives in favor of stoic sarcasm in two now-notorious Twitter replies to author and political commentator Ann Coulter on Sunday, July… Continued

In PR as in any profession, it’s important to keep learning. Educational resources for PR pros abound, of course. Fortunately, PR practitioners also can gain a tuition-free education by being keen observers of the political process. Watching televised briefings and political talk shows provide plenty of takeaways, especially about what to do and avoid when dealing with the media.