Executives from APCO Worldwide studied the campaign against Nike and Colin Kaepernick on Twitter and found it wasn’t as widespread or authentic as it seemed at first glance. They conclude that brands should avoid rushing to respond to what appears to be negative social sentiment. Instead, they urge brands to study the elements behind anti-brand content before responding.
Social Media & SEO
2 Twitter Features Coming Down the Pike for Communicators
February 21st, 2019 by Sophie MaerowitzOver the last week, two Twitter features have come to light that could change communicators’ approach to the platform. One, an instant camera similar to offerings from Snapchat and Instagram Stories, was buried in Twitter’s code as a “News Camera.” It is yet to be released, and still ‘in mid-development,’ according to a Twitter spokesperson. The second feature being tested is a new way to display conversations. It aims to reduce confusion in reading Twitter threads and conversations. Here’s how the new features will likely affect brands using the platform.
Tips for Communicators from Google’s Disinformation Report
February 19th, 2019 by Seth ArensteinFake news, aka disinformation, can turn a brand’s good reputation on its head in moments. Fortunately, Google and others are taking steps to combat this scourge. The behemoth search engine outlined its policies and practices to combat disinformation in a 29-page report. Here are takeaways for communicators.
Why You Shouldn’t Shoot Vertical Video
February 19th, 2019 by Justin JoffeYou’ve undoubtedly seen this at concerts or other live events—an excited fan takes out a smartphone to start recording what’s happening onstage and, despite the fact that the stage is wider than it is tall, the fan records a vertical video. Working with vertical video has become a pain point for professional videographers who lament the lack of flexibility and picture quality that 9×16 dimensions provide. We spoke with Patrick Pho, lead brand marketing producer at Volkswagen, about this issue ahead of his session at PR News’ Video Workshop on March 15 at D.C.’s National Press Club.
How to Inoculate Yourself From Crisis on Social
February 15th, 2019 by Jim AlkonOne professional well versed on the topic is Andrew Sherry, vice president of communications for the Miami-based Knight Foundation, a nonprofit that funds journalism, community engagement and the arts, with a special focus on 26 cities where John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Sherry will share his insights on a panel at the upcoming Crisis Management Summit on Feb. 27-28 in Miami Beach, hosted by PR News. In a recent Q&A, Sherry gave a preview of his session, “How to Respond to Attacks to Your Brand on Social Media…..And How To Measure Outcomes.”
PR Lessons From Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey’s Chat With Recode
February 14th, 2019 by Justin JoffeOn the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 12, Recode editor-at-large Kara Swisher began a long conversation with Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey on his own platform. Swisher, the self-described “grumpy lady of tech,” set a precedent early on that she wouldn’t go easy on Dorsey, and she stayed true to her word.
The conversation that followed was not just full of news around where Twitter sees its priorities in 2019, but included several best practices for communicators about everything from automation to media relations and beyond. Here are some of our key learnings.
Facebook Will Soon Show Users More Details Around Ad Targeting
February 7th, 2019 by Justin JoffeFacebook feeds already feature a “Why am I seeing this?” button that reveals which brand paid for the ad, the parameters being used to target and if a user’s contact information has been uploaded to the platform. Come Feb. 28, however, users will also be able to see when their contact info was uploaded, who uploaded it and how the information was shared between all marketing parties involved.
PR Takeaways From Twitter’s #BrandBowl53
February 4th, 2019 by Justin JoffeTwitter’s marketing department got in on the fun this year, too, launching a hashtag—#BrandBowl53—and announcing the commercials that garnered the most engagement on its platform early Monday. The results of this case study demonstrate many different paths to success on the platform. Here are the grand prize winners of #BrandBowl53, and what those campaigns can teach communicators.
Sneak Peek: A Day in the Life of a Social Media Manager
January 31st, 2019 by Sophie MaerowitzKnowing how other brands approach the social media management role can be helpful in deciding what should or should not be part of your social media manager’s responsibilities, whether you’re hiring for a new social guru or evolving the role as it currently exists in your company. PR News checked in with three social media leaders at three very different organizations about their daily goals, tasks and schedule.
Facebook Forecast: A Year of Merging Products and Repairing Trust With End-Users
January 30th, 2019 by Justin Joffe with James Nickerson, Lead Digital Marketing Instructor, General AssemblyAhead of its Q4 earnings call (after markets close on Wednesday, January 30), Facebook seems to be making more news than ever. Communicators will do well to keep abreast of these announcements, as they signal a greater push toward repairing user trust on the platform.