PR News’ Digital PR Next Practices Summit Feb. 27 in San Francisco

1Join us in San Francisco on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, for the Digital PR Next Practices Summit, PR News' annual one-day immersion in the digital communications best practices that help drive organizations' reputations, media profiles and profitability. You'll get the how-to's, real-world examples and nut-and-bolts practical advice in using social channels to connect with journalists and win positive coverage, launch a content marketing strategy and gain visibility in search engines, apply visual storytelling practices to your communications efforts, make Twitter the center of your digital communications efforts, navigate the effects of Facebook's latest EdgeRank algorithm and much more. Be sure to also register for PR News' half-day SEO Workshop, which will take place the day before the Digital PR Summit on Feb. 26. A portion of the proceeds from PR News' Digital PR Next Practices Summit will be dedicated to One Laptop Per Child, a nonprofit organization that provides laptop computers to children in developing nations.

 

Twitter Follow PR News on Twitter and use the Digital Summit hashtag -- #digitalpr

Testimonials

"I learned more in one day than I've learned all year!" --Director, New Media, American Heart Association

"This was a great event. Not only were the speakers knowledgeable and engaging, but the attendees were awesome. And networking was great!" --Communications Manager, CIGNA

View more testimonials

Don't miss these keynote speakers!

Amy Africa CEO Eight By Eight
@amyafrica
Andy Smith Co-Author, The Dragonfly Effect Principal, Vonavona Ventures
@kabbenbock

 

Speakers:

Amy Africa
CEO Eight By Eight
@amyafrica
Andy Smith Co-Author, The Dragonfly Effect
@kabbenbock
Chris Brooks Manager, Social Engagement, Hilton Worldwide
@chrisobrooks
Chad Melton Manager of Digital Media, Ingersoll Rand
@Ingersoll_Rand
David Patton
Vice President, Editor-in-Chief, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
@davidapatton
David Sommers Director of Public Affairs, LA County Chief Executive Office
@lacountyceo
Eliza Anderson Global PR Manager, Intrepid Travel
@eliza_tron
@Intrepid_Travel
Esmee Williams Vice President, Brand Marketing, Allrecipes.com
@Allrecipes
Jake Gasaway Co-Founder and Director of Business Development, Stitch Labs
@StitchLabs
Jennifer Burnham Director, Social and Content Strategy, Salesforce.com
@jennydburnham
Karl Gude
Graphics Editor-in-Residence, Michigan State University
@karlgude
Krisleigh Hoermann Social Media Strategist, American Heart Association
@KrisleighH
@American_Heart
Morgan McLintic, Executive Vice President, U.S., LEWIS PR
Stephanie Xavier Senior Communications Manager, New Relic
@SXavier_NwRelic
Victor Reiss Manager, Digital and Social Channels, FedEx Services
@FedEx
Kati Dahm
Project Specialist and Community Manager, Cisco
@KatiDahm
@CiscoSystems
Chris Metinko
Media Relations Specialist, Business Wire
@BusinessWire
Jessica Payne Director of Digital Strategy, PAN Communications
@jpaynebu
Ephraim Cohen
EVP of Technology and Digital Content MWW
@ephraimcohen
JD Bowles
President & COO iPR
@ipressroom
Josh Karpf Director, Digital Media, PepsiCo
@jkarpf
Andy Theimer Founder, GroupHigh
@atheimer
Adrianna Giuliani
Jessica Henry

Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Not For Sale
@JessicaHenry

 

 

Agenda

8:00 - 8:20 a.m. Breakfast & Networking

8:20 - 8:25 a.m. Opening Remarks by Diane Schwartz, SVP & Group Publisher, PR News and Steve Goldstein, Editorial Director, Events, PR News

8:25 - 8:45 a.m. - Opening Keynote Presentation: The "Dragonfly" Model of Social Media Communications

Andy Smith, co-author of The Dragonfly Effect: Quick, Effective, and Powerful Ways to Use Social Media to Drive Social Change, will show you how to tap into concepts from social media, marketing strategy and consumer psychology to help you focus on and achieve a single, concrete goal that results in either social good, employee morale, customer loyalty or other end goals. You'll learn that small acts acting in concert can create big change. 

Andy Smith Co-Author, The Dragonfly Effect Principal, Vonavona Ventures @kabbenbock

8:45 - 9:15 a.m. - The New Basics of Digital Communications

We’ll begin the day by painting a broad picture of the state of digital communications for you to use as a backdrop for the rest of your experience at the Digital PR Summit. We’ll look at the demographics behind social media usage (how millennials use Twitter vs. Generation X vs. Baby Boomers), and also at the media consumption preferences of the “Generation Flux” psychographic. We’ll also offer quick tips on what times of the day and days of week to: tweet, post, pin and more. Everything you need to know about the state of digital communications but are too overwhelmed to ask. 

Ephraim Cohen EVP of Technology and Digital Content, MWW @ephraimcohen
Esmée Williams Vice President, Brand Marketing, Allrecipes.com @Allrecipes

9:15 - 10:00 a.m. - How to Use Visual Storytelling to Connect Your Brand With New Audiences

Visuals are powerful attention getters for organizations of all sizes and can convey information quickly and easily. But all visuals begin with a discussion of who the audience is and what the goal of the visual is. Learn how visuals can enhance and complement the stories your brand has to tell, discover what tools and resources are available to you and connect with new audiences—audiences that increasingly expect and consume visual information on digital channels.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Spot opportunities for visual storytelling within your own organization, using the resources you already have available
  • Create visuals of the business world around you and be a curator of visuals
  • Put your audience’s perspective and needs at the center of your visual storytelling
  • Create and distribute images, videos, charts and infographics that fit your business and communications objectives
  • Determine the role of visual storytelling in integrated communications
  • Simplify complex stories with visuals
  • Choose which free tools for visual storytelling are right for your needs
Karl Gude Graphics Editor-in-Residence, Michigan State University School of Journalism @karlgude
Stephanie Xavier Senior Communications Manager, New Relic @SXavier_NwRelic

10:00 - 10:30 a.m. - Boost Your Reach on Facebook With Content the News Feed "Likes"

Facebook continues to optimize its news feed to show posts that people are most likely to engage with, and is also purging its network of fake “likes” and fake accounts. The social network has changed the algorithm it uses to filter posts to users, and brands have reported a 5%-40% decline in the reach of their Facebook posts. This may be great news for Facebook users who are weary of spam, but for brands it means that their organic reach might be taking a hit. Learn how to craft targeted, relevant, engaging content that Facebook’s news feed algorithm will “like” and expand your brand’s reach on the #1 social network.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Craft posts that engage the audience you want to reach and manage the effects of Facebook’s EdgeRank algorithm
  • Use a variety of posts to boost your organic reach
  • Find ways to use images to get more shares, likes and comments at little cost
  • Feature your most loyal customers by posting pictures of them using your products/services
  • Integrate Instagram and Pinterest into your Facebook strategy to increase engagement
  • Include rich media in posts
  • Increase the reach of your posts with Facebook Ads
Krisleigh Hoermann Social Media Strategist, American Heart Association @KrisleighH @American_Heart
Kati Dahm Project Specialist and Community Manager, Cisco @KatiDahm @CiscoSystems

10:30 - 10:45 Networking Break

10:45 - 11:15 a.m. - How to Make Twitter Your Brand's Secondary (or Even Primary) Online Home

Is Twitter your portal to the digital world? Is it the first place you go to for breaking news, entertainment and gossip from the media, from brands, from friends and from your growing legion of followers? Has it been a while since you last “surfed” the Internet? If so, you’re not alone—we all rely on Twitter the way we once relied on the Big Three TV networks for content. As a PR professional, you have an opportunity make your organization a source of news, insight and even entertainment on Twitter. Learn how to build a legion of followers on Twitter and how to make Twitter the first place you go to when you have useful content to share, milestones to celebrate. crises to manage and now, with Vine, brief videos to share.

You'll learn how to:

  • Attract more followers and increase audience engagement
  • Develop a content strategy for Twitter that draws on your organization's areas of expertise
  • Find and answer questions from your followers
  • Sell your products and services on Twitter—without really “selling”
  • Build relationships with the media
  • Manage and protect your brand's reputation during crises using Twitter
  • Improve your customer service efforts
  • Microblog with impact—how to say it in 140 characters
  • Align your Twitter efforts to your business goals and measure results
  • Use Twitter's new Vine mobile video service
  • Amplify your Twitter presence with Promoted Tweets, Accounts and Trends
  • Use the best free tools to manage your Twitter activity
Chris Brooks Manager, Social Engagement, Hilton Worldwide @chrisobrooks
Jessica Henry
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Not For Sale
@JessicaHenry

11:15 - Noon - Content Marketing: Socialize Your Content and Reshape the Role of PR

Learn how to tap into the growing power of content marketing and how creating and distributing content via social channels is turning brands into media companies and PR professionals into chief information officers. Content marketing has transformed traditional notions of public and media relations, as content-hungry audiences are less interested in the source of content as they are in the quality and utility of the content. This session will show PR pros how to use the power of story, all their content assets, collaborate across department lines and expand the notion of “PR” to encompass (meaningful) content creation and distribution.

You'll learn how to:

  • Think like a publisher and media producer
  • Apply storytelling concepts and high editorial standards to the creation of text and visual content
  • Be your own editor and decide when there is real value to the content you’re sharing
  • Socialize your content to extend its reach
  • Create credible content that will be found by search engines
  • Attract and retain customers with your brand’s unique content
  • Use measurement tactics to determine what's working and what's not working in your content strategy
Eliza Anderson Global PR Manager, Intrepid Travel @eliza_tron @Intrepid_Travel
Chad Melton Manager, Digital Marketing & User Experience, Ingersoll Rand @Ingersoll_Rand
David Patton Vice President and Editor in Chief, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide @davidapatton
Moderator: Chris Metinko Media Relations Specialist, Business Wire @BusinessWire

Noon - 12:15 p.m. Networking Break

12:15 - 1:30 p.m. - Luncheon and Keynote Presentation: How to Move Your Online Visitors to Action

Amy Africa's provocative keynote presentation will show you where your brand's online presence misses the point of connection with the most important metric of all—consumer conversions and actions that drive the business bottom line. She'll show you which brand websites fail to inspire action, and why, and which ones succeed at driving conversions. You'll walk away with practical tips on how you can build traffic to your site and capture visitors with hard-to-miss points of conversion.

 

Amy Africa CEO, Eight By Eight @amyafrica

1:30 - 1:45 p.m. Networking Break

1:45 - 2:30 p.m. - Measure the Effectiveness of Your Social Media Programs

Every social media program worth doing is worth measuring, and providing metrics that matter to senior leaders is the best way to protect your budget and increase it. Learn how to set goals and measurable objectives for your social media programs, focus on the impact of social media instead of on vanity metrics and develop ROI models that will help you get your budgets approved.

You'll learn how to:

  • Align the impact and value of your social media initiatives with organizational objectives
  • Define social media outcomes in advance, spanning multiple business goals
  • Limit the definition of “ROI” to measurable financial impact
  • Calculate value in positive returns (sales, reputation, etc.) or avoided negative returns (risk mitigated, costs avoided)
  • Develop KPIs & balanced scorecards to connect social media impact to business results/language
  • Integrate analysis (social, search, Google Analytics) to provide a richer environment for insights
Jennifer Burnham Director Social and Content Strategy, Salesforce.com @jennydburnham
Jessica Payne Director of Digital Strategy PAN Communications, @jpaynebu

2:30 - 2:45 p.m. Networking Break

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. - Build Relationships With Journalists on Social Channels in Advance of Crises

PR practitioners have to be knowledgeable, skilled and savvy listeners and conversationalists to be able to proactively interact with journalists on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Tumblr and beyond. Journalists are using these networks more and more to find story ideas and sources and to report on reputational crises. We’ll show you how build and maintain relationships with journalists on social channels before a crisis hits, how to cater to their needs while advancing your own cause and, ultimately, gain what is still the holy grail of PR—positive coverage in the media.

You'll learn how to:

  • Research the content needs of your targeted journalists
  • Determine when to engage directly with journalists on Twitter and LinkedIn
  • Become a must-follow for your targeted journalists and be regarded as a resource on social channels
  • Use LinkedIn to find the journalists and bloggers with influence in your market
  • Take an active role in distributing and creating story ideas to increase the chances of positive coverage of your brand
  • Comment on blogs and journalists’ Tumblr accounts to build relationships
  • Communicate effectively with journalists and influencers via social channels during times of crisis
Jake Gasaway Co-Founder and Director of Business Development, Stitch Labs @StitchLabs
David Sommers Director of Public Affairs, Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office @lacountyceo
Josh Karpf Director, Digital Media, PepsiCo @jkarpf
Moderator: JD Bowles President & COO, iPR @ipressroom

3:30 - 4 p.m. - Why Didn't I Think of That? 15 Unique Digital PR Ideas in 30 Minutes

Close out the Digital PR Summit with a fast-paced rundown of practical, effective ideas you can put to work when you get back to the office.

Victor Reiss Manager, Digital and Social Channels Corporate Communications,
FedEx Services @FedEx
Morgan McLintic Executive Vice President, U.S., LEWIS PR

 

 

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Pricing

Sign Up for the 2-Day Package!

Per Person Rate

 

 

Regular Rate
Conference Only
$995
Conference & SEO Workshop
$1320

Group Rate

 

 

Regular Rate
Conference Only
$945
Conference & SEO Workshop
$1270

 

 

Group = Two or more from the same company. Group price is per person. Questions? Contact Saun Sayamongkhun at [email protected] or 301-354-1694. [Back to the Top]

 

 

PR News Certificate in Social Media :

Earn 4 points toward your PR News Certificate in Social Media Get 32 points (4 PR News digital/social media conferences) and you'll become a PR News Digital PR Master!About the PR News Certificate in Social Media: The Certificate in Social Media is a new program offered by PR News in response to a growing need by PR professionals like you to prove your worth and knowledge within your organization, among your peers and to your business partners. Being a digital leader today means constantly staying ahead of the curve and gaining the requisite knowledge and tools to execute smart and effective digital communications initiatives. By attending PR News' Digital PR/Social Media Conferences, you can do both. Each PR News Digital PR/Social Media conference you attend will come with points toward your Certificate in Digital PR. Once you attend 4 PR News conferences within a 24-month period, you will earn your Certificate and become a PR News Digital PR Master. This elite group of PR Professionals, PR News Digital PR Masters, will receive industry recognition as being one of the top Digital PR Pros. PR News will honor an annual class of Digital PR Masters at one of its signature events. As a PR News Digital Master, you will also receive exclusive benefits, such as discounted rates on all PR News products and events.There is no additional fee to earn points or to receive your Certificate. It is the goal of PR News to provide this one-of-a-kind opportunity to our PR community while raising the bar on digital communications excellence and showcasing top talent in this key area of PR.PR News holds a minimum of 3 conferences each year focused on Digital PR and Social Media. Simply attending these conferences (and learning while you’re there!), you will receive 8 Points toward your Certificate in Social Media.Each registration comes with the materials provided by the speakers and a personalized certificate of completion for attending the PR News Social Media Measurement Conference. [Back to the Top]

Testimonials from Past PR News Conferences:

  • This was a great event. Not only were the speakers knowledgeable and engaging, but the attendees were awesome. And networking was great! --Communications Manager, CIGNA
  • My favorite speakers were Eliason, McCormick, Miller, Perkett and Roth. Great content; great presenters. – Media Relations Manager, ACT
  • I thought it was incredibly relevant to the audience. I walked away with several key ideas that I can’t wait to implement on my clients behalf. – Chief Public Affairs Officer, Clemson University
  • Great topics. Good variety. - President, Andrea Obston Marketing Communications
  • It was a fantastically event, and many of the strategies delivered today will inform our company’s social media policies moving forward. – Online News Producer, Education Week
  • Very good, well organized. – Director eRecruitment & Social Media, Sun Life Financial
  • Great conference, speakers and venue!! Loved the clean, candid approach of all speakers towards the challenging environment of social media. -External Relations, US Operations and Marketing North America, Procter & Gamble
  • I thought it was a wonderful event and I learned a great deal. It was an incredibly valuable seminar. -VP of Marketing, Retirement Living TV
  • I was also so impressed with the overall event. The quality of the presentations was top-notch, and the ability to network with like-minded people during the breaks and at lunch was invaluable. -Director, Global Media Relations, SAP AG
  • This was one of the best conferences I've ever attended. - Social Media Manager, Nautica
  • I learned more in one day than I've learned all year! -Director, New Media, American Heart Association
  • Fantastic keynote. The energy was perfect for a mid-day pick-me-up. Loved that PR is so well represented - rarely the case at other social media conferences. -Executive Director, PR & Communications, Jackson Spalding
  • Great information and speakers. -E-Marketing Specialist, Ruud Lighting, Inc.
  • Extremely helpful program and I learned a lot. -CEO, Alongi Media Solutions
  • Wonderful and insightful event in which I would like to have my entire team participate, including some clients. -Account Executive, Digital Brand Architects
  • Great event! I'm taking away valuable information and am excited to put the new knowledge to use! Well executed. Thanks! -Communications and Organizational Effectiveness Analyst, Hostess Brands, Inc.
  • Fantastic and inspiring! -Program Marketing Manager, Pacific Gas & Electric Company
  • Very helpful ideas that I will be able to use right away. Thanks! -Staff Services Manager, CalPERS
  • Great speakers. -General Manager, KXLY Radio Group

Each registration comes with the materials provided by the speakers and a personalized certificate of completion for attending the PR Media Relations Conference. [Back to the Top]

 

 

Sponsorship Information:

Presented by PR News, this conference offers a limited number of sponsor and exhibitor opportunities to connect with these communications professionals. To find out how to become a sponsor, contact Diane Schwartz, SVP & Group Publisher, PR News at [email protected] or 212-621-4964.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonuses For Attending

  • Samples of Social Media Guidelines
  • 10 ‘Who’ Questions to Ask in Social Media Crisis Planning
  • Tip Sheet: An 8-Step Process to Proving ROI for Your Social Program
  • Certificate of Attendance
  • Workbook & Attendee-Only Access to Speaker Presentations

Earn 4 points toward your PR News Certificate in Social Media

You'll Become an Expert In

  • The New Basics of Digital Communications
  • How to Use Visual Storytelling to Connect Your Brand With New Audiences
  • Boost Your Reach on Facebook With Content the News Feed "Likes"
  • How to Make Twitter Your Brand's Secondary (or Even Primary) Online Home
  • Content Marketing: Socialize Your Content and Reshape the Role of PR
  • How to Move Your Online Visitors to Action
  • Measure the Effectiveness of Your Social Media Programs

Location

Conference Location: The Westin San Francisco, Market Street 50 Third Street San Francisco, CA 94103 >>Hotel Room: The Westin San Francisco. PR News has arranged a room block at The Westin San Francisco for a rate of $319 a night. Click hereto book your room. 1 Dress Code: Business Casual Questions? If you'd like to register by phone or have questions regarding the program, please contact, Saun Sayamongkhun at [email protected]; 301-354-1610.

Who Should Attend

If you spend at least a quarter of your time in any of these areas, you should attend this Conference:

  • Public Relations
  • Digital and Social Media
  • Community Relations
  • Corporate Communications
  • Word of Mouth Marketing
  • SEM/SEO Management
  • Publicity
  • Brand Marketing
  • Video Production
  • Marketing Communications
  • Employee Communications
  • PR Business Development
  • Human Resources
  • Public Affairs/Issues Management
  • Media Relations

Letter to Attend

Justification Letter to Attend The PR News Media Relations Conference will help you discover and implement ideas that deliver results. It will train you to search for innovative solutions. It will provide opportunities to make valuable connections with other PR and communications professionals who have solutions you need. And, it will prepare you for the road ahead.You probably already recognize the value of attending this conference, and we’d like to offer some assistance to help you convince your supervisor and organization to approve the costs. Download the “Justification to Attend” letter—everything you need to present your business case. The template is simple to fill out and drop off with your supervisor for approval. Download Editable Word Doc

Proceeds


Some proceeds from the Conference will go to One Laptop per Child - whose mission is to create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create, and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.