Archive: December 2018

As the year ends and numerous recaps of trends are discussed, a rise in the esteem of and necessity for communications measurement may be under-appreciated. A new survey from PR News and PublicRelay, a media monitoring and analytics firm, provides evidence. An overwhelming majority of communicators say upper management is asking for more data-backed decisions, the survey says.

Although many brands have already made the shift to marketing and communicating on LinkedIn, some may be hesitant to jump into building a presence on LinkedIn because of preconceived notions about the platform and what kind of content it should contain. The good news is, a lot of those notions are likely wrong and should no longer hold you back.

Prada is in hot water after releasing a product that many on social media are calling racist. The company has issued a statement in response and removed the product from its shelves. But how can it—and other brands—avoid making the same mistake in the future?

It was a nightmare scenario for Jennifer Giglio. Leading communications for the Washington Nationals Ball Club, she was accustomed to player tempers flaring and even some battling and fights behind the scenes. But nothing could have prepared her for the televised altercation between closer and team “bad boy” Jonathan Papelbon and “golden boy” right fielder Bryce Harper.

After the spread of misinformation on Facebook prior leading up to the 2016 presidential election, the social giant began a partnership with journalists to factcheck and flag false news stories on the platform. Now, two years after the program began, some participating reporters are calling for its discontinuation, alleging that the partnership is little more than a crisis PR stunt and that Facebook has compromised their journalistic integrity.

We’ve all been there. You click on a product, perhaps even buy it. And then ads for that product and similar ones chase you around the internet. Things are particularly bad when these targeted, programmatic ads follow people who are grieving. That’s a position no brand wants to find itself in. Here’s what communicators need to know in such cases.

When it comes to developing a sound PESO strategy, building out audience personas creates a smart roadmap for honing your media relations strategy. Audience personas don’t need to come exclusively through fictional characters. In Lockheed Martin’s case, they actually first came through a writer.

The holiday season is here and many are making merry away from their desks. Yet social engagement doesn’t end, not even on Christmas, says Emma Monks, Crisp’s head of trust and safety. In fact, more social messages are sent to retailers during the holidays than at any other time. Here are a few ways brands can mind their social channels and reduce risk during the holidays.

Instagram announced that users can now send voices messages via the Direct messaging platform in the app. Audio messages can be up to one minute long and can be sent in private and group chats. A second announcement revealed Instagram’s beta testing of creator accounts for influencers, which will “give the app’s high-profile individuals specialized tools.”

Offering up someone from your C-suite for broadcast interviews is a great way to earn media coverage, but how can you be sure that executive is ready? Given that broadcast no longer only refers to television and radio, but also incorporates Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, podcasts and on-demand video platforms, PR pros have their work cut out for them as they prep spokespeople for broadcast interviews. Here are some tips for masterful preparation.