Stories by Catharine P. Taylor

At 1.1 billion users, the mobile app WeChat is a force to be reckoned with. But for most people in the western world, it’s a black box. Communicators may want to take a look inside, as the platform offers many intriguing opportunities.

What’s next for PR? Why not ask a futurist! Scott Steinberg is regarded as one of the world’s most celebrated business speakers, futurists, authors and strategic innovation consultants, as seen in 600+ outlets from CNN to Time and The Wall Street Journal. Here’s a sneak peek at his keynote for PRNews’ upcoming Measurement Conference.

It’s no big secret that public relations professionals often do all the leg work on press releases, including writing and suggesting quotes for executives’ approval. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind while crafting or communicating these scripted soundbites.

Developing a social listening campaign is an important part of any communications strategy, as it can point to new trends as well as be invaluable as a crisis and issues management tool. But thanks to technology, it need not be difficult. Here are some tools communications professionals are using to ensure they know what is bubbling about their brands on social media.

Preparing the CEO or other C-suite executives for press interviews isn’t the easiest of tasks. They’re busy, don’t always see the value, and often have legal counsel telling them not to talk. So how do you crack the code? Patience, videotape and building a strategic relationship are key, said panelists at the the PR News Media Training Workshop on Feb. 27, part of the inaugural Crisis Management Summit in Miami.

PR professionals need to prep company spokespeople for media interviews, making sure they offer the best appearance, are comfortable on camera and stay on message. To be sure it’s not as simple as how to dress, though that certainly is one of the components of preparation. Here’s a look at some of the best practices for readying your company spokesperson for a media appearance.

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.

As the PR profession evolves—along with reporting structures and PR needs—it’s important not to just stay abreast of these changes, but also advance your own knowledge and skills so that what you bring to the table is not just responding to these shifts but preparing for the next stages of evolution. With that in mind, here are five skill sets you need to have to be an effective future communicator.

One 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.”

While technology and tactics have driven the evolution of the press release, perhaps the practice has been affected most by the way news is gathered and the way journalists and consumers process information: quickly and constantly. Here are some of the biggest changes and new considerations when engaging in the craft of press release writing.