Stories by Jim Moorhead and Jo London, APCO Worldwide

Generals counsels often want to keep a low profile, while part of the job of the chief communications officer (CCO) is to broadcast the corporate narrative as loudly as possible. Yet an alliance with the general counsel can be strategically valuable for the CCO, argue APCO Worldwide senior directors Jim Moorhead and Jo London.

It seems obvious that PR pros should keep stakeholders informed about the status of articles being pitched to the media. Sadly, this doesn’t happen consistently, argues James Rose, content head at IBA International. A weekly update sent to stakeholders will assuage some of the anxiety about when an article will be published and make the creation of content more of a collaborative effort.

Authenticity. Listening. Finding unique angles. Those are the keys for journalists seeking earned coverage via social media, according to Suzanne Barston, manager, corporate journalism, corporate communications at AbbVie. As founding partner of AbbVie’s StoryLab, Barton is responsible for creating stories around the company’s therapeutic areas, pipeline and philanthropy. While journalists long ago shifted their working lives to social channels, healthcare communicators have been slower to make that transition, due not only to unique regulatory issues but also industry resistance.

PR News’ just-released 2018 Graduate Education Guide for Communicators looks at the career benefits of pursuing a master’s degree in communications and how it can be a differentiator in the talent marketplace.

Whom do you trust? That’s become a bigger question in the fake news era for reporters. The PR practitioner plays a vital role building a relationship between brand experts and the media. The expectation is not that the media automatically will include our brand in an essay, but based on our relationship journalists should know they can trust us and those we put forward as resources.

At its Social Media Summit in San Francisco on Aug. 10, PR News will honor Madison Dowswell of PepsiCo, Ashley Frohnert of PETA and Jessica McGlory of Jellyfish as its 2018 Social Media Luminaries. The Social Media Luminaries awards program celebrates of-the-moment social media marketing pioneers.

It’s one thing to have an active social media strategy. It’s quite another to measure its success and adjust accordingly to achieve program objectives. As VP, audience engagement, for Audubon Society, Elizabeth Sorrell has an intimate knowledge of social media measurement trends and will share her expertise at PR News’ upcoming Social Media Summit.

Brands need to understand that a Facebook Live audience will be joining cold and that they are most likely going to be distracted. “Many brands have interpreted Facebook Live as being like TV and have taken a chat show approach to it,” says FleishmanHillard’s Chris Jackson. “Facebook Live and TV could not be more different.”

Influencer marketing has become a key part of many communication strategies. But there’s a lot to consider to achieve the desired result. At PR News’ upcoming Social Media Summit in San Francisco, Logitech’s Krista Todd will provide some insights from the front lines in “Influencer Marketing: Activating Macro and Micro Influencers for Maximum Effect.” Here’s a sneak peek of some key session talking points.

In the upcoming Aug. 10 Social Media Summit session in San Francisco, “State-of-the-Art SEO: Your Content’s Not King If It’s Not on Page 1 of a Google Search,” Ali Haris, senior manager, SEO, at Macy’s, will share best practices for brands. Here’s a peek into what’s coming on Aug. 10.