Influencer marketing is so hot right now that brands may be too willing to get involved. When you’re in the middle of a gold rush, it’s easy to forget caution, and “fear of missing out” may make a sucker of you. This is the crux of a social media experiment by influencer marketing agency Mediakix that has been gaining attention. The bait: Two fake Instagram accounts and a bevy of bought followers. The question: Would brands be willing to pay these fictitious influencers for their promotion “power”? The answer: Yes.
Latest Posts

Pssst, Wanna Buy Some Followers?: How to Avoid Influencer Fraud
August 14th, 2017 by Ian James Wright
How to Smoothly Transition From In-House to Agency PR
August 11th, 2017 by Sri Ramaswami, rbb communicationsPR pros move between corporate and agency roles regularly. Although there are a set of common skills that you must bring to both corporate and agency environments, there are some key differences. Srikant Ramaswami, who has worked in corporate and agency settings, shares his wisdom for success in transitioning from the brand side to an agency. He also shares tips for new grads on how to choose between working in-house or at an agency.

50 Game-Changers of PR: Beth Monaghan
August 11th, 2017 by Samantha WoodPR News recently asked its community to tell us who should be listed among the top game-changers of PR in the last few years. Here, we look at game-changer Beth Monaghan, who didn’t set out to merely establish a PR agency 10 years ago—she hoped to create a family environment in which people have fun together delivering creative ideas to clients. Leading by example, she enables employees to see that they can achieve both a successful, fulfilling career and a great personal life.

3 Ways to Develop a Snapchat Presence
August 10th, 2017 by Jerry AsciertoMany brands still struggle with how best to build up a presence on Snapchat. The nature of Snapchat’s short-lived content can trick some communicators into thinking the planning they put into each snap should be just as brief. But a detailed strategy can be the key to making your snaps burn bright before they fade away.

What Facebook’s ‘Watch’ Will Mean for Brands
August 10th, 2017 by Seth ArensteinFacebook’s unveiling of Watch should come as little surprise to those who’ve been following the moves of the world’s largest social media platform. It’s a further blurring of the line between traditional TV and online video. It will also provide a place where brands can deposit their long-form content. But a warning: Watch allows viewers to comment on its “shows” in real time, so the bar should be high.

5 SEO Best Practices for Crisis and Reputation Management
August 9th, 2017 by Sophie MaerowitzWhen a crisis breaks, users inevitably Google the brand in question (or, for smaller brands, look them up on Yelp). But the last thing communicators want is negative headlines or reviews topping the list of search results for their brand. Here are five ways to make SEO an integral and immediate strategy when developing a crisis management campaign or handling Yelp customer reviews.

Agency Elite Award Winners and Honorable Mentions to Be Celebrated in NYC on Sept. 14
August 9th, 2017 by Steve GoldsteinPR News will announce the winners of its 2017 Agency Elite Awards at the annual Platinum PR & Agency Elite Awards luncheon at New York’s Grand Hyatt on Sept. 14, 2017. The Agency Elite Awards benchmark excellence in PR agencies’ key practice areas, from advocacy, crisis communications and social media to internal communications, media relations and reputation management.

50 Game-Changers of PR: Bruce Hennes
August 8th, 2017 by Samantha WoodPR News recently asked its community to tell us who should be listed among the top game-changers of PR in the last few years. Here, we look at game-changer Bruce Hennes, founder and managing partner of Hennes Communications. He has been a confidant to scores of CEOs, executive directors and other leaders who trust his expertise in preserving and protecting an organization’s reputation. His long experience has convinced him that honesty, fairness and transparency must be at the root of all effective crisis communications.

The Week in PR
August 8th, 2017 by Seth ArensteinOur weekly roundup of trends, news and personnel moves in PR and marketing. This week’s stories include news from Washington, where President Trump played communicator and weighed in on a statement for his son, Donald Jr., that presidential lawyer Jay Sekulow insisted weeks earlier that the president knew nothing about. Also stories on Google’s diversity issues, Uber’s trouble with leased cars and more speed for Facebook’s News Feed on mobile devices.

Google’s New Diversity VP Tested by Internal Controversy
August 7th, 2017 by Ian James WrightA long “manifesto” decrying efforts at addressing diversity has been making the rounds inside Google via internal message boards and social networks. The author, a male software engineer, argues that there are inherent differences between men and women that account for perceived gender gaps. Thus Google’s Danielle Brown, who took up the mantle of vice president of diversity, integrity & governance at the end of June, already finds herself in a delicate internal communications test.