Latest Posts

Our weekly roundup of trends, news and personnel moves in communications and marketing. This week’s stories include Walmart’s reaction to a gun hoax, more trouble for Uber, Facebook’s latest video update, Google’s diversity issues and the President’s reaction to a CEO leaving his advisory council.

Did you experience a sudden and sharp sense of FOMO last week? Then you should’ve been in San Francisco with PR News. An all-star lineup of speakers presented on topics ranging from SEO and Google Analytics to influencer marketing and Snapchat at the Big 4 Social Media Conference and Google for Communicators Boot Camp held at the San Francisco Grand Hyatt Aug. 9-10. Here’s a wrap-up of the two-day event, which showcased compelling video, top-notch speakers and networking opportunities galore.

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.

PR 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.

PR 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.

Many 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.

Facebook’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.

When 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.

PR 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.

PR 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.