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Putting Facebook’s problems with inconsistent messaging aside, the “platform vs. publisher” debate has considerable relevance for PR pros, whose success in Media Relations largely depends on building out some variation of a PESO strategy that involves a traditional ad spend, an earned media component, solid SEO and robust owned content delivery channels. Communicators are in a position to become influencers of Facebook’s policy, not just through their partnerships with marketing and ad spends, but by treating the ubiquitous social network as a “publication” and not a “platform.” Here’s why.

Brands taking a position on social or political issues has been all the rage. Alan Jope, the new Unilever CEO, might be pushing things to the next level. At Cannes Lions he said Unilever will “dispose” of brands that lack purposeful messaging. Is this strong statement a shot across marketing’s bow?

On July 16 PRNEWS will honor some of the best female communicators in healthcare during its Top Women in Healthcare Communications awards luncheon. NY’s Yale Club will be the venue. Ahead of that gala event, we asked a trio of healthcare communicators, who also will help us present the awards, about how to break through the noise of the internet and maintain the human touch.

Right or wrong, many executives think the only media that matters is the Wall St. Journal and the NY Times. OK, so how do PR pros get their brands a mention in one of those papers? We turn to someone who’s climbed that mountain. Frederik Bjørndal, who heads press relations for N. America and Europe for Novozymes, a Danish biotech firm, provides his checklist for getting major media coverage.

In this business, change is the only constant. It’s a truism, but it’s for real. Will you be stuck with the minions defending the indefensible? Or will you be in the change vanguard? It’s an easy choice. All you have to do is forget everything you learned.

Google has several enterprise-level tools that require a budget, but many of its tools—including Data Studio, recently graduated from beta—are completely free for the time being. Our roster of SEO and Analytics pros will be discussing some of these tools next month at PRNEWS’ Digital Boot Camp: Using Google Tools for Communicators, July 17 at NYC’s Yale Club. Ahead of the boot camp, though, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t feel empowered to start familiarizing yourself with these tools now. Communications professionals would be well-served to start experimenting with Google’s latest offerings, tinkering with messaging placement and delivery to see what resonates most with audiences.

Big corporations can often find themselves in the middle of a crisis, whether intentional or unintentional. Google’s success contributed to the dominant wealth of Silicon Valley, and the corresponding real estate increases. Other companies have also been caught in the crosshairs of natural, ethical and cultural disasters. Their response or silence can determine future success. What are the key tactics for companies to emerge graciously from a fall from favor?

They’re the ones accustomed to calling all the shots, but your C-suite is often less than ideally prepared for media opportunities, some of which can arise suddenly and unexpectedly. We’ve all seen, heard and cringed at executive missteps that have sent valuable stock plummeting and created a firestorm of outraged tweets. Getting your senior executives ready for press interviews takes time and careful planning, no matter how reluctant some may be.

A social media budget should focus on so much more than just dollar signs. A good budget requires a recipe of research and development, as well as resources. Every organization, from billion dollar companies with multiple marketing departments across the globe, to smaller nonprofits with social media armies of one, should take a look at social media usage and where it fits into their overall strategy.

When it comes to making sense of the beast that is Google Analytics, we’ve got you covered at our Google Boot Camp for Communicators, going down July 17 at The Yale Club in NYC. And for those wishing to get their feet wet earlier, looking at the analytics native to big social platforms is a fantastic place to start. Native metrics offered by each social platform can give you a better idea of how well each piece of content you put out into the world is performing. And it’s all free. Here’s how to make the most of those native analytics offerings.