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Facebook made headlines this week with two major announcements: First, the tech giant is pursuing legal action against companies that sell fake followers and likes; secondly, it plans to blur the lines between WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram in order to allay privacy and usability concerns. It was also recently revealed that Facebook is entering the cryptocurrency game. So, how will these changes impact professional communicators?

We’ve all seen a powerful video that makes us laugh, cry or take action in some way. But communicators must be able to craft video content that is both compelling and likely to drive business results—a common requirement from senior leaders before they approve a video budget. PR News hosts our Video Workshop next Friday, March 15, at D.C.’s historic National Press Club. Ahead of the workshop, here are three tips for communicators to keep in mind before shooting video.

There’s more research showing CSR is no longer a nice-to-have, writes Judith Rowland of FleishmanHillard. Consumers expect brands to take stands on social issues or risk losing their business. And brands must walk the walk. The research found that 47 percent of engaged customers are less or not at all likely to purchase from companies whose business practices are inconsistent with their CSR promises.

On Tues., March 5, investment bank and financial services company Goldman Sachs Group Inc. announced that it would loosen up its stringent employee dress code. Announced via internal memo signed by Goldman executives including chief executive David Solomon, this new “firm wide flexible dress code” has been instituted due to “the changing nature of workplaces generally in favor of a more casual environment.” The memo also urged employees to dress in a manner consistent with their client’s expectations.

The use of influencers is such a new tactic, there’s a lack of agreement on what exactly an influencer is. There’s plenty of agreement, though, about the popularity and importance of influencer marketing and communication, a new survey from PR News and Meltwater shows. The survey also finds brands’ and organizations’ budgets for influencer spending are holding steady or rising.

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.

Admit it, PR measurement has a PR problem. It’s particularly bad because some communicators resist working with data. Yet communications’ reliance on data is growing. The good news is data expert John Glinski says communicators need not be data experts to garner answers with data to important questions.

Everyone’s talking about influencer marketing, but what’s the best way to use it? What should you avoid? Is it right for your brand? PR News and Meltwater conducted a survey to gauge the importance of… Continued

Social media can be a brand’s greatest friend or greatest foe in a crisis. Being honest, saying you’re sorry and responding to complaints with an authentic voice are keys to success, a panel of communications experts told the PR News Crisis Management Summit this week. Here are a few more things you should consider.

A brand’s culture and values are crucial components of its identity—a reminder to your customers that you’re in business for the right reasons. As Simon Sinek famously said, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” But sharing the why around your culture and values can sometimes be difficult. Communicators face the challenge of doing so in an authentic way. That’s where video is an often-underutilized tool for sharing the intangibles that make up the very core of your brand’s DNA.