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Many brands provide options for customer support on social media. While some companies fall back on traditional customer care departments or call centers, in today’s digital, “customer experience first” world, successful brands realize that consumers expect more personalized engagement. Customers choose social media in order to avoid traditional calls or chats. What does that mean for developing social strategies that fulfill customer service needs and also provide a differentiated experience?

One of the key goals for communicators on both sides of the fence—public relations AND media—is to break through the noise and get your client, product or story noticed. It’s easy for someone to demand, “let’s make this go viral!” but there’s no magic wand to make relevance happen. Practitioners can start with the basics of good writing and constructive conversations, but where should they go from there?

Communicators know it can be difficult to manage a crisis. What about if you’re asked to handle a crisis when the power is down, or you can’t access the Internet or your phone? Better have a digital go-bag ready. Though Adam Probolsky has made preparations for a zombie apocalypse, he also has suggestions for what communicators should pack in their digital go-bags to handle more mundane crises.

The disparity between the number of communicators and reporters is widening. The ratio stands at 6:1, meaning that journalists may feel even more besieged. This puts an emphasis on knowing how to do media pitching in the most successful ways. PRNEWS asked ClarityPR to survey journalists about what turns them on or off about PR pitches. We also asked how many journalists have Twitter shamed communicators. Their response was unfortunate.

Our regular Stealable Slide feature looks at a slide Kevin Elliott of Hill + Knowlton Strategies presented during PRNEWS’ Crisis Management Summit in Miami Beach last March. Interestingly, Elliott says the key lesson the slide illustrates is not seen on the slide itself.

What can AI do for communications measurement? Plenty, is the short answer. The larger question, of course, is whether or not AI will replace humans or augment them. Edelman Intelligence’s global measurement lead Pauline Draper-Watts weighs in on this important discussion.

Our regular roundtable feature includes honorees from the 2018 PRNEWS Platinum PR awards and speakers from The Social Shake-Up. Among the questions we put to them: What qualities does a successful communicator need? With the onslaught of technology, how can brands ensure customers have a human experience? And what social media trends are you eager to learn more about during the Social Shake-Up?

Measurement guru Katie Paine provides her take on Boeing’s (737 Max 8) and Samsung’s (Fold phone) crisis-management strategies. Her verdict is that neither company did a good job, though the negative implications seem to be lighter for Samsung.

Diversity is both good to do and good for business. That concept should apply to media in its use of sources. Unfortunately, data show media sourcing in western media favoring men 3 to 1 over women. Preliminary findings indicate media with a more representative source base may reap financial and other benefits. PR pros can help media by curating and promoting a diverse source base.

When you don’t check the pulse of your surrounding community, you risk losing media opportunities and relationship-building moments that could drive more customers to your brand. And when a crisis arises, community engagement can make or break you.