It’s another Tuesday and you know what that means – we have the latest social media updates to get you going this week. Now let’s get to the good stuff!      

X

X recently began to feature long-form X articles on the social media platform. These original X articles might have their own feed in the app in a similar blog-post format, Social Media Today reported. The long-form articles will have a link preview card on the platform’s feed, which users can click on and navigate to these stories. Users can experiment with posting these articles in the near future. Have you seen any X articles yet while scrolling?

Meta

Meta announced that it is working on tools to label AI-generated images on Instagram, Threads and Facebook. They already use “Imaged with AI” labels on photorealistic images made with its Meta AI feature. The company’s working to do the same with content from other generative AI tools. Meta specifically cited the upcoming global elections and the high potential for misinformation as the impetus to get these tools up and running quickly.

Instagram and Threads released new information on how they recommend political content. They will not “proactively recommend” political content to users via Explore, Reels and Suggested Users, though users will be able to opt-in. This is all part of Meta’s ongoing push to move away from polarizing politics in feeds, which is concerning some journalists and politicians.

Professional accounts on IG can go to Account Status to see if their account is considered political, which is determined by recent post activity. While in Account Status, they can remove or edit recent posts, ask for a review, or stop posting political content for “a period of time” to regain their recommendation status.

Wired reported that WhatsApp and Messenger will soon have third-party messaging to meet requirements from the EU’s Digital Markets Act. The third-party messaging interoperability feature will let users from other platforms send images, text messages, files and videos to WhatsApp users, according to Wired. Group chats and calls are not on the horizon yet. Messaging platforms interested in connecting with WhatsApp will have to sign a company agreement and follow its protocol. WhatsApp users who agree to view messages from other platforms will be able to see them in their inbox in a separate section at the top once the feature is available.

Facebook

Meta announced in late January that it’s doing away with third-party access to its Facebook Groups API on April 22. Developers and businesses use Facebook Groups API to schedule posts to Facebook Groups, TechCrunch reported. Agencies that schedule or automate their customers’ posts would feel the effects of this change. Meta Certified Community Manager Maurice W. Evans told TechCrunch that removing the third-party Facebook Groups access “could significantly alter the digital landscape, creating both hurdles and opportunities for community managers and businesses alike.”

Jonah Manzano, singer-songwriter and social media aficionado, posted on Threads that Facebook is now letting users create photo captions with AI. If this feature is available on your account:

• Visit the “create post” section.
• Select the Write with AI option and choose your tone: professional, funny, heartfelt, etc.
• Publish your AI-generated caption.

Threads

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram posted on Threads that the platform began a limited test of a highly requested feature post bookmarks. The feature works just like it does on Instagram, according to Mosseri.

Bluesky

The decentralized social app Bluesky is now available for anyone to join after a long stint as invitation-only. Since last year, the nascent platform and X competitor have built out features like custom feeds and moderation tools with a small user base. Shortly after removing the invitation requirement, Bluesky added 856,000 new users, reaching a total of more than 4 million, according to ZDNet.

TikTok

Manzano posted on Threads that TikTok introduced a new feature specifically for communicating with subscribers. In Sub Space, creators can create chat threads, post polls and more.  To access, go to tools, click Sub Space and post to “extend interactions beyond LIVE.”

LinkedIn

LinkedIn announced new tools under the Network tab, including:

Grow tab

• Make more professional connections and manage current ones through updates to the People You May Know

Catch Up tab

• This tab lets you keep up on major life news with connections by letting users know when someone achieved a milestone like celebrating a new job, birthday or work anniversary.

LinkedIn is getting rid of the hashtags and Creator Mode button in profile settings, according to a newsletter article on LinkedIn from The Social Media Scoop. The Creator Mode debuted in 2021 and let users tag their profiles with hashtags. LinkedIn now prefers keywords and topics and is moving away from hashtags. Some Creator Mode features like the “Connect” with or “Follow” option will remain, as will the associated creative tools and analytics.

YouTube

TeamYouTube announced on X that users’ live stream previews can be seen in Shorts. Viewers can tap on one of these videos to enter into a scrollable live feed, according to the post.

YouTube is also testing out its video feeds with red, green and blue colors, according to 9To5Google. The article noted that 9To5Google came across a “Craving something new?” card on the platform for Android users. This feature lets users create their video feeds based on color groupings.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

Hello, PR and comms pros! It’s Tuesday and you know what that means – we have the most recent social media updates. Now let’s get to it.

X

X is wooing advertisers with promises of a “video-first experience.” The app recently announced that all advertisers in the U.S. and globally can purchase “pre-screened, brand-suitable vertical video inventory” thanks to an expanded partnership with Integral Ad Science. Advertisers can choose where their ads are shown on X in the vertical video feed near organic content.

Also, X engineer Dong Wook Chung posted on the platform that X Community admins can add tags to improve their community’s visibility in search results and recommendations on the web. To access this feature:

• Look under admin tools and click settings.
• Go to the edit search tags section.
• Add relevant search tags in the search bar.

A previously announced plan to add video to X Spaces is getting closer to reality, according to a post from X Designer Andrea Conway. Currently, Spaces are audio only. There’s no date set yet for when the video feature drops. Check back here for the update.

Meta
Meta announced a new tool that lets advertisers see conversions from their video ads through Engaged-view.  Engaged-view reports if a user plays a video ad for at least 10 seconds or watches 97% of a video if under 10 seconds and takes a desired ad action within the next day. Engaged-view is not available for Facebook in-stream video ads that aren’t skippable.

Instagram

Social media marketer Nadja Bella Marrero posted on LinkedIn that Instagram recently launched a platform feature that lets users preview what carousels or photos would look like in their feed before making it public. The preview feature does not work for Reel covers. To access, hit the “show preview” button in the pre-post stage and view the grid preview and switch up the photos until they suit you – or post once you see what you like!

TikTok

Social media expert Matt Navarra posted on Threads that TikTok is encouraging users to post horizontal videos that are over one minute long. Qualifying longer horizontal vids will receive boosted views within 72 hours of posting. Original content – no lipsyncing or “random recordings” – is prioritized, and ads won’t see the boost either. To get the boost, accounts must have been on TikTok for at least three months.

TikTok owner ByteDance debuted an AI model, “StreamVoice” system, which can mimic a person’s voice using “just a few utterances,” according to a Business Insider article that Social Media Today pulled information from. Time will tell exactly how this could be integrated with TikTok, which already embraces AI.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn announced that it’s debuting Website Actions, which lets B2B marketers see buyer preferences and interests through Insight Tag and improve their marketing strategies. The tool lets marketers learn and measure website actions minus the extra tracking codes on websites, according to the announcement.

To access Website Actions, log into Campaign Manager.

YouTube

YouTube’s Creator Insider recently announced a new playlist chip in the content tab in the platform’s analytics where users can compare their top playlists right next to each other. To access, click on a playlist to see grouped analytics for videos featured in the playlist. Audience metrics, top-performing videos and other viewer-behavior metrics are available.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

It’s another beautiful Tuesday, PR and comms pros, despite what the weather might look like in your neck of the woods. Why? Because we have the latest social media news. While this info won’t keep you warm, it will keep you at the top of your game today. Now let’s get to the good stuff.

X

Last fall, X debuted video and audio calling options to iOS users. Now, Android users with an X Premium account get to join in, X Senior Software Engineer Enrique Barragan posted. Barragan noted that only X Premium members can make calls, but all X users can receive calls.

Meta

Meta recently debuted its Creator Management Tools in Meta Business Suite to better assist agencies and creators, according to a company announcement. “This centralized tool is designed to help agencies and creators manage their relationships on Facebook by connecting their accounts and granting access to assets and information,” the announcement noted. Agencies that oversee content creators can use Meta’s Creator Management Tools to assist them with things like:

• Creator management. Agencies can operate creator accounts on Facebook by requesting permission to manage creator pages.
• Send contractually agreed-upon payments to an agency account.
• Allows agencies and creators to link accounts, eliminating the need for credential sharing.

Threads

Social media strategist Matt Navarra posted on Threads that the platform now lets users hide the share count on their posts. “Previously, you could hide the Like count only,” Navarra wrote. To hide the share and like counts on a Threads post from your computer:

• Tap your profile picture located in the bottom right corner.
• Select the three dots (…) next to the post you plan to edit.
• Hit “Hide like and share counts.”

Find out more here on how to hide post like and share counts from an Android and iPhone.

Instagram

Instagram’s Help Center posted that users can now use Cutouts to add some flair to their posts. Cutouts can assist users in making more creative Stories and Reels from custom stickers from their camera roll photos or eligible IG images. You can also create Cutouts from another user’s images, if they have the option turned on.

If you made a sticker with Cutouts from another person’s post and they deleted their post, any content you made with the sticker will be removed, too.

Social Media Today posted that users can cancel a Stories upload when it is is “mid-process.” This option is for someone who wants to fix a mistake before it’s seen publicly. That’s great news for social media managers!

WhatsApp

The official WhatsApp page posted on Threads updates to Channels:

• Channel administrators can send polls out to their audience to learn people’s take on various topics.
• Voice notes are available in Channels.
• Users can share Channel updates on their status. To do so:
  • Long-press the update you would like to share and select forward and my status.

TikTok

TikTok is getting ready for upcoming worldwide elections by sharing its plans to ensure that its platform “continues to be a creative, safe, and civil place for our community in a historic elections year,” Head of USDS Trust and Safety Suzy Loftus posted in TikTok Newsroom.

“With more than 2 billion people in over 50 countries expected to go to the polls this year, we are deeply invested in protecting the integrity of elections on TikTok,” Loftus noted.

Some plans the platform has include partnering with electoral commissions and fact-checking orgs to create Election Centers that offer trustworthy voting information to users. The platform is also building out features that give more context to TikTok accounts and content, including clarifying that (unlike on X), blue checkmarks mean that people are who they say they are and that in the U.S., accounts from politicians, governmental agencies and political parties must be verified. In the AI space, the platform does not allow “manipulated content that could be misleading, including (AI generated content) of public figures if it depicts them endorsing a political view,” Loftus noted.  TikTok is making creators label realistic AI-generated content. As the platform continues to evolve in this arena, find updates and more information here.

Social media expert Jonah Manzano posted on Threads that TikTok added an AI Song feature, which allows users to enter a prompt to generate a song. In the example, some suggested prompts could be tunes about jealousy, seeing the Northern Lights or gardening. We’ll soon be listening to something about puppies!

LinkedIn

Sponsored articles are now available on LinkedIn for some, Baptiste Beauvisage, lead client solutions manager at LinkedIn, said. Currently, only company-authored articles can be sponsored.

Applicable, existing content on a LinkedIn page can be turned into sponsored content.

In other news, LinkedIn announced that job seekers can now search for jobs through Job Collections, which thematically groups jobs by industry, passion or expertise. Some collections include remote work, good parental leave or IT. To get started:

• Select the LinkedIn Jobs tab.
• Find “Explore with Job Collections.”
• Then click on the various collections and see which one fits your needs.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

Happy Wednesday, PR and comms pros! We have the latest social media news to keep you at the top of your game.

X

An X blog announced that starting Feb. 1, new brand safety guidelines will offer protections against ads appearing next to offensive content. These rules will conform with GARM (Global Alliance for Responsible Media) guidelines. Advertisers will be allowed “maximum control” on where they want to place their ads on vertical video feeds on the platform. Learn more here.

In other news, an X Business post announced a platform partnership with Shopify. Exec Joe Benarroch posted that the partnership will:

• “Bring awareness to X through the Shopify Sales Channel.”
• “Make it seamless to upload product catalogs onto X.”
• “Help merchants optimize their ad dollars to maximize their outcomes on X.”
• “Highlight the role X plays in a merchant’s marketing stack.”

Threads

Threads will allow users to follow Mastodon brands and people before the end of 2024, TechCrunch reported. TechCrunch noted that a blog post from Tom Coates. Coates co-founded Planetary, a decentralized app. Coates detailed the meeting with Threads, which discussed their plans.  First, Mastodon servers will be available in Threads. Later in the year, the following ability is set to come online. “The team also discussed how they would approach content moderation as they moved forward with fediverse integration, saying they would exclude content from the wider fediverse from being visible in the Threads app if it breaks their rules,” TechCrunch noted. Fediverse is an open social network with various third-party servers. Threads would connect with other people on fediverse platforms. Learn more here.

Find out more information here.

Facebook

Meta announced that it is sunsetting some of its targeting features due to a lack of use, overlapping features and sensitivity around topics like ethnicity, race and health. Meta will let people know if they have impacted campaigns. The company will give people a warning banner on Meta’s Ads Manager campaigns site and current ads under the impacted categories will run until March 18. Users have to update their targeting selections until the March 18^th cutoff date. Targeting products like custom audiences, broad targeting and Meta Advantage+ audience are still available.

Instagram

Jonah Manzano, social media enthusiast and singer-songwriter, posted on Threads that Instagram has a new Friend’s Story feature that lets users send a story to select people. To make this magic happen, Manzano said users can:

• Make a story for their friend.
• Share the story.
• After a friend approves the story, public accounts can see the story without replies or likes.

Lastly, the sender’s name is visible.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp posted on Threads that users can turn their pictures into stickers via iOS app instead of only via desktop. Users can pull a photo from their gallery, remove the photo’s background, add text and other interactive options and send their sticker in a WhatsApp chat.

TikTok

TikTokComms posted on X that people can view their fav TikTok videos on television. TikTok casting is available on Chromecast built-in devices, according to the post. Users should have an iPhone using iOS 12.0 or newer or an Android 6.0 or newer. To cast TikTok on a television from a mobile phone, simply:

• Ensure the TV and phone are linked to the same Wi-Fi network and select the TikTok app on the phone. Select the desired video.
• Hit the share button and select cast to TV at the bottom. Users casting for the first time might have to choose the option to allow access to their local network to cast their devices.
• Choose the TV for casting.
• Enjoy the show!
• To end casting, hit the casting device near the bottom and select tap to disconnect.

TikTok  also no longer lets people access its Creative Center, which provided trackable information on well-performing hashtags on the platform, the New York Times reported. The Creative Center gave information about videos connected to hashtags and the viewers who watched them. “The company’s critics had harnessed the tool to argue that TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance, fails to adequately moderate content on the app and that Beijing influences the posts that appear on it,” according to the Times. In early January, the Creative Center’s search button was no longer available. TikTok noted that the tool is just for sharing data on the “top 100 hashtags” in industries like travel or pets.

YouTube

A YouTube blog post announced that YouTubers can turn their long-form video into a Short. To do so:

• Click on the chosen video.
• Hit the remix button.
• Select edit into a Short.
• Trim to where you want the video to be played.
• Hit layout and choose a video format like single or split screen.
• Pinch and drag in the preview frame to your liking.
• Then save the layout.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

Happy Tuesday, PR and comms pro! We have a fresh batch of the latest social media updates for you to get started on your busy work week. Let’s get to the good stuff!

X

X engineer Nate Esparza posted on the platform that advertisers can now advertise solely to premium subscribers. Esparza posted an example image showing that advertisers can select a “Target Premium Subscribers” option. Below that section is the “Custom audiences” search bar to add other audiences.

Remember when X, well, x-ed headlines from links? Headlines are now back on the web with a twist, according to 9to5Google. Posts with a link preview include the headline in tinier font on the lower left side.

Also, the X Verified account posted on the platform that a new basic verification tier is available for small businesses, clocking in at $200 a month or $2,000 a year.  Subscribers get access to features like:

• Ad credits.
• Priority support.
• Gold checkmark.
• Premium + benefits and more.

Facebook

Facebook users can now see the various websites they’ve visited via Facebook in the last 30 days, according to a Facebook announcement. Links visited from chats on Facebook Messenger are not added to link history. To access the feature:

• Tap your profile pic in the bottom right.
• Select settings and privacy.
• Hit link history.
• Scroll to see link history and select a link to see the page again or hit the X icon at the right of a link to delete it from your link history and select confirm.
• Hit clear all in the top-right section to remove all links from your link history.

Meta technologies could access users’ link history information for ads that are more aligned based on their link visits. Learn more here.

Instagram

Social media professional Alessandro Paluzzi posted on X that Instagram is building up its public collections. You know those posts you save for later only to probably never look at again? He shared an introductory screen image on collections that encourage people to show others what they are interested in.

“Now you can add collections to your profile so people can see what you’re into,” the image noted. “Just open a collection and choose who can see it.” Users who get that notice can select “OK” to make it viewable if they choose.

Prepare to be  intrigued or slightly horrified as these collections make their rounds.

Threads

Instagram Head Adam Mosseri posted on Threads that some users want answers about the “questionable stuff” they’ve seen recommended to them on Threads recently.

Mosseri said that the platform has seen issues in the last few weeks with low-quality recommendations that don’t technically violate Threads’ community guidelines “but kind of go right up to that line.”

“We’re working on improving it, a lot more work to do but expect it to get better over the next few weeks,” Mosseri said.

Snap

Snap Inc. tapped tech provider Samba TV to give measurement information to Snap advertisers in the entertainment space according to a press release.

“As a result of the partnership, media and entertainment brands advertising on Snapchat can measure conversion outcomes using Samba TV’s currency-grade VTR solution to gain a clear understanding of how their campaigns drive new viewers to linear and streaming programs, and measure lift across their media strategies,” according to the announcement.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for one of Ragan’s events? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

Happy Tuesday, PR pros. As 2023 nearly draws to a close, we at PR Daily want to thank you for coming here weekly to learn new social media happenings that help you on the job. But the year’s not over yet, so let’s get to those updates!

X

Spaces on X now has an incognito mode to allow for more user privacy, according to Radu Oncescu, a content creator and researcher, who posted the news on Threads. Spaces is X’s audio room feature which allows users to listen and join conversations.

Elon Musk also has plans to launch a video feature on Spaces either by the end of 2023 or “certainly by early next year,” according to a TechCrunch article. “It’ll just be a simple thing where you can turn the video on or off,” Musk said in a previous Spaces session, TechCrunch reported.

In other news, X will soon roll out a search feature for bookmarks, X Designer Andrea Conway posted .

Meta

Meta’s testing out a multimodal AI feature on Ray-Ban Meta glasses in the United States, according to Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth.

Ahead of a 2024 launch, the platform is doing an early opt-in test program. The AI function, partially powered by Bing, allows wearers to ask for help with:

• Information about an object you are seeing.
• Visual translation and summarization.
• Making a caption based on a picture you’ve taken.

In other Meta updates, the platform recently debuted Audiobox, which can generate sound effects and voices based on text prompts, according to its website. Audiobox, previewed last month, lets users make their own audio using their voice and audio distortion options. Users might use Audiobox to make an audio story or create sound effects.

Threads

Mark Zuckerberg posted on Threads that the platform is looking to engage with decentralized platforms more. “Starting a test where posts from Threads accounts will be available on Mastodon and other services that use the ActivityPub protocol. Making Threads interoperable will give people more choice over how they interact and it will help content reach more people. “I’m pretty optimistic about this,” he wrote.

The Verge reported that Threads officially launched in mid-December to roughly 448 million residents in the European Union. Previously, Threads was not available in the EU due to its more stringent regulations.

Meta is adding Threads to its fact-checking systems ahead of the 2024 election year, according to a company announcement. The platform’s third-party fact-checking partners will soon review and rate false Threads-related content. Currently, when a fact-checker gives content a rating and flags it as false on Instagram or Facebook, that fact-check rating is given to “near-identical content” on Threads.

There is now a dark mode option on Threads’ web version, according to a platform post. To access it (we live for the dark mode over here!), click the settings button at the top right side, select “switch appearance” and enjoy your new viewing mode. Your setting preferences will automatically transfer in the app.

Instagram

Instagram Live Producer is available to professional accounts, according to an Instagram creators’ post on Threads. Instagram Live Producer lets broadcasters access production tools from third parties on desktop.

PetaPixel reported that Instagram Stories has a new feature with “Add Yours” templates for more meme-worthy fun. Users can add text, images and GIFs to templates. To make a template, open a new Story, fill in the information you want and tap the “Add Yours Templates” button located in the Sticker Tray.  If someone else sees a Story from another creator using the “Add Yours Template,” they can select “Add Yours” and use the template themselves.

Engadget reported several new updates with Instagram that include:

• The platform will add two-second videos that loop and live in Notes. The two-second video, similar to Boomerang, will be located at the top of your followers’ inboxes instead of a standard profile image.
• Users can respond to their follower’s Notes like one would a Stories post. Selecting a note at the top of one’s inbox allows for a reply option with a sticker, text, GIF, photo, voice note or text. Notes replies are sent to their inbox.
• Instagram is improving its automated spam detection tool. The system will flag fake followers and spammy content and let users delete the items in bulk. Suspected spam or bot accounts will be sent to a separate inbox for review.

Ahmad Al-Dahle, VP, GenAI at Meta, posted on Threads that its AI media editing tool backdrop is now available on Instagram in the United States. “With backdrop, you can reimagine your image’s background with just a few taps and a prompt like ‘chased by dinosaurs’ or ‘surrounded by puppies’ to create an entirely new image for your Story,” Al-Dahle said. To use, tap the button for backdrop, which will appear at the top of a new Story.

WhatsApp

WhatsApp is letting users pin messages at the top of text threads, according to a WhatsApp post on X. Pins can last 24 hours, seven days or 30 days. To access in a chat, select the three buttons at the top right-hand corner and select the pin option at the top.

YouTube

YouTube is in a generous spirit this season and is allowing eligible creators to gift viewers free channel memberships, according to a YouTube Help announcement. This feature can bring more awareness to channels. To participate, a creator will need to have channel memberships enabled on their channel and offer a membership tier under $5.

Snapchat

Snapchat’s over 7 million Snapchat+ subscribers can find more ways to create, capture and edit with AI, according to a Snap announcement. The platform’s AI tool could be used in numerous ways, for example:

• Give it text prompts to generate an image to send as a Snap to a friend.
• Extend Snaps to zoom out of a picture with AI.
• Create majestic or silly AI selfies with friends using Dream.

The new features debut varies by region. Find out more here.

Sherri Kolade is a writer and conference producer at Ragan Communications. She enjoys watching old films, reading and building an authentically curated life. Follow her on LinkedIn. Message her if you have a great PR/comms speaker in mind for a Ragan event.

The post New social media features and updates to know this week  appeared first on PR Daily.

Equinox, an ultra-luxury gym brand, took an unusual tactic to the usual rush of those resolving to get into shape this year. Rather than throwing their doors open, they refused to accept new memberships on Jan. 1.

It’s not you, it’s January. #ItsNotFitnessItsLife pic.twitter.com/Bg6lBnSUR2

— Equinox (@Equinox) January 1, 2023

In addition to tweets and messages on its website, Equinox also apparently posted — and subsequently deleted — a TikTok with a similar message, which can be seen here in a stitch with a critical commentary.

@nathantsuji @Equinox how about we support any and everyone trying to get healthy. It’s scary enough to just go to the gym when you’re not confident… #fyp #fup #explore #explorepage #newyear #newyears #equinox #resolution #newyearresolution ♬ original sound – Nathan Tsuji

The campaign did draw criticism from some about turning away those who want a fresh start, but others applauded the counterintuitive strategy.

"We don't speak January."

Equinox isn't accepting new memberships today.

Super bold, super smart, strategically aligned with their brand pic.twitter.com/abLjFNDjop

— Jess Smith (@WarJessEagle) January 1, 2023

Why it matters: The campaign did what it was supposed to do: get people talking. With a price point of $382 per month, Equinox isn’t just another gym. They want to cultivate an air of exclusivity, and they did that. Some people are turned off by that, but they probably aren’t Equinox’s target customer.

Either way, it certainly generated media coverage, with hits on CNN, Business Insider and many other outlets.

Southwest tries to apologize with frequent flier miles

Southwest CEO Bob Jordan sent an email to customers impacted by the airline’s horrific holiday meltdown offering 25,000 Rapid Rewards points (the airline’s version of frequent flier miles). According to the email, that’s about a $300 value.

The letter reads, in part:

On behalf of Southwest, I want to let you know we’re so sorry.

Our Purpose has always been to connect our Customers to what’s important in their lives. And this holiday season, as you made plans with us to do just that, we fell short. For that, please accept my personal apology.

Southwest experienced a unique combination of events that started with severe weather at our busiest airports and transitioned into other operational challenges that stretched our People, processes, tools, and technology. This caused unprecedented wide-scale cancellations and ultimately impacted your trip.

I know that no amount of apologies can undo your experience.

The letter goes on to explain that refunds for expenses incurred due to cancellations and baggage reclamation are still ongoing.

Full disclosure: I received this email as my holiday travel was slightly impacted by Southwest’s issues.

Why it matters: Jordan is saying the right things, but it must be backed up with more action that shows systemic changes to the systems that failed over the critical holiday season. Trust in Southwest has been deeply shaken, and even the temptation of free flights will fall flat if you may incur hundreds or thousands of dollars of expenses if this situation reoccurs.

Of course, it isn’t up to the comms team to fix these operational issues. But they can help by urging leadership to stay in constant contact with its public, detailing how it is changing its systems and why that will mean better service. They must make good on their promises to make customers whole for their expenses.

It’s going to be a long road back for Southwest — and looming Congressional inquiries and lawsuits don’t help.

Americans are gloomy about 2023

Happy new year? Not for most Americans, according to a new Gallup poll.

Out of 13 categories the pollster asked about, respondents predicted negative conditions in 12 of them. The lone bright spot for the U.S. was 64% of respondents saying Russian power was likely to decline in the new year.

Otherwise, they predicted rising taxes (81%), economic difficulty (79%), price increases (65%) and rising crime (72%). A whopping 90% predicted political strife — which already seems to be borne out by the contentious battle to even name a speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Why it matters: Be careful when choosing your tone for communications. An overly cheerful tone could fall flat amid so much pessimism — or a hopeful tactic could raise spirits in a time of gloom. Make sure you’re frequently taking your own audience’s temperature and choosing your moments to lean into the gravity of this moment or to break the tension with a bit of levity.

Big trends from CES

The huge Consumer Electronics Show is back with gadgets and gizmos aplenty. Technically it doesn’t start until Thursday, but the news is already gushing out. The Verge highlighted some of the early trends, including:

• New vehicles that focus on electric (and the associated charging infrastructure) as well as cars that don’t drive themselves yet, but instead offer driver assistance from sensors and cameras.
• No major breakthroughs are expected in the TV space, but instead “refinements,” like faster responsiveness for gaming and software tweaks.
• Creating a truly smart home could become easier with the widespread rollout of Matter, an industry-wide standard for the products that’s backed by the biggest players, including Apple, Google and Amazon.
• Laptops: The big news here is expected to be not the end product, but rather the chips that power the machines.

Why it matters: These are the products that shape our personal and professional lives. Stay up to date on the tech. Even if it doesn’t impact you or your audience today, it will down the road.

Stay tuned for more updates from the showcase.

Allison Carter is executive editor of PR Daily. Follow her on Twitter or LinkedIn.

The post Equinox’s polarizing ‘January,” Southwest’s apology and more appeared first on PR Daily.

While social media practitioners increasingly encompass a wide range of disciplines and titles — from community managers to paid social experts, analytics leads and more — your organization’s focus will depend on the needs of your audiences.

As strategic communications skills also become increasingly crucial to successful social media strategies, your employees should be one of those audiences on your radar, too. Activating your employees to become your brand ambassadors and influencers by weaving them into your social strategy can assist with employer branding initiatives, educational and reputational support, and much more.

Ragan and PR Daily caught up with Amanda Ponzar, chief communications and strategy officer at CHC: Creating Healthier Communities to ask her a few questions about how she approaches activating employees as influencers. Ponzar will be a speaker at Ragan and PR Daily’s upcoming Social Media Conference, which takes place in person Sept. 21-23 at Disney World in Orlando.

Ponzar’s responses have been lightly edited.

Ragan: Why did you get into communication in the first place? What drove you to it?

Amanda Ponzar: I’ve been writing stories and poetry since I was a little kid, even before I could spell, and I’ve always been into fine art, drama, singing, public speaking, etc. I never “got into” communications, it got into me, or was born into me. I wrote for high school and college papers and was an English major in college and assumed I’d go into teaching or journalism, but colleagues at one of my first jobs redirected me into advertising copywriting. I’ve been working in communications and marketing ever since, for more than 20 years.

What do you think is the most important part of a social media communicator’s role in an organization?

 Social media is the fast and furious (and frequent) public face of an organization. Social media communicators must flex and move faster, swiftly adapting to news — global pandemics, tragedies, social justice, politics and more along with stakeholder posts — versus creating content calendars and sticking with them a year in advance. Compare that to a website that often gets a major overhaul every few years at best.

Social media shines when it’s “social” and personable, engaging with empathy and authenticity in a timely manner, whereas a website can be more corporate and static.

What tips or advice can you share so that organizations can make the most of their social media communications?

Posting regularly is important, along with understanding what channels work best based on the needs of your stakeholders. We’re B2B and relationship-driven so LinkedIn is pivotal for us, whereas TikTok or Instagram might be more important for a brand that engages with consumers or different generations. It may sound trendy and sexy to be on every platform out there, but unless you have a massive team and money to burn, narrowing your target is best.

Engaging your employees as influencers helps expand your reach on social media. And it always comes down to testing and measuring content and doing more of what works, as every company is different. Just because a celebrity does something and it works for them doesn’t mean it will work for your brand.

What do you see as the next thing for social media communications? What should organizations be doing now to stay ahead of the trends?

Visuals and video continue to be big, and authenticity reigns supreme. It’s important to follow the top brands and individual accounts to see what’s working and test it for your own organization. I don’t try to get ahead of trends; rather, I follow those who are doing great work to watch and learn.

At this year’s Ragan and PR Daily’s Social Media Conference, you’re conducting a session the rise of employee influencers. Can you give our readers a preview of what they can expect to learn?

Social media platforms have given individuals influence and the ability to reach your customers, prospects, and other stakeholders. This goes way beyond traditional word-of-mouth marketing, just telling friends and neighbors in your network. Employees can be your most passionate, knowledgeable, authentic ambassadors.

We’ll talk about harnessing employees to raise their voice in support of your organization and teaching them how to be more visible on social media. It’s truly a win-win, creating strong personal brands and executive presence for your employees while raising awareness and credibility for your organization.

Join Amanda and other social media leaders at Ragan and PR Daily’s Social Media Conference, when speakers from TikTok, Intel, Meta and more will share their ideas and success stories. Register today!

The post The Road to Disney: How to engage employees as influencers on social appeared first on PR Daily.

One of the most critical responsibilities of a social media communicator is monitoring and collecting information about what people are saying about your brand online. This information is essential for brand strategy and for building a positive reputation among consumers. Gathering information and knowing how to use it is just one of the many skills that make social communicators essential and important to have at the marketing/communications table.

Ragan and PR Daily caught up with Nicole Losi, director of digital content at Kent State University to ask her a few questions about social media communications. Losi will be a speaker at Ragan and PR Daily’s upcoming Social Media Conference being held in person from Sept. 21-23 at Disney World, Orlando.

[RELATED: Join us Sept. 21-23 in Disney World for our Social Media Conference]

Ragan: Why did you get into social media communications?

Nicole Losi

Nicole Losi: I started becoming interested in social media communication/marketing for businesses right when social media was really taking off (basically, prime Facebook/Twitter and the newly created Instagram era). Managing (and growing) the social media presence at my first job out of college was a responsibility of mine. I quickly saw how effective social can be in terms of generating an audience, marketing products/services, raising brand awareness and playing a part in the overall communications strategy. I was successful in that role, as I understood how social media can play a large part in organizational goals but also had a solid sense of where social media would take us. From there, I took a role dedicated to the social space for Kent State in 2014. The responsibilities of the role I’m in today, director of digital content, have grown exponentially in tandem with the ever-changing social media environment.

Ragan: What do you think is the most important part of a social media communicator’s role in an organization?

NL: Social media communicators have the pulse of what is being said about your brand online. And I believe that information is vital for leadership. Not only can social media managers monitor and collect this information, but they can also provide feedback and recommendations based on what they are seeing in the social space. Essentially, you’re running free focus groups every day — and I believe we should utilize this information to inform strategy.

Ragan: What tips or advice can you share so that organizations can make the most of their social media communications?

NL: Listen to the feedback from your social media managers. They have a very good sense of how information should be tailored to meet your audience’s needs and respond/communicate. Organizations should also make sure their social media managers have seats at the marketing/communications planning table. Social media seems to be the “go-to” communications resource for many organizations, so it’s imperative that our social staff is included in the beginning stage.

Ragan: What do you see as the next thing for social media communications? What should organizations be doing now to stay ahead of the trends?

NL: I think the “next big thing” for social is what we are seeing now — video is king. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram Reels — I think those spaces are going to continue to grow and video will remain paramount. Also, it’s important to understand that it might not make sense for you to have a presence in every single social media space and that is okay! If you’re interested in exploring a new space, you should go through a research phase, where take a close look at the overall landscape and your competitors’ accounts, you walk through realistic content planning and account management, discuss measurement, etc. From there, if you find yourself entering a new space, trend monitoring is key. Set up a system to monitor trends on a regular basis and have a plan in place for creating content IF it makes sense for your brand to hop on a particular trend. Staying ahead of the trends is important, but what is more important is not jumping into trends with no real objective. Your content should be on-brand and fall within your organizational goals.

Ragan: At this year’s Ragan and PR Daily’s Social Media Conference, you’re on a panel discussing new collaborative skills for social media champions. Can you give our readers a preview of what they can expect to hear from you?

NL: Some of the topics I plan to talk about are setting realistic goals, understanding the value of internal collaboration (I have some good examples I plan to share!) and compliance and using tools for standardization. I’ve been lucky to attend various conferences over the years where I’ve learned so much invaluable information, so I am looking forward to sharing tips and best practices that I have found helpful with all of you!

Join Nicole and other social media leaders at Ragan and PR Daily’s Social Media Conference, when speakers from TikTok, Intel, Facebook and more will share their ideas and success stories. Register today!

The post The road to Disney: Why social media communicators are essential to brand strategy appeared first on PR Daily.

There’s no one way or correct method to orchestrate a successful meeting. Every team is different, and each business problem requires a unique problem-solving approach.

However, there are plenty of science-backed guideposts to follow and pitfalls to avoid. Let’s explore a few, shall we?

What the data suggests

There’s no shortage of research into conducting efficient meetings. Most of which speaks to in-person, pre-pandemic settings. However, many of the bedrock principles remain the same:

• Keep it short.
• Make sure everyone gets to voice their opinion.
• Keep groups small.
• Distribute an agenda beforehand, and capture specific action points.
• Do not—for the love of Pete—intrude upon lunchtime.

What else is there? How else can you become a meeting master during this uncertain season of life? HBR lists 10 more ideas to keep those meetings on track:

1. Prepare your points—not just an agenda—in advance.

Rather than just riffing mid-Zoom or thinking out loud until you reach a salient point, consider:

• “What ideas do I want to raise at this meeting?”
• “What challenges do I or we need help with?”
• “Who deserves praise or mention?”
• “What questions do I most want this group to discuss and consider?”

2. Provide the purpose up top.

How much time gets wasted at the outset of meetings? If your team tends to get overly absorbed in greetings and salutations, you might try opening with “what needs to be decided, reviewed, or accomplished as a result of the meeting.”

3. Guide your listeners.

HBR suggests using a “preview/transition/review scaffolding” to shepherd your enrapt audience through whatever material needs to be covered.

4. Be ready to listen.

Slow down, gabby Gus! Let your people speak. And don’t do that eyeroll thing while they talk, either.

Demonstrate leadership and empathy by listening intently. To do so, HBR suggests:

• Always face your audience and try to maintain direct eye contact when listening.
• Demonstrate that you’re listening by nodding.
• Don’t use listening time as an opportunity to plan what you’re going to say next.
• Avoid interrupting speakers or finishing their sentences.
• Consider reflecting questions back to the speaker before immediately offering your perspective or jumping in with a solution. For example: “I want to make sure I hear you correctly. You’re saying we have too many meetings, especially on Fridays. Is that correct?”
• Finally, keep an open mind and resist the urge to defend.

5. Prepare questions.

This is another underrated aspect of meeting prep that all too often arises in the heat of the moment. HBR suggests parsing questions into three buckets—”strategic,” “recognition,” and “helpful.”

6. Keep detours brief.

Zooms can go off the rails faster than a greased hog on an icy pond.

When it’s your turn to speak, exercise self-control by staying away from tangents or “discussion for another day.” If others are veering off course, gently guide the conversation back to where it needs to be.

7. Know when you’ve finished your point.

Don’t just keep talking to fill airtime.

8. Give credit—concisely.

HBR says to be specific, swift and precise with praise, explaining: “A good template for giving credit or appreciation is: who did it, what they did, and what impact it had on organizational or team objectives.”

9. Help others stay on point.

If a colleague is wandering, don’t be a jerk. Gently nudge them back on course by saying something like, “What do you recommend?’ or ‘What do you propose we do?’”

10. End with meaningful action steps.

Don’t hang up and do the awkward “Zoom wave” before somebody writes down what’s next. Etch action steps in writing, and vocalize them before switching off.

Other tips for meeting success

There are even more ways to have better meetings in 2022—including not having one at all! NPR suggests thinking outside the Zoom box and offers these alternative ideas:

• Converse, collaborate and post updates in a shared Slack channel.
• Brainstorm and edit in a shared doc.
• Send an email with key ideas and points.
• Ask for quick individual check-ins.

MIT Sloan Management Review also offers a warning that only 50% of meeting time is “effective, well-used and engaging.” It shares these data-backed suggestions to keep your collaborative flow rolling:

• Don’t over-invite.
• Start and end on time.
• Establish norms and clear expectations.
• Use tools (such as Klaxoon, Mentimeter, and Poll Everywhere) to quickly gather feedback and reach a consensus.
• Ask for feedback on how to improve meetings moving forward.

How about you, comms pros? What meeting tips would you offer? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

The post How to lead better meetings in 2022 appeared first on PR Daily.

Veterans Day, celebrated Nov. 11, offers an opportunity for brand managers to honor the sacrifice and service of the armed forces.

The federal holiday, originally created as Armistice Day to mark the end of World War I, comes with extra significance in 2021 after the U.S. withdrew troops from Afghanistan earlier. And brand managers are hoping to offer substantive shows of support with a variety of campaigns.

Haircut chain Great Clips will offer veterans a free trim either on Nov. 11 or on a future visit to one of their salons. In addition to the company’s nine-year tradition of offering a fee cut to service members, Great Clips will also allow non-military patrons to “pay it forward.” Those who receive a cut will get a free haircut voucher they can gift to a family member or friend who is a service member as a way of thanking them for their service.

“We’re excited to continue an important tradition of showing appreciation to our military service members this Veterans Day,” said Steve Hockett, CEO of Great Clips, Inc in a press release shared with PR Daily. “This program is our way of honoring and thanking those who are committed to serving our country, and giving all customers a way to pay it forward to a service member in their own lives.”

Home improvement retailer Lowe’s is also trying to show veterans some love with its plan to encourage Americans to decorate their front doors with a blue wreath as a sign of their appreciation for those who served.

Lowe’s wrote in a blog post:

According to color psychology, blue is the color of reflection and serenity—two emotions that veterans and military families embrace on Veterans Day. For military families, who move every three years and eight times more than non-military families on average, the symbolic gesture can go a long way towards feeling welcomed to a new neighborhood or even back home from deployment abroad.

Other brands are launching limited-edition merch. Yeti released patriotic tumblers and will donate a portion of its proceeds to Folds of Honor, an organization that helps families of fallen or disabled service members afford education expenses, from kindergarten through college.

Considerations for 2021

Despite bipartisan support for service members in a country that is increasingly divided, there are unique considerations for your 2021 Veterans Day celebrations as a brand manager.

First and foremost: Make sure that remarks are previewed and that speeches to mark the holiday are limited to thanking veterans for their service. A recent school assembly for Veterans Day in Utah went awry when the speaker—a veteran who had participated for many years in similar events—went off script to embrace COVID-19 conspiracies and the dangers of socialism.

The incident is a reminder that it’s important to train and brief spokespersons, or anyone who will present a public face for your event. Even if they have long been a partner with your organization, recent events might have shifted their personal beliefs and normal guardrails on appropriate speech have been eroded.

Another warning for communicators is to set aside the blatant marketing and promotional messages for this holiday.

Forbes writes:

It’s easy to spot inauthenticity, so make sure you’re thanking veterans, not promoting your brand. If you offer discounts for military members, clearly note that since service members may not be aware of them. You might also want to consider working with or donating to nonprofits such as the Wounded Warrior Project or Transgender American Veterans Association to provide support to the veteran community. And spend some time thinking about ways your company can provide support for service members year-round, not just on Veterans Day.

Although civilian marketers will never fully understand what it’s like to serve in the military, we can commit to investing the time and resources necessary to produce campaigns that truly honor our veterans’ sacrifice and courage.

Marking Veterans Day in your organization

While efforts to tout brand promotions are all well and good, there are other ways to offer a meaningful message to veterans in your organization. Even if you don’t plan to close your office for the day, consider thinking about how you can create programming to mark the holiday.

Military.com offers a series of ideas on how to express appreciation for Veterans on Memorial Day:

• Show up. Is there a local event happening in your community to honor veterans? How can your organization participate? Make sure to be additive in thinking about how you can support the work of those already invested in the program.
• There are lots of organizations that are looking to help veterans address a variety of issues, from finding post-service employment to building special homes for veterans who were disabled from wounds suffered during their service.
• Ask veterans about their service. Does your organization employ veterans? A campaign to share those stories could be meaningful for your whole workforce.
• Write a card. Your organization could do a letter writing campaign to send messages to veterans thanking them for their service. Military.com suggests looking up the nearest military installation or working with a local VA hospital.

How are you marking Veterans Day, PR Daily readers?

The post PR and marketing campaigns seek to honor veterans for Nov. 11 holiday appeared first on PR Daily.

Hello, communicators:

Pfizer CEO Albert Bouria said that people will “likely” need a third shot of the Pfizer vaccine within 12 months after their second shot—and potentially an annual booster dose.

“A likely scenario is that there will be likely a need for a third dose, somewhere between six and 12 months and then from there, there will be an annual revaccination, but all of that needs to be confirmed. And again, the variants will play a key role,” Bouria told CNBC.

Social media users have been vocal about the statement since it was first published yesterday, with many anti-vaxxers questioning the overall scientific methods of Pfizer and other vaccine manufacturers.

Communicators, take a cue from hard news reporters and only report the facts when speaking to the press. While it is OK to admit when you don’t know all the answers, offering speculation sets expectations that may well come back to haunt you should a rapidly evolving crisis suddenly take another turn.

ABC News President Kimberley Godwin becomes first Black executive to run a broadcast news org

ABC has announced that its new president, Kimberly Godwin, will join the media brand in May. Godwin will be the first Black executive to lead a broadcast media company.

Variety reports:

[ABC] on Wednesday confirmed that Godwin, who has been with CBS News since 2007, will take over the role most recently held by James Goldston. She will now be charged with maintaining the status of two of ABC News’ mainstays, “Good Morning America” and “World News Tonight,” both of which are the most-watched programs in their category, along with shows like “The View,” “20/20 and “This Week.” And she will have ultimate say over the news unit’s increasingly frequent steps into live-streaming, audio and special programming.

At CBS, Godwin has held positions of increasing responsibility, and people familiar with the matter suggest she had indicated to ViacomCBS executives she was looking for a role that would give her oversight of the news division. CBS CEO George Cheeks, who has been looking for a new executive to run CBS News, made plain she was not being considered for a job that would make her the sole executive in charge of the operation, and in recent days, when it became apparent Godwin’s talks with ABC and Walt Disney had gained traction, let her out of her current contract with the company.

Why it matters:

Partner with your HR and talent teams ahead of any leadership hires to make sure that diverse talent is being considered not just for positions that oversee DE&I and purpose-driven work, but also roles that oversee core company operations. Your communications skills can ensure that diversification is embedded in every strand of your company’s DNA by partnering with leadership and new talent alike to ensure that anyone joining the team has the room, resources and support to fulfill the expectations of the role.

MEASURED THOUGHTS

In a new study by Pew Research Center, 56% of respondents said the large reduction in union workers over the past several decades has been “somewhat” or “very” bad for the country, while 60% say this has been bad for working people. “The survey was largely fielded before the vote by workers in an Amazon warehouse in Alabama against forming a union was tabulated and reported,” the authors said.

Courtesy of Pew Research Center

Remember that internal communications can become external very quickly when they touch on an issue that people feel passionately about. Assume that any internal messaging to employees will eventually leak out and craft employee guidelines with sensitivity and foresight for the optics of how that messaging will likely be received. Partner with leadership and legal teams to make sure that any of their thoughts being shared about unionization are in line with labor regulations and prevailing cultural sentiment.

Read the full study here.

SOCIAL BUZZ

Instagram is resuming tests to remove the ability to see the number of Likes on user posts, modifying a tweak to its user experience that began before COVID-19.

TechCrunch reports:

This time, however, Instagram is not enabling or disabling the feature for more users. Instead, it will begin to explore a new option where users get to decide what works best for them—either choosing to see the Like counts on others’ posts, or not. Users will also be able to turn off Like counts on their own posts, if they choose. Facebook additionally confirmed it will begin to test a similar experience on its own social network.

Communicators, take note that periodically surveying external stakeholders on their experience with your company or brand can provide you with valuable qualitative data and sentiment, including insights into their feelings, that you can then bring to other internal partners to improve brand reputation.

TECH TALK

Twitter announced that it is launching a “responsible machine learning initiative” intended to give users more transparency around how its algorithms function.

Twitter says:

The journey to responsible, responsive and community-driven machine learning (ML) systems is a collaborative one. Today, we want to share more about the work we’ve been doing to improve our ML algorithms within Twitter, and our path forward through a company-wide initiative called Responsible ML.

Responsible ML consists of the following pillars:

• • Taking responsibility for our algorithmic decisions
  • Equity and fairness of outcomes
  • Transparency about our decisions and how we arrived at them
  • Enabling agency and algorithmic choice

Communicators, take note to be partner with marketing and audience development teams in conversations around how your company’s information is distributed and collected from users. Work with internal stakeholders to develop a stronger understanding around the potential applications of future technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence at your company to ensure that the implications of their use are being openly discussed and transparently communicated.

CRISIS LEADERSHIP NETWORK

Looking for more insight on how to address the current global crisis and lead your organization into a strong recovery?

Join Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Network to connect and brainstorm with peers, get the latest intelligence and research and start to strategize for the future of your organization.

Learn more about this exclusive membership here.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shares strategy for improved employee experience

In his final letter to shareholders, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos acknowledged that the company must improve its employee experience and previewed an upcoming strategy for doing so.

The Verge reports:

The letter comes amid ongoing reports of untenable conditions for Amazon workers. And it outlines a strategy that seems odd for a company that has been accused of treating workers like robots: a robotic scheme that will develop new staffing schedules using an algorithm.

To address concerns about working conditions, Bezos said the company will develop new staffing schedules “that use sophisticated algorithms to rotate employees among jobs that use different muscle-tendon groups to decrease repetitive motion and help protect employees from MSD risks.” The technology will roll out throughout 2021, he said.

Bezos pushed back on the idea that, according to news reports, Amazon doesn’t care for its employees. “In those reports, our employees are sometimes accused of being desperate souls and treated as robots. That’s not accurate,” he wrote.

Bezos also specifically addressed the recent unionization drive at an Alabama warehouse that received national media attention:

 “Does your Chair take comfort in the outcome of the recent union vote in Bessemer? No, he doesn’t,” Bezos wrote. “I think we need to do a better job for our employees. While the voting results were lopsided and our direct relationship with employees is strong, it’s clear to me that we need a better vision for how we create value for employees – a vision for their success.”

Why it matters:

Communicators, take note to edit and vet all executive messaging, especially when it addresses a crisis, to ensure that the language and specific solutions do not undermine or contradict the initial problem. Make sure that every reported piece of criticism is specifically addressed in the messaging to ensure that your proposed solutions don’t ring hollow. Back up any external promises by sharing benchmark goals with dates and a timeline for instituting the change that will hold your internal stakeholders accountable.

CONFERENCE ALERT

The business community is facing a workplace wellness revolution. No longer does “wellness” qualify as a nice-to-have employee benefit; it is now tightly integrated many facets of organizational strategy, especially communications.

Join us at Ragan’s Workplace Wellness Conference on April 21, 2021 to glean the essential tools and context you need to advance your career and guide your organization through this time of rapid change.

via GIPHY

Attendees will learn what it means to embrace the fact that employees who are mentally, physically, financially and socially healthy are more productive, engaged and resilient to potential crises.

Learn powerful insights and secrets from speakers at organizations including NVIDIA, Northwell Health, PwC, Microsoft, Cornell University, Facebook and more.

Register for our event here.

WHAT YOU SAID

Yesterday, we asked what GIF perfectly captured your current state of mind with the weekend finally on the horizon,

One reader reported fervently typing away:

pic.twitter.com/UDxqSsomiE

— Timothy Munden (@TimothyMundenPR) April 15, 2021

Most of you performed some version of a happy dance:

#DailyScoop pic.twitter.com/YzIzP20Nh2

— Tressa Robbins, MPRCA (@tressalynne) April 15, 2021

pic.twitter.com/WOcco8PJ3b

— Janel Forsythe (@JLF_comms) April 15, 2021

#DailyScoop pic.twitter.com/pC6YdDoKZV

— Delores Communications (@DeloresComms) April 15, 2021

Is there a question you would like to see asked? Let us know by tagging it with #DailyScoop!

SOUNDING BOARD

Now that you’ve made it to the end of another week, do you plan on checking your work email this weekend, PR pros and communicators?

Now that you’ve made it to the end of another week, do you plan on checking your work email this weekend, PR pros and communicators? #DailyScoop

— PR Daily (@PRDaily) April 16, 2021

Let us know why you do or don’t plan to check your work email the hashtag #DailyScoop. We will share the results in Monday’s roundup.

The post ABC hires the first Black exec to run broadcast news bureau, most Americans see decline in unions as bad for the country, and Amazon’s CEO opines on lost employee trust appeared first on PR Daily.

Hello, Communicators:

Several software and technology companies have announced office reopening dates following last week’s news of some Microsoft employees headed back to the office as part of its hybrid work model.

Facebook plans to start returning to in-person work this May, with offices limited to 10% capacity upon the reopening of its Menlo Park headquarters. Other safety precautions will include with masks, social distancing and weekly COVID-19 tests. Uber is reopening its San Francisco headquarters today at 20% capacity, and is following similar safety precautions to Facebook.

Considering how many of these companies create products that enable remote communication, the decision to reopen reminds communicators that not every efficiency can be replicated through software and remote work. We are also reminded once again that any decision on when and how to reopen the office should be made with considerations for health and safety first and foremost.

GM responds to accusations of CEO racism, but offers no specifics

The leaders of some Black-owned media companies have accused General Motors CEO Mary Barra of being racist after refusing to meet with them “consistently, over time and after multiple requests.” The accusation came in the form of a full-page ad that ran in Sunday’s Detroit Free Press, which requested an hour-long Zoom meeting with Barra or her resignation.

The Detroit Free Press reports:

In response to the ad, GM said it aspires to be the most inclusive company in the world, and that includes how it allocates its advertising expenditures.

“We have increased our planned spending with both diverse-owned and diverse-dedicated media across our family of brands,” said GM spokesman Pat Morrissey in an email. He did not provide specifics.

[Allen Media Group] wants GM to allocate at least 5% of its ad budget to Black-owned media companies, said [Byron] Allen in an interview with the Free Press on Sunday.

The ad says “less than 0.5% goes to media companies owned” by African Americans, calling that “horrendous, considering that we as African Americans make up approximately 14% of the population in America and we spend billions buying your vehicles.”

Why It Matters:

Every arm of the organization is responsible for owning its DEI work, but communicators must take responsibility for connecting the results across departments. When that work is challenged, respond to specific grievances instead of offering blanket, gestural assurances.

Look to the wider changes happening in the media industry, including newsrooms restructuring as they reckon with racial disparity in reporting as an opportunity to make a substantive, lasting impact around who your organization targets for coverage and ad dollars. When conducting an audit of your organization, match the diversity of your PR and ad efforts with the demographics of your audience with data.

TAKE OUR SURVEY

The start of spring brings new opportunities for agency communicators across roles, organizations and industries to develop stronger relationships with their clients.

Ragan Communications and the Institute for Public Relations are conducting a brief survey on the relationship between PR agencies and their clients, which will be presented at the Ragan’s April 7 Media Relations & Measurement Conference and published in a report that will be launched in May 2021.

via GIPHY

Please share your insights with us before the deadline on April 2, 2021. The survey should take less than 10 minutes to complete and your responses will remain confidential. As a thank you for your time and insights, you will be entered into a drawing for one of two $50 gift cards.

Take our survey here.

SOCIAL BUZZ

Twitter is developing new community tools that will allow users to share a tweet with select audiences.

Social Media Today reports:

Back in February, as part of its Analyst Day presentation, Twitter previewed a new, groups-like option called ‘Communities’, which would enable Twitter users to share their tweets within selected sub-groups of users, as opposed to sharing with everybody.

Image courtesy of Jane Manchun Wong

Twitter’s Communities are its answer to groups, providing a more private engagement option, which would enable users to interact with users around dedicated interests, which could help to foster closer communities, and see more engagement, overall, in the app.

This news should remind communicators that the future of engagement is not blanket mass messages or mail-merged pitches, but targeted and personalized outreach. Winnow your media lists to the group of journalists and outlets you want to target most. Do more research on them (read their work), and your likelihood of building a new relationship will greatly improve.

TACTICALLY SPEAKING

Several advertising and PR pros are pledging to no longer promote oil and gas accounts, following a complaint filed with the Federal Trade Commission on March 16^th that accused Chevron of misrepresenting its stances on environmental protections and racial justice.

The New York Times reports:

Guy Hayward, the global chief executive of Forsman & Bodenfors, an international ad agency with major offices in Sweden and New York, said in an interview that the company’s New York office signed a pledge this month to no longer work for oil and gas producers, as well as utility companies and their lobbyists.

“The decision is a moral one,” Mr. Hayward said. “We believe that communication is powerful and, obviously, we should be using it to drive the change we want to see, rather than maintaining the status quo.”

Signing the pledge was partly symbolic: Forsman & Bodenfors has done work for the Norwegian oil and gas giant Equinor and is known for its award-winning Volvo campaigns. The point of signing it, Mr. Hayward said, “is just to get the ball rolling.” He added that he expected the company’s other offices, in eight cities around the world, to follow the example of the New York team, calling the decision a “no-brainer.”

Communicators are reminded that, even if a pledge to change seems symbolic at first, making the commitment in public holds you and your organization publicly accountable to see that change through. Once the commitment is made, it is time to do the work and make good on the expectations your organization has set.

CRISIS LEADERSHIP NETWORK

Looking for more insight on how to address the current global crisis and lead your organization into a strong recovery?

via GIPHY

Join Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Network to connect and brainstorm with peers, get the latest intelligence and research and start to strategize for the future of your organization.

Learn more about this exclusive membership here.

MEASURED THOUGHTS

IBA International released a report on what PR and marketing agencies require in 2021, finding that 33% of respondents believe there are too many agency contacts on their status calls, resulting in more hours of consultation wasted that could otherwise be spent measuring results.

Image courtesy of IBA International

Communicators should take note that measurement remains an opportunity for pros on the agency side, too. Providing actionable, concise data reports can save time and improve the efficiency of your communication strategies.

Read the entire report here.

Volkswagen details plans to hold former leaders accountable for ‘Dieselgate’

After concluding a five-year long internal investigation into its diesel emissions scandal, Volkswagen announced to employees on Friday that it would seek to collect compensation from former CEO Martin Winterkorn and former Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, along with other board members, for their role in falsifying the emissions records of thousands of vehicles.

Reuters reports:

Volkswagen said the investigation it launched into the scandal, handled by law firm Gleiss Lutz, included the screening and review of 1.6 million files and more than 1,550 interviews and questionings.

“Both Prof. Winterkorn and Mr. Stadler accomplished great things with the Volkswagen Group … there is no question that the impressive achievements in their professional careers still stand,” Volkswagen’s supervisory board said in a note sent to staff on Friday.

“However, as successful as their work was, there were aspects that Prof. Winterkorn and Mr. Stadler as Group Board members did not monitor carefully enough,” it said in the note, seen by Reuters.

The Verge reports:

The investigation’s end is something Volkswagen will undoubtedly point to moving forward any time Dieselgate is brought up. The company has spent the last five-plus years since the scandal broke trying to distance itself from its deceptive and harmful actions, and at many points, has tried to pin it on individual actors.

Why It Matters:

Volkswagen’s message to employees sets a precedent for communicating accountability, suggesting that a leader’s resignation in the face of a scandal will no longer be enough to shield them from consequences. Communicating such watershed news to internal stakeholders first lets them (and the public) know that your organization takes its push for accountability seriously.

CONFERENCE ALERT

As the news cycle continues to rapidly shift and communicators grapple to create strategies that overcome content exhaustion and misinformation, it’s crucial to embrace new best practices grounded in measurement, data and insights that can both build engagement and boost brand awareness.

Learn how to build stronger relationships with journalists to tell your story, and measure the results at Ragan’s Media Relations & Measurement Virtual Conference on Wednesday, April 7.

via GIPHY

Attendees will discover new, smart opportunities to overcome crisis challenges, pitch stories that reporters crave, better understand and deliver to target audiences through analytics and insights, enhance media relations efforts through the PESO model and brand journalism, prove the ROI of your efforts, and more.

Learn powerful insights and secrets from speakers at organizations including NAACP, PepsiCo, Goodwill, Pfizer, Hilton and Britannica Group.

Register for our event here.

WHAT YOU SAID

Over the weekend, we asked what GIF encapsulated your ideal outdoor activity as the weather begins to improve and readers look to break free from their cabin fever.

Some of you planned on climbing:

pic.twitter.com/63Q7iPdGw9

— Sara Cullin (@saracullin) March 26, 2021

pic.twitter.com/WKa7fAkfRw

— D'Eric Watson (@DEricWatson) March 26, 2021

While others planned on golfing:

pic.twitter.com/3IY5rE0T4K

— KP (@khurrumpervaiz) March 27, 2021

Golfing! pic.twitter.com/tlkW73Fumd

— Jackie Spencer (@JackieSpencerPR) March 26, 2021

And a few of you were just happy to frolic again:

pic.twitter.com/SKV7ZQdW3R

— Maggie (@MaggieBizz) March 26, 2021

pic.twitter.com/EBJ9nM48dP

— Alysia Lew (@alysialew) March 26, 2021

Is there a question you’d like to see asked? Let us know by tagging it with #DailyScoop.

SOUNDING BOARD

What mood are you wearing this Monday morning as you prepare to tackle the week, PR pros and communicators?

What mood are you wearing this Monday morning as you prepare to tackle the week, PR pros and communicators?

Show us your game face, or lack thereof, in GIF form and tag us with #DailyScoop. We’ll share top responses in tomorrow’s roundup. pic.twitter.com/JHRh70T0oy

— PR Daily (@PRDaily) March 29, 2021

Show us your game face, or lack thereof, in GIF form and tag us with #DailyScoop. We’ll share top responses in tomorrow’s roundup.

The post GM omits specifics in response to racism allegations, Volkswagen holds former leaders accountable for emissions scandal, and Twitter offers new tool to target select audiences appeared first on PR Daily.

An academic community extends far beyond the school’s physical campus, as the adaptations necessitated by COVID-19 have made crystal clear.

When the pandemic hit, my Wheaton College teammates and I had to adapt our brand journalism strategy to reflect the changes that had altered the social landscape almost overnight.

With students suddenly gone from campus and the institution’s energy focused on the transition to online learning, plowing ahead as normal would be tone-deaf—potentially alienating internal storytelling partners and losing an opportunity to appeal to prospective students, whose interest and enrollment are essential to the bottom line.

We chose to add value by providing our client-facing colleagues in admissions, development and alumni relations with compelling content that answers the question: “What are you doing about COVID-19?”

Our solution was to develop “COVID-19: Wheaton Responds,” a content hub focused on COVID-19 storytelling. Here’s how we did it:

Curate materials that tell your brand story.

As an initial step, we curated existing content that communicates Wheaton’s brand personality and demonstrates its relevance amidst the crisis.

For example, thrice-weekly chapel services are a hallmark of the student experience at Wheaton, the country’s leading Christian liberal arts college. We posted videos of talks on themes that provide encouragement and inspiration, especially those that highlight the pastoral voice of our president.

A TED-like series produced with faculty speakers yielded short videos on topics like community, positive psychology and endurance, which emphasize Wheaton’s intellectual and spiritual leadership.

We also gathered and amplified content that professors had created independently. A professor in the Biblical and Theological Studies department wrote a compelling opinion piece published in The New York Times arguing that staying home was a way for Christians to love and serve our neighbors.

Another wrote daily devotionals reflecting on fear, anxiety, isolation and suffering. Playful movie trailers made by professors previewing their newly online courses offered lighter content to balance the serious themes.

Curating this content on our hub, and promoting it through social media, helped us to stay top of mind in relevant and valuable ways.

Focus on the people who live your brand story.

For high-touch organizations like educational institutions and nonprofits, the people who live your story—in our case, faculty, staff, students and alumni—are essential to your brand.

My colleagues and I identified people we knew through our various networks, and we categorized ways they were living the college’s mission: as experts, educators, inspirers, multitaskers and more.

Those themes created a framework for profiles of leaders whose voices shaped national and international conversations, professors who reconfigured studio art classes for digital delivery, writers and thinkers whose work offered light and hope, faculty families who balanced the new demands of life under lockdown, and alumni who worked to heal patients and to develop a vaccine.

Our goal for these stories was to extend the Wheaton College experience for our audiences—especially our students, now spread around the world—by reminding them that our campus ethos transcends place. We worked to invite prospective students to consider joining our community, to encourage the donors who invest in it, and to engender pride in the alumni who proudly claim it.

We accomplished these aims by telling the stories of people who, whether they know the term or not, serve as brand exemplars—and by giving brand advocates a way to quickly reinforce that message by sharing reflective, empowering content on social media channels.

Emphasize your positive contributions amid the chaos.

The tragic circumstances caused by the pandemic, though unwelcome, provided an opportunity to demonstrate Wheaton College’s contributions to our local community. Write-ups about agreements the college made with local health officials and first responders to quarantine personnel in empty residence halls landed positive earned coverage, and the county health department featured a biology professor’s donation of unused masks on its social media channels.

Although we didn’t take those actions with the goal of gaining positive attention, they reminded our community that we seek to be good neighbors.

On a larger scale, we highlighted the unique work of influential academic centers like the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center and our Humanitarian Disaster Institute. These centers shifted to a higher-than-usual gear, rapidly creating spiritual and psychological resources, convening digital conferences, and producing training content to help the helpers. Our team’s pitching and reporting on their work demonstrated that our academic mission serves a hurting world.

So far, our efforts have paid off. A third of the traffic to the hub has come from new users, and 70% of visitors went on to consume additional content. Anecdotally, client-facing employees have thanked us for generating content that helped them connect with their audiences.

No communicator wishes for the instability and devastation of a worldwide pandemic. However, as with any crisis, even unwanted circumstances can provide an opportunity for PR practitioners to sensitively and responsibly tell their brand’s story. In this case, our task was to demonstrate that our institution is what it claims to be—even under challenging circumstances.

LaTonya Taylor is a PR practitioner in suburban Chicago.

Looking for more insights on crisis response? Join Ragan’s Crisis Leadership Board to network with peers and learn the latest best practices.

(Cover image via)

The post How a college’s spirit—and spirituality—came forth amid the pandemic appeared first on PR Daily.

Good morning, PR pros:

 Beyoncé has launched her new Ivy Park collection, but the clothes have looked surprisingly familiar to some U.K. shoppers.

A bad bitch #adidasxIVYPARK #Beyonce pic.twitter.com/L6hK9GTep8

— 𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 (@beyoncoe) January 17, 2020

Many social media users were quick to point out that the clothes bore a striking resemblance to the employee uniforms for the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s. The chain’s Twitter channel was also able to join the fun:

Repping since 1869 #sainsburys pic.twitter.com/a5VwkKnu5A

— Sainsbury's (@sainsburys) January 17, 2020

Social listening and well-crafted humor can help make a splash on social media and make your organization a part of the bigger cultural conversation. However, if you plan on poking fun at a beloved celebrity like Beyoncé, you should be prepared for the backlash.

Not y'all trying to drag when your sales been falling for three quarters straight. Let's talk about it

— soldoutstadiums | fan account (@taeyonce_b7) January 17, 2020

Here are today’s top stories:

Instagram ditches ‘IGTV’ button

The social media platform is removing the shortcut to its long-form video service, IGTV—a button it displayed at the top of users’ feeds. The shortcut didn’t net Instagram traffic; TechCrunch reported that only 1% of users downloaded the IGTV app. TikTok has racked up 1.15 billion downloads (80.5 million in the United States) over the last 18 months, compared with IGTV’s 1.1 million downloads.

TechCrunch reported:

“As we’ve continued to work on making it easier for people to create and discover IGTV content, we’ve learned that most people are finding IGTV content through previews in Feed, the IGTV channel in Explore, creators’ profiles and the standalone app. Very few are clicking into the IGTV icon in the top right corner of the home screen in the Instagram app” a Facebook company spokesperson tells TechCrunch. “We always aim to keep Instagram as simple as possible, so we’re removing this icon based on these learnings and feedback from our community.”

Why you should care: Instagram’s latest move is a reminder to play to your strengths. The social media platform is dominating users’ attention with visuals and short video content. It’s also amassing millennial and Gen Z users, who are attractive to marketers. By trying to take on competitors such as YouTube, it confused and annoyed users who didn’t want to watch lengthy videos.

Don’t try to be on all social media platforms nor create every type of content that is gaining popularity. Instead, select the channels and formats that will most effectively reach your target audiences and help you achieve your PR and marketing goals.

MEASURED THOUGHTS

Many things have changed about Americans over the last decade, but one of the biggest transformations for communicators is where people get their news.

According to the Pew Research Center, 2018 was the first year that more people got their news from social media than from newspapers. Of the social media platforms, Facebook is the most popular for Americans to get their news.

Walmart, Hilton, Alphabet and more receive top marks for sustainability

Alphabet, American Express, Bank of America, Ford Motor Co., General Mills, Hilton, Johnson & Johnson, Lego, L’Oreal, Microsoft, Toyota Motor Co. and Walmart were among the 2% of 8,000 companies given an A grade in climate action scores by global nonprofit CDP.

Why it matters:

Securing a top spot on a list that highlights your sustainability efforts or other purpose-driven communications is good PR, but these strategies can also be good for your bottom line. “Companies on the A list outperform their peers on the stock market by 5.5 percent every year, according to index provider STOXX,” Aljazerra reported.

FROM THE EXPERTS

It’s Martin Luther King Jr. day, and many communicators are remembering the civil rights icon. However, there are more lessons to take from King’s example than just his activism.

King was a powerful communicator, one of the great public speakers of the 20^th century, and possibly of all time.  Check out what public speaking lessons you can learn from him, and think about how you can use your platform to bring about positive change in your community.

Head & Shoulders and BBQ chain hold watch party for ‘bad luck’ fan

 Kansas City Chiefs fan Charles Penn left the National Football League playoff game on Jan. 12 between the Chiefs and Houston Texans when Kansas City was down by 24 points at halftime. He tweeted that despite paying $200 for tickets, he was convinced he was “bad luck” and watched the second half from home. The Chiefs won, 51–31.

pic.twitter.com/BgQBawhMmf

— Big Buck Chuck (@cpenn4thewin) January 12, 2020

Following the game, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes responded to a reporter’s question by telling Penn to “watch the next game at home”:

Yo @cpenn4thewin is a Kansas City legend. Respect that man. pic.twitter.com/0m5XFCD2tR

— This Is A AFC Championship Chiefs Stan Account (@welplookathim) January 13, 2020

Head & Shoulders, which is a sponsor of Mahomes, quickly reached out and offered Penn a watch party for the AFC championship game on Jan. 19. Shortly after, Jack Stack BBQ offered to host it:

No debate here, @cpenn4thewin. If @PatrickMahomes wants you to stay home, we’ll make that happen. DM us for the ultimate #chiefs football watching setup this weekend

— Head & Shoulders (@Headshoulders) January 13, 2020

@Headshoulders – We've offered @cpenn4thewin a special space in our bar, but we're in to give up our entire private dining space at the Freight House! Care to collaborate? Let's do this!

— Jack Stack Barbecue (@jackstackbbq) January 14, 2020

We're thinking 30 – 40 of @cpenn4thewin's closest friends and family – we'll take care of it!

— Jack Stack Barbecue (@jackstackbbq) January 14, 2020

The moves netted good PR as well as good luck: The Chiefs won against the Tennessee Titans, 35–24 and will play the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.

Hope this helps you keep your head (& shoulders) up while watching this weekend's game, far away from Arrowhead! https://t.co/nL1bwB2JBe

— Head & Shoulders (@Headshoulders) January 17, 2020

Enjoying the AFC Championship game watch party with @cpenn4thewin at @jackstackbbq aka far away from Arrowhead Stadium! #OffenseDefense #BadLuckChuck pic.twitter.com/icEAySFaew

— Head & Shoulders (@Headshoulders) January 19, 2020

How are y’all doing this morning #ChiefsKingdom?!?! I just want to thank @Headshoulders & @jackstackbbq for hooking me up with the Ultimate Watch Party yesterday. I want thank those who showed up as well. My family and friends had a great time! pic.twitter.com/nfa75d3MAv

— Big Buck Chuck (@cpenn4thewin) January 20, 2020

Why it’s important: Opportunities such as this to embrace fans and make brand ambassadors in fun, organic ways can happen when you add social listening to your priorities. Take advantage of what consumers are saying about you, the industry and your partners online, and jump at the chance to be a part of the conversation (when appropriate).

WHAT YOU SAID

 We asked how important humor is for your campaign efforts, and 45% said it’s very important. Thirty-five percent of you said channeling your inner comedian is “somewhat helpful,” and 20% said humor isn’t a focus. However, no one thought humor represented a PR risk.

How important is using humor for your campaigns this year? Share your thoughts with our hashtag #MorningScoop.

— PR Daily (@PRDaily) January 17, 2020

PR pro John Mularoni said humor can distract from your message—a reminder to incorporate it only when it’s appropriate to your audience and brand voice.

When the campaign subject itself is made interesting to target publics, humor can be distracting rather than helpful.

— John Mularoni APR (@MularoniJohn) January 17, 2020

SOUNDING BOARD

As video grows in importance for communications teams, many are scrambling to either hire video pros for their internal teams or find trusted partners to outsource the work.

When creating videos, do you outsource the work or create the content in-house?

When creating videos, do you outsource that work or create the content in-house? Share your thoughts with the hashtag #MorningScoop.

— PR Daily (@PRDaily) January 20, 2020

Share your thoughts with our hashtag #MorningScoop.

The post Instagram drops IGTV button, public speaking tips from MLK, and how consumers get news from social media appeared first on PR Daily.

You spent hours on that video script you thought was killer. The entire production came together without any issues. 

The person you were interviewing was funny and thought-provoking and even got a little emotional on camera. The edit was painless. The graphics were snappy and delivered on deadline. You came up with the pithiest headline and social media post that would make even @Wendys jealous.

And now: No one is watching! What is happening?

Ever feel like this? Don’t panic. You’re not alone.  

Every video producer goes through this. Usually after every video, TV show or film. It’s the loathsome nature of being a visual storyteller. Second-guessing is the worst. You were sure your video was going to go gangbusters, and yet, for whatever reason, it didn’t. It was, for lack of a better term, a mistake. A terrible, awful, you-shouldn’t-have-done-that mistake. 

Don’t fret. It’s not that bad. 

As I say in my workshops, I love mistakes. Mistakes help us learn and improve and create something far better next time. If not “far better,” something less crushingly mediocre. With so many moving parts, how do you learn from a failed video? 

Right now, you’re probably asking yourself: 

Could it be from that one part with the weird audio?

Or when we left our CEO’s stutter in because we felt like it humanized her? Maybe people hated that?

Or the music! Definitely the wrong music choice, right? 

Or the distribution plan? Maybe we released it at the wrong time? 

My short answer? Yes. To all of them. And more. 

Maybe everything went wrong, from story to sound to social media promotion. Or nothing went wrong, and you just got unlucky and released it on a day and time when your video was swallowed whole by whatever ridiculous thing happened on Twitter. 

Job one is to figure out what happened, learn from the mistake, and apply it to your next video. 

Here’s a breakdown of the four key areas where something could’ve gone wrong with your video and how to course-correct for the next time:

1. The story stuff

Surprise, surprise! A bad story is the No. 1 reason for video failure. 

You story has to entertain, provide viewers with “huh, that’s interesting” value, make an emotional connection and have a bit of drama—all at the same time. It needs a beginning, middle and end (even though with videos, we often start with our middle or end first to hook our audience). It has to feel far shorter than it is and have a dynamic and effective flow throughout. 

When I watch a video from a story standpoint, the biggest thing I look for are tune-out points—those moments in the video where you find yourself glancing away from the screen, checking your phone, or turning it off completely. This means the story’s flow is off. 

In television, we look at the first seven minutes. In digital video, we look at the first seven seconds. 

In those seven super-short seconds you have to make an emotional connection, with value and a visual hook. Now do it again every 14 seconds, and keep asking yourself one simple question: Does my story flow?

2. The technical stuff

This is clearly the easiest to diagnose: If your sound is bad, you’re in trouble. If your lighting or focus or framing is off, you’re probably in trouble. Did you make your graphics using PowerPoint? If so, you’re in really big trouble. 

Your audience is no longer conditioned to accept less, from a production standpoint, unless there’s a reason for it. That doesn’t mean you need to dump a ton of money into new gear; you just have to know how to use what you have and use it well. 

YouTube is full of how-to tutorials for better production value from people like Peter McKinnon. Or (cough, cough) you could attend an in-person training session to hone your skills. Either way, master the technical stuff to know when and where you can cut corners.

3. The marketing stuff

The concept is simple: You have to (a) Tell me you made a video and (b) sell me on giving you minutes of my precious time to watch it. In other words, you have to market your marketing. This is where many organizations fall flat. 

Sure, the video itself is a piece of marketing, but if you post it once and hope people will show up simply because you hashtagged it, you’re in for a rude awakening. You are not making content for Netflix or HBO or Marvel or Disney. 

Sorry to say it, but an audience is not seeking out any and all content from you. Audience engagement requires multiple touches on multiple platforms in multiple formats. 

Here’s the easiest way to think about it: One marquee video should yield three to five pieces of content. Below are a few thoughts on how that shakes out: 

• The actual video, with a snappy headline and text description, captioned within YouTube or Facebook’s captioning function, all search-optimized, right down to the file name. 
• A GIF of a key moment from your video with captions over it for posting on Twitter and Instagram. 
• A selected preview of the video uploaded to Instagram stories, with “swipe up” enabled to take you to the full video.
• A fun or poignant behind-the-scenes moment to upload directly to all social media platforms with a link to the full video on YouTube. 
• An additional thought-leadership interview with a key person in your video uploaded to LinkedIn.

4. The unpredictable stuff

This is just what it sounds like: the universe conspiring against you and your video. It could be severe weather, breaking news, a platform outage, or a mom wearing a Chewbacca mask taking over every screen in the world for a week—anything that could distract your audience from your content for any reason could lead to that video falling by the wayside. 

I call that “content roadkill.” All you can do is shrug, double down on your marketing efforts, and then move on. 

Justin Allen is an affiliate consultant with Ragan Consulting Group. He is a content and brand marketing expert, filmmaker, producer, entrepreneur and conference keynote speaker.

The post 4 reasons why your video failed—and how to fix it next time appeared first on PR Daily.

Before making an important decision in your life, who do you go to for advice?

It’s probably your partner, family member or longtime friend. Consumers trust the people closest to them because they have established relationships with them and know that they have their best interests at heart.

People are skeptical of promises from brands, but not friends. This is why influencer marketing is so successful—and crucial for growing key trade show or event metrics.

Who is considered an influencer?

An influencer is someone with a specialized passion, expertise or topical authority, who has significant power to affect the purchasing decisions of others.

While there are many types of influential personas—and quite a bit of debate among marketers about who technically fits under the “influencer” umbrella—there are a few groups that stand out.

Celebrities, journalists, bloggers and social media stars are the most obvious groups. However, any individual with the ability to shape the opinions, conversations, trends and actions of their audience can be considered an influencer.

[RELATED: Make sure your team is up to date on the latest skills, strategies and practices. Learn more about Ragan Training.]

Niche “micro-influencers” represent the Goldilocks zone for many brands. Not only do they command a substantial number of active followers, but they’re also far more familiar and relatable than a superstar.

For example, “Sweet John” Muehlbauer of Rocksauce Studios was one of the lucky few to participate in HBO’s Westworld activation at SXSW in advance of the show’s season 2 premiere. As a brand that relies on word-of-mouth marketing, HBO was counting on social chatter from influencers to create buzz about the show—and it worked. Muehlbauer shared a live stream on Twitter that let his 2,400+ followers experience some of the event’s magic:

Live from #SXSWestworld #sxsw https://t.co/W8K9xef6rp

— Sweet John (@sweetjohn) March 9, 2018

On the other end of the spectrum, Tim Burton—better known as “Shmee150″—is an auto industry influencer who commands more than 1 million Instagram followers alone. He regularly attends auto shows and meet-ups, previewing the coolest cars and latest technology for his audience.

At the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), he gave a coveted #firstlook at new vehicles like this one:

The covers are off the @rimac_automobili C_two! My video showing you around the new 1,914hp full electric hypercar with some phenomenal technology is live now on YouTube! #Rimac #C_two #firstlook #GIMS #Shmee150

A post shared by Tim – Shmee (@shmee150) on Mar 6, 2018 at 5:33am PST

Who the best influencers are for your brand will be contingent on your industry, target audience and campaign goals. For example, if you’re looking to generate awareness about a new event, your influencer search will look a lot different than if your goal is to sell tickets quickly.

What are the benefits of influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing inspires action. Seventy-four percent of consumers say word-of-mouth recommendations are key influencers in their purchasing decisions.

It’s not surprising that ” influencer marketing content delivers 11X higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing.”

If that hasn’t swayed you already, influencer marketing can also yield other benefits:

• New, original content creation — Influencers can create authentic content in the medium that resonates best with their audiences, such as blog posts.

Product reviews are the most common type of content that we expect to see from influencers for consumer brands, but many other formats are just as persuasive. Stunning Instagram images, live video streams, and consistent tweets can all drive social proof (even in for B2B marketers).

• Quality audience reach — An influencer’s following is coveted because it is loyal, active and engaged. What’re 100,000 impressions, especially if they’re from the wrong demographic/firmographic and couldn’t care less about the content?
• Authentic action — The best influencers will be in tune with the needs, concerns and wishes of their followers. An engaged follower will be primed to visit a website, sign up for a newsletter, spread the word, or even make an immediate purchase.

How can influencers shape events?

As an event organizer, think about your hallmarks for success. You probably want to see attendance go up, booth space sell out, sponsorships increase and panels expand—all while creating a memorable, productive experience. Influencer marketing can help you check off all of those boxes.

Influencers can be your brand’s ticket to:

• Local buzz — Whether your event is in Las Vegas, New York, or anywhere in between, consider adding a local influencer to the headliners. Not only will this help draw in more attendees from the area, but it can give you a boost in local news coverage. Plus, if your event changes locations each year or is debuting in a new city, a local influencer relationship can help with rapport.
• Earned media — If your event struggles to attract media attention or is looking for new story angles, an influencer partnership can be the newsworthy jumpstart you need. For example, involve the influencer in educational event programming or other content tracks. This can generate pre-show buzz about a core part of the show—bringing in larger crowds who will benefit from the influencer’s perspective.
• Digital longevity — Face-to-face experiences are invaluable. However, an online component can amplify those experiences and give them staying power.

Whether they do live blogging, streaming, or otherwise document and recap the event through their lens, your event will take on new life. Bonus: those who couldn’t attend will still get some exposure to the show, whetting their appetite for next year’s event.

The best events are malleable; they evolve with the industry and are receptive to changing audiences. Though you might be hesitant about working with influencers, this tactic is not just for consumer brands—it’s for any business that wants a stronger community.

In an industry that hinges on relationships, connections, and experiences, influencer marketing is crucial to making trade shows even more personal.

Erienne Muldoon is a senior customer content specialist for Virtual Press Office, PR Newswire’s trade show marketing solutions division. A version of this article originally appeared on the Cision blog.

(Image via)

The post Why event promotion should use influencers appeared first on PR Daily.

I remember the presentation well—but for all the wrong reasons.

The keynote speaker at a well-known conference had decades of experience, a clear message, great stage presence and a truly cringeworthy presentation. Every other slide featured clip art, stock photos or dancing GIFs.

I don’t remember the message of his presentation, but I certainly remember the larger lesson: what not to do in a PowerPoint presentation.

A live presentation can be a powerful workplace communication tool, but a lot can go wrong. Try these five tips to stay on course and deliver presentations that will captivate your audience:

1. Embed attention-grabbing YouTube videos.

Did you know that more than a billion hours of video are watched every day on YouTube? There’s a reason video is perhaps the most engaging type of content.

Why make your audience endure hefty chunks of text or dull charts when you can easily embed a video instead? Instead of just “telling” people about the importance of learning from errors, you could insert John Cleese’s motivational speech on “The Importance of Mistakes.”

Including a memorable, entertaining video increases the chances that your message will stick.

The how-to:

• Copy the embed code from your YouTube video.
• In the Insert menu in your PowerPoint slide, click Video > Online Video.
• Paste your embed code, or you can even search for a YouTube video from within PowerPoint.
• Move and resize the video within your slide, and preview it to make sure it’s what you want.

2. Zoom between slides at light speed.

The old way of navigating through your presentation was to click through it, one slide at a time, in order.

Zoom lets you zip around your presentation to different slides instead of clicking through laboriously.

For example, say you want to quickly flash back to your first slide, then return to your place in the presentation. Or, you have a funny Crying Jordan GIF (used sparingly, of course) in the middle of the presentation that you want to summon at opportune times. You can also use Zoom to show a bird’s-eye view of all your slides at once, like a table of contents.

The how-to:

1. From the Insert menu, select Zoom.
2. Summary Zoom will show an overview of all your slides, Slide Zoom enables you to jump to a single slide anywhere in your presentation, and Section Zoom enables you to show a group of selected slides.
3. Once you have that down, you can get fancy with Zoom Tools (on the Format menu) and customize transitions and backgrounds.

3. Dazzle your audience with Morph.

Back in the early ’90s, a computer graphics technique known as “morph” was wowing audiences. Prime early examples of this tech in action include the T-1000 smoothly transitioning from a pool of mercury into a human in “Terminator 2“ and Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” video.

Back then, morphing was a multi-million-dollar technology limited to Hollywood production studios. Today, the Morph feature in PowerPoint lets you use animations to seamlessly transition from one slide to the next.

[RELATED: Earn recognition for your incredible comms efforts]

Morph is essentially an easier, quicker way of doing some of the things you can do in the Animations tab.

Check out this video for an example:

The how-to:

• On the Transitions tab, select Morph.
• The two slides you are connecting need at least one object in common: text or a shape, picture or chart, for example.
• The simplest way to approach this is to duplicate a slide, then alter the duplicate by moving objects around, or by removing or adding text, etc.
• PowerPoint will automatically animate these changes.
• Once you have the hang of Morph, check out these advanced techniques.

4. Use the Designer to create sleek slides.

If you know what text and pictures you want to include, but don’t have the time or ability to design the perfect layout, Designer does the heavy lifting for you. Think of it as an AI interior designer for your slides. You add the text and images, and Designer lays them out for you. As PowerPoint expert Heather Ackmann says: “It instantly gives you a slide makeover.”

Don’t worry; you’re still in charge. If you don’t like what you see, you can always ask Designer to try again.

The how-to:

• Designer works automatically in the background while you’re building your presentation.
• From the Insert menu, just start adding pictures and charts, and Designer will make suggestions. Designer will even turn your bullet lists into sequential graphics.
• Note that Designer works only when you’re online and using one of PowerPoint’s built-in themes.
• You do have to opt in to Designer the first time you use PowerPoint, but you can always turn it on via the Design tab—or off from File > Options > General.

5. Use your smartphone as a remote and laser pointer.

How many presentations have endured where the presenter loses his train of thought due to constant fumbling with a malfunctioning remote or glitchy laptop?

Thankfully, there’s now an app for that. Downloading the free PowerPoint app allows you to seamlessly glide through presentations (and point at whatever you’d like) with a few taps on your phone.

The how-to:

• You can download the free PowerPoint app for Android, iPhone or Windows phones.
• Next, connect your phone to the projector with an HDMI cable or WiFi (through AirPlay or ChromeCast, for example).
• In a pinch, you can even create and share presentations on the PowerPoint app, then continue working on them once you get to your computer.

Lousy PowerPoint presentations are good for a laugh, but wouldn’t we all be better off in a world full of beautiful, seamless presentations? Use these tips to strive toward that noble goal.

A version of this post first appeared on the Capterra blog.

(Image via)

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The excitement for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is palpable.

It’s been more than 40 years since Mark Hamill first graced movie screens as Luke Skywalker, and many people are clamoring to see the Jedi suit up again in Disney’s most recent installment. Deadline reported that the film could close its worldwide box office opening by making up to $440 million.

In honor of the franchise—and to celebrate the Force—here are 10 types of PR pros, explained using “Star Wars” characters:

1. The leader: Leia Organa

via GIPHY

Whether it’s an organization or a client, you’ve got an alliance to protect—and you take your role seriously. You are decisive and help your team (or rebel army) craft engaging campaigns and tight PR copy. You’re the one to take responsibility when PR messages go south, so you ensure that you’re prepared for anything and set clear goals and rules to help your team succeed.

2. The risk taker: Han Solo

via GIPHY

You’re a PR pro who knows that taking risks is the way to stand out from the crowd and potentially win media coverage and consumers’ attention with a unique PR campaign or snarky social media messages. That attitude can get you into controversy (as when Han shot Greedo first), so you’re always prepared for a crisis.

3. The introvert: Luke Skywalker or Rey

via GIPHY

You might have grown to appreciate solace more (à la Luke) or maybe you have become more extroverted when your responsibilities have forced you into the spotlight (Rey), but you definitely need time to recharge after being “on” all day and working with others. Though some might think you don’t belong in PR, you make a great communicator because of your keen observations and listening skills. You just prioritize your socializing.

4. The analyst: BB-8, R2-D2 or C-3PO

via GIPHY

When it comes to measurement, you are the droids PR pros are looking for. You have a keen eye for metrics, and can recognize which analytics can reveal if your efforts are boosting your organization’s bottom line—and which are just for show. You stay up to date on the newest measurement trends and tools to collect data on your audience before you launch a campaign, and you’re the person everyone turns to for effective evaluation metrics and to prove ROI.

5. The storyteller: Yoda

via GIPHY

You’re a communicator who sees the big picture, and can share that vision with others. A master storyteller, you craft tales that grab audiences’ attention and evoke powerful emotions. You’re instinctively able to pick out the hero (or Jedi) of any story, which is helpful when you want to identify an organization’s champions for press releases, social media posts and more.

6. The creative: Poe Dameron or Cassian Andor

via GIPHY

Just as rebel pilots have to think on their feet, you’re a PR pro who can quickly come up with ideas and new ways to approach an old problem. You excel in a brainstorming meeting or when crafting content, because you can always come up with a different angle to tell your organization’s story.

7. The ambitious one: Kylo-Ren or Darth Vader

via GIPHY

You’re a communicator who rises through the ranks quickly and with your eyes set on nothing lower than the very top—whether that’s an executive position or winner of a coveted PR award. Though ambition isn’t a bad thing, you should take care to not let your love of power and control cloud your judgement and use unethical tactics to achieve your goals.

8. The teacher: Obi-Wan Kenobi

via GIPHY

You’re a veteran PR pro, and with many years of experience under your belt, you have many insights to share with younger and greener communicators. You might be an adjunct professor or speaker, or you might simply participate in PRSA activities and submit the occasional guest post, but you’re not stingy about sharing your expertise and knowledge about past and upcoming industry trends.

[WEBINAR: Beginner and intermediate writers – don’t miss Grammar Girl’s latest webinar on April 23]

9. The digital native: Finn

via GIPHY

You’ve grown up using mobile devices and social media, so you know your way around the digital communications landscape. Unlike some millennials (Stormtroopers) who understand technology but lack context and vision, you’re able to cut through the noise to capture consumers’ attention online and explain to executives and clients why a certain tactic or tool is the best way to meet your goals and complement other PR and marketing efforts.

10. The networker: Chewbacca

via GIPHY

Though not a furry wookiee, you take after Chewy with your fierce loyalty to your friends and associates, which makes you a person well-known in many circles. You’re quick to attend an event or meeting where you can expand your network and rub shoulders with journalists, fellow PR pros and potential clients (or rebels). It helps that you’re charming, offer your assistance and can make people smile.

PR Daily readers, which character are you? Are there any we missed? Let us know in the comments below.

(Image via)

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The summer Pokémon Go phenomenon is creating a newfound communication predicament for PR pros at hospitals.

Many are facing criticism for asking the public, patients and even employees not to participate in the hunt for virtual creatures in hospital settings. It seems the augmented reality cartoon game—released by Nintendo on July 7—is wreaking havoc on day-to-day operations at medical treatment facilities nationwide.

Are communicators and providers overreacting to people using the app on hospital grounds? Larry Daly, a spokesperson for Covenant HealthCare in Saginaw, Michigan, addressed the issue in a statement:

While Covenant HealthCare believes it is great physical exercise for children to hunt for Pokemon, the hospital is not the place to do this. To ensure extraordinary care for our patients, Covenant prohibits entry into the hospital to hunt for Pokemon. Our security department and the local police have been alerted to this issue.

The Miami Herald reported that the University of Kansas Hospital issued a similar plea to the public, invoking HIPAA and other safety concerns:

Playing Pokémon Go…poses a real risk to patients, visitors and employees, according to a memo sent to employees of University of Kansas Hospital. The statement identified risks to physical safety, patient privacy, player privacy, computer security and personal safety. The hospital also is asking Pokémon Go to remove PokéStops—places where players can cash in on extra Pokéballs—from the hospital’s property, and it is asking players not to hunt Pokémon on hospital grounds.

The Herald article also said:

Pokémon Go “is an enticement to bring players into areas where we can’t accommodate them,” Bob Spaniol, director of HIPAA commitment for the University of Kansas Hospital Authority, said in an interview. “We’re busy, and we’re trying to take care of patients.” Spaniol said the hospital received reports of people in restricted areas, so [leaders] decided to encourage people to play the game elsewhere. The hospital also was concerned about liability in case of an accident or breach of privacy.

FREE DOWNLOAD: How to turn your executive into a brilliant speaker. Executives at Utah Valley Hospital have asked the community at large to refrain from entering the facility to hunt creatures. A post on Advisory.com said hospital representatives had a specific concern about safety:

At Utah Valley Hospital, the game has directed players to areas near the hospital’s helipad, which can be dangerous for both patients and players, and to other locations in and around the hospital. Janet Frank, a hospital spokesperson, said, “If there are extra people who are here not for a patient care reason, then that can cause problems,” adding that players should stay outside of the hospital. “If there was a big group of people [entering the hospital], then that could be very concerning.”

Kids on the move

One challenge in keeping children safe on public streets while they engage in the game is traffic. A local TV newscast in San Antonio featured a trauma surgeon who demonstrated how distracted kids can get hit by cars while hunting Pokémon: Cedar Park Family ER has posted a few quick tips to safeguard children who are entrenched in the game: In all fairness, many clinicians are praising Pokémon Go and crediting the app for encouraging youngsters—including those who are hospitalized—to move around and exercise. Also, healthy children and teens who often complain of boredom during summer school breaks have gotten out of their homes. They are on the run in search of Pokémon.

Meanwhile, many TV news outlets—and YouTube—featured video of young patients being encouraged to use the smartphone app as part of their recovery and treatment. At the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, communicators shared a video on YouTube with this caption and was also tweeting about it:

Pokémon GO is more than just fun and games at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital! Our staff uses the app and other augmented reality tools to transform the patient care experience, encourage kids to connect with one another, and venture out of their hospital bed.

Johns Hopkins is on board as well: Speaking of beds, I would be remiss if I didn’t include this Pokémon Go gem. A father-to-be waiting for his wife to be prepped for a C-section spotted a Pidgey. BuzzFeed ran a post on Jonathan Theriot’s Labor and Delivery activity. The post went viral:

“As soon as it popped up, I was like, oh my gosh, there’s a Pidgey sitting on your bed!” he said. “So, I screenshotted it, then caught it and showed it to her.”

The post sparked interest from a local TV producer, too:

(Image via)

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Pope Francis’ first-ever papal address to Congress provides an artful example of two key elements of speech content: audience adaptation and speech structure.

Let’s look at these two vital components:

1. Audience adaption

Many leaders have stock speeches to which they add a few local references in the introduction as well as an anecdote or two that will resonate with listeners and support main ideas in the speech body.

In contrast to that superficial type of audience adaptation, the pope’s address clearly was crafted with Congress and the American people in mind. It was not a stump speech.

Careful consideration of the audience started with a reference to the national anthem in his the opening line, when the pope expressed gratitude “for your invitation to address this joint session of Congress in ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave.'” He continued to connect with American audience members in the introduction of his speech by noting, “I, too, am a son of this great continent.”

The pope also adapted his speech to his immediate surroundings, motioning to the relief portrait of Moses in the U.S. House chamber and saying of the lawmakers before him, “Yours is a work which makes me reflect in two ways on the figure of Moses.”

In the body of his speech, the pope adapted his address to help his message resonate with his audience. Rather than ticking off a list of values or priorities, he raised key issues by honoring four notable Americans:

“My visit takes place at a time when men and women of goodwill are marking the anniversaries of several great Americans. The complexities of history and the reality of human weakness notwithstanding, these men and women, for all their many differences and limitations, were able by hard work and self- sacrifice – some at the cost of their lives – to build a better future. [. . . ] I would like to mention four of these Americans: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton.”

The first two iconic Americans are memorialized on the National Mall, steps away from the U.S. Capitol, where the pope was speaking. By starting his discussion of broader ideals within the context of these vaunted Americans (neither Lincoln nor King was Catholic, of course), the pope built rapport with U.S. lawmakers and citizens of all faiths and creeds.

Building on this connection, he then discussed two lesser-known figures in American history—Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. The Washington Post described them in its reporting Thursday as “two Catholics who are beloved by many but were controversial during their time.”

From the opening lines through the body of his speech, the pope carefully adapted his message to his audience. He even concluded by saying, “God bless America,” a closing often used by U.S. presidents and other political leaders.

Related: Create TED-worthy messages for employees, customers and the media at our Storytelling for Communicators Workshop

2. Speech structure

The pope also elegantly crafted his speech’s microstructure—the overt way in which a speaker previews and reviews primary themes of the talk. This technique gives audience members an overview of what is to come, helps them follow points in the body of the speech, and offers one last reminder to help them remember the central ideas long after the speech ends.

For many speakers, microstructure feels forced or awkward. Not so for Pope Francis; his skillful preview was included in the block quotation above. His brief, clear and well-integrated review was:

“A nation can be considered great when it defends liberty as Lincoln did; when it fosters a culture which enables people to ‘dream’ of full rights for all their brothers and sisters, as Martin Luther King sought to do; when it strives for justice and the cause of the oppressed, as Dorothy Day did by her tireless work; the fruit of a faith which becomes dialogue and sows peace in the contemplative style of Thomas Merton.”

How can you imbue your next speech with the adaptive and structural lessons from the pope’s address?

Christine Clapp is president of Spoken with Authority, a presentation skills consultancy, and the author of “Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public Speaking in Professional Contexts.”

(Image by Aleteia Image Department, via)

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You can’t go desk to desk, waving your arms and shouting, “Hey! Listen up, this is important!”

One of the most intimidating challenges facing corporate communicators is prying employees loose from their jam-packed schedules—demanding jobs and hectic personal lives—to pay attention to the company’s internal messages.

Kristin Graham, Expedia’s VP for engagement and communications, says internal communicators wishing to command the attention of today’s employees must embrace the rapid evolution of today’s digital tools.

Graham will offer her insights at Ragan Communications’ Social Media for PR and Corporate Communications Conference, Feb. 18-20 at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. In her talk, “Dos and Don’ts Learned from Dot-Com Employee Communications,” she’ll reveal how Expedia has met these challenges and achieved extraordinary success in staff engagement.

The first key, Graham says, is interacting with employees, not bombarding them with corporate messages.

“There’s no such thing as a communications department anymore,” she says. “This is a world of user-generated content, so we’ve got to use our employees to engage our employees.”

This strategy works as well for a small company as it does for one with thousands on the payroll. “Every one of our employees is a communicator,” she says. “Once you see that and harness it, you can dramatically extend your virtual reach.”

Think globally; enlist locally

The second success factor for engaging employees, Graham says, is breaking out of headquarters-centric and even United States-centric thinking, especially for an international company.

“You have to be a global communicator, and that means finding embedded reporters—the ‘friendlies’ among your staff, wherever they are—and encouraging them to take part,” Graham says.

She believes employee-generated content is far more powerful and interesting because it’s real—far more authentic than what a communications department can generate.

Graham warns, however, that despite their resistance, communicators must let go in order to survive. It’s a matter of self-preservation, she says.

Create stories with mass appeal

Finally, Graham believes that telling great stories—especially fun stories—lies at the heart of every thriving internal communications program. She recommends that communicators raise the bar when it comes to telling their internal stories—make them exciting to the external world as well.

“Ask yourself: Why would someone from outside the company be interested in this? Why would someone care if they saw it on LinkedIn?” she says. Her goal is to make employees and outsiders click on their internal stories to find out more.

As for making stories fun, Graham cites Expedia’s love of employee-created videos. Her team posted its short video of employees who won raffle prizes at the company party. The Trivago team in Europe created a musical video that has garnered more than 11,000 views on YouTube.

“Human nature is to have fun,” she says. “We’re social beings. If you’re not injecting fun into your communications, you’re condemned to always writing about dental plans.”

To learn more from Graham and 18 other expert speakers, join us at Disney this February. Get registered here!

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However, that passion—combined with the collective life experiences, contacts, and abilities of an organization’s members—won’t amount to much without the proper plan to launch the campaign.

There are many variables to consider, which are found by carefully gauging the sophistication of the founders of the group. How media savvy are they? Do they have media training? Are they good public speakers? Do they completely understand the mission of the group, or are they newcomers to the topic at hand? The “greener” the group, the more prep work there is to do.

Though every group is different, here are basic steps that should be taken before a launch:

1. Survey the landscape of similar organizations. There is no shortage of nonprofit organizations out there, and many have the same mission.

Find out which movements already exist. At the very least, you will be aware of the shortcomings and strengths of your competitors.

2. Closely define your mission. Be sure that the mission of your organization is different enough from similar organizations that people will understand how yours is necessary in the grand scheme of things.

3. Decide on the ideal audience for the launch. “The media” is often the main influencer, but get creative and figure out how to reach allied groups and others who may be interested in the new movement.

4. Craft key messages. When communicating a new idea or introducing a new organization, remember that there’s only one chance to make a first impression.

Spend some time writing and honing the essence of what the organization is, and most importantly, what its call to action is.

5. Select the appropriate timing of your announcement. In a normal media week, Tuesday or Wednesday mornings are typically the best time to catch a reporter or editor at their desks.

For blog and social media content postings, Fridays and weekends tend to be the best time for engagement and sharing of your news. Making sure your announcement is made at an optimum time increases your chances for coverage.

If you’re launching at a live news conference or an event, be sure to have full command of the technology you’re using. You don’t want your message to be interrupted by a sloppy presentation.

6. Give allied organizations and individuals a preview. Alert them ahead of time to information that will be released publicly. They will appreciate being “in the know” and help spread the message once it’s announced.

[RELATED: Join Ragan's Communications Leadership Council, exclusively for leaders in employee and internal communications]

7. Make sure website, social channels and email lists are ready. Once someone hears about the new effort, make sure they are able to easily access more information online.

Keep in mind the launch is only the first phase of PR needed to keep your organization’s name out there. Once the initial buzz cools down, look for ways to publicize your cause in second-tier media outlets and through social media. Claire Celsi is the director of public relations for Spindustry Digital. A version of this story originally appeared on Public Relations Princess.

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RELATED: Hear how top companies adapted to the digital PR industry changes at this August event.

“Damage Control: The Essential Lessons of Crisis Management” by Eric Dezenhall and John Weber: This book got a lot of attention upon its original release, as it gleefully tore much of the prevailing crisis communications “wisdom” to shreds. Among other memorable moments, the authors discuss why “getting all of the information out early” is often impossible, why sometimes companies have to do reporters’ jobs for them, and why the oft-cited Tylenol “best practices” crisis response is badly outdated. If you like hearing a smartly argued counterargument, this book’s for you. “The Four Stages of Highly Effective Crisis Management: How to Manage the Media In the Digital Age” by Jane Jordan-Meier: Jane’s straightforward prose, expert sourcing, relevant data, and instructive case studies make this detailed book an easy read. Her international perspective (she cites cases in Australia, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United States) makes clear just how universal these crisis communications truths are. (You can read excerpts here.) Media training “Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die” by Chip and Dan Heath: The Heath Brothers practice what they preach. Two years after reading their book (for the first time), I still remember many of the anecdotes they shared; those case studies make their underlying and more substantive points even stickier. Their SUCCESs formula is an easily-remembered way to create more effective messages. This is not a “media training book,” but I’ve included it in this section since much of their advice can be applied brilliantly to your media interactions. “The Sound Bite Workbook” by Marcia Yudkin: In her short workbook, Marcia Yudkin offers some terrific advice to help spokespersons create the all elusive “sound bite.” You can use it to create captivating quotes for the media, presentations, website taglines, and marketing messages. This book is only available for the Kindle—and at $2.99, it’s a steal. “Your Public Best: The Complete Guide to Making Successful Public Appearances in the Meeting Room, on the Platform, and on TV” by Lillian Brown: This book, which was updated in 2002, is a bit outdated. Its strongest section—about clothing, makeup, and hair—predates the era of HDTV. So why am I recommending this book anyway? Because Brown’s section on how to dress, apply makeup, and wear your hair is still the strongest on the market. If you plan on making television appearances (or serve someone who will), buy this book and read the first 60 pages. (You can preview some of Ms. Brown’s work here.) “The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview” by Brad Phillips: OK, this is my book. I’m not going to review it myself, because I have an obvious conflict of interest. The book is organized as 101 two-page lessons and covers message development, media interviewing, body language and attire, and crisis communications. I hope you’ll consider adding it to your book collection. (You can read independent reviews here and find free sample lessons here.) Brad Phillips is the president of Phillips Media Relations, which specializes in media and presentation training. He tweets @MrMediaTraining and blogs at Mr. Media Training, where a version of this story first appeared.

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The biggest surprise of the list of Republican National Convention speakers was Clint Eastwood’s completely befuddling, funny, and painful stage act previewing Romney, but more on that in a moment.

Romney drew a sharp contrast between himself and Obama, even mocking the president’s 2008 nomination speech: “President Obama promised to slow the rise of the oceans and to heal the planet. My promise is to help you and your family.”

Romney also offered some poignant one-liners, such as “When the world needs something big to be done, you need an American,” or “You know there is something wrong when the best feeling you had was the day you voted for (Obama),” and the best one-liner of the night: “In America we celebrate success not apologize for success.”

Conversation online focused on how it was a good speech, but not surprising and entirely expectable. People said his speech was more about getting to work than getting people to like him.

While it was supposed to be Romney’s night, you can bet the talk around the water cooler today will be about the surprise speaker, Clint Eastwood. Even CNN’s Anderson Cooper couldn’t stop talking about it in the post speech discussion.

In what seemed like an unscripted performance, Clint Eastwood offered an odd, at times uncomfortable rambling endorsement of Mitt Romney, pretending to have off-color conversation with an imaginary President Obama sitting in an empty chair.

The Twitter-sphere went off the hook, with thousands of updates each minute and a new viral meme #eastwooding, in which people shared pictures of themselves pointing to an empty chair. In the 30 minutes after the speech, a new Twitter account called @InvisibleObama landed 50,000 followers. The Romney campaign sent out a release to diffuse the issue saying it was not an official speech, but rather a break from them.

Some of the best tweets:

I think the Republicans just locked up the rogue cop vote.

This is one of those things when thousands watching in person in Tampa are like haha?, millions on tv r saying…wtf

Was that as weird as Gore trying to dance the macarena?

That was one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen at a convention. Who’s next, Bob Newhart having a pretend phone call?

I have newfound respect for the chimp that had to act opposite Clint#GOP2012 #AnyWhichWayButCoherent

Romney and Ryan families take defensive center position on stage, waiting to hear that Clint has left and it’s safe to go.

Even President Obama weighed in on Twitter, tweeting: “This seat’s taken,” with a picture of himself seated in a chair.

Gil Rudawsky is a former reporter and editor. He heads up the crisis communication and issues management practice at GroundFloor Media in Denver. Read his blog or contact him at grudawsky@groundfloormedia.com.

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