Public Relations

The restaurant netted national attention, about 50k+ followers on Facebook, and – I can’t confirm this – but I’m sure they’re dining room is now full. Their website is so busy that it’s crashed. And so goes the half-life of the social media meltdown. Far from the howls and screams of the social media pundits, you’ll find that the episode was nothing more than a fart in the wind.[read more]

A warning, from an ex-digital activist, that keeping a low profile, or no profile, is a tactical risk when it comes to reputation management in the 21st century.[read more]

Personal branding (image: Rosaura Ochoa / Flickr)

It doesn’t matter if you have the perfect job and have no plans of leaving — consistent networking and personal branding efforts ensure you’ll stay on the top of your network’s members’ minds and be viewed as an authority in your field. That starts with your interaction with others, even in the space of digital.[read more]

Good marketers know you have to stand for something. You can’t be all things to all people and still expect to build an iconic brand. Targeting is what sets you apart from the rest – a fact that holds especially true when it comes to fashion. And branding isn’t just about whom to attract; it’s also about whom to repel.[read more]

An update on the Amy's Bakery Company social media fiasco. They've hired Justin Rose PR and are planning to carryout a grand reopening. I can't help but feel that a huge amount of the people following this story are purely people wanting to watch the carnage unfold. And unfold it has! They will get next to zero value from that increased audience.[read more]

social media meltdown / shutterstock

It’s easy to read about best practices, nod your head in agreement, and then move on. But the fine folks Amy’s Baking Company are in the middle of writing a modern cautionary tale that shows just how important keeping control of your social self really is.[read more]

What May 11, 2013 brings to the political fate of Pakistan will be determined in some hours of having written this article. Whether that is a "Tsunami of Change" or a "Perception of Stagnation" with the same old leaders reclaiming the helm, we can be sure of the unprecedented role that social media has played in the lives of Pakistanis.[read more]

For business companies and online marketers, social networks are tools to help diffuse information and to reach out to a larger audience at virtually no cost. Individuals, even celebrities and politicians, have the freedom to post information about their interests, lifestyles, and little moments in life. But posting publicly about private or sensitive matters places you, or companies, or any renowned personalities at risk.[read more]

We have to measure PR results to business goals. You can measure your efforts with tools such as Google analytics, DoubleClick Ad Planner or WhoReTweetedMe, but I’d take it one step further. From there, you have to combine the data you get in there with a client’s customer relationship management software, their email marketing software, and their ecommerce software. Without access to all of those things, you are only scratching the surface.[read more]

LinkedIn (Image Source)

Every professional should be using LinkedIn, and that goes for writers too. LinkedIn goes beyond just meeting new people, and participating in “getting to know you” conversations and lead generating “dance cards.” Follow these simple steps to create and use an All-Star author’s LinkedIn profile.[read more]

twitter/shutterstock

It is important that a business both develops and maintains a consistent image on Twitter. Implementing these changes will ensure that your Twitter account is squeaky clean because you never know what social media actions may and could be used against you.[read more]

SEO Zen wisdom

What is the sound of one keyword clapping? Can Google itself create a site so large that it can't even be indexed? SEO is going away, at least in the way that most of us know it. What's taking its place is something exciting and better, but, like enlightenment, it can't be achieved directly.[read more]

This infographic shows where things stand now in brilliant, compelling fashion. From the numbers to specific case studies, it shows social media at its best and worst in times of crisis. See how many people can potentially be reached almost instantly (it's in the billions) and what ways governments locally and federally are utilizing this ever-growing set of tools to handle emergencies.[read more]

content marketing strategy / shutterstock

Cold calls, or in this case cold e-mails, made to outlets that you are interested in contributing to are never easy to write – they always seem to wind up sounding stiff and rigid. Formulaic pitches, however, can be effective if done right. Make sure to answer these three questions before crafting yours.[read more]

marketing by superfans

Superfans are everywhere. From television shows and video games to automotive and even CPGs, superfans are embracing the brands they love. Brand managers: Are you listening to your superfans? Are you recognizing and rewarding them? If not, your brand may be suffering.[read more]

Digital PR is all about combining traditional PR with content marketing, social media and search: transforming static news into conversations and bypassing media to speak directly to your target audience online. News can be spread further, faster, and more directly to a specific target audience than ever before in history. It allows us to maximize news like never before. Instead of being satisfied with a single placement, your news can be shared exponentially.[read more]

Is PR over? / shutterstock

If you're a small or mid-sized business trying to position yourself as a thought leader, why waste time trying to get traditional media coverage? You're far better off writing relevant, provocative articles targeted to your ideal customer and promoting them through social media.[read more]

Entrepreneur Andre Niemeyer

The social web is an amazing opportunity to create small interactions that lead to larger engagements — meaningful relationships and business opportunity. Turning online connections to offline relationships transforms weak links into strong bonds.[read more]

I started back into the PR agency world and had no idea what I was doing anymore. Wait, what? Businesses use Twitter to enhance their brand image? I don’t even have a personal Twitter account; I never thought I was interesting enough… and Facebook… that, too?[read more]

Kare Anderson

“If we feel instinctively liked by someone else then we tend to tend to project unto them the qualities we like in other people…and that’s priceless.” Those are the wise words of Kare Anderson, expert on the art and science of understanding and perfecting behavioral cues.[read more]