Organizations need to get more social

How often do we forget that organizations consist of people?  Ultimately the success of an organization depends on how well its people collaborate and work together.

Has anyone ever gone above and beyond or gone the extra mile at a job?    Doing something outside your explicit job description because you saw a need and handled it.  I doubt I'm the only one of working a little too hard sometimes, but it's actions like these that really make organizations succeed.

Organizations are more successful if they can work as a community sharing information more directly between the people on the front lines and those in product development, management, and other departments.  For organizations to achieve this they must go beyond technology implementation and change the way the organization operates.

"A social organization mobilizes its people — from associates to customers, suppliers and others without regard to hierarchy or position — and their interests, passions, knowledge and experience. "

All Organizations Are Social, But Few Are Social Organizations - http://pulse.me/s/1YA8K

A social networking revolution?

Chapter 8 of PR 2.0
Reaching audiences


People today only see what they consider relevant to their own sphere - consumers decide what is newsworthy to them.   If companies want to ride the same wave as today's socially networked consumer, they need to change the way they're marketing to them.

Companies should enter social media knowing what their brand stands for and then produce social media tactics to support that.  For instance company blogs should take a stance, which will impact the brand's PR and ignite W.O.M. marketing since social media enables audiences to share more information.
Video blogging can be extremely valuable to companies and their leaders.  It ties in well with social networking since it reaches beyond a profile or blog to really grab the audience and tell them who you are in both words and in a visually dynamic medium.  A video can provide consumers with an answer to "What do you stand for?" and "Can I trust you?"  The key concept here is "people buy from people.

Social Networking & Your Brand

Social media has shifted power from the companies to the individuals—people have always wanted, but can now get things on their terms because social media is a forum for these demands.  Broadly companies need to focus on having the best products and, in particular, customer services so that their fans will be the ones creating the sites and evangelizing about their products.

Companies should take note of social networks that could intercept their brand because these connect with other people who share the same interests, however niche—so markets that were previously inaccessible can now make sense.


Identifying trends

The author identified the three biggest trends in social media as: the shift in power from brands to individuals, the move from advertising to services, and the integration of the real and virtual worlds.
Social media is an integral tool the help companies focus engaging in information-rich, two-way conversations with their customers.

Integrating real world data, such as location, direction, and even traffic conditions, has become increasingly important part of the makeup of services.  Two dimensional Internet services being supplemented by real world data to improve users' lives, which occur inevitably in three dimensions.


Moving forward

21st Century reporting and the news distribution is no longer an exclusive function of the media outlets. Direct-to-consumer newswire services, including PRWeb, focus on "media bypass." Blogs go one step beyond the profile. A blog is the best way to say, "Here's who I am and here's what I have to say." Today, people want to connect, not just to the companies they purchase their products/services from, but also connect to the people behind those companies. If the executives behind a brand are not blogging, they're losing an opportunity, especially if they want people to talk.

Social media fusing PR and advertising?

This article explores the increasingly close relationship that advertising and public relations have partly due to the increasing power and presence of Social Media.

The ideas posed in this article have practical relevance when developing effective strategies to integrate public relations activities into an organizations' integrated marketing communications.  When working in a company that does use advertising as a primary communications method the public relations person/department would be smart to suggest a lead PR campaign to determine the type and target of advertising efforts.

Anyone think that this gives PR some credible cause for taking the lead in organizational communications activities?


The Bizarre and Uncomfortable Future of Advertising & Public Relations Convergence
"Social Media is conveniently “horizontal” and can legitimately be considered the glue between PR and Advertising. Thus the fierce rush to tout converged capabilities."

Critical examination of public relations blogging

I think we can all agree that blogs definitely possess strengths not present in other types of media.  Kent's "Critical analysis of blogging in public relations" examines some strengths and weaknesses inherent to blogging and points out some of their pitfalls and potential.

Blog Strengths: Research, environmental scanning, message framing

Research and Environmental Scanning:

• Blogs can be extremely useful for research, issue monitoring, and environmental scanning
• Especially when organizations are dealing with unfamiliar ethnic, cultural, and social groups or publics for the first time
• They're also excellent for ongoing monitoring and environmental scanning tools.

Blogs empower PR practitioners with power to know how individuals/publics are interpreting and responding to organizational events, messages, and activities before that information even reaches mainstream media and news outlets.  For us this means we can formulate better, more compelling, and more effective responses.

Message Framing:

• Blogs enable organizations to allow and encourage website visitors to participate in how online news and information is framed
• This is one of the greatest strengths of blogs and 
• Blogs foster identification
• By identifying with individuals and publics (via blog membership, sponsorship, etc.) an organization or group can foster trust and empathy
• Homogenous groups of individuals and publics are brought together by blogs

With these characteristics blogs can represent the ultimate in public segmentation for PR professionals, giving them: coherent groups of individuals/professionals who share a common interest.

Weaknesses of Blogs:  Communicative risks, exaggerated significance of blogs, blogger credibility and status

Communicative Risks of Blogging:

• Often blogs are populated by fanatics
• Professionals shouldn't place much stock in what a few dozen fanatics have to say 
• However, for each “fanatic” there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who feel similarly even if it isn't with the same fervor
• Organizational bloggers who are not adequately trained in public communication and dialogue can become a liability
• Additionally problematic are those who independently decide whether or not to go public on an issue without consulting organizational leaders 

Exaggerated Significance of Bloggers: 
(Statistics presented by Kent)

• 27% of 120 million Americans have read a blog (2005 Pew Internet and American Life Project)
• Less than one in 10 people who have the potential to be influenced by a blog (Kent's estimate when factoring in how many blogs are rinky-dink homegrown rags)
• Blogs probably have the potential to influence fewer than 1 in 20 U.S. citizens (Kent's estimate when factoring in how poorly written many blogs are, the fact that almost no one except those already interested in the subject actually reads to the bottom of many blog posts, and the demographics of bloggers)

Blogger Credibility and Status:

• 65% of bloggers do not consider themselves “journalists,” 
• 84% post infrequently
• 56% make any effort to check their facts
• 60% do not publish corrections
• 95% get their news content exclusively from the Internet (Lenhart, 2006).

Many blogs have begun to blur the distinction between independent organizations and the media.  Despite the media-like reach of blogs, most bloggers lack the credibility, training, and objectivity that the mainstream media possess. 

Conclusions:

Overall, I believe that the jury is still out on the usefulness and practicality of blogging for organizations.

Successful blogs are only sustainable if an organization has someone to maintain it, someone trained in effective dialogic communication, and someone who has the trust of individuals and publics. Anonymously posting to blogs is not a smart option for any organization and neither are attempts to manipulate their audience members with self-serving propaganda or thinly disguised news releases. 

The most practical application of blogs for most organizations is as a research tool.

If your next job asks you your opinion of implementing an organizational blog what will you say?

Who are we tweeting for - certainly not ourselves

Goal: Finding More Meaning in Social Media

Stalk up on your website visitors

It would seem that technology capable of taking visitors this closely would be overkill, but with the drive to force profit margins ever wider it shouldn't be too shocking. Looks like they're taking Hoot Suite quite a bit further...


Listening To Your Customers With The Five Digital Senses

Reading this article the take-away is Ektron has new tech being to more effectively manage social media communications.  I'm not sure if this is a news release from Ektron, but if it is it's quite brilliant in its camouflage. 

The article has no mention of the company until the fifth paragraph -- the first four are anecdotal but engaging, which is appropriate for a blog.  The story makes a good analogy and segues well into the facts, numbers, names and details on the product.  The quote from the company's CEO is most likely from a press release if I had to guess.  Five digital senses seems like information right from the company's website but the writer brings them up in reference to a personal project.

So, I'm wondering -- Is this all news release (fully pre-written), or more likely a story developed from a smaller release?  And I'm really curious if the company provided the anecdotal intro story ... 

I love info-graphics like these!

Amazing Infographics by James West

Ketchum upsets bloggers

Check out this article that touches on the importance of recognizing changing ethical standards in social media.

Ketchum Gets Kid-Glove Treatment on Ethics - http://pulse.me/s/1zG5l

So it is clear that as practitioners embracing this new media we must act with the most professional
standards possible DESPITE consumers of this media being averse to business utilization of it.

Does anyone else think it's hilarious that Ketchum tried to trick bloggers and totally FAILED?  Are they underestimating the sophistication of these nouveau journalists or is this something a client saw on TV and insisted on trying?  Either way I think it's wise to learn that being brash, bold, and exciting on social media is really easy when you're a nobody with nothing to lose, but companies are held to higher standards than nobodies.

Maybe get a patsy/shill/scapegoat to start an underground social media movement for the company instead? 

Elizabeth Taylor is Eternally Classy

This is a wise lesson for anyone to learn ... Acting with class ALSO produces positive PR


I hope to catch a glimpse of this collection before it's no longer together ...

Christie’s has arranged a three-month tour of highlights from legendary film star and jewelry aficionado Elizabeth Taylor’s extensive jewelry collection that will begin in September. 

The public exhibition The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor is scheduled for Dec. 3–12. Christie’s New York will devote its entire gallery space to the exhibition and sales.

A portion of the sales generated by exhibition admission, events, and publications related to the sales will be donated to The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Auctions begin Dec. 13., with the Legendary Jewels, Evening Sale.

Full article here:

Elizabeth Taylor's Jewelry Collection Set for World Tour

Social Media Press Release Must Continue to Evolve

It must continue to evolve until it's obsolete.  Supporting technology will change, subsequently the medium will adapt and grow.  Practice will never stop evolving as people find new ways to interact with each other through computer information systems.

From the article:


Lastly, the release announcing the oneforty acquisition represents the latest iteration of the Social Media Press Release (which I also hold near-and-dear).  In it, each and every sentence comprising the release is fashioned as a standalone tweet, complete with hashtags:

Today @HubSpot acquired @oneforty, a social media marketing company based inCambridge, MA. #Hub140 – http://bit.ly/Hub140  Tweet This   (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110817/NE53515LOGO )

Like @HubSpot, @oneforty recognizes the importance of social media in the transformation of marketing. #Hub140  Tweet This

@oneforty created a directory of social media applications and the social media marketing tool SocialBase. #Hub140  Tweet This

The @oneforty directory will merge into the @HubSpot App Marketplace, the largest app store for marketing. #Hub140  Tweet This

The original SMPR template was never intended to become “official.”  It was intended as a wake-up call to the industry that the hidebound, over-written, text-driven press release was becoming archaic in the Web 2.0 mediascape.

The HubSpot/oneforty announcement is just the latest iteration of the idea: “Let’s innovate this sucker.  Let’s try something different.”  I saw some complain that the “twitteresque” treatment of this release was a bit kludgy or heavy-handed, but given oneforty’s roots, it's an appropriate choice — and awesome.

And it got results.

The article continued here ... The Social Media Press Release Continues to Evolve


I've been seeing other marketing materials formatted similarly to this press release in recent months ... check out this business card (I think it's kinda slick).  Anyone else think it's innovative (but probably won't be for long)?

Are you paying attention?

Does anyone else feel a little guilty after reading this?

Quote from article:
What used to be surreptitious glances at the iPhone have become full-on sessions of “I’m checking my email while you are talking … but don’t worry, I’ll look up and nod occasionally to give you the impression that you have my attention.”

Article continued here ... Paging “Miss Manners”




In Kaplan's article on the challenges and opportunities of social media there are ten pieces of advice given for companies deciding to use social media.  Of these, five are specifically about being social.

1. Be active
2. Be interesting
3. Be humble
4. Be unprofessional
5. Be honest

Kaplan's points on "being social" on social media are also excellent advice for commanding attention in a room during a presentation.  When used together these tips can enliven a presentation and grab the audience's attention.

Be active:  Grab the audience's attention by being ready before they are.  Use spare time before you begin to chat with a few members of the audience.

Be interesting:  Don't start a presentation by being boring, ask people about their weekend to find out what they they to talk about.  Use that information to tailor your prestation to the interests of the audience (or key members of it).

Be humble:  Before assuming you're the coolest person in the room get to understand the people there.  Don't think that your word is the absolute final on the subject, be open to questions and additional points.

Be unprofessional:  Be approachable, be human rather than robotic.  Remember, bureaucrats don't give winning presentations.

Be honest:  If you don't know, just say so and get the individual's contact information to follow up directly with an answer.

Being social on line and in real life, possible? Possible simultaneously? 

Meaningful ways that social media fits into your life

Social media is easy to think of in the context of entertainment and distraction, but how does it fit into your life in a useful manner?  Can social media be useful in getting a job, gaining credibility, or making your life better?

6 stories of life-changing social media connections is an article about how social media has changed people's lives in unexpected ways.

Social media job boards have unlocked opportunities for professionals that they certainly would not have otherwise received.  One such example is a woman who was asked to curate a playlist for a large chain of stores, she was offered the job after her playlist was seen on Twitter by a store owner.  Others have felt the effects of their social media presence as well, many people having received job offers through Facebook, Twitter, and the like.

Check out some of the stories in the article and evaluate whether your social media presence would draw the same attention or ..... maybe it's time for a change of image?

Time Profile: Perez Hilton

Perez Hilton:  Anchoring Sunk News

PEREZ HILTON DOESN'T LOOK LIKE a journalist, which is to say that he doesn't look like Dan Rather (or even Ryan Seacrest).  Perez is an NYU educated blogger with a taste for celebrity ... and he's been feasting on Hollywood.  

Perez has become a reporter of all salacious in the American celebrity world.  Nothing else is quite like PerezHilton.com in the U.S., though other bloggers comment on celebrity gossip none has gained the same legitimacy that Perez has. Imagine if The National Enquirer were produced entirely by a single blogger. PerezHilton.com is written (and regularly illustrated) by Perez, his comments and doodles on images of celebrities have become quite popular comics. The site gets 1 million to 1.5 million page views a day.

Social media has turned the camera and microphones away from the news anchors of yesteryear, as audience interests shift people start begin to seek new sources of information to satisfy themselves.  Perez Hilton is a prime example of someone made famous by social media who would not have gained notoriety, success, or sustained attention through traditional media channels.

It's time to make yourself a modern (PR 2.0) news release template

A question was posed in this week's reading, Deirdre Breakenridge the author of PR 2.0: New Media, New Tools, New Audiences poses this question for the reader to consider:  "How do I begin to enhance my news release template, whether only slightly or to its fullest 2.0 potential?"

So, what should you include?

Obviously include traditional press release core features like:

1. Client, spokesperson, and PR contact information
2. A gripping headline and sub-head (if needed)
3. Main news release facts, with core content in bulleted format
4. Approved quotes from brand executives, customers, partners, and industry analysts (if possible)
5. Company boilerplate information with standard approved verbiage that describes the main offerings of the company

Modernize your news release with useful enhancements that will make it more appealing to journalists and use these as an opportunity to steer coverage more effectively.

 PR 2.0 Enhancements

1. Links to more information on the topic of the release
2. Links to recent publicity on the subject of the release
3. Tags in the release (i.e. del.ico.us and Digg)
4. Embedded photos where possible and a link to a photo library that has several high-resolution images for download
5. A link to download the brand's logo
6. Other keywords to other associated and interesting information for journalists to use in building their stories

So for those of you that don't already have a news release template now is a great time to make one that includes spots for this type of information - it's a tool that will save serious time and spare you from the often repetitive work of writing news releases.

CRM Companies Spend BIG Money for Social Media

Social media has become a seriously valuable technology for the customer relationship management industry.  Salesforce.com and other major companies (Oracle, Jive Software, and about 100 more) are expected to spend over $1 billion on social CRM services through 2012.

Social CRM Targeted For Growth In 2012
Social media, a modern alchemy?