social media and the young pr professional
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These are reference slides for students who participated in Roger Williams University's PR Week.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media & the Young PR Professional
Personal Branding in a Web 2.0 World Ruth Bazinet
@baznet
Why Social Media? ! Everyone is a publisher
! Social is more important to online search than it’s ever been – understanding this is critical
! Reporters are socializing online
! News breaks online
! Consumers are online
! Great place to network
Check it once Check it twice
And when you think it’s right
Check It Again.
Quick Word on TwiAer ! Make sure your proHile page looks professional
! What are your last three tweets?
! Photos – check the last photos you posted
! Twitter Lists
! Hashtags
! Twitter Chats -‐ #U30Pro #PRStudChat #journchat #connectchat
Takeaways ! Be genuine.
! Set up your proHiles with keywords so people know why you’re there: e.g. PR, softball, music industry.
! Have a purpose – What is my ROI?
! Don’t stalk journalists, but use social for research and interaction.
! If you make a mistake, own up to it.
! Don’t share links/articles without looking at them Hirst.
! Your online footprint is permanent (sort of) – Google yourself. Set up a Google Alert. Employers do look at your online reputation.
! Take your online experience ofHline – face-‐to-‐face networking is valuable.
! Find inHluential people in your Hield, connect with them. Remember, just because you read it on the internet doesn’t make it true (or a best practice in social media).
! Follow your instinct. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
! Use social media in moderation – don’t let it get in the way of other priorities.
Journalists & Social Media ! Be professional.
! Journalists don’t like to be stalked, but appreciate PR people who do their homework.
! If you are trying to connect with a particular journalist without luck, check out their blog, Twitter stream, etc. It will give you helpful information.
! Use your best judgment when friending, following, linking in, etc. online. Send a personal note with an invite/friend request – give context – why should they?
! Monitor online conversations – who is writing about your client’s area of interest?
! If you share an article – mention the author if possible/appropriate (either by their handle on Twitter or +’ing them on Google Plus, etc.).
! If you have no luck with journalist, look to see who they are talking with online, try engaging with them (if appropriate, not awkward). The slow build can have a huge payoff.
! Nothing is guaranteed “off the record” – especially online!
Some PR and Social Media Pros to Watch
! Sarah Evans -‐ @prsarahevans
! Brian Solis -‐ @briansolis
! Chris Brogan -‐ @chrisbrogan
! Deirdre Breakenridge -‐ @dbreakenridge
! Todd Defren -‐ @tdefren
! Lindsay Olson -‐ @prjobs
AAend Free Webinars & Tweetups
! Awareness, Inc.
! Marketing Profs
! Radian 6
! Meetup.com (search for local events in your area)
! Hubspot
! PRSA (catalog of webinars with membership)
Advice from the Pros ! Tim Carmody – staff writer, Wired Magazine
@tcarmody Be a good guest/host: funny, authentic, opinionated. Don't monopolize the conversation; don't start (or try to Hinish) Hights.
! Doc Searls -‐ author of The Intention Economy, co-‐author of The Cluetrain Manifesto, fellow of CITS at UCSB, alumnus fellow of the Berkman Center at Harvard. @dsearls Just realized I have a policy: If you're not linking, I'm not following. All i need is 1 link in what Twitter shows -‐ your last 3 posts.
Advice from the Pros Steve Bradt, Director of News at MIT
The people you'll be talking to probably already know this, but in our Hield there's no substitute for real-‐world, in-‐the-‐trenches experience. Whenever I talk to students about careers in PR I always urge them to get as many internships and as much communications experience as possible. A degree in PR, marketing, etc., doesn't carry anywhere near the same weight to a hiring manager looking to Hill an entry-‐level position.
On social media speciHically, a few thoughts: 1) It's not a new sentiment, but content is king. Your organization won't succeed on social media without a story to tell, and content to point to. 2) Don't take too seriously anyone presenting themselves as a social media "expert" or "guru." If you talk to X number of professional users of social media (which I did before launching the @HarvardResearch account), you'll get X opinions on what works and what doesn't. There just isn't a robust body of research at this point on social media, so whatever advice the "experts" are peddling is likely anecdotal at best.
Advice from the Pros Tom Boucher Communications Manager Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
I just got back from a Mobile Marketing Conference and realized how behind we are with our social media work. From attraction and retention of health plan members to improving health outcomes, social media can have a huge role. One example is how people are joining social network support groups on Twitter and Facebook to help with weight loss or smoking cessation.
To the extent that PR/Comm folks can help publicize and support that effort, it can make a big difference in meeting organizational goals. Right now, we maintain a Facebook page that helps further our brand and add value by sharing ideas for Hinding "good stuff, cheap," but there is so much more to do!
Advice from the Pros Kevin Carter Manager, Business & Trade Public Relations at TripAdvisor @kcarter (excerpt from his related blog post) Establish yourself on social media -‐ If you haven’t already, get a Twitter account (preferably in your real name) and begin following people in the PR industry in your area. Twitter’s search feature can help you identify these folks. Be sure to listen Hirst to get a handle on social media etiquette and the topics they’re discussing, and–when you feel conHident–begin an ongoing dialogue about relevant topics. You’ll also want to follow folks like PR Week (leading trade publication), Doug Haslam (communications pro) Shannon Paul (social media consultant). A polished Linkedin proHile is also essential, and don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations on the site from people who have been pleased with your work, whether it’s a college professor or a colleague. Linkedin is a great tool for networking and searching for jobs, and having strong recommendations from people in your network will help you get the attention of recruiters.
Advice from the Pros Mitch Wagner Editor-‐in-‐Chief of @theCMOsite @mitchwagner Social media is a way to connect with journalists as people. The relationship between PR and journalists is often antagonistic; social media can soften that up a bit and make it more human. Social media are the big pub in the Internet, where everybody knows each other and can have a pint in a casual environment. And of course connecting with people opens the door to doing business together. Social media is also a dashboard of what the overall population is talking about. What news stories and trends are hot? What are the latest pop culture fads? Social media provides a read on that. People talk about brands on social media. If customers are unhappy with a client's offering, they'll talk about it on social media. Social media provides a barometer to Hind out how consumers feel about a particular brand. And, since consumers often complain about negative experiences with a brand on social media, that provides businesses with an opportunity to Hix the consumer's problems, and turn a hater into an evangelist.