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There Are No Rules In Social Media, Be A Guide Not An Expert | Profy | Internet news and commentary

Sun, 27 Jul 2008 10:55:45 -0700

Amen.

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Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:31:47 -0700

Since when did the PR campaign become more about a mathematical equation of keywords and hits-per-click than actually serving the media? It's no wonder 'PR spam' is a term thrown around newsrooms and posted on blogs these days. With distribution services adding "sophistication" to the mix, many PR pros have skipped the basics in favor of an easier "point-and-shoot" method of content delivery. This is where social media becomes a game-changer.

Social Media Today | Newspapers Missing the Benefits of Social Media

Mon, 26 May 2008 12:23:58 -0700

Buyouts, closures and layoffs are plaguing the newspaper industry. Journalists seem game for change, are corporations? Enter social media.

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Sun, 25 May 2008 21:37:28 -0700

I blog consistently about our desire as media and PR pros to change and adapt to social media. An inspiring example is that of David Cohn and his new venture Spot.us- community funded reporting.

http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/34538

Sat, 24 May 2008 15:56:47 -0700

An inspiring example is that of David Cohn and his new venture Spot.us- community funded reporting.

Social Media Today | PR and Media Crave Change

Sat, 24 May 2008 12:55:52 -0700

If there was ever a sign that PR and media are seeking change it's PitchEngine. PitchEngine at 30(days).

http://kintzler.stumbleupon.com/review/21644498/

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:46:45 -0700

FriendFeed: The Online Coffee Shop

On a long drive down a lonely Wyoming highway yesterday, I got to thinking, FriendFeed is a lot like my Dad's coffee shop. Each morning at 7 am sharp, my father strolls into his favorite local hangout (which moves locations every few months) and sits down with a group of local ranchers and retired guys for a cup (or 5) of joe.

The discussion is pretty broad, but shared among like-minded friends who "follow" what you're talking about. For example, the newest version of Firefox will never come up because it's not of interest to them. Bring up Hillary, and you've got dialog.

The conversation is almost exactly like reading and engaging in FriendFeed. The topics narrow enough for your interest, and the comments listened to, but not necessarily addressed.

On the other hand, Twitter is more like tapping someone on the shoulder and telling them what you're up to while standing in the line at WalMart. I mean, the conversations are brief and seem more random, since every friend is not on the same page, unless you're the one doing the engaging. There's not always a topic to grab onto. One of the best analogies I've seen likens Twitter to the CB Radio. Get a handle and tell the world what's going on- East Bound and Down.

With FriendFeeed unveiling their new rooms feature, users now have a way to filter the wide-world of feeds into something a little more private. Now, depending on your interests, and the interests of those you follow, you can jump around from room-to-room and choose when to engage in a conversation on a particular topic.

Think of it as a more "closed" conversation- like being on the bus with the team after a big game. You'd better know what you're talking about before you speak up. The topic is narrowed and everyone is there to talk about the same thing.

How does all this fit into PR? Well, obviously the jury is still out. We've talked on PitchEngine about ways to implement Twitter into your PR pitch strategy, but I believe FriendFeed has a place as well.

First, you must tactfully engage your contacts on Twitter or FriendFeed. Share everything. Keep an open door to what's happening at your agency- not by ranting or promoting, but by sharing more personal things at your office. Make your agency or brand's personality visible to your followers and give them something they can connect with. When they see that you're using these tools for good (not evil) it will become far more advantageous.

Because the topic is specific to your brand (or brands if you're an agency), media will be able to follow without being inundated with extra spam from outside sources.

If you are a brand or agency CREATE a room on FriendFeed today. Share your own links and related links as frequently as you can. Ask questions of your followers and engage them in relevant conversation. Then, when you post a link to your newest pitch or social media release followers, or in this case media contacts, will be more apt to listen.

Have other ideas for FriendFeed in your PR efforts. Let's chat over coffee, or in our FriendFeed Room.

FriendFeed: The Online Coffee Shop - PitchEngine

Thu, 22 May 2008 18:40:24 -0700

How FriendFeed can be used in PR efforts.

Social Media PR Press Release Builder

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:18:32 -0700

Website for PR pros and journalists using social media

http://kintzler.stumbleupon.com/review/21503024/

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:08:28 -0700

Why Social Media PR Gets A Bad Rap
I'm continually frustrated by the swirling cloud of negativity around the PR 2.0 and social media PR posts I read daily. While thought leaders like Brian Solis and Chris Heuer offer up their ideas and suggestions for change, traditionalists are trying to shoot holes in the progress. To their credit, this whole Social Media PR Revolution is not fully-dialed, therefore it's hard for some to grasp the concept in its entirety. Note to PR pros - here's how we can help:

Social Media as Distribution
The number one issue that keeps coming up continually is PR spam. There are too many avenues, too many spammers and a lot of nonsense out there to clutter the inboxes of journalists (both blogs and print). As more and more journalists join social networks and expose their contact information, it's increasingly difficult for them to filter. Don't blame social media. Blame bad PR tactics. The two ARE NOT the same.

There are several online press distribution channels available. If a you want to distribute news, go to PR Newswire to PRWeb or Marketwire. This is not social media, this is simply a way to distribute news via the internet. If you want to utilize social media and further engage in conversations with media contacts, get smart about it. Research and build a social media newsroom or offer up social media news releases to your media contacts. It's about the tools and the conversation, not the distribution to journalists. For social media PR to have legs, we have to remain ethical.

A Tight Pitch
Stowe Boyd (who ironically opposed the Social Media News Release initially) came up with the twitpitch in an effort to sort through, cut down and filter all the pitches he was being inundated with. The twitpitch calls for PR pros to pitch Boyd via Twitter using the hashtag #twitpitch. I commend the idea, but am surprised by the messenger. To me, the idea of a concise social media release could be conveyed the same way, via twitter- or some other channel. Send your contact a link with a great headline, and let them take the initiative to voluntarily click for more. If you've crafted a good social media pitch and have something appropriate to announce, chances are you'll get picked up. I would argue that a social media release is much less obtrusive than a traditional 600-plus word press release attached to an email, twitpitched or not.

Really Simple PR
In Deirdre Breakenridge's new book PR 2.0, she interviews Phil Gomes, VP of Edelman who offers up some good logic. He prefers the term "New Media Release" as opposed to "Social Media Release" and he may be on to something, since the "social" aspect is often misunderstood by journalists. Aside from technology bloggers and editors, most writers don't grasp the concept. Announcing that you're opening up a two-way conversation can be daunting, especially if it's with an unidentified PR hack eager to spam you. That said, the social aspect is vital to the future of interaction between media and brand - not to mention, brand and consumer. Start simple by offering journalists something more than the next guy (or gal). Pitch them and provide enough information that they won't have to seek out more. Give them links high-res images, show them a video of how your product works or just give them... Read on at Social Media Today