TOW Week 16

Attention all bloggers… here’s what’s in it for YOU!

During my PR writing class this semester we had to start blogging as part of our grade.  What started out as an assignment has turned into something that I’ve enjoyed.  Blogging has really helped me grow in my understanding of public relations and what it entails.  If you start blogging you might begin to realize how much it could benefit you. 

Below are some tips that I have learned while blogging…

1.  Making and keeping connections.  In PR one of the important elements is contacts.  It’s whole lot easier as a PR professional if you have established connections along the way that you can refer back to for advice or help.  Blogging is a way to make and keep the connections that you have made.
2. Gain advice from professionals in your field.  There are many different people plugged in to the blogging community and a lot of them have some great advice to share.  I follow a couple of blogs that relate to public relations and social media and I can see when those blogs are updated.  The blogs I follow are written by professionals who have already have a lot of experience behind them.
3. Gives you experience with social media sites.  The more you participate in social media sites the more fluent you become with them.  A lot of businesses now are using these sites as a way of relaying information, the more familiar you become with them the easier it will be to utilize them when needed.
4. Writing makes you a better writer.  The saying goes that the more you write the better you become and I believe that to be true.  This semester I have had to blog more than I ever have before and it seems like it’s getting a little easier to sit down and organize my thoughts.
5. Build your credibility.  Blogging can help you establish some credibility.  When people see some of your post and comments that people have made about your post it makes you look like a more credible source.
6. Proofread.  Proofreading your work is very important.  PR professionals, future employers and colleagues can view your blog so it is important that you proofread to limit your mistakes.
7. Be organized.  It’s important when blogging to organize your layout.  There are many features that Word Press offers to help with this.  With Word Press you have the ability to set up categories and pages to make your layout look more tidy.
8. Wonderful networking tool.  Networking is another major aspect of public relations.  Networking can get your name out there and can also help in the future when you may need to call on various contacts.
9. Spread the love.  Who doesn’t love receiving mail? I know I do, and I also love receiving web mail aka comments!  It’s nice to let people know when you like something that they posted on a blog.  Leave comments and let them know how you feel about what they wrote and they will most likely do the same in return.
10. Keep going.  The more often you blog the more traffic you will generate.  When blogging be consistent and try to post something at least every other day.

TOW – Week 15

What is a Social Media News Release???

A SMNR is like a traditional press release, in that its purpose is to circulate awareness.  However, a SMNR is geared to circulating the information over the internet.  A SMNR does have some differences and some say that it is more effective than the traditional press release.  One of the ways that a SMNR differs is that a SMNR is able to provide a lot more interaction.  SMNR’s have the capability to embed videos and pictures, include links to further information and display inforgraphics,  among many other things.  Another helpful element within a SMNR is that you can include core notes that way if the journalist is pressed for time they can skip through and just read those core notes.  Another major difference is that a press release is designed with the press in mind and the SMNR is intended for that as well but its over the web so you must know that others will probably see it. 

Some of the companies using SMNR’s:

Coca-Cola

Gatorade

Verizon

Ford Motor Co.

Nutrisystem

                An SMNR might be a great way to spread information about your company, decide if it’s a good fit for you.  As a soon to be PR practitioner its good to research all of the media outlets so that when in a position you can decide which will work the best.  Through this research I learned a lot information about SMNR’s that I had never known before. 

Sources :

Pressit

Real Wire

Pr-squared

 

TOW – Week 14

Multimedia Storytelling

Multimedia storytelling is usually more intriguing to the audience then other forms of reporting.  When taking the Poynter’s News U course on multimedia storytelling I learned a lot that I didn’t realize before.  A multimedia story is a story that has dimension, it uses video, audio, and photos to attract the reader and pull them into the story.  I learned that the five steps to a multimedia story are : the story, making a story board, reporting with multimedia, editing for the web, and producing the story.  I guess that I never really realized that it took all of those individual steps to make up a well put together multimedia story board.

Before taking this course I never realized how many differences there were between multimedia storytelling and a traditional press release  There are actually a lot of steps to follow when producing a multimedia story and it takes a lot more time to assemble.  Another thing that you must do when creating this kind of story is to pack and prepare.  It’s important to bring everything you will need for your story along with you; camera, video camera and whatever else you think you would need.  I would be interested to see how many companies use this way of communication and how it works out for them.  Although it might seem like more work, multimedia storytelling can often be the most effective.  Visit NewsU Course for more information on this subject.

TOW- Week 13

Stop annoying the press…

As a PR student I have to start learning the Do’s and Don’ts when approaching the media.  The media is the main way to get the word out about your company or product and once the media relations are damaged the harder it is to restore. Below are some tips to remember when approaching the media.

10 Ways that PR people can drive journalist crazy…

1. Blah, Blah, Blah: They hear enough exaggerated press releases, when you send a press release to the journalist they would rather you leave out the fluff and get to the point.
2. Bad Grammar: No journalist wants to take the time to go in and fix all of your mistakes.  Read and reread your press release before sending them out to the journalist.
3. Late for a date! When you’re late they’re late. Like most careers, journalist, have deadlines too. Know when the journalist deadlines are and make sure that your story is sent in plenty of time to be used. 
4. False Info?  Do your research and make sure that your sources are correct.  You should also include links for the journalist that provides further information so that they don’t have to dig for it.  
5. Embargo hater- Embargo dates are extremely annoying to journalist unless you discuss the embargo with the journalist prior.  So unless you discuss it leave them out.
6. This format is too messy:  If the format is in AP style guide the journalist are more likely to use your story.  The more changes a journalist has to make the more work and probably the less likely they are to use your pitch.
7. I can play the silent game -  When a journalist ask for a story try not to ignore them.  If you do they will remember it!
8. Checking In – Leave time for the journalist to check they’re mail.  Don’t send a release and check back five minutes later.
9. It’s the best!  Don’t over exaggerate your pitch.  Your product probably won’t save the world so stop claiming that it will.
10.  A novel, really?  The journalist what to hear what is unique about your product and if there is a story that goes a long with it.  The journalist are busy like you and don’t have time to read a novel.  If they want to know more they will check your sources and schedule an interview.  Be short, sweet, and to the point!

Sources : How not to be an annoying PR professional

TOW 12 – Podcasts Galore

Podcast Galore

There are a variety of outlets out there that lend information and advice to the Public Relations community.  One of the outlets that’s being used to lend information is podcasts.  A podcast is a recorded interview or conversation that can be listened to at anytime.  This week I tuned into two different PR podcast that are updated weekly, one is FIR – The Hobson and Holtz Report and the other is Coming Up PR.  I found that both of them gave very good advice from two different perspectives. 

The Hobson and Holtz report is a weekly podcast that gives a report about online communications and Public Relations.  Neville Hobson and Shel Holtz hold interviews with various PR professionals and lend a lot of information about weekly happenings that are going in the PR community.  It was interesting to me as PR student to see what exactly is happening in the career field that I am heading into.  To listen in visit The Hobson and Holtz Report

The other podcast that I listened to was Coming Up PR.  The title describes this podcast well because it’s about exactly that, the “up and comings” of PR and it is hosted by “up and coming” PR professionals.  This bi-weekly podcast hosted by Mary Attard, Cheryl Brean and Mike Kerr gives an accurate glimpse of what a PR student should expect upon starting their career.  While they don’t claim to have all of the answers their hope is that this podcast will engage others to pose questions, answers and spark discussion.  Check it out at Coming Up PR

These are just two of the podcast that I listened to but there are a variety of different ones out there.  Find one that interest you and take a listen!  

TOW 11 – Infographics

The importance of infographics

What are infographics, what is the importance of infographics and how can they help you from a PR standpoint.

 Many different career fields use infographics but if you are like me you are wondering exactly what role they play and what purpose they serve.  Infographics are just that, information relayed through graphics.  The purpose is to relate the complex data and information in an easy-to-read format.  Some companies relate the graphics to their product.  For example, a coffee shop might use coffee mugs as a part of their graphics to relate the information.  Another purpose of infographics is to catch the eye.  Sometimes an article gets skipped over but if there is an appealing graphic it might evoke the reader to find out what kind of information is being relayed.  As the saying goes “a picture paints a thousand words” this is to be true with infographics, a lot of information painted into a simpler format makes it easier to comprehend. 

Below are some infographics used by companies to relay a certain message:

Disney’s Infographic of their property :

Flickr’s Infograph on how they make it easy to share photos to other social media sites:

As John Cass, a marketer and corporate blogger states “Maps, graphics and charts that illustrate the layout of the industry, or provide a tool of value have had a big impact in the business of search engine optimization and social media.”  Not only are infographics used for sending a message but many times they are used as helpful charts within the company to demonstrate a business layout or procedure.  Other times infographics optimize the exposure your site gets when searching on the web.

Below are a few examples of the way an infograph can be used from a business or PR standpoint:

Brian Solis’ uses infographics demonstrating the differences between paid, owned and earned media. 

Charlene Li’s, Social Media engagement report

As you can probably gather infographics do indeed help when trying to get information or a message across.  They can help attract the eye to a certain article or even gain extra exposure towards your site.  Next time you are trying to combine groups of information try using an infographic!

TOW 9 and 10 – PRopenMic

PR Open Mic and the benefits that are waiting for you…

 If you are like me you may have never heard of the social networking site – “Propenmic.org”.  I was introduced to this website when it became an assignment in my PR writing class this semester.  Propenmic is a networking outlet for public relation practitioners specifically.  If you use this site properly it could help you land an internship, land a job someday or help you connect with other professionals.  As a PR student I have realized what a vital role networking can play in your future.  Whether it’s by people lending useful advice or people sharing tips, networking can be the thing that separates you apart from the successful and the average.

 The PRopenmic website enables you to display different kinds of information.  You can post a resume, search for help on a specific topic or just simply interact with other PR students and professional.  One of the things that I found very helpful was when you first sign-up for the site they “feature” your page.  This helped other people find out about me and also helped with the traffic that I had coming to my page.  Another thing that this site helps with is giving you an opportunity to see what others are doing in the PR workplace.  For example I came across a story about two students at Auburn University who started a word of mouth and social media campaign that has turned out to be pretty successful – A hug from Taylor.

As a PR practitioner it is very important to start networking and utilizing the tools that could help you become more successful.  Signing up for this website is super simple and will probably take you a total of maybe 10 minutes.  To get involved visit PRopenmic.org.

Tara’s PRopenmic

TOW – Week 8 – Lead Lab

While taking the Lead Lab course at News U I learned a lot of new and valuable information.  I believe as a PR student/professional you can always find ways to improve your writing.  The course was focused on how to write a better lead.  The lead is the first thing that a reader comes across.  The lead is usually what persuades the audience to continue reading or to skip it.  This course breaks down how to discover a lead into two questions that you can ask yourself.  The first question is,”What’s the news”.  This is supposed to help you narrow down the important facts from the flowery details.  The second question is, “What’s the story about”.  It’s important to let the audience know from the beginning what they are going to be reading about.  Although these seem like mundane questions when I asked myself and really thought about each one it really did help me. 

It was a little surprising to me when the course emphasized the need for tension in your lead. Tension isn’t the same as conflict though.  By tension they mean something in your lead that is going to make the audience continue reading.  Although I have thought about that before I guess I never saw it put this way.

Any PR student can benefit from this.  If you would like more information or like to enroll in the free course at News U  click here.

Newsworthy – TOW Week 7

Topic of the Week this week is “What makes a story newsworthy”?  When I think of that question a few things immediately come to my mind; timeliness, importance, location, appeals to emotion and conflict. Since I have taken many journalism/writing classes before those are the first few things that pop into my head when thinking about what actually makes a story newsworthy.  Webster’s definition of newsworthy is “interesting enough to the general public to warrant reporting”.

Timeliness

The first thing that makes a story considered newsworthy in my opinion is timeliness.  If a story is reported across many major networks one of the things that help separate yourself and capture the audience is timeliness.  In many cases the first newsroom to break the story is the one who is likely to get the majority of the audience.  If you report on a story for the first time an hour after it happened you don’t grab as much attention as reporting it as “breaking news” story and covering it right away.

Importance

Another thing that places a story in the category of “newsworthy” is importance.  The audience won’t be interested in something that they could care less about.  It’s funny to me that I can watch a news station and tell that nothing exciting is happening because they are covering a story on let’s say a lost cat.  That is something that doesn’t necessarily relate to the general public and isn’t headline news.

Location

Location, location, location!  Location is a plays a big role in making a story newsworthy.  If something happens in the US we are much more interested in it then if it were to happen in another country.  It’s not that we don’t care about other places but it’s a lot more newsworthy to us if it is happening near our homes.  Location isn’t just about where a story is taking place it’s also about where the reporter is covering it from.  I’m sure you can agree that the story seems a little more exciting and accurate if the reporter is covering the story from the same location that the story is taken place. 

Appeals to emotion

A story is has more effect if it appeals to our emotions whether it’s good or bad.  An example would be during the Olympics.  An ice skater from Canada Joannie Rochette’s mom passed away right before her ice skating competition in Canada.  It was very devastating to the girl because her mom and she were incredibly close.  During her skate I found myself wanting her to take the gold because of all she had been through.  I felt myself feeling her pain and getting pulled into the story.  This appealed to my emotions.  It can be the other way around too.  When a sports team that we like wins or when we watch a happy commercial on TV that appeals to our emotions we are pulled in and it captures our attention.

Conflict

Every eventful story usually entails some kind of conflict.  One good example of this is the Tiger Wood’s story.  Woods was rarely in the media spot light until this past November in relation to the “car wreck”.  After that the media and the public grabbed a hold of this story until they figured out every detail.  Because of the conflict that went along with this story it made it a long eventful newsworthy piece.  It’s easy to see this with reality TV that usually involves conflict, the audience grabs a hold of it until it eventually dies down or something more eventful comes up.

 

Is Twitter for me? – TOW Week 7

Is Twitter for me?  That was a question I had the first time that I heard about it.  I wondered if Twitter would really be beneficial to me or if it was just another social networking site that would consume my time.  After hearing about it again in my PR writing class I realized the important role it could play in my future. How you might ask? I am going to provide you with some information in this post that I discovered when I started learning more about Twitter.

1. I am a public relations major so the thing that first appealed to me was the fact that I could connect with PR professionals around the country by the click of a mouse. 

2. There are many PR groups on Twitter that host monthly chats between PR students and professionals.  It is a great way to connect and network with people in your career field.

• Some of the #hashtags to look for are #happo  and #PRstudchat
• Here is a helpful list to see all kinds of chats that happen on Twitter and when they are scheduled : http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=ruaz3GZveOsoXUOOt86B3AQ

3. There are also many helpful blogs, presentations and videos that explain to you the benefits of Twitter :

• http://publicrelationsmatters.com/2010/01/26/twitter-for-business-a-webinar-by-laura-fitton/
• http://publicrelationsmatters.com/2010/02/10/twitter-whats-in-it-for-me/

I found Twitter to be very beneficial to me.  I am a soon-to-be graduate from college and Twitter will allow me to network with PR students. Through this site we can bounce ideas off of each other and share advice that we learn.  Twitter will also help me connect to PR professionals who are experienced in this field and can share their advice. More importantly Twitter could end up being the site that helps me land a job.

Follow me on Twitter a http://twitter.com/_Tara_Parker

 

Check out Barbara Nixon’s page at Publicrelationsmatters.com for some great information on how Twitter can be beneficial to you.