Is there a future for public relations in the era of social media? Will influence marketing kill traditional PR? And what’s the actual difference between the two? To begin with, it might be really tricky to distinguish traditional Public Relations from Influencer Marketing without knowing exactly what you’re talking about. The two seem similar inRead more
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Well, I guess at this point, we can all agree that social media isn’t a fad. Don’t laugh; as recently as February of last year, this comment was still being uttered in my presence by some agency and brand executives. Call it digital marketing, social media marketing, social business or whatever the term du jourRead more
Starbucks enters same-sex marriage boycott wars. The mega coffee chain has once again inserted its brand into the social and political arena. This time, its CEO Howard Schultz has taken a public stand on same sex marriage by telling an anti-gay investor (and those like him) that he’s not welcomed. Starbucks, already known for itsRead more
Last night, during my weekly #bizforum debate on Twitter, I introduced an issue that’s been brewing for a while: The role of public relations (PR) in the future enterprise. The debate was passionate to say the least. I challenged the “dinosaurs, newspapers, and public relations” argument offered by many but on this night, public sentimentRead more
According to a report by Small Business Trends this week, a group of SEO companies and small businesses in New York State were caught in a sting operation called “Operation Clean Turf.” Spearheaded by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman, the operation uncovered unethical pay-for-review programs. Un der the guise of “reputation management services,” SEO firmsRead more
Measuring and analyzing sentiment around a brand is becoming an important part of a business’ marketing and PR strategy. As a discipline, it seeks to understand the tone of the conversation occurring online around a business’ product, brand and/or that of its competitors. Using social media monitoring software like Lexalytics, Viralheat or Trendspotter (to nameRead more
It’s about the conversation, not the pitch. Engage your audience, don’t preach to them. Social Media is about the customer, not you. Provide value to your audience; don’t sell your product. Create an outstanding customer experience and customers will become your advocates. The power of social media: the customer’s voice. Much has been said, tweetedRead more
I challenge you to quickly recall five great product stories that went viral and made national headlines. If you’re like 99% of the population, you’re struggling to think of them. If I had asked you to think of five stories about brands that made national headlines because their product or service failed you’d be thinkingRead more
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve experienced, seen or at least heard of the many boycotts being waged against corporate brands. Currently, we’re in the throes of a campaign against Chick-fil-A, an Atlanta-based fast food restaurant for comments made by owner Dan T. Cathy that supported the “biblical definition of the family unit”…essentiallyRead more
Buzzwords are a growing export thanks to the lightning-fast content generation and consumption we’re experiencing in the social-era. Buzzwords have become increasingly vilified by the social media elite with claims that they are crutches used by marketers to mask their inability to think, write effectively or say exactly what they mean. Others go so farRead more