And journalism is the new marketing. For better or worse, we are moving rapidly into a state of brand-produced journalism. It’s happening on two fronts: Sponsored Content and Brand Publishing Sponsored Content There’s no doubt traditional media companies are dropping like flies. Circulations and subscriptions have flat-lined – print advertising revenue is moving to digital […]
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Tag Archives: Weber Shandwick
Has the Timeline Improved Facebook for Brands?
March 5, 2012 
1 Comment
It has – dramatically – if you’re Facebook. For brands, the switch to the Timeline format spells big changes – both good and bad. First the good news. Facebook is placing a premium on storytelling. As my colleague Ben Rissman notes: “This means that brands (more than ever) now need to be storytellers – […]
Read moreAgencies Can Add a Rocket Boost of Social Know-how
February 2, 2012 0 Comments
What do you think sets apart a gold-medal effort in social media from a mediocre one? Is it ideas? Passion? Knowledge? Creativity? Likely those are factors, but most often the difference is more pedestrian: Resources. Most marketing and communications departments continue to be underfunded and understaffed when it comes to social media programs. It’s difficult […]
Read moreWhy Wikipedia Should Shoulder Blame for Violations
December 15, 2011 0 Comments
Because they do a lousy job of explaining themselves. I’ll get to that momentarily. But first why is Wikipedia hands off for PR people? The reason is simple: Because Wikipedia isn’t an owned, earned or paid channel. For those of us who don’t work in marketing or communications, those distinctions are how the industry identifies […]
Read moreThe Content Explosion
November 9, 2011 1 Comment
Corporate communications used to be straightforward: Publish a press release Talk to the media about it That lead to news articles that could outline a company’s products and services for potential customers. But that model was altered by the web when companies could then provide details and additional information on their websites and then […]
Read moreThe Demise of Nice
June 21, 2011 0 Comments
Corporations more concerned with profits than employees. Sports teams that want to win even if it means cheating. Popular culture filled with braggadocio. Self-centered co-workers. Snarky comments permeating blog posts and tweets. What happened to being nice? Incivility seems to be permeating all aspects of our society, according to a new survey by Weber Shandwick. […]
Read moreWhy Blogging Needs to be a Habit
February 2, 2011 3 Comments
I have a confession. When I advise clients on content creation for social media channels, including blogs, I’m adamant about keeping editorial calendars. When you plan ahead, when you put processes in place, your content creation becomes routine. That’s how newspapers are able to put out brand-new editions each and every day. They have a […]
Read more The 7 Biggest Lies Your Social Media Consultant Told You
December 21, 2010 8 Comments
1. Social media is a conversation. This is almost laughable, but the “conversation” buzzword is still in rampant use. Social media is not a conversation. It is conversational and, on occasion, a conversation will happen. But most of the time social media is listening in aggregate to your fans and followers and responding to trends, […]
Read moreBe the Case Study
October 6, 2010 0 Comments
Spoon Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth. Neo: What truth? Spoon Boy: There is no spoon. Neo: There is no spoon? Spoon Boy: Then you’ll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself. Good advice from a bald, 8-year-old […]
Read more Yes, You Can Outsource Social Media
August 30, 2010 3 Comments
Here’s a persistent myth about social media and brands: Social media activities can’t be outsourced. That the only people who can manage social media channels are employees. This is nonsense. Brands outsource all kinds of crucial day-to-day activities these days, including accounting, advertising, public relations, IT, customer service, legal, and even delivery services. No one […]
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