10 Reasons why PR Needs More Video

Video can often be a tool that PR professionals over look when trying to connect to an audience and although video is time consuming and expensive, Ragan.com recently reported 10 reasons and benefits why PR professionals should start using more video.

Video press release- A video press release is significantly more interesting then the typical run-of-the-mill press release and can play a huge factor in whether your going to get coverage. It also gives bloggers, journalists, and publications more content to share with their audience.
Building trust- The ability to see a spokesperson talk or explain the product is unique to only video. Video helps the audience trust the featured product and its capabilities.
Raising brand awareness- A great way of raising brand awareness with video is show casing a lucky winner a chance of winning cash, a trip, or something or value.
Product launches- Product launches through video are the most effective way to introduce a product and its various features. Video can help establish a brand by putting graphics or catchy taglines to images.
Crisis management- Videos have the ability to reach a huge audience which significantly helps damage control quickly and effectively. A video of an apology or correction enables the audience to make the connection with the brand or organization better than a letter or note.
Around the office- We all can agree that company newsletter can get a little dry, so to spice things up companies like Google are using video to inform their employees of the newest happenings. Internal videos can also be extended to potential clients and the media.
Social media- While social media has its own place in the PR a video could make that important message even more memorable. Having a video integrated with social media makes the message easily accessible and sharable.
Personality- Video allows you to associate a personality with a brand. A video can do this by association, a celebrity or spokesperson or by the context of the video.
Events- A video can help those invited be captivated with an upcoming event, this would especially work well with a flash mob or even Relay For Life.
Political campaigns- Ever since candidates were able to be seen on TV a significant shift has taken place in the history of voting. People not only look at the issues being addressed but the person delivering the issue and opinion. Video is obviously a great way to showcase a candidate and their ability to connect with the masses.

A message is only as good as its delivery.

Home Run Derby Players Connect with Social Media

For the first time, players in Major League Baseball's Home Run Derby were able to interact with fans live via social media. MLB Advanced Media announced that the incorporation of Twitter and Facebook would be used to share video and picture content shot by the players during the event. Fans were encouraged to ask questions and cheer on their favorite players during the Derby.

Each player was able to tweet and post to their Facebook fan pages during the Derby on their personal handheld devices. If they didn't have a device, or a Twitter account, they were still able to interact from social media stations set up on the field. These stations included laptops, video cameras and tablets, as well as representatives encouraging players and fans to use the hashtag #HRDerby to be a part of the conversation.

During the game, the video board was showing tweets using this hashtag in between batters. Aside from Facebook and Twitter, fans were also able to check-in at the Home Run Derby through the MLB.com Bat 11 application for iPhone and Android mobile phones. MLB.com also provided a home run tracker as well as live video stream during the Derby.

How did you use social media during the Derby? To see a full list of MLB Twitter accounts to follow click here.

Are you LinkedIn?

LinkedIn has proven to be a powerful tool in the workplace. It provides professionals the opportunity to showcase their credentials to future employers as well as interact and make connections with other professionals. Just as it is important to be thorough and consistent in your work, it is also important to portray yourself as such on you LinkedIn, as it is the primary medium that your colleagues will go to in order to find out more about you. In an article for Ragan.com, Pete Cordella touched upon a few basics on getting your LinkedIn profile noticed for all the right reasons:

• Complete your personal profile-There's nothing more debilitating to your LinkedIn presence as having an incomplete profile. Filling out all of your information allows others to see where you have been as well as what your qualifications are for future reference.
  
• Join groups- Great minds think alike. By joining groups you will be able to easily connect with people who are in the same boat as you and may be able to help you find your ideal job, as well as collect support for a non-profit.
• Build connections-Be sure to share LinkedIn information after meetings, that way you will build a strong network to rely on when you are in need of a favor or an introduction. One way you can do this is by trading business cards and always entering in that person's information, because you never know when you may need that one connection to push you in the right direction.
• List your company-By making a LinkedIn for your company, you will have the opportunity to provide job opportunitites, contact and social media information, as well as showcase your services for the public to see.
• List your skills-Make it known that you have skills that set you apart from every John Doe in your field. By listing any languages you are fluent in, software that you are literate in, etc. you will create an instant resume for future employers to consult when deciding whether or not to pick you as a member of their team.

Consider these tips. Have you dusted off your LinkedIn lately? If not, try some of the pointers above, you may be surprised by the number of opportunities that come your way.

Ditch the Magazines and Hikes to the Mall and Just Get a Blog Already!

The PR fashion industry is always changing with the latest trends and yes, social media, of course. With the rise of instablogging sites such as Tumblr and Instagram, the publics' demand for instant user-friendly fashion is growing every day. Before, fashionistas and aspiring designers would turn to hard copy magazines to get their daily fix on the industry but now the content is free and shareable on blogging platforms, which have become a favorite of fashion PR agencies to see the ongoing atmosphere of their audiences. Top designers and industry gurus such as Rachel Roy, DKNY, Vogue, and Urban Outfitters have official Tumblr blogs where they not only share products and company news, but also draw out inspiration from other fashion bloggers and followers globally.

This has turned the fashion industry from an "insider only" view, when in order to be in on the latest trends, you had to either work in the industry and be connected to someone, to a more friendly and personal one where literally anyone with a unique style and love for fashion can share and be updated on content. According to PRcouture.com, fashion is no longer exclusive to only a privileged few but has "established a new way of experiencing and connecting to like-minded readers through style, outfit photos and DIY, carving out places online that made fashion personal and discoverable through weekly posts."

This surge of fashion blogs does not necessarily mean that print editorial, photography and the runway show aspect of the industry are dying, that will always be there, but it does mean that fashion is becoming more disseminated to the masses and that diversity and accessibility is a key measurement of business and success. The industry has simply figured out where a new untapped public of fashion inspiration lies and is not wasting time looking over its market and creative potential. More importantly, social media sites have started a new wave of jobs for fashion companies that are highly in need of bloggers and trendsetters to manage their social media accounts and update them on the latest street culture and style of everyone else - and what better way to hire these people than from your own pool of followers? The industry has overall become less exclusive and all together more inclusive of everyone.

So if you're in need of your daily fashion fix or just want to share your diverse style then get a blog, follow your favorite designers and get inspired! Remember, you never know what designer could be using your style as an inspiration for their new Fall/Winter 2012 line someday!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jessica Lopez.

SkillShare: A New Way for Philadelphia to Learn

When most of us hear the word ‘learn’, we tend to think paper, pencil, professor, and so on and so forth. We usually don’t think of words like networking, socializing, and sharing. However, this is exactly the mission of a unique new organization that is preparing to launch within the next two weeks in Philadelphia. SkillShare is a community marketplace to learn anything from anyone. By combining the thoughts of people who are eager to learn with those who are eager to educate, the result is a connected and well-informed community of people.

I had the chance to talk with recent Temple grad, Brendan Lowry, who currently plays a huge role in the development of SkillShare Philly, and found out a lot of great information about the organization. A key idea he expressed to me was that everyone, no matter their industry or background has at least one valuable skill to contribute to their community. When you combine that idea with the thought that we all share an innate thirst for knowledge, the possibilities are endless.

Brendan said, “Skillshare’s website is a platform for individuals to seamlessly list classes and encourage interaction”. For example, a PR professional in the city who has experience with social media could post a ‘Social Media 101’ class on SkillShare. Students, professors, and any other SkillShare users interested in social media could sign up for the class. In addition to learning about social media, they would have the chance to network and interact with people from Philadelphia who share similar interests. Check out examples of some SkillShare classes here.

SkillShare Philly is very close to launching, but still needs to be ‘unlocked’ by those in the Philadelphia community. Once this happens, classes will be posted and the learning can begin!

To help launch SkillShare Philly, visit their website here to unlock the city. Also, if you are interested in joining the SkillShare team as a volunteer Community Ambassador, contact Brendan Lowry at LowryBrendan@Gmail.com.

For the latest updates on SkillShare, follow them on Twitter @SkillSharePHI and be sure to follow Brendan @Brelow.

What are some classes you would be interested in attending or teaching?

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Mackenzie Krott.

PR Lessons Learned from Paris

This summer I am studying abroad in Paris and Tuesday marked one week since my arrival. Within a week, I have learned a lot, made countless mistakes, have enjoyed many adventures and have stuffed myself full of more bread and butter than one should be allowed to eat in a lifetime. Throughout the highs and the lows of my trip thus far, it occurred to me that several of the lessons I have learned can be applied to the field of PR because believe it or not, the Paris metro can teach you a few things about social media and crepes, besides being sinfully delicious, can offer some insight to innovation in the workplace.

4 Lessons on PR from a Parisian Perspective:

1. Clear and concise communication is key when communicating with your audiences (or the French waiter who doesn't speak a lick of English). All too often, we pollute the messages we send with overcomplicated words and terminology that are not always accessible to the publics we are communicating with. Put away your thesaurus with the fancy synonyms, throw your technical jargon out of the window and stick to the basics. The same rule is applied to ordering in a French restaurant... don't even bother asking for additions, substitutions or for "free" tap water, because most likely you will confuse the waiter and wind up with duck instead of chicken and a 35€ tab for all the delicious "free" tap water you just drank.

2. Social media has several available channels, however not all of them may reach your targeted destination (much like the Metro and its 9 multicolored, intersecting lines that will take you to the Chinese district instead of the Eiffel Tower if you aren't careful). Just because all of these channels exist does not mean that all of them should be utilized when communicating with your publics. Certain channels are frequented by specific demographics more than others, therefore construct your message in the channel that is most appropriate for your audiences. If you are trying to reach a young professional demographic, Twitter or LinkedIn might be more appropriate than using Myspace or Facebook, just as taking line 7 might on the Metro might be a better option the next time you want to visit the Eiffel Tower, although I'm not complaining about accidentially wandering through Chinatown in Paris by any means.

3. Innovation and creativity is essential when constructing and executing campaigns, however realize when certain ideas aren't as successful as you had hoped (such as a Kirsch soaked crepe with passion fruit icecream and a fresh fruit medley... sounds good in theory but is terrible in reality). As PR professionals, it is our job to ensure that we are on top of the latest trends and that we continue to push the envelope in terms of creativity and innovation, always searching for the next great idea. However, every new idea isn't necessarily always a good one and it is our jobs to realize when to continue to push the envelope and when its best to seal it up and move onto another one. When you continue to force something that isn't meant to work, it can often leave a sour taste with your clients and/or audiences, much like the Kirsch-soaked crepe that left my tastebuds confused and in despair. But when you find an idea that works, run with it, because every so often you come across an ingenious idea, much like the nutella, raspberry, strawberry and vanilla icecream gastronomic invention that must have descended directly from crepe heaven.

4. Lastly, when you make a mistake, acknowledge your error and apologize (just as Je suis désolé has become one of the phrases I use most frequently over here). We all make mistakes. Rather than trying to avoid them, cover them up or pretend they never happened, it is always best to admit any faults, errors or mistakes while vowing not to make the same mistake again. This is how credibility and trust is created and earned with your publics (and the Parisians). So the next time you tweet something inappropriate (or stand on the wrong side of the escalator designated specifically for those who are running because they are in a hurry), apologize, move on and most importantly... never do it again.

For those who have spent time abroad, are there any PR lessons you have learned from your travels? Let us know!

Create a Social Media Policy Before it’s Too Late

If your company or organization does not have a set of social media guidelines by now, it may be too late.

Companies without guidelines to outline proper employee usage of social media are behind the times. Your employees are most likely already using social media at work; they may update their Facebook statuses, tweet on Twitter, link up on LinkedIn, or even check in with FourSquare. If you do not set up a clear policy outlining acceptable use of social media, a simple line of text could damage the reputation of your company in a second.

To begin creating a set of social media guidelines for your organization, start with a solid introduction to outline the goals and reasons for the policy. Also, make sure your guidelines are as short as possible and written in simple language that everyone can understand.

It is imperative to distinguish between using personal social media accounts and representing the company on a social media channel. Define who can speak on behalf of your company and create a separate protocol outlining best practices and restrictions for them. For everyone else, stress that personal social media use during work hours should not negatively affect productivity, break any codes of conduct or divulge sensitive information.

A good social media policy will highlight the fact that anything posted on the internet is both public and permanent. For instance, a lewd photograph of former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner that was momentarily posted on Twitter ruined his entire career.

Employees need to know that anything they post can and will reflect back on your company or organization. If an individual is associated to your company anywhere within his or her digital footprint, your organization needs to outline standards of disclosure and professionalism to ensure its reputation does not suffer.

A social media policy should have real consequences for those who violate it. Furthermore, these consequences should not exist inside of a vacuum; create links to existing policies in your organization’s code of conduct, security guidelines and media relations protocol.

Creating a good and encompassing social media policy is not easy to do. Keep in mind that guidelines should not restrict the culture or growth of social media. Make sure you do your research, check existing corporate guidelines and consult your legal department before starting work on a policy. Crafting guidelines may be tough, but a clear policy will boost employee productivity and morale while protecting your organization’s reputation.