How do Brands and Customers Interact on Social Media?

{ May 29, 2012 @ 12:53 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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The social media revolution has swept the globe with such force in recent years that it is only now, after some time has elapsed, that we can look in the rear view mirror and see exactly what effect it has had, and continues to have on how customers interact with brands.

Interesting new research commissioned by Fishburn Hedges in collaboration with Echo Research have released surprising new findings about just how social media has changed how, why, when and how often customers interact with brands.

Among their findings are the following golden little snippets:

  • The number of consumers that interact with brands via social media (in the United Kingdom) has doubled in the 8 months from August 2011 to April 2012
  • 65% of respondents would rather interact with a brand’s social media page than ring a call centre
  • 40% of respondents believe that the use of social media by brands improves their customer service
  • Social media is not just for the young – while almost half of the age group 18-24 use social media to interact with brands, the figures are high across all demographics, including 27.4% for the 55+ age bracket

This is fascinating research and it would be fair to propose that a similar phenomenon is taking place here in Australia.  It reinforces the view that the investment that major brands (particularly those in the B2C sector) have made in social media is actually paying dividends, particularly for those wanting to target the fickle and elusive youth market.

To read the report in full, including the groovy infographic, click here

I would be interested to know from the readers just how social media is changing the way that you interact with your brands, and with your own customers.


Yours in PR

Why Journalists Should Think Like PR Agencies

{ May 23, 2012 @ 1:41 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Previously I have written about how those working in PR need to think like journalists and to get a better understanding of how the media works, so as to better influence  it on behalf of their clients.  Indeed, an entire section of our monthly e-news, Queentessentials, is devoted to Meet the Media, providing insights into just how the media works, so that we can all target the information that we send them for best effect.

Today Paul McIntyre from AdNews wrote an article in which he quoted the views of Fairfax Media’s General Manager for News, Darren Burden, who has encouraged Fairfax journalists to think more like PR people.

Intriguing!  Let’s hear more.  Burden assets that the conventional way newspapers approach stories was to break the stories then walk way and let radio and TV take the story on.

That, Burden says, is about to change.  “We need to think more like a PR agency, which shocks people a bit but it’s about when you have a great story and you set the agenda, you don’t walk away from it. Instead you take it and drive it for three days so people understand what the story is about.”

This will be a surprising revelation for many journalists, who although they reportedly source up to 50% or more of their content from PR, and can be critical of publicists, sometimes referring to PR as being the ‘dark side’ of the news.

Burden says journalists need to start driving stories and owning them.  I find this a fascinating insight, and I think it adds much to the commentary about the fuzzy grey line between news and PR, how these industries collaborate, how they compete and how each can learn from the other.

From my experience, working with journalists is a wonderful symbiotic relationship, where, if handled well, everyone wins – the client gets media coverage and the journalist writes a great story.  This is not to say that this interplay is not without its challenges.

To read Darren Burden’s remarks in full, visit the article here.  I would welcome your views on this controversial topic.


Yours in PR

Publicity Queen Featured in PR Report

{ May 16, 2012 @ 11:07 am } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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One of the most powerful ways in which to build the strength of your brand is through garnering endorsments from esteemed publications from within your own industry, and with this in mind, it was very pleasing that Publicity Queen was featured in the current edition of The PR Report.

The story on Publicity Queen focusses on the celebration of our tenth anniversary in April 2012, which is a remarkable result given the difficult financial conditions that the Australian market is still working through.

Marking this important milestone in this way has given me and the team an important touchstone to reflect on all of the great results we have achieved for our clients, and to project with great energy and enthusiasm about all that is still left for us to do in the future.

What I want to share with readers of our blog is the importance of industry and trade publications as a way to reinforce your own position within your industry.  While trade-specific publications tend to be read primarily by people within the industry that you are working in, they are also an important reference tool for someone choosing a new service provider.  It can also be a great way to attract potential business partners and staff members.

They can also be great sources of referrals from people within your own industry, who perhaps might specialise in a different aspect of your industry, or who have too much work on and are happy to refer clients to you that perhaps they are unable to service at that point in time.

So, when the opportunity presents itself, don’t pass up the chance to get a run in your own industry publication, as you never know where it might lead to, or what business opportunities it may present.


Yours in PR

 

Buffett Bullish About Future, Admits Mistakes

{ May 10, 2012 @ 7:44 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders is much anticipated by his followers around the world. It is almost as carefully read as this blog… I said ALMOST!

In case you missed it, here are pearls of wisdom from the letter, extracted for your reading pleasure, as summarised by our friends at SmartCompany.

The successor question has been answered, at least internally

Buffett is not naming names, but he has revealed that Berkshire Hathaway does have his replacement picked.

Buffett’s still hungry for a big deal

Last year, Buffett warned his “elephant gun” was loaded looking for a big acquisition. That hasn’t changed.  “Over time, the businesses we currently own should increase their aggregate earnings, and we hope also to purchase some large operations that will give us a further boost. We now have eight subsidiaries that would each be included in the Fortune 500 were they stand-alone companies. That leaves only 492 to go. My task is clear, and I’m on the prowl.”

Buffett’s big bet remains on the US economy – and it’s already paying off

When Buffett bought railway group Burlington National in November 2009, he described it as an all-in bet on the US economy. And despite the fact the US looks weak, Buffett’s American businesses are performing well.  “Our major businesses did well last year. Unless the economy weakens in 2012, each of our fabulous five should again set a record, with aggregate earnings comfortably topping $10 billion.”

A one man economic stimulator

Buffett can’t keep the US economy going by himself, but it’s clear Berkshire is having a crack through the way it spends.  “In total, our entire string of operating companies spent $8.2 billion for property, plant and equipment in 2011, smashing our previous record by more than $2 billion.”

Berkshire Hathaway has its own “big four”

Forget the Australian banks, there is a new “big four” in town – Coca-Cola (Berkshire has a 8.8% stake), IBM (5.5% stake), Wells Fargo (7.6% stake) and American Express (13% stake). These are the rocks on which the company’s portfolio will be built.  “A decade from now, our current holdings of the four companies might well account for earnings of $7 billion, of which $2 billion in dividends would come to us.”

Buffett was wrong on the housing market…

As usual, Buffett used his letter to fess up to some dud calls, including an investment in a Texas gas company which was “a major unforced error”. But his biggest dud call was on one of the key sectors in the US.  “Last year, I told you that “a housing recovery will probably begin within a year or so.” I was dead wrong.

…but hormones mean he’ll eventually be right

But he still contends housing will bounce back for a simple reason – hormones will eventually create new demand for housing.  “That devastating supply/demand equation is now reversed: Every day we are creating more households than housing units. People may postpone hitching up during uncertain times, but eventually hormones take over.

Why Buffett is slow to sell underperforming companies

Buffett admits that several companies in his manufacturing division are underperforming, and takes the blame for being the person who over-estimated their long-term prospects. But he won’t hear of dumping them because of what he says is a commitment he made.

How one of Berkshire’s subsidiaries bounced back from the Japanese tsunami

Berkshire’s cutting tool company Iscar (it owns 80%) bounced back from its own little disaster in 2011, when a company Iscar owns called Tungaloy suffered damage in the tsunami that hit Japan in early 2011.

America’s most prolific investor and corporate mogul always has great wisdom to share, and it is equally refreshing to recognise that sometimes even The Buff gets it wrong.  Gives us all hope, doesn’t  it?


Yours in PR

Are Women Better at PR?

{ May 1, 2012 @ 12:45 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Recently I wrote to you all in response to questions raised about PR being a ‘Pink Ghetto‘.

Well, as a neat corollary to that article, I wanted to bring to your attention a companion piece that has raised the idea that women are actually better at PR than men, and may I say in anticipation of much ‘ooh-ing’ and ‘ahh-ing’ that this article was written by a real life MAN.  And while I am not sure I agree, certainly this article makes for great water cooler conversation, so let’s dig a little deeper, shall we?

The brave man in question who has posed this proposition is Craig Pearce, Founder of Craig Pearce Strategic Communication, who says in his recent blog for PRIA that women have a leading edge in PR based on their natural attributes.
Craig says these attributes include:

  • Empathy. He says women come out ahead of men through the application of empathy because women in PR are able to ‘feel’ the situation faced by their clients and act accordingly.
  • Empowerment. Apparently women are better than men at sharing power, encouraging and mentoring employees (including direct reports) and sharing and giving praise (although it would seem to me that these characteristics would be useful not just in PR but in any industry).
  • Creativity in PR. Craig says that in exploring their creativity, women are more readily able to let go of the strictures that inhibit the mind from flying free and coming up with fresh ideas.  Fascinating!
  • Women are better writers than men. Indeed, this is a big call.  Craig says that writing is the number one PR skill, and while he is not claiming that women in PR are better writers than their male counterparts, he says that he has come across some ‘fantastic ones’.  Hmmm, this has failed to convince me, to be honest, but let’s continue…
  • Conversational.  Craig makes the point that perhaps due to empathy, as listed above, women they are superior at having conversations with a wide range of people, which is an excellent basis upon which to build meaningful relationships with stakeholders, and they have a seemingly natural aptitude for social media.
  • Women are more intelligent than men. Ok, hold on, we are on shaky ground here, but Craig makes the point that there are a lot more women getting into PR courses than men in Australia.  What can we extrapolate from this? Perhaps that more women than men are interested in PR, and therefore more are applying, not necessarily that they are more intelligent.  I am unconvinced by this one, although I can vouch for the many, many highly intelligent women who work for me and whom I have met and worked with in the field of PR.
  • Multitasking superiority in PR. Now here Craig may be onto something.  Women are known to be better multi-taskers than men, with PR being a very heavy multi-tasking environment. But is PR more multi-task driven than other professions?  That remains unclear.
  • Women are more ethical than men. OK now this is controversial.  I agree that being ethical is a fundamental component of best practice PR, but are women more ethical than men? Hmm, not so sure.
  • Men in marcomms are too up themselves. Wow!  Not sure how to respond to this.  Craig cites an article in Australia’s Marketing magazine by Mark Ritson who claimed that women in marketing are more humble than men. The former are more likely to put the good of the organisation ahead of their own ego. I am intrigued.  I can personally vouch for the fact that my team certainly put the needs of the client ahead of their own personal quest for kudos or glory, but is it just women who work this way?  I am not sure.

Now this article will put the cat among the pigeons for sure, (I suspect this is its intention) but it does raise some interesting points.  I would agree that women naturally suited to work in PR, due to their innate strengths in communication, collaboration and empathy.  But are they better suited than men, that is the question.

What do you think?


Yours in PR

Bursting the Twitter Bubble

{ April 24, 2012 @ 12:09 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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When Twitter first burst through the web-0-sphere, at the time it was a game-changing event, and was for a time the latest and greatest new web application on the planet, but recent events have caused many analysts, including me, to ponder whether or not its credibility has now been compromised.

In the last few days reports have emerged that celebrities have been paid to tweet their praise for various goods and services, (the going rate for celebrity tweeting reportedly ranges from $2,500 to $8,000 per tweet) and the main culprits in the pay-per-tweet scandal seem to be in the leisure and tourism industry.  Twitter, to its credit, has tried to shut these ‘pay per tweet’ companies down, but I wonder if it is already too late, and the damage might already have been done.

Add to this the next unpleasant Twitter phenomenon which is tweet-hacking, where just like in email hacking, people’s Twitter profiles have had their security breached, and unauthorised spam has been sent around, compromising the credibility of the poor soul whose account was violated.

Moreover, I have personally received highly inappropriate Tweets from various people who have sent me messages that have attached virii and pornographic images as well as links to some fairly dodgy content.

I am also very lukewarm on those who use it as a blatant sales tool, tweeting such turnoffs as “buy our latest gadget, click here…”, and those who do the classic bait-and-switch tactic, teasing their followers with promises of links to mysterious and intriguing content, only to direct them straight to a sales page where they hope by some fluke that punters will buy whatever it is that they are selling.  Not so smart.

Even beyond these flagrant abuses of the spirit of Twitter and its proper usage, I have pondered from time to time, about its very nature and the kind of users it attracts.  It CAN, at times, be a magnet for very banal content.  Do I, (and does the world) need to know that person x just woke up, or that they just LOVE Seinfeld re-runs, or that they have the cutest dog in the Universe, and here’s a picture?

I do wonder what is gained by the dissemination of this content.  Has Twitter become merely the latest platform for navel-gazing and narcissism?

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you also fallen out of love with Twitter, or are you still going steady?


Yours in PR

Publicity Queen Announcement Ten Years in the Making

{ April 19, 2012 @ 6:35 pm } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Dear Readers, charge your glasses and be upstanding because it was today, the 19th of April ten years ago, when I launched Publicity Queen in Melbourne and first hung up my royal shingle.

They say time flies when you are having fun, and there can be no greater joy than working hard at what you love to do, and this is certainly the case for me with PR.

Along the way I have worked with, gotten to know and be-friended many clients, and enjoyed the services of some truly remarkable publicists and support staff.

So, I thought today might be an opportune time to reflect on all that we have achieved in that decade.

Publicity Queen’s Top Ten Achievements (to date!):

1. Making BRW’s list of PR firms for three straight years in row in 2009, 2010 & 2011

2. Making the front covers of mX in two Australian capital cities on the same day in 2010

3. Getting over $1,000,000 worth of coverage for Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal in a 6-week timeframe each year since 2010

4. Managing the PR for George Clooney (we’re still swooning here) and Martha Stewart in 2011

5. Creating a global viral media campaign for Animal Aid featuring ‘Sampson’ in 2011

6. Getting front page coverage in The Australian Financial Review for one of our clients in 2009

7. Trademarking TRUEpublicity in 2007

8. Expanding the business to service Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in 2008

9. Being voted as one of Australia’s pioneer marketing blogs in 2007

10. Working with a royally talented group of PR professionals and inspirational clients – everyday!

I would like to thank sincerely everyone who has worked with us during the last decade, and I can only imagine what the next ten years hold in store.   I must away for a well-earned celebratory flute of bubbly.


Yours in PR

How to Go Viral – The User’s Guide

{ April 10, 2012 @ 3:53 pm } · { PR Marketing, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, PR, PR Sydney, PR Melbourne, PR Brisbane, Online PR, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, PR management, PR Communications, Business Public Relations, Strategic Public Relations, PR Tips }
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There was a time when ‘viral’ was anything but a positive term but in today’s digital marketing world, creating a viral phenomenon is the equivalent of the marketing holy grail and the genesis of unlimited cool points.

But how exactly do you make content go viral?

This week I found some great tips from Entrepreneur magazine, who have listed their six ‘top tips’ for making content go viral.  Here’s a brief recap.

1. Be absurd. Some of the most popular viral videos involve absurd characters, including the honey badger and Marcel the Shell. If you can dream up your own unique, appealing character, you could see a substantial burst of social sharing and traffic, as well as increased brand recognition.

2. Capture emerging trends. By releasing fresh and timely content on an emerging trend, you can earn a natural first mover advantage and attract lots of attention. People might be more apt to share such newsy content, resulting in more backlinks and traffic to your site. You also could benefit in the search engines because Google’s recent freshness update gives preferential treatment to timely content.

 3. Think in terms of sound bites. Sometimes, viral content catches on simply because it sounds catchy. To determine whether your content has this elusive quality, try reading your headline or the opening paragraph as if you were a newscaster. Would you want to tune in to learn more about your piece based on this small snippet of information? If not, go back to the drawing board until your content has the right ring to make people want to share it widely.

4. Use infographics. Visually appealing infographics are among some of the most frequently shared types of online content as most people would rather learn through engaging imagery than long paragraphs of text.  To harness the power of infographics, look for recent studies you can pull data from or try to combine data in new and distinctive ways.

5. Get influencer buy-in. An endorsement from an authority in your industry could help make your content go viral. Simply attaching an influencer’s name to your blog or article can give it significantly more clout.  Start by building relationships with the thought leaders in your industry. After you’ve published your best article or released your best video, ask these influencers to share your content with their own followers. Not all of them will agree, but even one “yes” can mean a significant flood of traffic andcan take your content viral.

6. Offer outstanding value. Providing exceptional value in your article or video could help you achieve viral status. For instance, if everyone in your industry is releasing a “Top 10” list of points on any given topic, how much more interest do you think you could generate if you created a “Top 100” list? Going above and beyond what your competitors offer can help increase the number of times your content gets shared socially.
Although these tips could increase the odds of social sharing, keep in mind there’s no guarantee they’ll make your content resonate with your audience. Going viral can be a difficult thing to achieve.

While going viral may not gauruntee more sales, it does provide an excellent opportunity for a significant increase in brand exposure and recognition through increased traffic to online properties.

Although do bear in mind that generating more brand exposure does have its own intrinsic value, but before you launch your new viral campaign, put serious thought into HOW exactly you will convert your new and enhanced visibility INTO ACTUAL SALES.  That’s the trick.


Yours in PR

How to Get Your Media Release Found on the Web

{ April 3, 2012 @ 8:28 am } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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Last week I shared with you how exactly journalists use social media.  Looking at our readership it seems this struck a chord with you all.  In that article I wrote that the use of the media release is far from dead, as to adapt the words of Mark Twain, stories of (its) death have been greatly exaggerated.

OK, so the media release still has work to do, but how do people (in particular journalists) find it?  That is the topic for today.

And here I would like to introduce Nick Papagiannis, of Cramer-Kasselt, who has written a great article that explains in six simple and easy to follow steps, exactly how to get your media release found on the web.

Six steps to getting your content found on the web

1. Use relevant keywords
Finding a phrase with high search volume can ensure a press release appears in general search results and Google News results.
For instance, Google pulls a live feed of news releases into its general search results for common or trending searches such as “St. Patrick’s Day.” Including trending terms can help your release grab the most exposure.

2. Write a search-friendly headline
In terms of search, the headline is the most heavily weighted element. Keep it short and sweet, no more than 100 characters. Be sure to include the keyword phrase.

3. Make the most of the summary
Whenever you have the ability to include summary text with your release online, take advantage of it. Be sure to include the keyword search phrase you identified in Step No. 1 and, if possible, keep it to 240 characters or fewer.

4. Sprinkle keyword search phrases into the text
To increase the perceived relevance of the release, try to include keywords or phrases once in every 100 words throughout the body copy. This gives a consistent theme for search engines to identify.

5. Give yourself some link love
Where appropriate, include hyperlinks to your own branded content, press releases, or company website in the press release. This practice probably won’t factor in the search ranking of the press release itself, but it’s a good opportunity to drive traffic to—and raise the relevance of—other brand content. If you do embed links, use no more than one link every 100 words.

6. Optimise your boilerplate
Make sure your boilerplate includes language that’s beneficial for search and website rankings. Key product categories or service offerings should be mentioned along with the company name and relevant brand links (website, media room, etc.).

Press releases are not for the archives, they have always been an integral part of a brand’s content strategy, and are a central tool we use when beginning a PR campaign on behalf of our clients.   The trick is to ensure that the release also supports the brand’s overall SEO strategy so that you don’t miss out on the opportunity to, in digital terms, shout “OVER HERE!”


Yours in PR

How Journalists Use Social Media – Secrets Revealed

{ March 27, 2012 @ 9:24 am } · { Business Public Relations, Consumer PR, Corporate PR, Online PR, PR, PR Brisbane, PR Communications, PR management, PR Marketing, PR Melbourne, PR Sydney, PR Tips, Public Relations, Publicity, Publicity Queen's Blog, Strategic Public Relations }
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As a PR practitioner, I have a pretty good understanding of how folks in my craft use social media to generate ‘buzz’, to create interest in a new idea, but ever wondered if and exactly how journalists use social media?  Well… allow me to share these insights with you.

Understanding how journalists use social media to research articles can be key to your PR strategy, ensuring your efforts are targeted in the right places.  If you know where journos get their information from, you can make sure that your information is there first, can mean that they pick your story or pitch up before they look at something else.

Some interesting research into just how they do this has shed some useful light on how social media marketers and PR folk can best utilise the various social channels.

On average journalists use three different social media channels for each article they research. They find corporate blogs the most useful, while Wikipedia and Twitter were the second and third preferred channels, according to a new survey from global PR specialist Text100

Twitter and YouTube ranked as being of greater use than LinkedIn and Facebook, highlighting the importance for brands in building compelling content.

The study noted that while journalists welcomed contact from PR professionals through social media, their receptiveness varies from channel to channel. While 85% welcomed contact through their Twitter profiles and 84% are happy to approached via LinkedIn, only  42% of media welcome contact via Facebook.  It seems the use of Facebook is still overwhelmingly for social purposes.  To view the infographic in full, click here

Interestingly, the press release is still seen as more useful information source than any social media channel, so by all means don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater and eliminate press releases altogether.  They are still important.

Generating media coverage for your clients can sometimes feel like a military campaign. If you want to hit your targets, you need an entire arsenal of ammunition at your dispoal – and press releases still have their place in the kit bag, but don’t overlook social media as to deploy with great effect.  It is a light, flexible and powerful weapon to use in order to a way to reach and influence journalists.


Yours in PR

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