Willrow Hood

Is your management social media savvy?

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IMPRESS, the press regulator backed by royal charter, has taken the unusual move of banning its chief executive and three board members from dealing with major newspapers after their behaviour on Twitter. What does this teach us about management on social media?

Jonathan Heawood, chief executive of IMPRESS, was found to have tweeted or rewteeted over 50 attacks on the Daily Mail in a one-month period, as well as sharing messages that attacked the Sun including a retweet of: ‘#dontbuythesun or any other ‘newspaper’. Support Leveson, support regulators like Impress. Remove this endemic corruption.’

Two of the board members were similarly critical about the Sun and the Daily Mail on Twitter, while a third was believed to have had too much of a relationship with the Hacked Off campaign.

The behaviour of these individuals is hugely embarrassing for IMPRESS, which had to follow the Sun’s investigation with its own report before banning the four from dealing with large newspapers. Though IMPRESS has no large newspaper members, the damage has already been done.

For some business leaders, Twitter seems to come easily. Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Arianna Huffington are names that people associate with inspirational leaders who somehow always seem to get it right on social media. Part of their appeal is having a captive audience ready to hang on their every word and not every MD or CEO is in that position.

So what if you’re not a business god?

As PR professionals, we’re often responsible for managing external communications no matter how personal they are. Sometimes that means tweeting on behalf of a CEO, or maybe looking on in horror as they go off-piste (Trump anyone?).

Thankfully, we can still learn a thing or two from the Musks and Dorseys of this world – and here’s our top tips for management to get it right on social media:

  1. Be yourself
    Too often a CEO’s tweets seem sterile or staged. Our business leaders haven’t got to where they are by being boring or toeing the line – injecting some of their personality into their Twitter feeds is vital for it to be successful. But that doesn’t mean they have to do it all themselves – presenting your CEO’s voice can, and should, be a group effort.
  2. Be positive
    Reading negative or complaining messages inspires no one. The occasional rant, done right, can be funny but more often than not the best business leaders on Twitter stick to the positive aspects of life, business and experience – always trying to find the lesson to be learned.
  3. Be careful
    Don’t fall into the IMPRESS trap! A CEO is never off the clock; they always represent the business they’re running and what they say can and will be used against them if needs be. Now for some people (hey it’s Trump again!) that doesn’t matter, but most will regret not thinking professionally when they’re tweeting, retweeting or liking.
  4. Be consistent
    This isn’t something you can half-commit to; you’re either tweeting or not tweeting. Building an audience takes time and effort and if you don’t have either, don’t start because infrequent and inconsistent messages help no one.
  5. Be valuable

No matter how big your business, the leader is likely to be successful to have got to where they are. Sharing insights and thoughts can often seem like something best left to the celebrity business leaders but success breeds success and you’ll be surprised how many people you can inspire.

How do you manage your CEO’s Twitter feed? Let us know, post a comment below:

Five Things You Shouldn’t Have Missed – 29 September 2017

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Taking a brief hiatus from our podcast (and reverting to old-fashioned reading), we present five things you shouldn’t have missed from the worlds of media, marketing and communications.

1. Labour Party Conference

Labour Party Conference 2017

The Opposition party’s conference produced a plethora of headlines, from Emily Thornberry’s attack on Boris Johnson to John McDonnell’s pledge to bring PFI contracts in-house. Reports from the official four-day event also included the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg being given a bodyguard after receiving online abuse; the party tackling antisemitism in the party with new, stricter rules; the party’s position on the Single Market being debated by all sides; and Jeremy Corbyn’s closing speech calling Labour the ‘government-in-waiting’.

If you missed anything from Conference, you can see all of the biggest stories on this Vuelio Canvas. And, if you want daily updates from the Conservative Party Conference directly to your inbox – sign up here.

2 . Uber’s London licence

uber

Transport for London announced it would not renew Uber’s private hire operator licence after 30 September. They claimed the operator wasn’t safe or up to the required standard for the licence. The firm immediately vowed to fight the decision on appeal, which buys them time past the 30 September deadline. The ban has caused outrage among Uber’s 3.5 million London users and 40,000 drivers, many signing Uber’s petition against the decision.

Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi published a letter in the Evening Standard apologising for the mistakes they’ve made, Sadiq Khan claimed people should direct their anger at Uber rather than TfL, and reports emerged that two of the four reasons TfL gave for revoking the licence are actually its own responsibilities. With Prime minister Theresa May also now part of the story, calling the ban ‘disproportionate’, expect this one to keep going.

3. Twitter Trials Longer Tweets

Twitter bird

A small group of Twitter users are now testing double-length tweets. If the test is considered a success by the social network, then 280-character messages will be rolled out across the platform. Jack Dorsey announced the decision in a what was considered by some to be a verbose tweet.

Twitter, in true Twitter style, panicked at the idea of change and then made it all a big joke:

4. Hugh Hefner dies

Hugh Hefner

The founder of what became the media empire Playboy, died this week aged 91. At its height, Playboy Magazine sold seven million copies a month but in later years its content model has struggled to keep up with the internet. Opinions are divided on the man, with some calling him a legend who sexually liberated America and supported LGBT and civil rights, while others saw him as a misogynistic user of women.

You can make your own minds up.

5. IMPRESS bans board members

British newspapers

The royal charter-backed press regulator IMPRESS has banned its chief executive and three board members from dealings with major newspapers. After the press ran their own investigations, IMPRESS published a report largely agreeing that Jonathan Heawood, Emma Jones, Maire Messenger Davies and Martin Hickman, had all taken positions that could create perceptions of bias against the press – from positive views of campaign group Hacked Off to retweeting negative messages about certain papers and publishers.

IMPRESS has no members that are considered major newspapers so the ban is, at the moment, somewhat moot. Though if the Government enacts Section 40, which will require all papers to join a royal charter-backed regulator or face heavy penalties, then this story could become huge.

Something we’ve missed? Let us know on Twitter on in the comments below. 

Labour Party Conference – Day Two

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Vuelio’s political services team is at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton to bring you all the latest news. 

Day two has been dominated by discussions about the party’s position on the UK’s membership of the European Single Market. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he would like the UK to remain permanently in the single market. John McDonnell said the party needs to make sure it takes into account the concerns of those who voted to leave.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry aimed parts of her speech at Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, claiming that Johnson should take a ‘paternity test’ to see the true origin of the arguments and false claims surrounding Brexit.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said this is a tragic moment for the Government, and it does not have the strength to govern. Starmer’s speech also picked on Johnson – he was listed alongside David Cameron and Theresa May – the ‘authors’ of the ‘Brexit tragedy’. Starmer touched upon the subject of the day, saying that Labour could keep the UK in a reformed single market and a form of customs union.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell delivered the keynote speech and will have made headlines with his pledge to end new Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts and bring existing contracts back ‘in-house’. McDonnell also said that he would attempt to introduce a cap on the interest payments on credit cards.

Don’t want to miss anything from Conference? Make sure you’re signed up to the Daily Updates. 

The biggest stories of the day are available on our Day Two Canvas – click here to see the Canvas in full.

Day 2 labour party conference

uber

Can Uber triumph in London?

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Transport for London last week announced it will not renew Uber’s private hire operator licence after its current licence expires on 30 September. While there will be a stay of execution to allow for the ride-sharing app to appeal, TfL is sticking to its guns and the end of Uber in London looks inevitable.

But is it?

While Uber is often under attack in the media, the service is hugely popular among its 3.5 million London users for a multitude of reasons, from price to feeling safe at night.

And for a company that reportedly spends £250,000 a month on PR and lobbying, Uber has unsurprisingly come out all guns blazing. A petition, started by Uber itself, has already attracted over 700,000 signatures and became Change.org’s fastest growing petition of 2017.

In the petition, Uber has attacked TfL and London Mayor Sadiq Khan: ‘By wanting to ban our app from the capital, Transport for London and their chairman the Mayor have given in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice.

‘This ban shows the world that London is far from being open and is closed to innovative companies, who bring choice to consumers and work opportunities to those who need them.’

By attacking Khan’s own claim that post-Brexit London is open, both to people and business, Uber is suggesting that this comes across as an anti-innovative move that inconveniences the people of the city. Khan hit back, telling the petitioning customers to direct their anger at Uber as they have been found at fault: ‘It would be wrong for TfL to licence Uber if there was any way this could pose a threat to Londoners’ safety or security.’

But now the situation is escalating. The Financial Times has reported that TfL is under fire with suggestions it is responsible for two of the four reasons it gave when revoking Uber’s licence.

The two reasons in question are:

  • Its approach to how medical certificates are obtained.
  • Its approach to how Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are obtained.

The vetting and safety checks of Uber drivers are apparently carried out by TfL. James Farrar, an Uber driver and trade body representative told the FT: ‘To me this reeks. It’s a bogus charge from TfL. Uber will be able to remedy this in court immediately because DBS and medical certification are prerequisites for drivers getting their licences from TfL.’

And this licence ban affects so much more – what about UberEats, the food delivery service? Or the other towns and cities in the UK that Uber still operates in?

For the former, UberEats is safe – the licence renewal is about private hire operators so the delivery service is exempt. But as for the rest of the UK, it’s unclear how they’ll operate around London. Can they still visit airports? Possibly. Will they stop at the M25 and make passengers walk? Seems unlikely.

So, have we seen the last of Uber in London? Perhaps not – the tech giant has many resources to hand but most importantly, and perhaps this something that’s been underestimated, an army of supporters in the capital who rely on the ride-sharing service. Sure, there are other apps available, but people don’t like change; they like what they know and what they know will work.

Uber may have a bad reputation at head office in the US, and it may come out on the wrong side of black cabs struggling in the capital, but the service has focused on excellent customer service at a one-to-one level and is now wielding this significant reputation to fight its case.

Sometimes reputation isn’t top down, it’s down up – take care of the day-to-day customers and they’ll take care of you.

Robot handshake

Will AI make you better at PR?

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Artificial Intelligence is very much in the zeitgeist – building on 2016’s love of #BigData, AI is now the industry buzzword and it’s already making us better at PR.

We haven’t quite reached the level of Skynet (yet), but AI grows smarter every day, making our digital lives more personalised and data more understandable. It’s also everywhere –  from custom adverts across your online journey (ever felt like that product was following you?), to search engine results relying on natural language processing to serve up what you were actually looking for.

Aaron Cohen, writing for VentureBeat, claims AI will soon make us all PR superheroes. He points out that from identifying crises before they become pandemics to improving the way we speak, AI has the power to radically enhance our day-to-day activities.

And for those that fear AI will take over, Cohen points out there’s a slim chance we’ll be replaced by machines. According to Will Robots Take My Job?, PR specialists only have an 18% chance of being replaced by AI. Thankfully being excellent at PR requires too much creativity and humanity, which can never be replaced by 1s and 0s.

AI has already begun to make the life of a PR easier; Vuelio uses AI to link your contacts with their output via media monitoring, and allows you to track all of your stakeholder interactions with our powerful CRM. Not to mention all the cool things it does with distribution, analysis and data presentation.

As with any job, there are things PRs like doing and things PRs have to do. Don’t waste time on public relations, allow AI into your life to take on the necessary but dull jobs, while you focus on what’s important – building relationships and managing reputations.

And for those still not keen on AI, I’ve got bad news. Artificial Intelligence is coming (sorry Elon Musk), and we all need to embrace it. Make sure you know how AI can help you day-to-day and you too can be a PR superhero. Decide it’s just a passing fad and you’ll be left behind.

We all remember Blockbuster, right?

From Bedrooms to Boardrooms, the evolution of blogging

Influencer outreach: From Bedrooms to Boardrooms – WEBINAR

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The biggest annual survey into the habits and behaviours of UK bloggers has been published, revealing the industry is professionalising, not all bloggers believe in disclosure and relationships with PRs vary wildly depending on the industry.

A whopping 87% of parenting bloggers have good PR relations, but with politics, that falls to just 17%. How are these PRs getting it so wrong? Or are some sectors just better at influencer outreach?

Who better to talk about working with PRs and all the Bloggers Survey results than Jo Middleton – author of the award-winning Slummy Single Mummy and parenting blogger extraordinaire.

As more and more influencers see blogging as a valid career path, PRs have no choice but to have a clear strategy for handling influencer relations. Jo will reveal how she manages her own excellent relationships with brands and agencies and discuss the future direction of this burgeoning industry.

The webinar: UK Blogger Survey 2017 – the Results, takes place on Tuesday 26 September at 11am. Jo will be joining us live to take you questions throughout the webinar and share some of the secrets of her success.

Click here to register for the webinar. Even if you can’t make the live broadcast, we’ll send you a recording after it airs.

CAP issues new guidelines on influencer marketing

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So, CAP has issued fresh guidelines for influencer marketing but will it make a difference? According to a recent survey, a surprising proportion of consumers still remains in the dark, with 77% unaware what the #sp hashtag stands for (‘sponsored’) and 48% even unsure what the #ad hashtag means.

As a result of confusion over how brands and influencers label paid-for content, it remains a big issue. In response to this problem, CAP (the Committee of Advertising Practice) has issued a fresh set of guidelines to help social influencers and brands stick to the rules.

So, what does this mean for you and how will it impact the future of influencer marketing?

Well, when it comes

to affiliate marketing deals, CAP states that all ‘marketing communications must be obviously identifiable’. In other words, brands and influencers should ensure that any paid-for content is clearly labelled as an advert.

The guidelines put forward by CAP are certainly not new, but they are now emphasising that influencers should be more aware of the differences between platforms in order to recognise how to label sponsored content accordingly.

For example, on platforms like Instagram where images are visible before text, the word ‘ad’ should be overlaid so that users are aware before they click through. Alternatively, where a vlog might include a minute or so of content related to affiliate products, this should be flagged (even if it doesn’t require the video to be labelled as an ad overall).

Ultimately the new guidelines reinforce the notion that there is no blanket approach to labelling branded content, but that it is vital that consumers know when they are viewing ads.


Born Social’s survey suggests that consumers look down on sponsored content, with 48.7% of people trusting a recommendation to a lesser extent if they know an influencer is being paid. However, a poll by Kantar Millward Brown suggests that, in contrast, teenagers are becoming more receptive to brand content. In addition to this, it also states that 35% of 35-49-year-olds in the UK also feel positive towards content relating to products, services and other brand info.
While these findings might sound contradictory, there is one common thread – that transparency is key.

Regardless of how a person might feel about brand content in general, deliberately hiding or failing to disclose it will only do more harm than good.

How to create a multi award-winning PR campaign

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The opportunity to combine SEO and PR is something that remains unexplored by many marketers, yet it has the potential to yield significant results – particularly if you’re working to a tight budget.

In 2016, Ad-Rank launched a campaign on behalf of CruiseDeals.co.uk that showed it’s cheaper to live on a cruise ship for a year than it is to live in London. Since then, the campaign has won two prestigious search awards, and gained both national and international coverage in publications including the Daily Mail, AOL Travel and Express. We’ve taken a look at this case study to give you some top tips to help your next Vuelio press release reach new heights.

It’s all in the research

Ad-Rank-research

By nature, successful PR campaigns engage the audience and deliver a message strong enough to encourage them to pass it on. Conducting research for any PR campaign can be a lengthy process, but the results can be well worth it. Whether you’re presenting a story that’s entirely unique or tackling old news from a different angle, putting some hard work in at this early stage is the only way to set the foundations for a strong campaign.

An attention-grabbing headline

Ad-Rank-Headlines

Distribute a press release through Vuelio and its title will appear as your email subject line, so it’s crucial that those few words grab the audience’s attention. We chose to title ours ‘Living in London is more expensive than living on a cruise ship’, which effectively gave journalists the headline they were looking for from the off.

Narrow your audience

Audience

Even the best-written press release is unlikely to gain traction unless it’s visible to the right audience. Vuelio allowed us to sift through a huge catalogue of journalists and influencers from across the globe, adding specific filters to our search in order to make sure that the release reached exactly the people we needed it to. From there, we could easily source the contact details of those most likely to be interested in our story.

Support your release

Ad-Rank-PressRelease

With hundreds of press releases landing on their desks each day, journalists are unlikely to sift through pages of copy in order to decide whether the story is right for them. Include only the most important details in the release itself and create a supporting article or blog post on your website to provide more information if needed. Not only did this allow us to link journalists to extra details they may need, but it was effective in actively driving additional traffic to the client’s blog as a result.

The personal touch

AdRankPRCampaign

For us, the key to connecting with individual journalists and publishers was to send out personalised follow-up emails. Using Vuelio’s History feature, we were able to track exactly who had opened our press release and when. From there we could send gentle reminders to journalists that appeared to be interested in our story – or simply re-introduce the press release to those who hadn’t opened the original email.

A successful PR campaign does more than just get the word out about your company, it creates a story. And despite being frequently overlooked by marketers, a solid PR strategy can fuel SEO, generate positive awareness of your brand and help build a strong online reputation.

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PRs now following guidelines on influencer marketing

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According to new research, 54 percent of marketers and PRs now use the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) guidelines on influencer marketing, compared to just 37.5 percent in 2016.

Infleuncer(CAP)

In the past, PRs have often been accused of not following the guidelines when it comes to blogger outreach following some high-profile scandals including the likes of Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski, Bella Hadid who failed to disclose that they were paid to advertise products and events on behalf of big brands.

Conducted by micro-influencer marketing platform Takumi, their survey reveals 600 UK marketing and PR professionals now agree that full transparency is important when working with influencers.

“PR and marketing individuals and brands are becoming more and more savvy when it comes to working with influencers and content creators,” said Mats Stigzelius, co-founder and CEO of Takumi. “Whereas before there was a certain amount of confusion with regards to the guidelines, the research has shown that there is a greater awareness on how to get the most out of influencer marketing and what the guidelines are.”

Here at Vuelio, we have published various guides, webinars and white papers about how to work with influencers and stressing the importance of disclosing product placement. Influencer marketing is no longer the wild wild west where PRs don’t have to abide by any rules.

“As more and more brands begin to educate themselves on how to effectively use influencers and are able to measure the results and the ROI, I think that we can expect to see an increase in the use of influencers as part of a more targeted approach for consumers particularly for millennial audiences,” said Stigzelius.

The research also found that 84.5 percent of professionals believe that ‘live’ content is becoming increasingly important to influencer marketing. Furthermore, 28 percent say Instagram’s algorithmic feed – which prioritises high engagement content – hasn’t impacted their campaigns. However, 11.5 percent now budget for advertising to boost influencer posts. Takumi found that 65 per cent of professionals work with influencers as part of their marketing strategy and 61.3 percent of respondents said they feel they are able to accurately measure engagement levels and return on investment (ROI).

Brand Awareness, what it is and how to get it right!

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We may already be halfway through the year, but it’s not too late to create brand awareness. In order to stand out from the crowd, you need a strong brand. If you want to make sales and drive equity, customers need to be aware of what your brand is and what you’re offering.

When it comes to brand awareness, the thing you should ask yourself is to what degree do your customers associate your brand with a specific product? Here at Vuelio, we have become synonymous with our work with influencers as we have over 11,000 bloggers on our media database, we run weekly top ten blog rankings and a yearly award show.

With ever increasing competition and oversaturation in the marketplace, you cannot assume that your customers will automatically find you, and this is why it’s important that you develop strategies to actively reach out to potential and existing customers.

For many PRs, social media is now the most powerful tool when it comes to brand management. The popularity of social media has gradually shifted the focus from the product, onto the customer. Through direct engagement with potential customers, you can enhance your brand awareness.

With unprecedented access to your audience, you can create a tailored brand experience. Through strong communications, you can become participants in your ‘brand narrative’, which will help you to create a level of trust and authenticity that traditional marketing often misses. By choosing content carefully and what channels you use to disseminate it, you can reach your audience more effectively.

Content is king! You need to think beyond marketing and PR. Invest time in creating original content as it will help to drive SEO and encourage social media engagement. If people are engaged with your content, if you are creating conversations relevant to your audience, and people are having positive conversations about you, you can establish your brand as a leader in your industry.

Here at Vuelio, we recently have started doing guest blog posts with reputable thought leaders like John Brown from Hotwire PR and prominent PR bloggers like Michael White, which is another great form of brand awareness. If you partner with industry recognised figures who have large followings and are respected within the industry this can give you exposure, authority and potentially attract new customers.

When it comes to bloggers, influencer marketing is big business. When it comes to marketing, influencers are now one of the most powerful tools of PR. Statistics now show that bloggers now have the power to influence people’s buying decisions more than traditional forms of media. Collaborating with the right influencer can substantially boost your trustworthiness and can lead to potential sales leads.

And lastly why not try sponsorship? Securing the right sponsorships can give you access to your key demographic, helping you to extend your reach and improve your brand reputation.

How to manage your online reputation

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When it comes to brand reputation, you are only as good as your customers perceive you to be. Gone are the days of one-way marketing to prospective customers, now brand reputation is completely dependent on interactions with consumers. And while its hard enough to find your edge and distinguish yourself from your competitors, establishing a strong brand reputation is key to your success.

With research showing that 85% of potential customers use the internet to research your company before they decide to make a purchase, cultivating effective online management reputation is essential.

What kind of social media presence do you have? What kind of reviews are people giving you? What are people saying about you online? What news headlines come up when people type your business’s name into Google? These are important questions you constantly need to be asking.

This may come as a surprise to you, but your website might be the last place a person goes to find out more about you. And if they are not happy with your services, they’re unlikely to send you a letter. Most likely they are going to vent their anger on social media, and before you know it you’ll have a full-blown PR disaster on your hands.

But before it gets to this state there are preventative measures you can take and simple things you can do in the moment to minimise the chance of a PR disaster outbreak.

The best way to manage your brand’s online reputation is to monitor your social footprint. Serious damage can be done to your business by an inappropriate tweet or a video that goes viral. The things that cause damage to a brand are by no means new, but the rapid advancements made in technology amplify their negative impact, which in turn makes you more vulnerable. This is why it’s important to monitor social platforms like Facebook and Twitter. You can of course manually perform regular searches for your brand name or product on different platforms, but the best way to see what people are saying about you on social is through using tools like Vuelio’s social media monitoring as it lifts the burden of having to do it yourself.

It’s been estimated that the average online users spend 50% of their online time on social media alone. Therefore if you are neglecting your online reputation, you are sleepwalking into a marketing disaster.

If you have an unhappy customer make sure you respond promptly. By monitoring your social media mentions, you can be across all conversations online.
When your customers reach out to you online, they will expect you to respond quickly. Social media operates on a 24-hour basis, so not responding, even for a couple of hours could do irreparable damage. If you need time to reflect on what you want to say, particularly if what the customer is raising is of a serious nature, you can respond by first acknowledging them and then letting them know that you will give them a full response once you have collected all the information you need to give them an informed reply. Most customers want to feel heard and valued, so by acknowledging them you will decrease the chances of having a full-scale crisis.

There is nothing that beats being transparent. If your customers find that something is wrong with your product or the services you are offering, don’t try to cover it up or be dismissive. Admit your mistakes and shortcomings. Trust is built by being honest and transparent. If someone complains about you, as tempting as it might be, don’t delete it, address it. In fact, it’s the perfect opportunity to show your customers how much you value their feedback and how quickly you can take something negative and turn it into something positive.

The dos and don’ts of blogger outreach

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Are struggling with your blogger outreach? Can’t engage with the right contacts or unsure how to pitch? Or maybe you just don’t know where to start? Here’s your chance to learn how to get it right. 

bloggeroutreachdos&donts

Why not join our best practice webinar for PRs –The Dos and Don’ts of Blogger Outreach: How to do it right and get the results you want. 

During our webinar we will talk you through the process from start to finish – how to start building authentic relationships with influencers, how to pitch them in a way they are most likely to respond and how using a blogger database can help you get results fast. 

Filled with top tips straight from the horse’s mouth – the bloggers themselves – this webinar is your step by step guide on brushing up your blogger outreach strategy.

The Dos and Don’ts of Blogger Outreach webinar will take place on Tuesday 23 May 2017 at 14:00pm BST. 

Improve and maintain corporate reputation

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Businesses and organisations are acutely aware more than ever of the importance of protecting their reputation. Some have learned the hard way when crisis situations have hit and they haven’t been prepared or have handled it badly.

There are three sides to reputation management – the first is maintaining reputation when it’s at its highest, the second is developing a good reputation from a new-start perspective and the third is managing reputation and then changing perceptions in a crisis situation.

When conducting studies, the Reputation Institute, the global reputation-based research and advisory firm, uses its RepTrak® measurement framework and measures the perceptions and opinions on:

  • products or services
  • innovation
  • workplace
  • corporate governance
  • public and social impact
  • leadership
  • performance

Reputation can make or break businesses. You can use the above to help with your strategy and management.

Companies or organisations with reputation issues are more likely to feel the wrath of the law and importantly, the public. Nowadays, it may also provoke a cyber attack.

So, how can corporate reputation be improved or maintained when there are so many different elements to consider?

Firstly, it all comes back to the organisational values and objectives. If the values of the organisation are real, ethical and trustworthy, then they should be embedded in every element of organisational work.

Business and organisation have a duty to their shareholders, stakeholders, employees, suppliers and the public, not to mention regulators. You will be held to account.

Public trust is paramount. In the 2008 crash, public trust was at an all-time low in the financial industry, with the public being wary and confused, financially worse off and the impact on the global economy at its worst.

Today’s challenge in reputation management is not only speed but also given the change in landscape, there is media, social media, influencers in their many forms and we must ensure our risk assessments, scenario planning and crisis comms plans are fit for purpose today.

I’m not talking about lying. I’m not talking about coming up with cover-up stories, I’m talking about genuine, ethical business practice. Understanding the business, the scenarios, the likelihood and the potential impacts, will help you understand what you’d need to do, over the short, medium and long-term, to protect reputation.

LauraSutherland_Reputation

Actions speak louder than words

LauraSutherland_Reputation-Listening

You can say whatever you like, but if your actions don’t back this up, then your words are worth nothing and will no doubt be even more detrimental to your reputation.

In addition, the under-rated skill of listening is key. Listening to the people who impact on your business. Listening will help greater understanding and greater understanding leads to better-informed decisions and strategies.

Listening will also help build better relationships as people recognise you are taking their opinions, views and also experiences into consideration. This, in turn will also add greater value to the business and the influence gained will be beneficial.

Listening tools also exist and can be used online, monitoring and listening to different communities. This is essential to keep on top of any issues which may be arising and also in case there are any other groups or communities who you may not even have been aware of. It always an opportunity to respond to issues before they may turn to a crisis.

Top down, bottom up

LauraSutherland_reputation_CEO

As we know, communication works both ways, as does respect and understanding. CEOs and boards have a duty to act as leaders. Leaders should want insights, understand and listen. It shouldn’t just be something for management. Leaders should set an example.

CEOs have the opportunity to really put their money where their mouth is and strengthen corporate reputation by distinguishing themselves and setting a moral, ethical and world-leading standard – no matter how big or small the business or organisation may be.

Charged up CEOs can really set an example and inspire others, too.

Cyber threats

LauraSutherland_CyberAttacks

Interestingly, people find it curious that PR people should be involved or be keen to know systems and protocols in IT departments.

At #PRFest in June, I’ve worked with Craig McGill at PwC to bring their Game of Threats cyber attack simulator to the festival. One of the biggest organisational risks is unhappy employees or those who don’t understand the potential impacts of bad practice.

Take someone using an unknown USB in company IT equipment which could contain malware or unhappy employees spreading negative stories about the company. You are more likely to be targeted if you’re deemed an unethical business or an organisation with an already poor reputation.

It’s so important PR and comms people are on top of recognising issues and impacts and including this within their plans, including simulating scenarios.

Act before a crisis hits

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With tools, systems and people to recognise issues as they start, the key is to address them before a crisis hits. This involves insights and data, planning, scenario tests, and regular monitoring to ensure the plan is always fit for business purposes.

Every member of staff at every level has a part to play. Managers are more likely to spot issues further down the chain than say, a CEO would. But do they know how to report or deal with it to ensure it’s handled effectively? This leads to thorough internal communications functions, policies and management.

Systems and processes

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An early warning system using the risk assessments and listening/monitoring tools will play a vital role in any issues or crisis situation. It’s the reporting of a potential issue that is vital – quickly. Without denial.

  1. Insights and data –internal and external – listening and monitoring
  2. Understand what this information is telling you. Also understand what matters to your stakeholders. What do the actions look like that support what you’d be saying?
  3. Wider and transparent conversations. Think of collaborations and partnerships as an opportunity to involved a bigger set of stakeholders and by collaborating or partnering, there is a two-way approach.

Six areas for corporate reputation to monitor and manage

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  1. Operating and business performance
  2. Legal or ethical
  3. Personnel – particularly misconduct
  4. Political
  5. Environmental
  6. Safety and security

Confidence in you and your business

The importance of confidence in crisis preparation must be underlined. Knowing that you and your business are prepared to face ‘the unknown’ instils confidence. Feeling, being and acting confident are essential groundings for facing unforeseen and emotionally difficult crisis events at a time when you must reassure others that the situation is under control and being handled properly.

The ability to anticipate trouble before it happens is the best source of confidence. Your reputation is your biggest asset. It must be protected.

 

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Are we having the right conversations about diversity?

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Diversity is a hot topic. Hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite and #BritsSoWhite have forced conversations about the lack of diversity into the mainstream. From the echo chambers of social media all the way to the Houses of Parliament, everyone is talking about the absence of proper representation across different sectors. But does it mean anything? Or is it all just lip service?

Despite the PRCA highlighting the lack of diversity in PR, the industry is still struggling to diversify its workforce. In a candid interview, Karan Chadda, director of Evolving Influence shares his thoughts about why it’s important that the CIPR board represents the full spectrum of the UK’s public relations workforce; why we don’t need more conversations about diversity but substantive change, and why he believes that having more diversity at the top of the PR industry will help to not only attract more diverse junior-level applicants, but broaden the national conversation driven by PRs – making stories more accessible. 

Karan Chadda_Diversity-Vuelio

Why do you think the lack of diversity is such a big issue in PR? I think it’s a big issue for every industry. In the UK, where so many sectors talk about talent shortages, it seems daft that we need to make the case for greater diversity at all. If you only recruit from a small segment of society, you inevitably miss talented people. There is undoubtedly a shortage of talent but we should also be asking how much talent is hiding, overlooked or unseen?

You’ve also spoken out against the CIPR board for not having much diversity, why do you think that it is important for the CIPR board to represent the full spectrum of the UK’s public relations workforce? I noted it as unfortunate. Part of attracting a more diverse workforce is showing them what’s possible from a career in PR. You can tell people that it’s a great industry full of amazing opportunities, but if all they see is a monoculture at the top, your words will count for little.

What kind of conversations do we need to be having in 2017 about diversity in order to make progress? 

I’m not sure that we need more conversation, rather we need more substantive change. I think many would agree that the industry is more fond of talking about things than changing them.

And to some extent that’s human nature. Change is hard and commercial priorities are never-ending, but at some point, you need to invest in change and that change should strengthen your business. The PRCA’s recent move on gender pay gap reporting as part of the Consultancy Management Standard (CMS) process is an excellent example of getting on with doing things.

Karan Chadda_Vuelio-Diversity

Diversity has become quite a popular term, but do you think that most people have a real understanding of what it is and how it applies to the workforce? It’s popular to the point of cliché and that’s a problem. Banging on about it has little affect these days, so it’s important to focus efforts where substantive change can be made.

On the plus side, I don’t think there are many people in PR who think more diversity isn’t a good thing. Where there is a disconnect is where we have people talking about the benefits of diversity but few practical examples of how to change and achieve those benefits.

What does diversity mean to you? For me, it means finding the best people. That means recruiting from the biggest pool of talent and, equally importantly, recognising that talent isn’t about shared cultural experiences or how well spoken you are or what colour shoes you wear with a suit. In practical terms, that means changing assessment criteria and reaching out beyond existing networks.

Some PR agencies might say that it’s the job of Taylor Bennett Foundation and Creative Access to help young ethnic minority people to start their careers in the industry. What would be your response to this? Bluntly, it’s not the job of charities to subsidise agencies’ recruitment problems. However, they do an excellent job and I’d urge agencies to help fund them to ensure their vital work can continue and grow. We should also note that the PRCA run the industry’s apprenticeship scheme, which is an excellent initiative. Alongside that a number of agencies have, via the RPCA, committed to paying interns the living wage. These are actions of substance and they’re good for diversity in the industry.

What are some of the barriers that people of colour face once they enter the industry and how can this be addressed? There’s a lot of research that says the primary issue at a junior level is that the industry is not seen as a place for people like them. That comes in two parts, one of which is that PR isn’t seen as particularly diverse and the other part is that it isn’t seen as a prestigious career option.

You’ve been quoted as saying that there is a big difference between access and progression. Can you speak more on this? For me, you’ll only really see the diversity issue resolved once the top of the industry is less uniform. Most industries have little difficulty in recruiting a diverse group of people at the junior level, those advances will be short-lived if some of that cohort doesn’t grow into the top jobs. Diversity at the top signals that PR is a career to aspire to and that it is possible to get to the top.

Another entirely separate point, and this might sound a bit grand, is that PR helps create the national conversation. More diversity at the top will likely broaden that conversation and that can only be a good thing.

What needs to be done to attract more young people from ethnic minority backgrounds into the PR industry? I’m not sure about this one. I recommend speaking to Sarah Stimpson at Taylor Bennett who has excellent experience in this area.

What future trends do you think we will see in regards to diversity in PR in 2017? I’m not sure we’ll see any notable new trends. There are more and more new initiatives and many of them, like the living wage commitments, apprenticeships and reporting changes, will over time make a difference. Change never happens overnight but there is definite change afoot.

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Have you got a dysfunctional relationship with your client?

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I love conflict. For me, healthy conflict is an important part of any working relationship. It appears, however, that I’m not alone in this thinking. In fact, a very clever chap, Patrick Lencioni, defined the five characteristics of a highly effective team. The second characteristic is, healthy conflict.

Having just been part of a team that went through the formal training associated with Lencioni’s theory, I started thinking about whether this theory could and should be applied to client relationships.

No matter how much we strengthen our internal team’s relationships, we’ll ultimately not move forward with enough pace if our client relationships don’t improve as well. If I’m soiling myself every time conflict arises between a client and I then know something is not quite right.

dysfunctional relationship_JohnBrown-Hotwire

So, how do we go about building a healthy relationship with our clients?

According to Lencioni, highly functional teams have the following characteristics:

  1. Trust – they start from the foundation of trust. A degree of vulnerability about strengths and weaknesses builds trust and for a team to function well, everyone must believe that best interests lie at the heart of each individual.
  1. Healthy conflict – my favourite. Not being afraid to challenge, question, debate and air opinions on ideas and actions. A strong team should mean everyone within it feels empowered to speak up and have their voice heard.
  1. Commitment – this is about buy-in. You’re never going to get everyone agreeing from the off. Most teams will still have disagreement about a direction taken. However, importantly the team will have complete buy in that the decision has been made and we’re moving forward.
  1. Accountability – my least favourite. Everyone holds each other accountable for their actions. A healthy team doesn’t need a cruel ruler dishing out punishment and keeping everyone on track. They should each be ensuring the other is doing what they say they’ll do
  1. Results – winning for the team. While individuals will and should always be called out for exceptional work, a strong team will always have the bigger picture in mind and share collectively in the successes of the team

DysfunctionalRelationship_JohnBrown-Hotwire_PR

I think as an industry, we get this right internally a lot more than we give ourselves credit. We tend to be more comfortable with trust and feedback than other professions and everyone knows how much we love to slap each other’s backs – just look at how many awards there are out there. But when looking at these characteristics through the lens of a client relationship, things become a little more troublesome.

I’m going to flip these five pillars of a strong team and turn them into their dysfunctional cousins. What’s more, I’ll try and describe the dysfunctions from the perspective of a client relationship.

  1. It’s all about the money – the client sees the agency as always sniffing out the extra dollar or pound without any regard for what’s in the client’s best interest. Equally, the agency believes the client is trying to squeeze them at every turn and is constantly on the watch for scope creep and creative payment plans.
  1. Put up and shut up – the agency only sees its role as functional delivery. It’s not there to challenge the client or offer a different perspective. The client sees the agency as lazy but also doesn’t want their views (or their boss) questioned.
  1. Go ahead, it’s your budget – the client refuses to sign off on a campaign or an idea officially but instead just says ‘if you think it’s how you want to spend the budget then go ahead’ – total lack of commitment. Equally, the agency reluctantly executes a set of tasks and offhandedly informs the client ‘well it’s your budget, if you want to spend it like this then go ahead’.
  1. It’s their fault – the agency is the client’s perfect scapegoat. When shit hits the fan, it will be the agency’s head that the axe falls upon. Equally, when the agency is brought in front of the judging panel, the first place they’ll point to is their non-committed ‘daft’ client who didn’t give them the necessary support.
  1. I win – here, it’s all about one-upmanship. A constant murmur of, ‘we won that battle’ rather than a commitment to building results for the team. The client tends to feel that they deserve the credit for dragging the agency with them and surprise surprise the agency feels the same about the client.

DysfunctionalRelationships-HotwirePR-JohnBrown

Can you spot a dysfunctional characteristic within these five? If so, it might be worth going back to the characteristic before the one you seem to be having a problem with. If you’re suffering from a lack of healthy conflict with a client, it might be because neither of you trust each other enough.

I can’t tell you how to improve your client relationships, only you will know the necessary detail to make specific changes. However, this piece should serve as a guide for potentially spotting opportunities for improvement and identifying which areas may need some work.

Do invest some time reading Patrick’s book and in your next team building session, have a think about whether what you learnt could be applied to your clients as well as each other.

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How to Stop Wasting Time at Work

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Do you feel as if you’re wasting vital time at your job? How much time do you spend on tasks without knowing just how, exactly, they contribute to your work?

Stop Wasting Time at Work_VuelioTipsheet

Everybody wastes some time at work. A study by Sharp Europe revealed that 34% of respondents had fallen asleep in meetings, which says a lot about the value of those meetings. Meanwhile, chief financial officers told a survey by recruiter Robert Half that 17% of their time spent on work email is wasted.

Our new tipsheet: “How PRs Can Stop Wasting Time at Work” looks at some of the clever ways in which PRs can eliminate time-wasting tasks from their day-to-day activities and focus on their what matters most in their job – connecting with their audience.

Download our tipsheet now and discover how you can get rid of the biggest time-wasters at work and become more efficient through the use of technology and automation.

United, Spicer and Pepsi – cannot put bad news genie back in the bottle

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What an amazing couple of weeks in crisis management. If you ever want a masterclass in how not to manage a PR crisis in this socially-enabled age, take a look at the lessons our American cousins are learning.

First, there was Pepsi with their in-house designed, Kendal Jenner-fronted, “protest” campaign which social media pretty much pulled to pieces.

Then there was the footage of a United Airways passenger being pulled from his seat and dragged bleeding from the aircraft so a member of the airline’s staff could get a free ride.

And do we even need to mention the Whitehouse Press Spokesman Sean Spicer for suggesting that Hitler didn’t use chemical weapons in the Second World War and referring to Concentration Camps as Holocaust Centres?

To give Pepsi their due, at least they pulled their ill-thought-out campaign pretty damn quickly and apologised for any offense.

But United and Spicer made the cardinal mistake of trying to justify their actions/words and dig an even bigger hole for themselves.

In a letter issued to airline staff on Tuesday, United boss Oscar Munoz said: “I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.”

This is quite the departure from a man (who was once voted by readers of PR Week in America as Communicator or the Year) who in an earlier statement described the passenger as “disruptive and belligerent.”

Munoz would do well to remember, the Internet doesn’t forget things so easily.

In an age where everyone has the ability to create and share news content via the mobile devices in their pockets, big brands and governmental organisations have to understand that once released, it’s impossible to put the bad news genie back in the bottle.

Trying to talk your way out of a situation that everyone has already made a judgement call is stupid and will result in pouring more fuel on the PR fires that threaten your organisation.

So what’s a big brand (or government spokesperson) meant to do when then drop the preverbal ball?

Well in an age where social media makes us all more accountable, it also has to make us more honest. So admit your mistakes, put measures in place to ensure they don’t happen again and learn from the experience.

Don’t be afraid to challenge media relations briefs

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In the old days, all you needed to work in the PR industry was a laptop and a mobile. Two pieces of technology that feel surgically glued to you as a 24/7 news cycle means plenty to respond too. The steady integration of social media into PR programmes has shortened this cycle – we’re dealing in seconds now.

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Today man cannot live by email and phone alone. Behind the flurry of emails, already being displaced by internal collaboration tools, are a series of 3rd party tools helping practitioners deliver 21st Century work. These pieces of software help keep PR services relevant for 2017.

For publicity and media relations you may choose the support of Vuelio, for social media a social listening tool such as Pulsar is essential, community management may rely on Hootsuite. It’s a saturated and overwhelmed market; cross-industry collaboration project PRstack began categorising the market in 2015.

The range of tools, their subscription by in-house and agency professionals, are testament that PR services no longer work in a vacuum. Understanding the PR ‘workflow’ has become an integral task by managers who wish to offer a broader range of services, efficiencies, and best practice. We’re all trying to offer services across the PESO (Paid, Earned, Shared, Owned) pie.

Whilst the digital applications in PR programmes are no longer considered innovations, unless you’re dabbling with emerging technologies such as augmented or virtual reality, the industry is broadly still coming to terms with the fact PR is more than media relations. To be impressed by agencies that have approached PR representative of the entire marketing mix, look at any of the big industry awards.

As a side project, I’m grateful to occasionally be involved with judging industry awards. It’s shown me that the most creative campaigns that deliver outcomes is when an agency challenges a client brief and is willing to offer appropriate measurement. As a consultant, this is an essential but often challenging role, and usually leads to better results.

The next time you receive a client brief focused on pure media relations; have a think about how it could include other service areas such as digital. Despite the gloom of Brexit, it’s a fortuitous time to be working in PR thanks to the opportunities provided by our friends in the 3rd party tool and servicing market. In fact, the future of our industry depends on them.

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Blogger Spotlight: Rebecca Henderson, Bright Lights Big City

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Rebecca Henderson created her PR and lifestyle blog Bright Lights Big City after falling in love with public relations in 2008. Although there is a heavy focus on PR and social media, the blog also discusses film, beauty, and places to eat, making Bright Lights Big City an insightful blog which has a very personal tone. In this spotlight, Rebecca who featured on our top 10 UK PR blogs by women, chats to us about how she uses her blog to introduce her readers to PR, the growing importance that metrics in measuring campaigns, why she is determined to break down the gender pay gap in the industry and the impact Brexit is having on PR.

Can you introduce yourself and speak a little about your professional background? My name is Rebecca Henderson and I run the PR and lifestyle blog, Bright Lights Big City.

I first knew I wanted to be in PR when I started doing promotions and talent handling for a successful nightclub in 2008. When I organised my first event, a fashion show which attracted the attention of the UK heads of Levi’s, Karen Millen and Barbour, I knew public relations was for me.

Since 2009 I have worked in PR gaining experience in a wide range of industries, from working on an international sailing race to Clinique’s press office in the heart of London. I’m now working for a boutique PR agency, called Lee Peck Media, based on the south coast of England that deals with a range of clients regionally, nationally and internationally.

This hands on experience is also supported by a PR Masters with Merit from Southampton Solent, one of the UK’s top creative universities and PR studies at the London College of Fashion.

How did you get into blogging? In 2011 I started my blog, Bright Lights Big City, as I wanted to use it as a platform to establish myself in the PR industry. But, I lacked direction, purpose and I was fearful of putting myself out there. Things started to change during my Masters in PR where I was encouraged to blog as part of the course but, a lack of time restricted my efforts and writing felt forced.

Finally, in August 2016 I decided to have a proper attempt at blogging, and if I wasn’t enjoying it after three months I would move on knowing I’d given it my best shot. It was then that I evolved Bright Lights Big City into a PR and lifestyle blog so I could write about a larger range of topics and began posting consistently. Since I made this commitment, the blog has gone from strength to strength.

What do you most like about working in PR? What are the challenges? It’s different every day, PR is really stimulating and constantly evolving. My favourite part is the creative side, brainstorming new ideas and coming up with campaign strategies.

PR faces a few challenges, some of the big ones are metrics and evolution of the industry. Metrics have historically been fluffy and inaccurate, but we’re starting to see content analysis and other ways to measure campaigns develop. Technology has rapidly changed PR and the industry is now a continually evolving landscape. I think the changes in PR make it an exciting industry to work in.

Why should people read your blog? What makes your blog different from other PR blogs? My PR and blogging journey hasn’t been straight forward, initially it was very lonely, I was insecure and it made me feel quite isolated. I share my experiences on my blog in an effort to prevent other people from feeling like this. As a result my approach is fairly personal and all the content is original. My aim is to introduce a much larger audience to PR, comment on topical news and offer tips and advice to those starting out. I try and break aspects of PR down so it’s accessible and adds value, I want the reader to have gained something from reading my post.

Most other PR blogs only focus on PR, mine is a mix of topics. Life isn’t one sided, it’s made up of lots of amazing things. That’s why I write on various topics in PR and lifestyle to make it diverse and interesting for everyone. PR is in a lot of aspects of life and I like the scope to write about it all!

Even statistics show that women make up the majority of the PR industry, there are still inequalities that face women such as the gender pay gap. What are your thoughts on this? This disparity makes me angry. Women have fought so hard to align themselves with men, to be equal. This barrier is yet another to break down. A headache from a previous generation that is disheartening for those starting and progressing their careers.

If more people bring attention and more awareness to this subject, hopefully pay will even out between genders. Legislation might help stop the gap. But, that then runs very quickly into grey territory where the ‘pay depending on experience’ argument can be used. I have no doubt any rule would be extremely difficult to monitor and enforce.

I’m hoping the recent press attention will bring the topic enough attention to make decision makers think and make an effort to stop gender pay gaps from occurring. Education and awareness is key. Be bold for change. I wrote a blog on this in January.

Aside from the gender pay gap and diversity in PR, what other challenges are currently facing the industry in 2017? I think the rise of fake news is interesting, and the obvious hot topic of Brexit. Leaving the EU will change lots things for companies and PR teams will be facing new communication challenges. We’ve just got no idea in what way yet!

What big trends do you think we will see this year in relation to PR? Video and the social media transition to pay to play. It’s going to change the dynamic again!

What is the best way for PRs to demonstrate ROI in 2017? There are lots of ways to demonstrate ROI in 2017, I’m a huge fan of metrics in the form of content analysis but it really depends on what your client values. Are they focused on finances? Or do they value brand reputation or their brand value rankings? A tailored approach around what your client values with KPI’s is important.

What do you think about PR software companies like Vuelio? Vuelio is a fantastic PR tool and it helps make the bread and butter of PR life a lot easier. Having a resource to instantly identify and reach top influencers, access to media lists and help with media monitoring and analysis is a huge time-saving benefit.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any exciting new projects? Bright Lights Big City is growing quickly, so I’m going to spend some time working on new features to add different content. I’m keen to introduce some interview posts and encourage more people to ask more questions about PR. There are lots of changes with Facebook, Instagram and Google at the moment so I’ll be focusing on those too. There are a few projects in the pipeline, I’ve got a couple of collaborations coming up, but I’d love to do more.

How live video can help you grow your brand

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