Mary’s PR Thoughts

According to the USA Today website, former Jeopardy winner Ken Jennings got caught making some ill comments on his online blog recently. He wrote an article titled “Dear Jeopardy” in which he made a few memorable comments.

For example, he refers to the categories they use on the show (such as Opera) as “effete left-coast crap nobody’s heard of.” He also jokingly claims that the real Alex Trebek was killed in a truck crash a few years ago and was replaced with a robot. He calls it “the Trebektron 4000,” smartly adding “(I see your engineers still can’t get the mustache right, by the way).”

Now while his blog entry was mostly tongue-in-cheek with a few good suggestions, the fact that the USA Today and other papers wrote about it should tell you something. It should tell you that the media are watching and waiting.

When we get out into the world with our fancy new jobs, be reminded by this. Everything that you say and do online is there, forever. Be careful what you say, whether it be good or bad. The media are watching the blogs of people who work for PR companies as well as those of such a minor celebrity as Ken Jennings. Be ready fellow classmates!

1.    What makes a blog a blog? How is it different from an Internet Chat Room or a Bulletin Board?

A blog is a blog when it enables you, the writer, to not only post your thoughts and ideas on the Internet, but to also use things like Flash and to post videos and photos and personal podcasts, etc. You can have multiple layers of communication with people. In a chat room or a bulletin board, all you can do is write up what you have to say. You can’t link to those people in any way like you can on a blog. It’s complicated to explain the differences, but to me, that is the basic jist of it all.
2.    How does corporate blogging fit into a PR Plan? How is it measured?

Corporate blogging fits into a PR plan in many ways. For one, it can produce valuable research. You can promote a campaign or a product, you can even post a survey for readers to take which you could then measure the results of. I guess you would measure the blogging by the number of responses you have, or the number of times people link to you, or how the blog moves in a Google search.
3.    How can blogging be measured for ROI as a communication tool?

You can measure the amount of positive vs. negative responses to a blog about a certain product and watch to see if your responses to comments reflect an increase or decrease in product consumption.
4.    How can blogs be used to communicate to key stakeholders?

You could create different blogs according to what types of people you are trying to reach out to. You can make them private or public depending on who you are trying to reach.
5.    What resources are available for us to learn more?

Tons! Way to many to even begin naming. For example, you can learn about how to change your blogs or websites by learning about HTML. Simply type in HTML for beginners on Google and begin.
6.    How does RSS Feed work with this?

You use RSS Feed to connect back to someone elses blog when you have written about something they posted in their own blog.
7.    Is there a way to cut through the rants and raves found in blogs and get to the pearls of wisdom?

Sometimes, but you have to be willing to spend the time to do so.
8.    How can blogs be used to test new products or ideas?

By posting surveys or offering free samples for visitors to the site or blog.
9.    How can blogs be used to collaborate internally?

You can set up a blog for your company that uses passwords and usernames and such so that only those people in your organization can post in the blog.
10.    How can blogs be used for Media Relations?

You can set up a blog to communicate with the media by posting press releases and sending them that way.
11.    How do you monitor or control messaging and/or negative posts internally?

You can set up your blog so that every time someone makes a comment about a post you put up, you have to accept the comment before it will be shown on your blog site.

As I was browsing through today’s edition of the USA Today online version, I came across a couple of interesting stories. These stories were about how the Internet is growing to be used for a variety of new thnigs that I never would have thought of using it for.

The first article, titled “Wedding webcasts engage more interest,” is about how a new compant is using the Internet to broadcast, or webcast, wedding ceremonies around the world. An example of a company that does this would be Dallas-based Webcastmywedding.net.

This makes sense in lots of ways. To begin with, often when people get married they have family all over and sometimes they just can’t make the commute. Also, if it is a destination wedding, this would enable many family members and friends to see the wedding without having to fly out of the country. In both of these cases, this new idea for using social media on the Internet is great because it is able to bring people together when they normally would not be able to do so.

The second article, titled “YouTube launches it’s own Web stars,” is about a fairly new website called YouTube.com that allows you to post and watch your own short movies or clips.

This site not only allows you to post your own videos and such, apparently it is also being used to scout for new talent. Celebrities like Carson Daly are signing their companies up to begin researching the use of this website.

Both of these new approaches to social media on the Internet are fascinating and are definately proof that the useage and understanding of the opportunities available online is slowly increasing.

1 If you have a blog, have you ever written critically or negatively about consumer brands or products on your blog?
No
2 If you have a blog, have you ever written positively or favourably about consumer brands or products on your blog?
No

3 Has your opinion of a consumer brand or product ever been changed by something you have read on someone else’s blog?
Yes

4 Do you read corporate blogs?
No

5 If yes, have they improved your opinion of the company/brand/product that the blog covers?
No

6 Which source of information about consumer brands or products are you most likely to trust – please rank in order?
1) Company websites
2) newspaper/magazine editorial                                                                                3) Personal blogs
4) Corporate blogs
5) Other independent website editorial

7 If you have any general comments about the overlap between blogs and consumer public relations, please make them here.

 

View questionnaire form HERE.

If you have watched or been following the news over the past few weeks then I am certain you have heard all the stories about MySpace and Facebook. Both of these sites are popular among young people because they allow them to stay in touch with friends who may be dispersed all over the country. They are like online diaries.

Recently, however, there have been several problems that have come to the media’s attention and that seem to be giving blogging a bad name.

Most recently, there is currently a law suit against MySpace that accuses the site of failing to protect its users (minors in particular) from possible adult sexual preditors. A teenager was sexually assaulted by a man she met through the site and her mother is trying to sue the site for $30 million. You can read the long version of the suit here.

Another event involves the popular social networking site, Facebook.com. First there were the rumors that the site was funded and monitored by someone involved with the FBI or CIA. Then there were problems with people not using the provided security measures and complaining of Internet stalkers. Finally there was news that the site hired a sort of police officer for the site to monitor friend requests and such. However, the site is still a problem as there are many articles being written about how college students looking for jobs should watch what they post on the site as it has become a popular resource for companies to look at to review applicants.

So the question is, are blogs getting a bad rap because of these few sites? The answer is yes. As PR people, we need to try to get the word out to other professionals that blogging can and is a good thing and not let the reputation and problems of 2 of 3 websites ruin what has the potential to be a great form of social media.

I recently found an article on the PRSA web site that I found very helpful. It is written by Sarah L. Knowles for the PRSA’s Public Relations Tactics magazine.

The article, titled “Under pressure? Deadline looming? What to do when writing panic sets in,” is basically about how to handle yourself when under large amounts of stress. Much of the information that Knowles presents is incredibly helpful.

For example, she mentions that often PR people forget about who they are writing for, their target audiences, when they are under deadline pressure. Her answer to this problem is to actively focus on your ideal response from your target audience to keep you on track. This seems like common sense, right? However, I know I have often gotten off track due to pressure and been unsure of what to do to get back in line.

I would highly recommend that other students in my Style & Design class this summer consider reading this article. It has lots of good advice for stressed out people and I am sure many of Robert’s students are stressed out right about now.

I was reading through the PR Opinions section on Odwyerpr.com earlier today and I came across an interesting comment made by Jack O’Dwyer himself:

“The real work that needs to be done in PR is rescuing it from the clutches of sales and marketing and restoring its educational role.”

The reason for this, he says, is illustrated by 2 faulty definitions of PR that have recently been in the news. Basically, both of these definitions lean to the idea that PR is more of a subset of other business activities (like advertising) and that it is there to more of less persuade opinion and nothing else.

I have to agree with O’Dwyer on this point. Where has our original definition gone? When Ivy Lee created this profession, he believed in accuracy and honesty, but many PR professionals today throw his ideals to the wind.

We are not here to simply persuade others to do what we want or buy what we tell them to do . . . We exist because we are supposed to serve an educational purpose to the public. If we don’t try to get back to those roots of accuracy and honesty then PR will forever be roped into advertising and marketing. As a student about to begin searching for a job in the “real world,” I truly hope to see this begin to happen sooner rather than later.

 

While 2 Auburn PR students are doing their internships with Camp ASCCA, they are also practicing using and creating podcasts and photo montages. Camp ASCCA, a camp for children and adults with disabilities, is near and dear to the heart of our Style & Design professor, Robert French, so it makes sense that he would have Katie and Danielle using everything they learned in his class.

Among the many different PR activities they are doing is recording podcasts and short videos to post in their daily blogs. This may sound intimidating, but in reality it is not such a difficult process and a blog like the one the girls are running is the perfect place for them.

As I read through some of their recent posts and listened to/watched their podcasts I began to realize that what they are doing is obviously working. In one interview, posted on July 3rd, a parent is worried about leaving her child for the first time. Then she is asked how she heard about the camp and she says that she heard about it from a friend who had wonderful things to say about the camp. As I scrolled down and read the comments that had been made about this one particular interview, I realized how important it is for these podcasts to be posted on the blog.

Parents like to be able to see what their children are doing. It is especially important for parents of disabled children to see how they are adjusting to a new environment and new people. When they are able to log on and see their kids smiling and having fun they know that leaving them there was the right choice and that will in turn encourage them to further promote the camp by word of mouth.

All in all, I would say that the podcasts that Katie and Danielle are posting on their blog are in perfect harmony with what they are trying to do while they are out there and I encourage them to keep up the good work!

According to an article that I read today on www.odwyerpr.com, the FCC wants to be able to air TV press releases by television newscasters. That doesn’t seem like that big of a deal does it? Well apparently it is and I honestly don’t see why.

A group called the Center for Media and Democracy alleges that airing press releases in this way is a violation of the Communications Act because they did not attribute the source of their information. They also consider it a violation of the ‘payola’ rule which states that you must tell listeners if you have received monetary compensation for what you have aired. I just don’t understand how this group can really back this accusation up.

Yes, maybe the newscasters didn’t attribute their information to a source, but in this form of media output they are not required to do so. As for the accusation of ‘payola,’ if no one was paid to read the information then they have no basis.

Also, the rules and regulations that we as PR people have to follow seem sorely out dated now. Think about how fast technology is changing and growing. Now think about how long ago it was that most of these laws were implemented. I think you’ll agree that it’s about time to begin trying to update them. It is necessary to keep our ever changing, ever growing Internet & media dependent society flowing smoothly.