The power of Twitter as a PR too

Twitter has revolutionised the way we operate within the comms industry – 140 characters at a time.  Whether it is being used for tracking, monitoring, live-reporting, journalism, crisis management, political communications, networking, relationship building – the list goes on, there is no doubt that this social network has become a staple in the PR toolbox. 

Relationship building/insight

It is also particularly important when dealing with the media.  Breaking news happens on twitter and is also an essential tool for news journalists.  With increasing time pressures on reporters it is a great platform to get quick responses and pitch ideas in 140 characters. 

People are using twitter to build relationships/network as part of the changing nature of business and this is very much the case with journalist engagement.  Relationship building between PRs and journalists that traditionally would have taken the form of desk visits, long boozy lunches and a number of calls over the course of the year (not forgetting the follow up calls and emails to see if a press release will be used), now often equate to a few @ mentions and DMs. 

Through twitter people share a lot of personal information that you would not have had access to in the past.  Whether it’s the fact that they like white wine, go on surfing holidays or hate Sundays – all this information helps to build up a picture of what they are like and what they are interested in.  A lot of this information, which may seem mundane to some, can be very helpful in shaping your communications with an individual, creating talking points or even just ensuring that you have the white wine on order when you meet for lunch!

Twitter dominating the news

A report produced earlier this year looking at the value of social media to journalism by Polis, the journalism think-tank at the LSE, highlights just how Twitter has come to dominate news.  The report demonstrates the important role that Twitter plays in newsgathering and telling comments from journalists reinforce this:

Joanna Carr, editor of BBC Radio 4′s news programme ‘PM’, said she “wouldn’t hire anybody who doesn’t know how to use Twitter” and Lyse Doucet, BBC’s chief international correspondent said:

“There is no question, if you are not on Facebook and Twitter, you are not getting the full story”.

Stuart Hughes, world affairs producer at the BBC says that the way he uses social media has completely changed the way he gathers news. Until three years ago, Hughes relied on wire services and the internal BBC news production system for fast information. Not anymore.  He says: “Now, very often I will only glance at that”. Instead, Hughes uses Twitter.

Reporting is now in real time Hughes says:  “Social media allows me to get much closer to the story. There are journalists and other people on the ground reporting in real time and sharing it in real time, so by the time a story actually appears on the wire, very often I will have already spotted it through social media”.

Social media as a channel for communication has grown in popularity and importance for journalism of the last few years and with statistics likes these you can see why:

• The BBC has seen a consistent increase to referrals to its news website via social media -  500% between 2010 and 2012
• At the end of 2012 @BBCBreaking Twitter account had more than 4.5 million followers - it now has 6.2 million

Twitter and other social networks have become the norm in terms of how many of us consume news.  Online channels and the advent of digital media has opened up our choices and in a time when many are so short on time being able to pick and choose your information and where you get it from is crucial.  Across the globe people are living via smartphones and are used to doing things on the go, fitting in news consumption with busy schedules, sharing their own news and reporting on things that they witness. It is very much a two-way street.

So with a wealth of information at our fingertips and the number of choices available it is important that organisations as well as individuals make sure they are making the most of the opportunity and increase their visibility.

Mummy Bloggers and their role in PR

What motivates mummy bloggers – why do they blog? What do they get out of it?

Mummy bloggers are motivated by many different things. However friendship, unity and the notion of sharing are probably the most motivating factors for them. The internet has opened up a whole new world for parents and the raft of online communities now available helps lessen the isolation that some people feel while spending more time at home. Mummy bloggers write about everything from serious subjects such as post-natal depression and the challenges of raising a child with autism or merely sharing their favourite cup cake recipes. By being able to speak to others who are going through similar experiences, mummy bloggers are able to get the reassurance and social interaction they seek.

In what circumstances would you target a mummy blogger – what is their use to PR agencies?

Newspapers and magazines have always featured parenting columns but the growth of social media and online communities has meant that the dialogue has now become two-way. As a result, many more people can get involved in the conversation. So, from a PR perspective where we would have targeted features editors or columnists in the past to raise brand and product awareness, we now talk to mummy bloggers too. They have become very influential and are increasingly playing a larger role in product launches and product development. We would treat them the same way as we would a journalist by inviting them to launch events or sending them products to review. Mummy bloggers are a massively influential group who can help get your message out to a well targeted audience.
How you would target a mummy blogger – what have you found works well, and what should PR professionals avoid?

The biggest mistake a PR could make when trying to work with mummy bloggers is looking at them as a channel for mass communication and trying to target them as a whole. It is really important to find out as much as you possible can about each individual blogger that you want to engage with and tailor your approach accordingly. The best way to do this is to actually read their blogs – sounds obvious but many people still do not practice this common courtesy and look at mummy bloggers as merely a means to get their messages or products out. Once you have done your research you will have a greater understanding of what they are like and what resonates with them. Not every mummy blogger will be interested in what your client is selling so don’t think that you can ‘buy’ them. The best way to communicate with mummy bloggers is to be honest from the outset about what you are trying to achieve, take an interest in what they are doing online and engage with them. Direct them to information that helps them in their own blogging and build a two-way relationship. Keep in touch with them and ensure they have everything they need – in the same way that you would a journalist.

@lyannatsakiris

Is there such a thing as PR anymore dahlink?

So much more than PR
Times they are a changing… if you asked me a few years ago what I did for a living. I would have said I’m in PR. Ask me today and you’ll get a different answer.

So what do I do today? I work in communications.

It’s not just the old PR vs. marketing debate but with online/digital having entered the arena I believe that for quite some time now there is a bigger, better industry that has been bubbling away, growing and refining itself. Yes – communications. Forgive me if I am stating the obvious but have talked about this at length with colleagues and other industry professionals and I don’t know that everyone can see it as clearly as maybe I do. I suppose it’s a bit like the EU debate. Some want to be part of it (and are), some will not and still see themselves as individual member states and others will be in it to make the most of the benefits.

Integration and understanding are key
Ultimately for me communications is about understanding and engaging with people in the most appropriate way and thus finding the right solution for the client. Many people are still trying to fit a square peg into a round hole and it’s not just wrong in an ethical sense but it’s a big waste of time for everyone involved. People who do this are just setting themselves up for a big #FAIL.

Don’t get me wrong, I think there will always be a need for expertise in different areas of the traditional marketing mix, however I think that the future holds integration and collaboration for PRs and marketers, a place where people allow themselves to see the bigger picture, doing away with tunnel vision and having the courage to admit that there is not always one solution.

So do you see yourself as a member state or will you embrace integration?

To blog or not to blog?

I’ve been mulling it over for a while and I feel it’s time to bite the bullet and start the blog that I have been threatening to begin for months (maybe even years!).

I live and breathe communications. Whether it’s catching up with my mum on the phone, advising clients on integrated comms strategies or keeping in touch with my mates on social media sites - I am constantly communicating with someone in some shape or form. So why does it feel so alien sitting here writing this? I write for a living you see – from features on BREEAM excellent-rated buildings, newsletters on what’s hot and what’s not in the fashion world this season, to pieces on the benefits of organic milk. Yet, there is something quite unnerving about sitting down in front of my laptop sharing my thoughts in cyberspace.

I’ll keep this short and hopefully find something other than myself to write about next time (we PRs do love to talk about ourselves – if you are a PR reading this I know you are smiling because you know it’s true even if you don’t admit it!).

I am sensing that there will be something quite cathartic about pressing the ‘publish post’ button shortly.

Take care out there!