Tuesday 6 May 2014
Podcasts: A Students best Resource
Podcasts aren't new. They've been around longer than social media itself. However social media is enabling people to share podcasts easily and make them more accessible.
Getting it Wrong Online
Social media is still a relatively new platform in PR. Professionals have had years to get it right with traditional media, but social media is a whole new ball game. There are so many things that can go wrong online and it is important to remember that it is pretty inevitable that something will. Here are some examples of brand who have got it wrong online.
1. #hmvXFactorFiring
When one disgruntled employee of HMV took to their twitter feed to live tweet the firing of mass employees the social media world exploded with retweets and comments. Whilst this didn’t exactly harm the business, they were pretty much in a bad place anyway, it did show a level of unprofessionalism that brands should aviod online.
2. Beware of sarcasm.
The nature of social media just invites sarcastic comments and PR professionals should be aware of it to ensure that any trends you start don’t get taken over. Like Waitrose. When the trend #waitrosereasons started it created a long list of twitter users saracastic response.
3. #mcdstories
Similar to Waitrose, McDonalds got more than they bargained for when they started the trend McDStories. They hoped the trend would highlight all the good times customers have had at the chains resturants, instead users shared their horror stories of McDonalds instead. McDonalds later released a statement sayign the trend did not go as planned.
Anyone can fall foul of bad timing. It is vital to be aware of whats going on in the world before tweeting, especially for a well known brand. For example when the American Rifleman, a publication for pro-gunmen tweeted “Good morning, Shooters. Happy Friday! Weekend Plans?” at the same time as the mass shooting at a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, it didn’t go down well. Users were outraged at how insensitive the tweet was. The account was later deleted. Make sure you don't get caught out for being ignorant to news.
5. Don’t make everything a promotional opportunity.
Social media often sees its highest user traffic and engagement in times of crisis. Users are very often looking for news, commentary or official statements. They are not looking to be promoted at. Just ask American Apparel! They came under heavy criticism when during the height of Hurricane Sandy, a natural disaster which effected the lives of many Americans, they released this promotional picture.
The offer suggested that those who were ‘bored’ by the storm should start some online shopping. Customers took to social media to express their anger. They weren’t the only one! The Gap released a similar statement.
6. Sometimes it is best to stay quiet!
When a disgruntled Dell employee sent a list of 22 confessions of the tactics Dell used to sell to the public to Consumerist.com Dell were not happy. They emailed the website demanding the list be taken down. The consumerist just published the email instead. Dell, again, were not happy. They then went on to take legal action. Cosumerist.com just published more communications with Dell instead of complying with Dells demands. It soon went viral and back fired on Dell. In the end Dell admitted the blew it and should have just kept quiet.
The nature of social media just invites sarcastic comments and PR professionals should be aware of it to ensure that any trends you start don’t get taken over. Like Waitrose. When the trend #waitrosereasons started it created a long list of twitter users saracastic response.
3. #mcdstories
4. Beware of Timings
When a disgruntled Dell employee sent a list of 22 confessions of the tactics Dell used to sell to the public to Consumerist.com Dell were not happy. They emailed the website demanding the list be taken down. The consumerist just published the email instead. Dell, again, were not happy. They then went on to take legal action. Cosumerist.com just published more communications with Dell instead of complying with Dells demands. It soon went viral and back fired on Dell. In the end Dell admitted the blew it and should have just kept quiet.
Breaking News 24/7: How E! Is ahead of the entertainment game.
Pop culture news is one of the biggest features of twitter. It's often were stories break and a first port of call for the public to find out more about the latest news stories. One broadcaster who has taken the social media and extended their brand is E!. Through various twitter accounts including E! Online, E! News and E! News Now fans are able to get entertainment 24/7. A gift for all pop culture addicts. Followers are able to get the latest news content about the top celebrities, television, movies and fashion.
E! has already been the source of many breaking stories of 2014 and is highly regarded in the industry for its creative and quick reporting. They’ve managed to turn their 1 hour entertainment news show into a 24/7 business.
The E! News account has up-to-date breaking news articles, exclusive photos and extended video footage, enabling followers to see far more than what is broadcast on the E! network. The E! News Now twitter account shares short news clips to broadcast news even when the E! News is not on tv. The news show itself also feature several social media elements, for example viewers can live-tweet their opinions on the entertainment news and are able to have real-time conversations with the shows hosts.
The brand E! has grown from more than a network and news show it is now a trusted and reliable source of entertainment due to its extensive use of social media. A popular Instagram account and a Facebook page add to the social media plethora.
One of fields E! excels is their use of social media when reporting on live red carpets. The broadcast E!’s Live from the Red Carpet is one of the most popular red carpet broadcast for events such as the Academy Awards, BAFTA’s and The Grammy Awards. Fans are able to tweet their questions to the worlds biggest movie stars and pop stars as well as engage in interactive polls and quizzes. The twitter accounts also provide a live stream for a second live stream of the red carpet which gives fans an exclusive look at the red carpet events.
Entertainment fans want their news quickly and E! is providing that platform in a big way. @eonline has over 6 million followers and updates constantly throughout the day.
It is clear that in order for TV to excel in the digital age it needs to embrace social media platforms, like E! have.
Entertainment fans want their news quickly and E! is providing that platform in a big way. @eonline has over 6 million followers and updates constantly throughout the day.
It is clear that in order for TV to excel in the digital age it needs to embrace social media platforms, like E! have.
Instagram: Visualise Your Business
Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms around. It is estimated there has been over 16 billion photographs uploaded onto Instagram however it is still one of the least utilized social media platforms for businesses. But why? Research firm L2 recently released a report showing Instagram to be one of the most engaging social medias for consumers, with high rates of browser to consumer.
There are several ways to increase your instagram mark. Here are a few ways.
Instagram is a great way to give fans and consumers a rare look behind the scenes. This creates a sense of intimacy between the brand and the consumer and gives them access to a world they wouldn’t usually see. This is especially prominant within the fashion industry. Many prestige brands, such as Marc Jacobs, upload photos from behind the scenes in the run up to fashion shows or the launches of new products.
2. Show off new products
Instagram is also a great way to advertise new products and build up an excitement around them. For example, Topshop recently uploaded a series of photos surronding the release of Kate Moss’ new collection for the brand. The photos where not only seen by instagram followers but were also picked up by media outlets such as the mailonline and justjared.com who based their news stories around the uploaded photographs.
Engaging with customers on social media is one of the great PR challenges. However instagram is easing that problem. Encouraging followers to upload their own content featuring your brands products is a great way to get your brand noticed but also engage with your consumers. Benefit Cosmetics recently involved their customers in the launching of their new mascara by encouraging consumers to upload photos of themselves using the product and using the hashtag #realsies. Benefit then used these photos as part of their PR campaign.
Instagram is a brilliant visual media tool for PR professionals to take hold of, especially for those brands in a creative or visual industry. It’s a growing platform and those who don’t utilize it are definitely missing out.
Social Media Case Study: Game of Thrones
One of the biggest popular culture trends of the past few years has undoubtably been Game of Thrones. The medieval fantasy series based on the popular series of books has become a worldwide sensation with millions of viewers tuning in for each episode. However, were Game of Thrones is taking the lead is in the social media game.
The twitter account @GameofThrones keeps followers informed every single day with new content to ensure fans keep engaged at all times. When the end titles role on the world of Westeros fans are able to turn to twitter and engage in conversations on their favorite characters and storylines. One of the key features of @GameofThrones is their live-tweeting commentary of episodes which encourages fans to retweet whats happening in the show but also engage in conversation. However the content is relatable to both the mainstream viewers and the die-hard fans of the series which creates a level playing field between the fans that have read the books and those who just watch the series.
In the count down to a new season @GameofThrones is the first port of call for fans looking for new content. When a new trailer is released on television it also simultaneously posted on the twitter account and promoted by fans all over the world. The account also links fans to the creators and actors in the program via live webchats, twitter takeovers and question times.
@GameofThrones also engages in visual media. They are often the first to release humorous memes and images which become highly-retweeted amongst fans and media. They are often the driving force behind GoT related trends and have started trends such as #RoastJoffrey which encourged fans to share jokes about the shows most hated character. Several media outlets got onto the trend and started sharing their own #RoastJoffrey content, as did many brands such as Oreo and Burger King. By the end of the trend had more than 1 million interactions were had through the hashtag.
In the count down to a new season @GameofThrones is the first port of call for fans looking for new content. When a new trailer is released on television it also simultaneously posted on the twitter account and promoted by fans all over the world. The account also links fans to the creators and actors in the program via live webchats, twitter takeovers and question times.
Social media is great platform to expand a fan base, and Game of Thrones is a prime example of how Tv and social media can work together.
Why Monitor Social Media?
Social media has opened up the channels of communication between businesses, consumers and media.
Traditionally PR professsionals would have monitored the media to understand who is saying what about your company, product or brand. This type of insight as then used to create campaigns and shaped the messages a company sent. But today social media is just as important as traditional media outlets. Sites like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs are a vital link to your consumers so it only makes sense to monitor what is going on. Here are 5 reasons to monitor social media activity:
Every PR professional should be aware of how easily a crisis can be caused by social media. One disgruntled customer who takes to social media to rant about a brand can very easily and quickly start a trend of other angry customers doing the same. Getting ontop of a crisis before it starts is the best way to manage a crisis.
You can’t stop people talking negatively about your brand, however you can manage it and ensure it doesn’t escalate. One of the great things about social media is the ability to not just partake in conversations but also to monitor them. A business should always be monitoring what publics are saying about them for several reasons. For one, it may highlight a few issues a business wasn’t aware off. Issues such as these may not escalate into a crisis but they do affect the reputation of a business.
3.Competitor Analysis
Social media monitoring can also give some insight into what our competitors are doing. Is your competitor releasing a new product? is it like yours? Will it affect us? Monitoring competitors can also give some insight into why customers like them or use them. This can help highlight some issues your business may have
Spotting social media trends early can be a gift to PR campaign planners. Being at the cutting edge of social media tends is a great way to get a business known
Very often the first signs of a crisis appear on social media and before a business knows it they are at the eye of the storm. Being the first to notice a crisis means being the first to respond. Responding quickly to a crisis can help limit damage and restore faith in your business.
Using Social Media to improve your employability?
Being a student is difficult enough without the added pressure of sourcing placements, internships and securing a post-graduate position. But social media is easing that problem for students who are willing to use it to their advantage.
With the majority of students using social media in their personal lives it seems only fitting that they extend their social media footprint to include platforms that could help them find employment.
Here are some tips to landing a job via social media
Twitter:
- The search engine imbedded in twitter is a great way to start a job search. Searching terms such as ‘PR internship’ or ‘post-graduate scheme’ can bring up an a range of tweets that may fit what a job-seeker is looking for. You can also search for positions in your region or specific city you are interested in worked in.
- Tweeting is a great way to express your opinions and share your knowledge, but it is also a brilliant way to network with professionals from the industry you are aiming to join. Tweeting interesting content often is a great way to show your interest in the field. Employers will often search potential applicants social media profiles so ensure your twitter feed includes content related to your industry is a key way to stand out and back up your CV claims.
- Searching through relevant hashtags will also potentially find you employment opportunities. Businesses will often announce job opening via twitter including a hashtag such as ‘jobopportunity’ or in the case of students ‘studentopportunity’. There are also several employment hashtag trends to be aware of in the PR world such as #PRjobs and #PRintern but also more specifically #UKfashionintern and #PRstudent.
- It is also important to follow as many professionals as possible. They may tweet tips or advice for job seekers, but it is also likely that the content they tweet will be relevant to your profession. There are also many twitter accounts dedicating to posting job opportunities
LinkedIn
Surely the most professional social media platform it is an easy tool to use for students.
- Connections are a vital part of LinkedIn. Connecting to professionals in a field you are interested in is a great way to start networking.
- Job boards are available on LinkedIn which shows job opportunities, some of which might be relavent for students or post-graduates.
- Recommendations and Endorsements is one of the social elements of LinkedIn and enables your connections to back up your CV claims, showing potential employers your skills.
- Show of your work experience! Detail as much of your experience as possible, you never know what an employer is looking for and unlike other social media platforms LinkedIn does not limit your content.
Blogging
Starting a blog is a great way to showcase your ability, especially in a profession like PR.
- Be specific. Make your blog specific to a topic. For example if you are interested in PR and rugby perhaps start a blog specifically about the use of PR in the game of Rugby. If your blog is to wide in topic you may lose focus and employers will notice.
- Update regularly. Running a blog can be difficult, however ensure that it is regularly updated shows to potential employers that you are dedicated to the profession.
- Blogging is also a great way to make connections. Follow industry based blogs and add interesting comments to posts might just get your noticed.
- Being a student is difficult enough without the added pressure of sourcing placements, internships and securing a post-graduate position. But social media is easing that problem for students who are willing to use it to their advantage.
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