MarketingSherpa Blog

Finally, finally, finally. I’ve been waiting for someone to enlighten me about the ways journalists and PR professionals are using Twitter to interact with each other. Thanks to the launch of a new Twitter resource called MicroPR, I can  really see the value.

MicroPR was developed by Brian Solis, Stowe Boyd, and Christopher Peri. Here is a quick guide provided by Brian’s blog post:

• Journalists, bloggers, and analysts, send a tweet to @micropr (www.twitter.com/micropr) with what you need help with. The PR subscribers will read it and only those who can help will respond. Always start your message with @micropr.

• PR, follow @micropr to monitor the inbound requests from the media and to determine how you can help. This is a listening and response service for you, not a broadcast channel. Do not send a message to @micropr unless you need the assistance of the PR community.

• If you want to refer to micropr on Twitter, please use the hashtag, #micropr.

It didn’t surprise me to find out that Brian was a key player behind this wonderful tool. He is the person who inspired me to write, Essential Guide to PR 2.0: Social Media Dos, Don’ts. Thanks to him for allowing me to interview him for that article.

I should also mention, this tool reminds me of Help A Reporter Out (HARO) created by Peter Shankman. The idea is similar though Peter uses a different medium, namely email, to get requests from journalists to a list of experts and PR professionals.

For more information on HARO, check out the Fame article I wrote in March. Check out MicroPR as well. Both wonderfully useful tools from innovative thinkers. Thanks guys!

Teens are using social network sites, video-sharing sites, online games, iPods, and mobile phones. That’s no news flash.

What’s new is a study of 800 interviews with youth and their parents that has shed light on why young people use digital media. Here are the major findings:

Read more…

Marketers can’t afford to offend the powerful force that is the mom blogosphere. The recent Motrin mommy mess-up is a testament to that. Read more…

It hadn’t occurred to me that most brands and companies large to small are embracing social media or at least thinking about it. It hadn’t occurred to me until I spoke with Rob Merritt, Senior VP and Director of CKPR, one of the largest independent public relations firms in the U.S.

He said during an interview for a Fame article:

“From a PR standpoint I don’t think we execute a PR program right now that doesn’t have an online component and some kind of social media aspect to it.”

In this case the article was about a campaign his company did for AirTran involving a YouTube contest, stunts, and traditional PR to grab the attention of the college-age demographic.

I know it’s only anecdotal evidence that social media is taking a strong hold. But I can say that based on several interviews I’ve conducted with PR staff at companies and agencies social media is almost always part of the marketing or PR strategies.

And if you want to reach younger generations with your company’s message, it’s almost imperative.

I think it’s worth mentioning another free online press release distribution site mentioned in a recent Fame article, “PR Interview: 13 No-Cost Press Release Distribution Sites Reviewed: Get High SEO Rankings on a Budget.”

Both Daniel Durazo and I received comments about PRLog. One commenter said he got two press releases on the first page of Google results by inserting a niche keyword phrase into the title of the press release. Useful TIP!

Upon review of PRLog this is what I found out about the free service:

-Requires a minimal registration/login process

-Allows hyperlinks to be inserted in to the body of the release

-Masks email addresses in the contact section (to prevent spam)

-Typically submits free releases within 24 hours

-Provides multiple categories and tags (keywords)

-Allows for company logo inclusion

-Automatically creates a downloadable PDF

-Provides visitor statistics

-Allows for editing and deleting releases

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It’s definitely a useful site for any PR professional on a budget. First page Google results is nothing to snuff at. And allowing hyperlinks in the body of the press release free of charge is almost unheard of among the free sites.

I am a huge fan of the AMC television series Mad Men — a drama about the ad men and women on Madison Avenue in the 1960s. That’s why a blog post about the shutdown of Mad Men Twitter feeds caught my eye.

Apparently, fans were posing as Mad Men characters, creating Twitter profiles for them, and posting regular Twitter posts. (Check out Don Draper’s, Betty Draper’s, Peggy Olsen’s, and Pete Campbell’s Twitter feeds.) AMC asked Twitter to shut down the feeds, which angered fans.

Here’s an excerpt from the Reuters’ article:

“Although anybody can legally pretend to be any made-up character, Twitter could be in violation of AMC’s trademark if its presentation successfully confuses readers as to whether the feeds are endorsed by the network. Still, sources said that AMC still is looking into the matter and noted that some executives at the network recognize the value of the feeds.”

Later, AMC revoked the request, allowing the feeds to continue. I think this leads to some fundamental conclusions about the ways brands should view social media avenues like Twitter.

1. As long as consumers aren’t being profane and inappropriate or otherwise offensive to others and the brand, what can it hurt?

2. Social media avenues work best when minimally policed.

3. It’s free, no effort viral marketing for the brand.

Thanks to David Lidsky, Senior Editor of Fast Company, for blogging about this. I wouldn’t have seen it otherwise.

Once in a while, when developing Corporate Social Responsibility campaigns, PR folks really should think big, think bold and jump on opportunities to be big and bold with CSR messaging. That’s what I learned when reporting on The Hartford Financial Services Group’s award-winning diversity communications campaign for a Fame article. Read more…

The demographics in Canada and the U.S. are shifting. In Canada, specifically, more than 10 groups represent a significant portion of the population. There are about a million Chinese, a million Italians, a million Southeast Asians, etc.

More and more Canadian marketers are watching these demographics. They’re tailoring marketing programs to them, says Jan Kestle, Founder and President of Environics Analytics. She says the financial services and telecom sectors have taken the multicultural marketing lead in North America.

Read more…

What are the most pressing issues facing PR professionals today? Garnering better internal communications should be one of them. Read more…

Most people in the real estate vertical know that RE/MAX is a top buyer when it comes to television ads. The company spends more than $1 billion annually promoting brand awareness through many channels, including television. Read more…