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If the telegram is still around, then …

• Posted by Leo Valiquette
• July 22, 2008
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By Leo Valiquette

Since joining the inmedia team after almost a decade working in traditional media, I’ve been somewhat bemused by all the talk in the blogosphere of the impact of social media. Traditional media is withering away, some would have us think, in favour of content driven by the people for the people. The mass communication tools of Web 2.0 (whatever that really is) have empowered citizen journalism like nothing else could.

It’s the next generation of that same old video-killed-the-radio-star debate that’s been going on since, well, the advent of video. I heard it when I went back to school for journalism in the late 1990s. I lived it for eight years at a weekly business publication where the web wasn’t considered a threat, but a boon in the daily challenge of keeping on top of breaking news when your product hit the street only once a week. In that context, the web was the great equalizer. We enjoyed consistent, strong web traffic because our readers saw the paper as a trusted source of news and insight that was relevant to them.

I’ve blogged on this before, that being viewed as a trusted source of news will become even more important, not less so, in this age of citizen journalism. There is no doubt that traditional media is being forced to give some ground before a new challenger, but for the forseeable future they will co-exist.

This fact is readily apparent when one looks at the reach and influence of the trade and industry press that we target for our media outreach efforts on behalf of clients. As I write this, I’m in the final days of assuming Linda’s responsibilities before she heads off on maternity leave. The number of newsletters she subscribes to in order to keep her finger on the pulse of the news and issues relevant to her clients is astonishing. These are influential and widely read publications that we can’t afford to ignore if we are to provide the high degree of client service that inmedia prides itself on. And yes, there are influential bloggers among them, but many of those bloggers are still journalists working for a traditional media channel.

While the death of traditional media has been exaggerated, so too has the demise of traditional public relations and marketing efforts. In fact, shops like Social Media Group and Livingston Communications purport to focus exclusively on social media marketing and communications. In announcing the merger of the two agencies this week, Livingston CEO Geoff Livingston told PRWeek that agencies that attempt to provide both social and traditional media outreach end up selling their clients short because doing both “hampers their thinking.”

Huh?

That’s brand positioning speak if I ever heard it. Maybe I’m old-school and my perspective on the matter betrays archaic thinking, but I still think all these channels that fall under the heading of “social media” are just another set of tools to be integrated into a larger public relations and marketing strategy, not a strategy in and of themselves to be focused on to the exclusion of all else. And wiser souls much more savvy with this stuff than I agree. You engage with one or more of these channels because it makes sense to do so, because you’ve been able to confirm that they will allow you to engage in a fresh and impactful way with a specific segment of your community you have deemed important to your business growth and development. It must be much more than “let’s do social media because it’s all the rage right now,” or “drop Facebook, I’ve heard about this new thing called Twitter.”

Bottom line, no one knows for sure how the prevalence of social media will impact traditional media, or traditional public relations for that matter, over the long term. But even the telegram is still around, so that should tell us something. The only thing we can say with any certainty is that the message remains more important than the medium and being able to create a clear and impactful message will always be key.

Leo Valiquette

Posted in:

• Public and media relations
• Social media

Marketing to different age groups

• Posted by Linda Forrest
• July 21, 2008
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By Linda Forrest

I was intrigued last week when the Marketing Profs newsletter opened my eyes to the fact that so-called “Generation Y” appears to love direct snail mail. Given how “plugged in” younger people are these days, this seems utterly counterintuitive, but it is indeed the case. One wouldn’t assume that amongst the electronics that are so prevalent in young people’s lives, they’re keeping their coupons clipped, but indeed it sounds as though this can be an effective way to reach this audience. Certainly more relevant information for those marketing a consumer play, but as entrepreneurs get younger and more skilled young people rise through the ranks in the workforce, it’s a good idea for those in the B2B space to be conscious of the habits of this age group as increasingly they are decision makers in the business world.

Marketing to different age groups has indeed been a hot topic in the marketing newsletters of late, as the Daily Dog also pointed to a piece on bridging the generational gaps with PR programs at the end of last week. It’s important, regardless of what you’re marketing, to be conscious of your audience and implement the marketing activities and methods that are most likely to bring about success. Perhaps these articles will provide you with some insight into your market and how best to reach them.

Linda Forrest

Posted in:

• Marketing strategy

How times have changed

• Posted by Linda Forrest
• July 18, 2008
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By Linda Forrest

In previous posts, we have made fleeting reference to the changes in our business since we each began our PR careers and also to our interest in clean technology and protecting the environment in other ways. A post in today’s MarketingProfs newsletter marries those two topics together and therefore resonates with us.

When I was involved in more consumer focused media relations and publicity, there was, at the time, a requirement for hard copy press kits by the hundreds that were packaged together with the consumer goods we were offering up for review, sent out by mail, by courier and offered up at media events. As time wore on and as technology and how people accessed and consumed information changed, we gradually got away from hard copy photos and press kits in favour of electronic versions. Although it was not with environmental considerations in mind at the time, upon reflection, there was indeed a monumentous reduction in the amount of paper and energy used to distribute the relevant media materials.

Fast forward to present day, when technology is even more pervasive in our lives. I honestly have a difficult time recollecting the last time that I put together a hard copy media kit, but can confidently say that it was at least several years ago. It’s great that our industry has moved, or is making the move, to be more environmentally friendly, whether it’s a conscious effort or a happy by-product of the changing way in which media gets its information.

Linda Forrest

Posted in:

• Public and media relations

Community manager: A job title or a state of mind?

• Posted by Leo Valiquette
• July 16, 2008
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By Leo Valiquette

Over at ReadWriteWeb, there’s an interesting discussion underway about the concept of a “community manager” and the need for this entity early on at a startup company.

The question, however, is whether this job description is simply an extension of the PR department or a separate, if complimentary, position. In addition, in the early days of a startup, how much money should be devoted to this kind of role when cash is scarce and the company founder should be taking a leading role in cultivating the company’s community?

If you look at any component of a comprehensive and strategic public relations strategy, having a person dedicated to a particular role or set of responsibilities is definitely more effective than a scattergun approach in which one person is challenged to wear several different hats. In addition, how you manage relationships with your community should also be conveyed in a philosophy that is permeated throughout the entire culture of your organization at every level.

What do you think?

Leo Valiquette

Posted in:

• Social media
• Startups

Media monitoring – can you really get it all?

• Posted by Danny Sullivan
• July 16, 2008
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By Danny Sullivan

Media monitoring is a function of every PR firm, but how comprehensive a service are you getting? There are a hundred and one services and solutions out there, but each comes at a cost and, for the average PR firm, there isn’t an unlimited budget for such things.

We use a few tools that, when combined, provide a fairly comprehensive report on clients’ coverage. However, there are still some pieces of coverage that aren’t always picked up on, typically in niche publications without much web content.

The best form of media monitoring is knowing where your coverage is likely to appear and keeping an eye open for it – although this is admittedly less practical for coverage of news announcements, where monitoring tools really come into their own.

Ensuring you are subscribed to the more niche publications on your target list should cover the possibility that your tools and services miss something. Of course, this becomes less practical if you are monitoring coverage that is occurring all across the globe.

Ultimately, you have to achieve a level of media monitoring accuracy that is acceptable to you and your clients, at a reasonable budget, while understanding that there may be some pieces that will slip through untracked.

If anyone has any particular tools and services or combinations that they have found to work particularly well in terms of effective monitoring, I’d be interested to hear from you.

Danny Sullivan

Posted in:

• Public and media relations