Category: PR Industry News

Hootsuite’s top resources for social media managers

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Many PR practitioners know Hootsuite for its pre-scheduling capabilities for social media campaigns. This tool allows managers to pre-write posts and also have a birds-eye view of social streams and company mentions. In turn, PR practitioners then have more time to engage with followers, which is vital for a strong social presence.

However, there is so much more to this management software than the scheduling system. It provides PR practitioners and marketers with resources to create strategic campaigns in order to engage with their key audiences.

Here are three of Hootsuite’s most valuable resources for social media managers.

Hootlet

Hootlet is a free, downloadable plug-in for web browsers that lets social media managers share articles and blogs quickly on the web.

The Hootsuite Icon in the corner of web browsers is a one-click step to sharing, scheduling and posting websites’ content to all social accounts.

According to Social Media Today, “The functionality offered by Hootlet provides a unique social sharing experience to your daily browsing efforts. Now you have one tool to perform all your social searching, sharing and scheduling directly from the web browser.”

The Hootlet plug-in eliminates the need to open Hootsuite’s dashboard for composing posts. Therefore cutting down the time it takes to share content and freeing up time for engagement.

Hootsuite Analytics

When executing a social media campaign, PR practitioners must demonstrate that their work contributes to the bottom line – sales. Each social platform has their own back-end analytics that supplies managers with statistics on shares, likes and engagement.

However, Hootsuite’s analytics provides this information in one location with a standardized measurement scale.

The first and free option, Overview, gives managers a general view of their accounts’ activity. It calculates the number of posts, followers, engagement and traffic.

The second, Boards, allow social media managers the ability to focus in on specific campaigns and keywords. These boards are in real time and can be viewed by multiple people within an organization.

These reports give senior management evidenced on the impacts of effective social media campaigns.

Amplify

Hootsuite’s Amplify is an employee advocacy program, which gives employees access to a stream of pre-written posts.

Social media managers fill their streams with company news, promotions and upcoming events that employees can gain access to. Once connected to these content libraries, employees can post the pre-written messages directly to their personal accounts. This can be done both from a desktop and the mobile app.

Brand advocacy through employees is a vital resource for PR practitioners and marketers. When employees are given the resources to share company information to their personal accounts, it helps boost the messaging reach.

An example of effective employee posting through Amplify is Topgolf. According to Hootsuite, Topgolf saw a 66% increase in content read due to Amplify.

This tool is vital in expanding a company’s social media reach by utilizing their employees as brand advocates. However, it is more than just encouraging employees to participate in social. Amplify provides them with a one-stop location for company content.

New social trends for digital gurus

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“you don’t get a win unless you play in the game.” – Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton.

 

The social landscape constantly changes with new social media trends calling the attention of users across the globe. In order to stay competitive with their digital presence, brands and their social media marketers must begin to use new social trends.

What is new in 2017? Here are four trends PR practitioners and marketers must start to incorporate into their messaging.

Live Videos

Facebook and Instagram’s new live videos are taking over the internet. People can now keep up with their friends in real time by tuning into the live videos streaming on social sites.

Businesses must begin to utilize these live videos to increase two-way communication with their publics.

According to Bitly, “This is something someone looking to make their brand more personable and authentic should definitely be planning. For example, if you’re running a team-building exercise, consider streaming it to your audience and make them feel like they’re involved.”

360-degree Videos

The new 360-degree videos open another playing field for businesses showing their products to customers on social media.

“Businesses will also greatly benefit from this new technology. They’ll be able to show 360° videos of hotels, houses, cars, museums, art galleries etc. to their potential clients on different social media channels,” Bitly said.

A great example of this is CBS’s 360-degree video of the Broadway play, Hamilton.

Watch this 360° Hamilton: An American Musical performance of "Wait For It" now for an exclusive look at the cast getting ready for The 70th Annual Tony Awards this Sunday 8/7c live on CBS or CBS All Access.

Posted by CBS on Wednesday, June 8, 2016

 

This gives the Hamilton fans a sample of the musical performances, and it also shows the stage’s set and theater. This alone received 2.5 million views. It increased the buzz about the show and allowed CBS to communicate with their audiences with interactive technology.

Employee Advocates as  Brand Ambassadors

A growing trend from brands is increasing their employees’ communication on social media with consumers.

Customers often trust recommendations about products more than marketing pushes and advertisements. Therefore, employees are companies’ biggest asset because they are closest to the product. They can share that knowledge online by having conversations with customers about the product.

In a case study conducted by Link Human on AT&T’s use of employee advocates, they found that, “the results of the program showed an ROI of an estimated media value of over $1 million; a community of 1533 members, who have produced over 20,000 social media posts and audience engagement is over 400,000.”

Social Shopping

Social commerce has grown significantly due to social sites like Instagram and Pinterest. These allow customers direct access to purchasing pages when the promoted product is linked from their social site.

According to SproutSocial, “The Sprout Social Index discovered 57% of consumers are more likely to buy from a brand they follow. Additionally, 75% have made a purchase because they saw it on social media.”

 

Resources for top-notch social media marketing

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Managing the demand for social media interaction and content creation 

social-media-mobile-icons-snapchat-facebook-instagram-ss-800x450-3-800x450As the world continues to connect online and more audiences expect interaction from their favorite brands, social media managers must utilize these resources to maximize their social presence.

Scheduling Software

Social media managers’ strongest ally is their scheduling software. Sites such as Hootsuite or TweetDeck allow PR practitioners to visually layout and schedule posts on social media platforms in one location.

Beyond scheduling, these also allow managers to follow specific topics or hashtags pertaining to their brand. They can then stay on top of the conversation because the information is all in one place.

Another great aspect of scheduling software is that it gives PR practitioners the opportunity to directly communicate with people talking about their brand. If tweets and post are scheduled, communicators can spend their time responding quickly to comments and increasing two-way communication with their audiences.

Different pre-scheduling software includes:

  • https://www.google.com/search?q=hootsuite&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiz-Z2U1fTRAhUL2GMKHbB5CFkQ_AUICigD&biw=1199&bih=477#imgrc=qkIFnORC-pywAM:Hootsuite
  • TweetDeck
  • Postcorn
  • Later Bro
  • CoTweet
  • Twaitter
  • Future Tweets
  • Tweetsqueue
  • Dynamic Tweets
  • Taweet
  • Tweet-U-Later
  • TweetSched
  • Twuffer

For more information on the list above, visit 11 Free Services for Scheduling Social Media Updates.

Compelling Stories

In order to have a strong presence on social media, it is necessary to write compelling stories. These can be presented as a blog, video or even 2015_03_17-storytelling-for-startupspicture. However, they must be done well with attention to detail and relate back to the company’s mission.

According to Postcorn, “We have to harness the power of social networks, not just to ‘share’ content, but to ‘tell it’, and to ‘narrate’ the brand. Don’t take social media platforms as ANOTHER distribution channel, but rather as a conversation channel, a transmission of experiences, feelings, values, dreams, failures, successes, truths, etc.”

Write stories that relate to your campaign or brand message. However, make sure it will stick with your target audience.

Currency on social media is the number of shares, not likes. Therefore, write compelling stories that people want to share with their own followers. This, in turn, will spread the voice of your brand and presence on social platforms.

Utilizing Keywords

When formulating a tweet or post, create tweets that are short, cohesive and utilize keywords.

how-to-find-keywords-for-seoMore people are starting to use social media networks as a search engine to find businesses they need.  According to Kissmetric’s Blog on How to Use Keywords on Your Social Networks, “Smart keywords choices and placement will give you a better chance of moving up on a social media search page.”

Once the keywords are determined, they should be included in captions, hashtags and headlines to ensure the best Search Engine Optimization, or SEO.

An excellent tool for determining and analyzing keywords is SocialMention. This site allows you to select a word or hashtag that you would like to follow and ensure your company is succeeding in using SEO.

Picking Your Valentine’s Day Gift

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Applying PR primary and secondary research practices 

As Feb. 14 approaches and pink hearts fill the shelves of stores, women everywhere begin to wonder what to buy their significant other for Valentine’s Day.

While many simply ask their valentine what he wants or give into cheesy chocolates, there is a covert process that can ensure effective and anything-but-cliche gift giving. Approaching the purchase from a PR research perspective can give better insight into the perfect present this Valentine’s Day.

Step 1 – Secondary Research

Also referred to as background research, secondary research is an analysis of past studies conducted by another party. This step is vital in the search for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.

You may think you know your significant other like the back of your hand. However, you’ll be surprised what you find when reflecting on the following information.

  • Historical Research/Case Studies

secondary-research-used_9e231777a70223c1Take a moment and reflect on past gift exchanges between you and your valentine.

Many martyrs from Valentine’s Days past know the sting when your date’s face shows disappointment as they open the gift. Make a list of his favorite and most hated gifts. Why did he like or dislike it? Does he appreciate handmade gifts or is he more interested in something bought?

This stage is necessary in analyzing the ghosts of presents past.

  • Internal & External Documents

Determine what your valentine is crazy about. Reach beyond the sports or hobbies he talks about regularly (though don’t dismiss these). Look at what he has in his home or car. What is his sense of style? Is there something he is lacking?

Also, take note of activities he does with you and his friends. While a gift to hold is great, it’s never a bad idea to consider an activity as a gift if it fits his personality.

  • Databases and Internet Sources 

Beyond your analysis of his habits, research top gifts this season. While it may be tempting to Google, “Valentine’s gifts for him”, don’t do it. This will point you towards the cheesy chocolates mentioned above.

Instead, use keywords in your search specific to him. This will help you focus in on your gift giving pursuits.

Step 2 – Primary Research

Once you have conducted your secondary research, it is time to go directly to the source for primary research.

interviewIn public relations, primary research methods include focus groups, interviews, censuses and surveys.

In the case of the Valentine’s Day date, an interview is recommended.

Ask about gifts he wants or needs and solidify any brainstorming that began during your secondary research. However, don’t be overt in your questions and practice your detective skills. The element of surprise is best in the case of gift giving.

Step 3 – Decision & Gift Giving

With both your secondary and primary research combined and analyzed, it is time for the big decision. You can now decide on the best gift for your valentine!

While yes, this process may seem extensive and rather thorough, it has been the backbone for many successful PR and marketing campaigns. Therefore, follow these steps to ensure a smile from your valentine as he unwraps his gift.

For more information on PR research methods, visit Market Research Techniques: Primary and Secondary Market Research.

Happy Gift Giving!  <3

Millennials and Stories

The battle for your stories

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Snapchat v. Instagram v. Facebook

In the fall of 2013, Snapchat made an addition to their quick pic app that revolutionized both their company and the social media landscape forever – the Snapchat story.

These compilations of ten-second videos and pictures of peoples’ day-to-day lives rapidly stole the show and userbase from the aging Facebook audience. The ability to post a story and it disappear after 24 hours appealed to the younger social media audience. It allowed users to see a nearly live feed of their friends while also feeding into the shrinking attention span of millennials.

This move was so significant that according to Gary Vaynerchuk’s The Snapchat Generation: A Guide to Snapchat’s History, “By August 2014, 40% of 18-year-olds in the US were using Snapchat on a daily basis.”

In 2015 they launched their famous Snapchat filters. That same year they became a media platform, allowing companies to have designated accounts and ads. Today, Snapchat reaches over 7 billion video views each day, rivaling with Facebook.

Facebook and Instagram fight back

In the summer of 2016, Instagram introduced Instagram stories as a means to steal back their younger audience.

While Snapchat is still the leading face of story usage, within the first month of its release, “the new option was already being utilized by more than 100 million people every day. That’s a third of Instagram’s daily active user base, and a fifth of their overall network,” according to Social Media Today.

FB LiveThey took it a step further, introducing and promoting Facebook and Instagram Live, allowing users to give followers a live stream of their activities.

Today, Facebook recently introduced Facebook Stories to different audiences across Europe, hoping to gradually bring the stories to the United States users.

According to Pew Research Center, Facebook is still the leading social media site both nationwide and globally. However, their desire to win back the younger generation is shown in the new additions of Instagram stories and Facebook Live. Snapchat is a threat, and Facebook must continue in the fight for stories in order to stay on top.

What stories mean for PR

As for public relations, this battle for users reemphasizes the need to know your audience and understand which people are using which platforms. Snapchat’s success and Facebook’s newest additions show that millennials, especially teenagers, are using the platforms dedicated to quick, visual messages.

When forming content aimed at a younger generation, PR practitioners must find a way to incorporate this style of messaging into their social media strategy and integrated marketing campaigns.

It could be buying a filter on Snapchat for a new company promotion, or a well-known spokesperson going live on the company’s Facebook account to talk about an issue. Either way, the stories sent out on social media must be visually appealing, authentic and constantly updated.

More Information

For more information, visit the links below.

Social Media for Grads

Utilizing Social Media as a Soon-To-Be Grad

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We live in a social {media} world…

Growing up in the digital age, most millennials have never known a life without the constant connection that social media sites provide. It is practically second nature to chat with friends via Snapchat, post pictures on Facebook and keep up-to-date on Twitter.

However, social media sites can be significantly more useful than the casual posts many college students use it for regularly. It can help soon-to-be grads land jobs and make meaningful connections. Here are some tips to ensure you are utilizing social media to its fullest as a soon-to-be graduate.

Demonstrate Your Knowledge

Every graduate’s social media handle is a digital representation of their brand as a future professional. When beginning to look for jobs, soon-to-be grads should take the opportunity to demonstrate their industry knowledge on their social media handles. Start discussions on industry news. Write a blog post about experiences in an internship.

Digital PictureAccording to The Huffington Post’s Social Media Etiquette for College Students and Young Professionals, “Like it or not, your communication becomes a strong part of your overall image. Recognize this as an opportunity to set yourself apart as a person with integrity.”

When employers begin to research applicants, they will see a potential employee both actively sharing their knowledge and wanting to grow.

Keep It Clean

Many college students think of their social media accounts as a way to connect with friends and tend to not have clean and appropriate posts.

However, as stated before, any social media account is a digital representation of your brand as a professional. When applicants have compromising pictures and posts, it is often an immediate issue for employers. Although Facebook and Instagram posts might not be on your professional accounts, if it is published online with your name, it is a representation of you professionally.

Social Media and College GradsAs far as privacy settings go, employers have ways get around them. According to Repup.com, “A full 69% of employers admit to rejecting an applicant after checking them out on Facebook or another social media site; the reasons given for rejection range from inappropriate photographs and posts to misrepresentation of background or abilities.”

These conflicts can be avoided by simply not posting anything questionable. If you do not want an employer to see it, do not post it. It is always best to put your best foot forward.

The Gold Mine – LinkedIn

LinkedIn PictureConnections are vital in landing any job, especially the first job out of school. The best social media site to network on? LinkedIn.

While LinkedIn is a social media site, its focus is on connecting professionals to make them more productive and successful. Therefore, your LinkedIn profile should be a digital representation of your resume and portfolio material.

Beyond profiles, LinkedIn has job listings and groups that college students should research or join in order to make connections. Also, HR departments and recruiters often use LinkedIn as a way to meet new applicants. Reach out to these individuals because it never hurts to make connections and grow your network.

For more information on utilizing LinkedIn, visits 4 Ways to Find Job Opportunities on LinkedIn.

Universities’ Need for Social Media Marketing

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If you give a school a Snapchat…snapchat-1374859_960_720

In order to increase student discussion and brand recognition, universities across the nation are broadening their horizons by incorporating social media marketing into their communication plans.

However, these universities are learning that their need for strong social media marketing goes beyond the classic Facebook and Twitter account activity. In order to have a strong social media presence, university communicators must tap into new social media sites to increase intercommunication with students.

Recently, colleges have begun using Snapchat, allowing university communicators to reach their students in a quick and entertaining fashion. According to Mashable, “more than three-quarters of college students — 77%, in fact — use Snapchat at least once per day.” Therefore, a key way to reach their target audience is utilizing Snapchat stories and filters.

A prime example of a university communicating with their students over Snapchat is the University of Florida’s President W. Kent Fuchs Snapchat Takeover. During his takeover, President Fuchs takes his followers through daily presidential responsibilities, interacts with students and attends campus events.

Why is UF’s Snapchat Takeover important?

There are two main takeaways from the UF Snapchat Takeover.

First, not only is this a creative way to communicate with students, the president’s usage of Snapchat shows that he values communication with his students and key stakeholders.

PR is most efficient when it works hand-in-hand with an executive team and that is seen here. President Fuchs not only shows his ability to adapt to constantly changing trends such as Snapchat, he makes it clear that the students at the University of Florida are important to him.

Second, when communicating with key audiences over social media, university communicators have to keep the information up-to-date and fluid.

While pre-scheduling programs such as Hootsuite are very helpful and should be utilized in managing tweets and Facebook posts, people should not depend on them solely to communicate. PR professionals should get out of the office, utilize Snapchat or Facebook Live and provide their audience with live, authentic material.

Tips for universities using social media

Tip 1 – The more the merrier: College campuses should not limit themselves to one social media outlet. According to Forbes’s The Top 10 Benefits of Social Media Marketing, “Every opportunity you have to syndicate your content and increase your visibility is valuable. Your social media networks are just new channels for your brand’s voice and content.” Individual colleges, schools and even on-campus organizations should utilize social media marketing.

Tip 2 – Stay on brand: Be sure that all content put on social media and sent out with the university’s name is on brand. Create a styleguide for campus communicators that outlines brand graphics and written material shared on social media. For an example, check out Auburn University’s Styleguide.

Tip 3 – It’s all about the students: Sharing personal stories of students and their success is vital for any university social media handle. This not only attracts future students, it increases intercommunication with students because they can connect personally with the stories.

More Information

For more information on Social Media Marketing, visit Forbes Top 10 Benefits of Social Media Marketing.