From the field: The Number One Way Social Media Will Change In 2011

Tis’ the season for list building and top this, top that, predictions here and predictions there. On any given day I’m scouring blogs for either personal development or in my function at my company. Since Thanksgiving my feed has blown up 2011. I’m not sure how many more lists I can cram or predictions for 2011 I can retain. However, I’ve come across a common theme in blogs that has given me pause. The most recent, 10 Ways Social Media Will Change in 2011, from Read Write Web hit me this morning.

Number ten is something I’ve seen on several top ‘whatever’ lists. It reads

The role of the social media strategist will be changing…

Why the pause? I’ve been in my most recent stint as a social media strategist at my latest company for just 3 months. But already the pressure is going beyond the tactical implications of social media. The pressure now is all encompassing, how do we measure its effectiveness and what function does it best serve. Gone is the day of a social media strategist who just “does social.” In the field, the pressure is on to make it meaningful and to define its function.

The PR of Social Media

Let me explain that a bit further. A lot of posts debate over who should run Social Media, Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising, Human Resource etc. A common response is:  all of them. I disagree and  think that’s a cop out. The more time I spend using social media for business, the more I am convinced that it is inherently a Public Relations function. Public Relations professionals are the ones with the skills to extract a diverse amount of value from large publics. Social media at it’s core is building relationships. The textbook definition of public relations, as defined by the Cutlip Center is

the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends.

Social media then becomes a tactic of public relations and can support a variety of functions within the business setting beyond public relations, including marketing and human resources.

The biggest mistake I see time and time again is assigning marketing folks to social media functions and expecting them to extract value from personal engagement. That’s what Public Relations does.

Social media strategist expectations. Numero uno, relationship-building

When it comes to change for the social media strategist, my reaction is based in hope. I hope that it becomes understood that public relations needs to be at the core of successful social media efforts. It is by the natural ebb and flow of relationships the rest of the business functions will benefit. Applying the heavy hand of  marketing to engagement and relationship building will simply turn off publics. What are your thoughts, where does social media fit in the business world and who is best equipped to handle it?

The Secret They Don’t Teach You In College

I collapsed a few moments ago in an overstuffed chair at the local Barnes and Noble. One hand clutching a soy pumpkin spice steamer in honor of the fall holiday, the other clutching Carmine Gallo’s latest musing: “The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs.” I planned to eat a cinnamon scone and sample the book I would inevitably purchase but I noticed something across the way. At a table across from me sat a guy near my age paging through a pile of books. When I looked at the spines I quickly realized he was studying for the GRE. Holy crap! That was me a year ago! The unexpected brush with history gave me pause to reflect on the past year.
In a year I’ve proven my ability to survive on my own, I’ve worked in a top 20 market television newsroom, I completed 75% of a Masters Degree, and I’ve stumbled into a career. Holy cow, and those are just the top level things. Ironically, this time last year I would have never seen the future that awaited. I’m convinced these little moments are the stuff dreams are made of. The times you stop and go “Whoa baby!” The secret they don’t teach in college is one that I half understand why they don’t teach it, that to each their own, the secret is slightly different. For me it’s this, do what you love, go with the flow, and life will carry on with or without you. Still I find myself fretting about the little things, but for thus moment, with my steamer and my book, at least here and now I find some calm.

Happy Halloween!

R

Quoth the Lion King: Remember Who You Are: Social Media Identity and the Real You

Also published on PR Breakfast Club

I fully expect this post will stir up heated emotions. Let the venom spewing begin because I’m going on a ledge here. I’m asking a question, looking for feedback and pointing out my own experience. Feel free to sound off.

Here’s the thought: Beware the identity “lockdown” in your social media identity.

In my undergrad I was subjected to lecture after lecture about the social media “lockdown” I must partake in or risk being ostracized from the job market for a pic of me with a beer, or *gasp* the fact that I have opinions.  I, like many of my young impressionable counterparts, cowered and said – okay  – immediately playing damage control.

By no means am I condoning the escapades of college freshpeople (being politically correct the way my lib arts school taught me, they’d be proud) but I am saying slow the purge a bit.

Here’s my thoughts based on experiences in nonprofit, broadcast (on-air and off), enterprise and small business ownership. Social media today is a reflection of your personal brand. Your personal brand should be a reflection of you. Not a canned, expected duplicate of the same folks going for the same jobs, interviews, and clients as you.

*Break*

If I was on-air right nowI’d hit a button to start playing Malvina Reynolds in an attempt to drive home my point.

This will have to suffice… go check it out on  YouTube… search “Malvina Reynolds Little Boxes”…I’m particularly interested in verse 2 . . . go on. .  .Control “new tab”… I’ll wait.

*Resume*

Okay, point?

Social media is changing the game. We can’t be put in boxes and expected to participate in the many-to-many communication revolution.

Whether you are a doctor, a lawyer or a business executive (if you actually listened to the song, the repetition was intended) no one wants to do business with a wall, if you lockdown your identity, thats what you become.

I’ve found on-air that when I allow my personality to duplicate across social media, I have a better reaction and more opportunities for brand interactivity. I have also found that people buy into the brand of me in entrepeneurship, not my business brand, additionally in a public relations function, it’s all about building a relationship. I don’t know ANYONE who counts a “wall” as part of their following or as the person to give a tip to, a great story to, a sales lead, well you get the idea, this applies across industries.

Of course, I’m leaving a huge gap in my theory. There must exist a balance in your identity between what your colleagues see of you and what your grandma sees of you. Find that and you’ve found the sweet spot. Three quick thoughts:

1.) Don’t avoid polarizing discussions, everyone has opinions and we aren’t mindless creatures. I’m reminded of a quote from George Burton Adams

“There is no such thing as a “self-made” man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.”

We are as diverse in our views as we are in our friendships and acquaintances. When I lecture to college students, I remind them that employers aren’t just buying into them, if they’re in the mass communications or marketing field, employers are buying into their “stock” and the many pieces that make up their identity.

2.) Candid photos are great. They show your human-side, but use common sense. The pic from your pledge days at delta delta whatever should probably be on the purge list.

3.) Be prepared to justify your likes and interests (especially to an employer). You don’t have to hide it all, just be ready to answer to it if you need to. I do encourage journalism students to avoid political and religious affiliations for obvious reasons, but don’t feel like you have to hide your love for Drew Barrymore movies.

My closing thoughts? Just in person-to-person networking, your personal stock is what will sell you across social media. Take the words of Oscar Wilde and run free friends.

“Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

-Oscar Wilde

Read more: Quoth the Lion King: Remember Who You Are: “Social Media Identity and the Real You” RBreakfastClub http://prbreakfastclub.com/2010/08/18/sm-real-you/#ixzz0wyOx7mhl

News Media meets Social Media

Also published on PR Breakfast Club.

Most localized media outlets are baffled by the function of social media in their newsroom. There is a giant “huh?!” cloud hanging over the head of many newsrooms on how to start using social media (SM) in news workflows, use it correctly, and why it benefits a news brand.

“You mean I have to keep talking to my viewers even after my story airs?!”

The audacity, right?

I’ve spent three months in the newsroom of a top 20 market station expanding social media, I’ve narrowed down three tips for getting a media outlet’s SM platform off the ground.

These are not the only options, but have met with success, seeing an increase in followings and brand interaction in the thousands of percent. That interactivity cultivates relationships that translates directly into traffic which drives ad revenue.

Identify a Niche:

Most news outlets fit unique audience niches. There are the storytelling stations, “more news” stations, middle of the road stations, and politically leaning stations just to name a few.

As in broadcast, a news station needs to carve out its own niche in the SM universe, part of which will be an extension of the broadcast niche, the rest will need to go further.

Brainstorm with staff about what is unique at your station, and how it can roll out online.

If social media is Pinnochio, and this blog post is Jiminy Cricket, the defined niche would be a conscience.

See where this poorly structured metaphor is headed?

Let your conscience be your guide.

‘The Robot’ is a Dance, Not a Strategy:

There are a plethora of options available to automate your social media updates. The fast paced, hectic atmosphere of a newsroom make this option appealing. But it is not a strategy, it’s a tactic.

Simply “upchucking” the days headlines out to SM does little more than tell your followers “hey, we’re news,” if you have an ounce of brand identity, they should know this by now.

Unless your tweep has been living under a rock, he/she should be able to tell by your username that you’re a news outlet. The user name needs to be your news brand, and consistent across platforms…if it isn’t, I recommend doing some reading up on building a brand, or firing your web guy. @CALL LETTERS or @MY CITY HERALD should do the trick.

Consider this, the 5,6 and 10 o’clock newscasts don’t merely spit out headlines. They are carefully coordinated 30 minute plans of video, sound, scripts and story placement.

Use the same care in your SM plan. Social media is not just an accessory of a news station anymore. It should be similar to the newscast, accent it, but it should provide unique experiences for the inter-web friendly social media enthusiast.

For some, your twitter feed may be the only contact with your news brand in their day-to-day life. Building the recognition that you are relevant in their feed means that when the big story brews, or you get that big scoop they come back to you and take your content viral. Trust me, this happens frequently.

News Can, and Must, Talk Back

In order to grow and maintain your social media following, you must engage them. Constantly. First on that list, welcome new followers. It may seem tedious but a simple “@handle thanks for the add!” goes a long way in building loyalty. Do you like not being greeted when you walk into a new store or restaurant? Same thought.

Further, there are a multitude of options to… are you ready? Here comes a buzzphrase…

*** monitor your brand ***

on social media.

News, in its nature, is polarizing. In broadcast you look for golden sound-bites, the perfect 10 second sound clip that tells your story. In social media we look for golden follows, adds, likes, comments, and wall posts.

Start enticing these chances by actively engaging your following.

A great kick off to this is to identify a few “talkers” from the day’s news. What stories get people riled up? Post the link with a question on social media and watch you following grow, and your brand interactivity explode.

*note it is also beneficial to find ways to tie tags into the newscast. Send users back online for more on the story with a simple “ for more on head to yoursite.com “ or “join the conversation about ____ on Facebook and Twitter, head to yoursite.com and enter keyword connect”

Photos, videos and audio are great comment inducers as well.

Use social media to tease an exclusive in an upcoming newscast.

Use social media to drive breaking news.

These are just a few ideas, there are many. Brainstorm with staff for more. I find that brainstorming with staff on all three of these tips help them also comprehend how it benefits.

Final Thought:

When these steps are engaged, your newsroom will be in a position for successful social media news-gathering. As you monitor your station brand, you’ll be monitoring your followers and those you follow. You never know what tweep (peep) might give your station the next twip (tip) that leads to the next big story.

Just as product brands are actively engaging in two-way conversation, so too must the newsroom of the future. Social media is a dynamic and seismic shift in the mass communications world, you can adapt and thrive with it, or be left in the dark and out socialized by the competition.

If You Give a Peep a Camera

Do you remember the book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? It spawned a series of other nonsensical titles (moose a muffin, ect.). As silly as the book may be, it tells a wise tale about what can come with the right combination of personality and possibility.

Hypothesis:

If you Give a Peep (a person) a Camera, they’ll give you what you want… and then some.

Case in Point:

Twenty four hours before a massive storm system bore down on the Twin Cities metro area, forecasters were predicating a whopper. Who knew it would be a massive 1-2 punch spanning a good portion of an entire day. Being the planning/strategizing type of social media producer that I am, I began putting the call out hours before the storm intensified “send pics!”, I even created a branded hashtag for the station.

Nine hours later, battered but not defeated (and free of any personal storm damage to my property), I put the finishing touches on a massive night of social media news gathering. Hundreds of photos and videos poured into the newsroom telling the story of the awe of mother nature. Up to grapefruit size hail, dozens of wall clouds, funnels and a handful of reported tornadoes, strong winds toppling power lines and trees big enough to rebuild the Mayflower… all captured on film.  I pushed it all back out to the masses on air and online resulting in thousands of impressions surrounding the news brand.

When the night concluded, the results were clear.

The lesson:

If you ask for it, media consumers will give it to you. In the social media universe our audience interaction was noticed. Friends and followers noticed and thanked our news team for helping them “weather the storm” so to speak. In the end we all weathered the social media storm that once again proved… if you’re in the news business it matters.
Still not convinced? Let me break down

1,000s of impressions pushed across online advertising venues equals bucks in the bank.

1,000s of impressions activated around your media brand building loyalty with viewers in times of concern … priceless (sorry MasterCard, I couldn’t resist)

Check out some of the citizen journalists’ work for yourself.Citizen Journalists

Literature Review: Public Relations and Third Sector Organizations

The Third Sector.
In 2008 the National Center for Charitable Statistics counted 1.57 million organizations that had obtained federal tax recognition as a non-profit organization. Of these organizations some of them may “advocate for public policy on behalf of people they serve” (Broom 449). These organizations are defined as nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s).

Long time comin’.

The concept of this blog has been in existence for a good year or so. But in the game of life things seem to get reshuffled to make room for work, relationships and school. In that mix my written outlet for all things media and life seemed to be put on hold. But I can say that I finally have the breathing room to hopefully make some occasional updates to this blog.