Who’s telling your story? PR + Social Media = New Business A Panel Discussion with… Laura Baverman - Business and Technology Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer Dacia Snider Publisher, Soapboxmedia.com Dan O’Keeffe - President, O’Keeffe Communications

A Panel Discussion with…

Laura Baverman

- Business and Technology Reporter, Cincinnati Enquirer

Dacia Snider

Publisher, Soapboxmedia.com

Dan O’Keeffe

- President, O’Keeffe Communications

What is social media? Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information. What is public relations? The practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its publics. Gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of “public interest” and news items that do not require direct payment. Offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have. Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication.

Internet- and mobile-based tools for sharing and discussing information.

The practice of managing the flow of information between an organization and its publics.

Gains an organization or individual exposure to their audiences using topics of “public interest” and news items that do not require direct payment.

Offers a third-party legitimacy that advertising does not have.

Common activities include speaking at conferences, working with the press, and employee communication.

Important points You DO NOT need to be an active blogger But it helps! Leadership should embrace social media, not fear it Establish social media policy and best practices You DO need to communicate your message You CAN measure impact of social media If you don’t establish a representative voice for your organization, someone else will! Dissenting voices can easily become “de facto” voices for your businesses Purpose is not to “control” message, but to “guide” message and engage your publics in message It all starts with your website!

You DO NOT need to be an active blogger

But it helps!

Leadership should embrace social media, not fear it

Establish social media policy and best practices

You DO need to communicate your message

You CAN measure impact of social media

If you don’t establish a representative voice for your organization, someone else will!

Dissenting voices can easily become “de facto” voices for your businesses

Purpose is not to “control” message, but to “guide” message and engage your publics in message

It all starts with your website!

Laura’s tips and tricks! Tweet links to your stories, photos and blog entries on Twitter Link to your stories or photos on Facebook How: From your Facebook profile page, click in the empty box where it says “what’s on your mind”? It gives you the option to add a link. Paste in the URL to your story. Now, your Facebook connections can find your stories. Place RSS feed to your blog on Facebook How: On your profile page, click on Settings just under the “What’s on your mind?” box. From here, you can add links to blogs and other social networking sites (if you’re into that sort of thing).

Tweet links to your stories, photos and blog entries on Twitter

Link to your stories or photos on Facebook

How: From your Facebook profile page, click in the empty box where it says “what’s on your mind”? It gives you the option to add a link. Paste in the URL to your story. Now, your Facebook connections can find your stories.

Place RSS feed to your blog on Facebook

How: On your profile page, click on Settings just under the “What’s on your mind?” box. From here, you can add links to blogs and other social networking sites (if you’re into that sort of thing).

Laura’s tips and tricks! Add your stories about national topics to Publish2.com It’s a site just for journalists and news organizations to share news between sites. Submit your story there and it could show up as an “additional link” on lots of other websites like this: http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/jobcuts/ If you’re on Twitter – make sure people know it. Put your Twitter link into your outgoing email signature and with your online updates. You can also submit your Twitter account for inclusion onto “expertise” sites like http://muckrack.com and http://wefollow.com .

Add your stories about national topics to Publish2.com

It’s a site just for journalists and news organizations to share news between sites. Submit your story there and it could show up as an “additional link” on lots of other websites like this: http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/jobcuts/

If you’re on Twitter – make sure people know it.

Put your Twitter link into your outgoing email signature and with your online updates.

You can also submit your Twitter account for inclusion onto “expertise” sites like http://muckrack.com and http://wefollow.com .

The tools! Website. It all starts here! The basis for all PR, branding, social media Dynamic, functional, user friendly The face…and often first impression…of your business Content rich—to drive search engine results Social Media Policy Establishes best practices and procedures Ensures that entire staff is on message Empowers staff to be proactive Positions social media as “means to engage” rather than “distraction” Encourages customer participation

Website. It all starts here!

The basis for all PR, branding, social media

Dynamic, functional, user friendly

The face…and often first impression…of your business

Content rich—to drive search engine results

Social Media Policy

Establishes best practices and procedures

Ensures that entire staff is on message

Empowers staff to be proactive

Positions social media as “means to engage” rather than “distraction”

Encourages customer participation

The tools! E-newsletter Ensures regular contact Promotes/strengthens brand Delivers timely, relevant content Easy to monitor Measurable Call to action Entertains Can be self administered Inexpensive—no printing, nominal monthly fees to manage (e.g., ConstantContact.com) Example: City of Sharonville (Ohio) Implemented Fall 2008 to bridge gab b/t business and residential communities Partnered with Chamber to get subscribers Doubled subscriber list in 6 months Receives e-mails thanking them for newsletter

E-newsletter

Ensures regular contact

Promotes/strengthens brand

Delivers timely, relevant content

Easy to monitor

Measurable

Call to action

Entertains

Can be self administered

Inexpensive—no printing, nominal monthly fees to manage (e.g., ConstantContact.com)

Example: City of Sharonville (Ohio)

Implemented Fall 2008 to bridge gab b/t business and residential communities

Partnered with Chamber to get subscribers

Doubled subscriber list in 6 months

Receives e-mails thanking them for newsletter

The tools! Blog Enable direct communication with and feedback from citizenry Can be monitored and managed by community staff More personal and dynamic than typical website Can be separate from or part of community website Typically ties into overall marketing/PR strategy Can allow comments from visitors; can monitor comments Easy to create using free, downloadable blog software Best used for sharing information of interest to or that specifically benefits targeted users Serves as home page for many organizations—growing trend May work best for elected officials, rather than appointed/hired staff

Blog

Enable direct communication with and feedback from citizenry

Can be monitored and managed by community staff

More personal and dynamic than typical website

Can be separate from or part of community website

Typically ties into overall marketing/PR strategy

Can allow comments from visitors; can monitor comments

Easy to create using free, downloadable blog software

Best used for sharing information of interest to or that specifically benefits targeted users

Serves as home page for many organizations—growing trend

May work best for elected officials, rather than appointed/hired staff

The tools! Social Media Release Online news dissemination device Immediate delivery to numerous social and business networks Large and growing mainstream/trade media subscriber list Often preferred means of receiving story ideas/pitches Rapidly growing user base Easy to use Typically free or low cost

Social Media Release

Online news dissemination device

Immediate delivery to numerous social and business networks

Large and growing mainstream/trade media subscriber list

Often preferred means of receiving story ideas/pitches

Rapidly growing user base

Easy to use

Typically free or low cost

The tools! Event Forum Set up custom events online Choose whom to invite Allow others to join Specific to topic, location, etc. Engages with niche audiences (e.g., dog lovers re: plans for new dog park; bicyclists re: proposed bike lanes) Can host actual events at popular community locations

Event Forum

Set up custom events online

Choose whom to invite

Allow others to join

Specific to topic, location, etc.

Engages with niche audiences (e.g., dog lovers re: plans for new dog park; bicyclists re: proposed bike lanes)

Can host actual events at popular community locations

The tools! Microblog—Twitter Limited to 140 characters per entry Allows people to follow each other in real time from any location with Web/mobile access Simple to use Increasing usage among businesses, individuals, politicians and media/PR pros as news dissemination device Bridging gap between traditional and social media Growing number of reporters take story pitches from Twitter ONLY

Microblog—Twitter

Limited to 140 characters per entry

Allows people to follow each other in real time from any location with Web/mobile access

Simple to use

Increasing usage among businesses, individuals, politicians and media/PR pros as news dissemination device

Bridging gap between traditional and social media

Growing number of reporters take story pitches from Twitter ONLY

The tools! Podcast Free video or audio series downloaded to and playable on iPods, computers, TVs, mobile phones, or similar mobile media devices Enable users to view or listen to preferred content almost anywhere at anytime Tool for sharing issues discussed at council meetings, community forums, etc.

Podcast

Free video or audio series downloaded to and playable on iPods, computers, TVs, mobile phones, or similar mobile media devices

Enable users to view or listen to preferred content almost anywhere at anytime

Tool for sharing issues discussed at council meetings, community forums, etc.

The tools! Social Networking Communities What are you doing? Who do you know? Fan pages Groups of common interest Photo/Video Sharing Sites Personalized albums Share via invitation, e-mail Showcase events, demonstrations

Social Networking Communities

What are you doing?

Who do you know?

Fan pages

Groups of common interest

Photo/Video Sharing Sites

Personalized albums

Share via invitation, e-mail

Showcase events, demonstrations

How social media delivers Promotion Last minute promotion of Montgomery Inn ribs to celebrate 20 th anniversary of Montgomery Inn Boathouse All You Can Eat for $19.89 Feb. 22-26 Actions Social media release Twitter “tweets” Facebook updates Blogs Traditional news release Results: Feb 22-26, Montgomery Inn sold 19,450 lbs (nearly 10 tons) of ribs

Promotion

Last minute promotion of Montgomery Inn ribs to celebrate 20 th anniversary of Montgomery Inn Boathouse

All You Can Eat for $19.89 Feb. 22-26

Actions

Social media release

Twitter “tweets”

Facebook updates

Blogs

Traditional news release

Results:

Feb 22-26, Montgomery Inn sold 19,450 lbs (nearly 10 tons) of ribs

What’s next? Google Wave Collaborative tool Equal parts “conversation” and “document” People communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more Evolved from Google Maps Create a wave; add people Users pull text, graphics, widgets, feeds from other Web sources Concurrent rich-text editing Users can see instantly when others are typing inside their wave

Google Wave

Collaborative tool

Equal parts “conversation” and “document”

People communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more

Evolved from Google Maps

Create a wave; add people

Users pull text, graphics, widgets, feeds from other Web sources

Concurrent rich-text editing

Users can see instantly when others are typing inside their wave

What makes social media valuable to you? It’s the way people of all ages and demographics are communicating Studies show consumers research products online before buying Why wouldn’t you build your online relationship with them…NOW? Its usage is growing rapidly Vital part of marketing mix, more search hits Natural evolution of marketing and PR Builds via “word of mouth” Engages “targeted” consumers like no other medium Allows you to tell your story in your words

It’s the way people of all ages and demographics are communicating

Studies show consumers research products online before buying

Why wouldn’t you build your online relationship with them…NOW?

Its usage is growing rapidly

Vital part of marketing mix, more search hits

Natural evolution of marketing and PR

Builds via “word of mouth”

Engages “targeted” consumers like no other medium

Allows you to tell your story in your words

Why social media is relevant Facebook.com- Social Network Site 200+ Million Active Users Fastest growing Demo 30+ Flickr.com-Photo Sharing App hosts more than two billion tagged images Twitter.com- micro-blogging site 32.1 million people answering the question “What are you doing now?” in 140 characters! Wikipedia.com- Information Sharing Source 684 Million visitors/ 9 million named accounts Youtube.com- Video Sharing 5 billion online US videos 44% share of all online videos Digg.com-Social News site #3 referring source of traffic to NY Times. 30K visitors/ month Nielsen BuzzMetrics – created in 2006 by A.C. Nielsen to begin measuring social media

Facebook.com- Social Network Site 200+ Million Active Users Fastest growing Demo 30+

Flickr.com-Photo Sharing App hosts more than two billion tagged images

Twitter.com- micro-blogging site 32.1 million people answering the question “What are you doing now?” in 140 characters!

Wikipedia.com- Information Sharing Source 684 Million visitors/ 9 million named accounts

Youtube.com- Video Sharing 5 billion online US videos 44% share of all online videos

Digg.com-Social News site #3 referring source of traffic to NY Times. 30K visitors/ month

Nielsen BuzzMetrics – created in 2006 by A.C. Nielsen to begin measuring social media

Questions? O’Keeffe Communications [email_address] 513.221.1526 www.okeeffecom.com Who’s telling your story? PR + Social Media = New Business

Social media for B2C Cincinnati Sports Leagues (CSL) (gocsl.com) Objectives Promote CSL activities Attract interest from advertisers Social Media Components Facebook page—426 friends, Brian updates and monitors, posts events Twitter profile—attract followers Soapbox.com—blogged daily 1 week to promote CSL to older/business audience Results Increased brand awareness Frequent customer interaction Personalization—strong friend base

Cincinnati Sports Leagues (CSL) (gocsl.com)

Objectives

Promote CSL activities

Attract interest from advertisers

Social Media Components

Facebook page—426 friends, Brian updates and monitors, posts events

Twitter profile—attract followers

Soapbox.com—blogged daily 1 week to promote CSL to older/business audience

Results

Increased brand awareness

Frequent customer interaction

Personalization—strong friend base

Social media for B2B General Data Company (general-data.com) Objectives Promote products to targeted healthcare prospects Build awareness as experts on healthcare data capture/workflow Social Media Components Healthcare blog Promote via FeedBurner, RSS feed, etc. “ Live blogging”—Client interviews industry authorities at conferences; streams/posts interviews via GD’s blog Social media releases—all GD news YouTube Station—post video demos, etc. Soapbox.com—blogged daily 1 week to generate Greater Cincinnati awareness Results Increased awareness Recognized as industry authority by prospects Increased search engine rankings Network TV Coverage—Personal ID Patient Wristbands featured on CBS’ The Doctors

General Data Company (general-data.com)

Objectives

Promote products to targeted healthcare prospects

Build awareness as experts on healthcare data capture/workflow

Social Media Components

Healthcare blog

Promote via FeedBurner, RSS feed, etc.

“ Live blogging”—Client interviews industry authorities at conferences; streams/posts interviews via GD’s blog

Social media releases—all GD news

YouTube Station—post video demos, etc.

Soapbox.com—blogged daily 1 week to generate Greater Cincinnati awareness

Results

Increased awareness

Recognized as industry authority by prospects

Increased search engine rankings

Network TV Coverage—Personal ID Patient Wristbands featured on CBS’ The Doctors