090326 Online PR

Online PR 26 March 2009 Trainer/s: Ged Carroll, Head of Digital EMEA, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide

What we will cover today •Online PR – definition •Impact of Web 2.0 on PR – consumers, media and stakeholders •How to develop an online PR strategy: Auditing and monitoring the online environment • Tools, tactics, targets and teams • Measurement • •Detailed review of the Online PR toolbox •Online reputation management 2

Who, what, why? A quick introduction, where you‟re from and what you are looking to get out of today |3 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Who on earth am I?

Or as my girlfriend sees me… 5

WHAT IS PR? quot;Public Relations is a set of management, supervisory, and technical functions that foster an organisation's ability to listen strategically to, appreciate, and respond quot;Public Relations is a to those persons whose mutually beneficial relationships management function with the organisation are necessary if it is to achieve its missions and values.quot; - Robert L. Heath, which tabulates public Encyclopedia of Public Relations attitudes, defines the “Public relations is about reputation - the policies, procedures and result of what you do, what you say and interest of an what others say about you. organization followed by executing a program of Public relations is the discipline which action to earn public looks after reputation, with the aim of understanding and earning understanding and support and acceptance.” - Edward influencing opinion and behaviour. It is Burnays the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics.” - CIPR

WHAT IS PR? PART 2.0 Number 26 (out of 95 theses): “Public Relations PR in practice does not relate to the “Public relations takes many forms in public. Companies are different organisations and comes under deeply afraid of their many titles, including public information, markets.” - Cluetrain investor relations, public affairs, corporate communication, marketing or customer Manifesto relations. “To add to all the confusion, not all of these titles always relate accurately to public relations, but all of them cover at least part of what public relations is. At its best, public relations not only tells an organisation's story to its publics, it also helps to shape the organisation and the way it works. Through research, feedback communication and evaluation, the practitioner needs to find out the concerns and expectations of a company's publics and explain them to its management.” - CIPR

Online Public Relations – the reality •It doesn‟t require a big step change •Just understanding of basic principles •Knowing who can support you internally and externally (sense check tools, select external technology providers, metrics etc) •ID‟ing your/your clients‟ comfort zones •Small steps to achieve your/their PR objectives •Selecting correct tools and techniques for the job •Testing, measuring and refining 8

Online Public Relations ownership Over 50 per cent of online PR is done by marketing and digital agencies Currently falls between digital marketing, SEO and PR for most orgs •Technology and jargon •PR runs the risk of being defined by its channels •Lack of resources, support and training from CIPR/PRCA etc •Other digital marketing disciplines filling online PR skills chasm •Have „brand permission‟ in the online space 9

What is Online Public Relations? “Communicating over the web and using new technology to effectively communicate with stakeholders” Source: CIPR website 2007 “Maximising favourable mentions of the company, brands, products or websites on third-party sites” according to 60 per cent of in-house respondents to an Econsultancy survey 10

There are 3 categories of Online PR Monitor/ Map/ Promotional Defensive Research Underpinned by Honesty Transparency Rapid response Process Integration Flexibility 11

Papa’s got a brand new PR bag Search Engine Optimised Releases Advertorials Online surveytorials Press release distribution Competitions Online media relations Tagged photography Surveys Webcasts Press releases Online surveys Social media releases TV interviews Skypecasts Media relations Online Radio interviews Webchats Reputation Mashups Internet radio Management Photography Podcasts/Vodcasts Virtual World events Microblogs Audio features Investor relations Stunts Guerrilla activity White papers RSS feeds Widgets Social network APIs Search Engine Optimised brand Folksonomies publications Newsletters Online monitoring VNR Brand publications Internal communications WIKI‟s Interviews Internal blogs Corporate/Brand blogs Forums/Boards/Comments Events Stakeholder relations Brand ambassador activity Crisis Management Stunts Infographics Dark blogs Stakeholder mapping Conferences Social Search Press briefings Viral Press trips Product launches Social Tagging Social Networking Social Networking events Crowdsourcing Social Bookmarking Online media centres Blogger relations Reputation Bag by Oliver 12 Management Kray

It’s A World Of Change, Isn’t It? The tenets of strategy are the same as they have been for the past 3,000 years Clients are still ultimately measured on the performance of their business We still communicate with people ultimately in mind to be influenced It has never been cheaper or easier to produce content Clients can disintermediate the media and communicate directly with their audiences Audiences can easily communicate with each other on a large scale We have new media vehicles The news cycle lasts longer – online news sources act like an echo chamber

A change in emphasis…. Traditional PR Online PR •Core contacts and networks •Larger networks changing rapidly •Tailored materials • Catch-all media materials •Conversational •Structured •Disintermediation •Media vehicles required •Key influencers: context •Key influencers= journalists, dependent analysts etc •ROI easier to measure •ROI difficult to measure |14 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

The golden rule “People matter, Objects don‟t”. That‟s all you need to know about social media. – Hugh MacLeod |15 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Golden rule two UTILITY Picture: Basheertome

Fundamentals of online PR •Understand how networked audiences work •Map online environment to gain intelligence before planning begins •Flexible and tailored communications •Integrate with other marketing disciplines and other PR channels •Be meaningful – messages with intent and purpose, not spin •Measure and learn •Agree organisational ownership and chain of command – Internal PR teams, digital , external agencies/specialists, combination? 17

Changing behaviours |18 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Fragmented media landscape

UK consumer media consumption Share of media time % of media time for all internet users Weekdays •37.2 million UK internet users •61% population 6 •54.6% of UK households have 7 broadband 34 27 Saturdays Sundays 5 25 74 8 TV Radio 24 47 48 23 Internet Newspapers 16 17 Magazines Source: BMRB Internet Monitor Base: All Internet users aged 15+ 20

Sub-groups on the net 21 Communicate Connect Collaborate Collect • Blogs • Social Networks • Wikis • Tagging • Text Messaging • Consumer Created • Social Bookmarking • Podcast Media • Instant Messaging | • Search Engines • Video Blogs Twitter • Open Source • Video / Photo Sharing • Skype • Creative Commons • Mash-Ups Collective Wisdom Customization Conversation Community • Ratings Sites • RSS • Blog Comments/ • Created by all of the Responses above • Wikipedia • Widgets • Meme Trackers • Fostered by common • Social News • Virtual interests Worlds/Avatars • Built through conversations

Top 10 social networks Site World Members 1 Year Change MySpace 114.15 72% Facebook 52.2 270 % Hi5 28.2 56 % Friendster 14.9 65 % Orkut 24.1 78 % Bebo 18.2 172 % Tagged 13.2 774%

The User Generated Content pyramid 1% Creators – initiate conversation 10% Synthesisers – respond/filter 89% Consumers – read/recommend and use other WOM channels 24

FINANCIAL TIMES DAILY ECONOMIST TELEGRAPH LOADED GUARDIAN VOGUE BBC MEGASTAR BLOGGERS - SOCIAL NETWORKING USER GROUPS - FORUMS - WIKIS - PHOTOS CONSUMER- GENERATED CONTENT

Dissemination of news |26 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Media 2.0 Weekly and monthly publications are left behind: Wired is still a monthly magazine but also publishes a plethora of content every day Sections are user-generated such as Found: „Artifacts from the Future‟ Daily publications now publish several times a day through different media: The Times is one of the largest audio content providers in the UK media The news cycle lasts longer – online news sources act like an echo chamber: The most linked-to site by English speaking blogs is the New York Times online, the Guardian is close behind it

Future of news |28 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

From hard copy to multimedia news FROM TO • Most popular stories dictate tomorrow‟s print headlines • 47 staff blogs • Telegraph TV – web TV channel • Podcasts • A4 size print your own paper Telegraphpm • Comments on every story • My Telegraph personal news portal, personal blog space and social network 29

News - reach One in 24 UK internet visits went to a news and media site. BBC accounted for 15.45% of these visits Source: Hitwise May 2007 UK Guardian 29.8 m unique users Source: ABCe Jan 2009 22.8 m for Daily Mail (2.3m for paper) Source: ABCe Jan 2009 22.8 m for Times Online Source: ABCe Jan 2009 21.9 m for The Sun (<3 million for paper) Source: ABCe Jan 2009 25.9 m for The Telegraph Source: ABCe Jan 2009 6.7m for Mirror.co.uk Source: ABCe Jan 2009 10.2 m for The Independent Source: ABCe Jan 2009 160 branded quality news sites in UK alone 50+ respected newswires 30

Lazy online PR engagement Chris Anderson blocks unsolicited PR Tom Coates and the PRostitutes “SSPR please stop spamming Bloggers” 31

Virgin Atlantic case study Oli Beale, a copywriter with WCRS wrote to Virgin Atlantic about his experience on their flight. His letter was shared on the internet as one of the funniest complaints letters ever |33 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Virgin Atlantic case study continued Virgin aftermath: 912 references on Technorati Coverage in all the major national newspapers Front page on Yahoo! UK for two days Source: Technorati |34 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

It doesn‟t have to be this way |35 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

JetBlue case study Valentines Day 2007: 130,000 customers trapped in bad weather conditions JetBlue fliers were trapped on the runway at JFK for hours, many ultimately delayed by days Only 17 of JetBlue's 156 scheduled departures left JFK What JetBlue did Communicated directly with its audiences Admitted that things had gone wrong  Explained what had gone wrong  Explained what they were going to do about it

PRagmatic approach required •Embrace and understand the environment • Understand the audience and how influence works online • Understand how traditional media is changing • Knowledge share – workgroups, trend spotters etc • Get over the „technology‟ hurdle - use the tools personally to discover PR uses and how to make your job easier • It will take time • You may make mistakes on the way 38

Long tail PR thinking Reach Traditional Media Nationals Online Media Trades Niche sites Citizen sites Media websites Blogs Reaching Billions Source: Immediate Future, June 2006 39

Working towards a strategy |40 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Strategic approach Audience Plan (integrate Measure Impact, Client business Business Implement research online and Learn &Identify and brand environment offline thinking) Opportunity analysis • Understand the • Understand how • Assess client’s • Design integrated • Story • Mapping client the audiences business Influence Plan development • Online / offline environment and relate to the situation that combines • Media relations impact & cross- marketplace brand traditional and • Analyst relations • Diagnose linking new channels • Online • Recognize how • Understand how communications influencers • Quantitative & the world of they relate to fitness • Incorporate broad • Digital qualitative reach communications each other and objectives Storytelling is changing the world • Campaign • Social networking • Define your story around them performance • Site design • Apply your story • Online • How and where • Business impact to relevant outlets promotions/ viral to reach them, • Web analytics • Blogging/ what are the podcasting rules of the • Virtual events community?

Monitoring |42 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Why? • ID core stakeholders and influencers outside of traditional media/contact lists • ID where conversations happening and WOM networks of influence on the web and offline • ID existing/emerging conversations and trends relevant to your organisation, brand, industry, key staff etc • ID which traditional media online rank highly in SEO terms • Market research, message auditing, pre-crisis and strategic planning, leaks • To help plan proactive PR and social media strategy • Traditional PR databases/tools (e.g. Mediadisk, Editors, Vocus) fall short • Beyond journalists - „Normal‟ people can be influencers • „Reputation Insurance‟ – Masterfoods • Mapping techniques can be used for finding and tracking proactive coverage 43

Mapping •Reputation monitoring software suppliers, specialists and agencies (over 150 specialist suppliers out there) • Free tools plus your own internal data (e.g. Web analytics) • No one solution best – until Google develops „Trends‟ • None fully automated – human analysis/filtering required – an evolving industry •Can be costly, so vital to plan: What information is most useful •Presenting to strategy planners – visual models, Wikis, databases etc • How to share and maintain information across teams and external agencies 44

Key words ID primary keywords - Organisation, brands, spokespeople, initiatives, affiliate organisations, known brand detractors, „competitors‟ •Brainstorm internally and use clients‟ internal departmental data and external agency data •Keyword tools: Google Wordtracker •Web analytics - Your analytics should show your referring keywords and phrases •Analyse web log files •PPC Campaigns •Online research tools: Hitwise, Comscore and NNR 45

Search engines Still thinking about key words: •Search engines – Google, Yahoo, Live, Ask etc • Check inbound links to your sites via Google: Link:www.yourdomain.com • And Yahoo: Linkdomain:yourdomain.com •Yahoo! Site Explorer •Make sense of what you find • Organic search and PPC results for each keyword • Google page rank • Review source and establish their link community and who they influence • Establish whether target for PR, link, partnership or monitoring • Issue cluster • Contact details •Search ranking against key words 46

Professional tools and services Source: Magpie - Brandwatch Source: Onalytica Source: Networksense Mapping - icrossing Source: WexView - Waggener Edstrom 47

Homebrew Source: Michelle Goodall 48

Social media measurement tools Blog search engines Make sense of what you find •Who links to them or cites blog •Technorati posts – especially traditional •Blogpulse media • Google blog search •RSS subscribers •Quarkbase • Debate analysis – topics and •Addictomatic brand/org share of voice • Sentiment analysis – positive, negative, neutral • Potential target for PR, link, partnership or monitoring target • Issues cluster 49

Alerts •Google alerts •Yahoo news alerts •Review and define source •See relevant section – blogs, social networks and forums, video and photo UGC etc 50

Social networks & forums Consider niche, local sites and verticals, e.g. Teaching – TeacherTube, UK Teachers Forums, • Use social network engines to find them •Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Bebo, Ning etc Review source and establish influencer ranking •Who links to them or cites conversations – especially traditional media • Debate analysis – topics, brand/org share of voice • Sentiment analysis – positive, negative, neutral • Issues cluster 51

UGC: video and photos 52

The curated web 53

Microblogging Microblogs - Twitter • If you have an account set up you can track for keywords •Twitter Search •Twilerts via email •#Hashtags Picture by foxypar4 54

Stitching it all together 55

Influence Popularity vs influence •Popular stakeholders of an issue influence many. But those they influence may not themselves be influential, e.g.. Jodie Marsh - bullying • Influential stakeholders impact those who matter, directly and/or indirectly, e.g.. Demos on social policy Source: Onalytica 56

Promotional tactics |57 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Measurement & evaluation What gets measured gets done Be careful what you measure • Evolving web analytics area, especially buzz and sentiment analysis •Speak to your/your clients web analytics team to see what can be measured • Test and learn •Think about engagement as well as reach •Think about ROI Picture by calloohcallay 58

Online media & press centres Plan to develop an online media centre? Establish PR objectives with developers • Argument for transparent information for consumers and journalists – no log-in • Needs to be: •Accessible and easy to navigate • Search function for images, text and video – ability to tag all media content when adding for Universal Search • Searchable archives • RSS • Social bookmarking • Search Engine Optimised releases and media content • Social media release 59

SEO press releases ID primary keywords/phrases relevant to release content and add: In the release headline Once in the sub-header (if applicable) In the first paragraph – keyword density in body text<10% Also use in alt tag of associated images At least once in the meta description tag Once on the URL of the page Embed links to optimised and relevant content pages on your website Add release to online media centre, put on posting sites – does not replace „sell in‟ Must be well written …read and judged by people not just search engine spiders! Measure and track response and feedback into process Old materials can be re-optimised 60

Online media relations •Most obvious element of online PR - rarely executed well •PROs „tick the online media box‟ or use wires and posting sites • Perception online coverage less valuable • Reality - reach is huge! • Negative as well as positive coverage stays online for a long time - affects SEO • Measurable – e.g. unique users/view, referral clickthroughs, blog citations, SEO position, outcomes from traffic generated by referral URL • Get it right, measure it and watch client perceptions change rapidly • You will have ID‟d key targets through monitoring process • Share learnings between teams 61

Corporate blog 3 things that blog readers demand – compelling content, freshness and interactivity •Develop simple policy guidelines for staff and „conversationalists‟ • Get the tone right and expect it to develop over time • Post regularly • Designate editors • Be authentic and honest – your thoughts about ghosting? • Allow comments – it‟s a blog! • Link liberally and engage with the blogosphere 62

Social currency and social objects |63 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Identifying your social currency and social objects 64

Levels of online PR engagement Monitoring: no engagement but active listening to what is being said about the organisation and its peers – any related issues Low-level engagement: as Monitoring plus response-led online presence High-level engagement: as low level engagement, but proactive approach, integration with other marketing and customer services activities Picture by cmcbrown

Blog relations •Read and listen – tonality, attitude to brands and orgs etc • Develop a conversation and participate • Be open • Soft sell • Supplement with promotional tactics • Use experts and enthusiasts • Provide creative and relevant „blog fodder‟ or „social currency‟ • Don‟t be afraid of losing some message control 66

Social Networks •Similar to blogs, „friends‟ demand useful content, interactivity and kudos •Time intensive - develop editorial team and simple policy guidelines for staff and „conversationalists‟ •Each network has different tools and audience – What works for Bebo-ers might not for Facebook-ers • Provide regular challenges • Rank and reward creativity and talent • Amplify content the network creates • Set project timelines and communicate this to „fans‟ 67

Crowdsourcing •Open call to „public‟ to solve a problem and collaborate to help achieve a goal • Final solution is usually agreed by the participating crowd • Rewards often Whuffie •Many potential applications for PR •Idea generation and filtering •Tasks being carried out • Time intensive, lack of message control, multi-territory legal and IP restrictions are issues 68

Forums & BBS Depending on brand between 40% - 85% of UK user comment on forums, bulletin boards etc But, a definite shift towards blogs and other forms of social media Monitor environment, identify and learn from comments Same rules as blog relations Do not recommend a „covert‟ approach or seeding comments But, opportunity to respond to negative comments and improve level of conversation In majority of cases, forums self- regulate but occasionally you may need to post… 69

Curated Web 70

Video and podcasts Easy cost effective to make and host compelling podcasts and video Blogs and social network users happy to link to good, relevant content Must be strategic about driving consumers to it and measuring impact Opportunities for PR: • Create blog and social network fodder or content for debate/mashups/viral • Use celebrity broadcast time to create exclusive video and audio content • Audio/visual media releases – brings story to life •Brand or campaign channels in Youtube, MySpace etc 71

Wikis 72

Viral •Audience (demographics, psychographics, geography, available technology) • Tonality • Brand credibility – can you talk to an audience in this way • Viral motivators – humour, self interest, sex, topicality, extreme behaviour, charity • Simplicity – best are often the simplest ideas •What is the utility? • Highly commercial channel – few getting it right • Social media creating own viral effect •Cost effective? • Never guaranteed • Message at the mercy of the recipient • Influence v impact 73

Virtual world and online events 74

Events •Don‟t just have to take place in Second life • Consider practical use of web 2.0 tools to support on and offline events •Capitalise on existing events •Live blog from events (e.g. blogging4business) •Videos and podcasts before and after event to extend impact of programme • Tagged event photo galleries on Flickr 75

Competitions Branded coverage on 3rd party sites in return for prize with a perceived value •Can be promotional or editorial •Criteria: minimum prize value, length of competition, copy / branding • Live link offered to campaign or org. web sites • Product/brand/company photography and/or logo can be used • What measurement statistics will be provided • How prize fulfilment works • What prize terms and conditions required 76

Advertorials Commercial and editorial teams generally involved in set up • Advertorials work very well in an online environment, especially when links, full ROI measurement, opt-in user data, or agreed user reach required • Important to establish objectives at outset with site • Copy written and layout suggested by PR - will be amended to suit site „house style‟ – a hybrid of commercial and editorial copy with agreed levels of brand control • Examples of advertorial content include: • Branded surveys/polls with incentive to link out from hosting site • Editorial where a greater emphasis on message control required and subject matter very commercial, e.g. new brand variant launched 77

Infographics •Interactive visual applications or web pages • Add visual support to a campaign, e.g. BBC‟s British History Timeline • Powerful tools which can tell complex stories • Excellent „social objects‟ and offline media materials • Can create viral effect with consumers • Ensure you publish URL in media materials and link to Picture by Pseudo Placebo SEO and relevant pages on supporting web site 78

. NOW IT’S YOUR TURN 79

Online reputation management |80 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

Identifying your conversationalists and reputation team Reactive and proactive social media •Your reputation audit will have and online engagement ID‟d staff using UGC/social media and key • Crisis management external advocates, partners etc • Internal and external stakeholders • Internal audit to ID your best not just staff conversationalists? • Need to include agencies - Search, – Are they PR, DM etc marketing/communications/PR staff/agencies – Senior management – Do they come from other parts of the business, e.g.. field sales, customer service, web development etc? People tend to trust ‘people like us’ – Edelman Trust Barometer 81

Typical reputation management roles • Contextual strike teams • Information holders • Defenders • Conversationalists • Expert commentators • „Technical‟ specialists • Campaign based teams • Legal specialists Picture by ktylerconk 82

What’s your plan? •What do you want to influence • When will you respond • How will you cultivate authenticity • What information is currency • How will you personalise conversations • When will you involve legal personnel •Draft procedures and protocols 83

Each team member should be sure of their role and responsibility •How they will receive information • Rules of engagement • With whom • Through which media • Information timings – embargos • Exclusivity of information •Who they report to – chain of command and who is ultimately responsible and will support them if required • SLA •What is in it for them • Acceptable tone • Measurements and success criteria Picture by chrisamichaels 84

Strategies for managing unfavourable comments and opinions •Is it true? •If so, what are you doing about it? • If so, put criticism in context •Is it on influential site – assess and rank site • Who is the detractor – are they influential • Are others commenting • Is it affecting search ranking • Assess seriousness of attack – this is where you should get legal advice 85

Strategies for managing unfavourable comments and opinions •Act quickly – the truth will out but ensure others don‟t tell your story • Involve lawyers as safeguard –mentioning this can get instant results • Get the facts straight • Consider message, conversationalist and channels that will be used • Review procedures/protocols and mobilise the team members • Humour and self deprecation can help • Be candid and declare your interest • Be brief, to the point and transparent •Consider using combination offline media and PPC, e.g. Google Adwords • Keep all email, phone and meeting records relating to issue 86

Bad Phorm Phorm does behavioural advertising It records all the web pages that you visit The company didn‟t respond fast enough •UK and US government investigations ensued •Partners pulled out of business relationships •Sustained organisedbadvocates •Mainstream press coverage in The Guardian, The New York Times

Further reading Collected papers and essays by The Long Tail: why the future of danahboyd business is selling less of more – Chris Anderson Notre Dame University: Fifteen- minutes of fame: The Dynamics of Groundswell by Charlene Li & Josh Information Access on The Web (May Bernoff 13, 2005) by Z. Dezso, E Almaas, A Wikinomics website which is based Lukacs, B Racz, I Szakadat and A on and extends the book of the same Barabasi name by Don Tapscott and Anthony D OECD whitepaper on user-generated Williams content The Cluetrain Manifesto Digital Natives Programme by How to use Digg- Berkman Center for Internet & What I read Society at Harvard Law School Google‟s keyword tool

Online press release distribution Pressbox - free •PRWeb •PR Newswire •Internetwire •Businesswire •Sourcewire •Realwire •E-consultancy for digital releases 89

Thanks for your time I hope the course was insightful, informative and helpful. www.econsultancy.com All rights reserved. No part of this presentation may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Copyright © Econsulancy.com Ltd 2009. |90 |13 January 2008 |Trainer/s: AN Other, Job title and company

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090326 Online PR

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090326 Online PR — Presentation Transcript