Going Social or Challenges for PR Pro’s
in a Fractured Mediascape – November 4, 2008
Rod Nicolson, VP Online Services

Agenda
• What is Social Media and why should
you care?
• Two case studies:
– British Airways
– PR Newswire
• What can you do to 'go social?'

What is Social Media?
“Social media are primarily Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing
information among human beings. The term most often refers to activities that
integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures,
videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is
presented, depends on the varied perspectives and \"building\" of shared meaning
among communities, as people share their stories and experiences.”
“Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, blogging, Friendfeed, etc.”
“Social Media is communication of information between people! Why do
you need more? Sending smoke signals in the stone age is Social Media!”
“The best rationale i've heard thus far for the existence of the term social media
is that agencies wanted to get dollars from the traditional media budgets for SM
marketing efforts”
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ableman/

http://benparr.com/

Why should you care?
• Reuters reports Gannett to lay off • Over 100 million blogs worldwide
another 10% (est. 3000) staffers (Technorati)
at its local dailies • 120K new blogs launched every
• Conde Nast making cuts. day (Technorati)
Men's Vogue may not survive • 1.5M posts every day (Technorati)
• Orange County Register parting • Four of the top five U.S. sites are
with 110 staffers social (Alexa.com)
• LA Times editor announced today • YouTube – 10% of all internet
a 10% editorial staff reduction traffic (Ellacoya Networks)
• U.S. newspapers report 4.6% • 91M people played 5 billion
decline in circulation ‘07 to ‘08 YouTube videos (Comscore)
• Trend increases from -2.6% • Facebook 300% growth in Europe
• McClatchy Co and Media General (Comscore)
Inc reported damaging declines in • Q4 ’07 Bulldog Reporter study:
ad revenue – 28% of journalists visit a social
sites once a week
• Above sourced during Oct. ‘08 fm – 44% visit at least once a month
http://twitter.com/prnewswire

Our brands are referenced in social media already
http://addictomatic.com

How are companies using Social Media?
• British Airways
– Caribbean Challenge
• PR Newswire
– Get Read Campaign

British Airways – Caribbean Challenge
Series of games based around Caribbean islands
Completion of three games allows entry into a draw for a holiday with 11 friends
http://www.ba.com/

British Airways – Caribbean Challenge
Objectives:
Educate and entertain consumers about BA’s Caribbean offerings
Reach a new audience
Data capture
http://www.ba.com/

British Airways – Caribbean Challenge
Social media strategy to seed campaign
Identify interested groups
Identify connected individuals
Initiate conversations
http://www.ba.com/

D. Armano’s Influence Ripples

British Airways – Caribbean Challenge
Success?
120k unique visits averaging 7 minutes
30k entries and 10k information requests
http://www.ba.com/

PR Newswire – Get Read PR Campaign
http://www.prnpickup.com/

http://tinyurl.com/4cntu7

http://www.pr-squared.com/

http://www.forimmediaterelease.biz/

Success?
780,000 impressions to date
Pick-up from major PR influencers
New conversations and online connections
http://www.prnpickup.com/

Lessons Learned
British Airways PR Newswire
• Work collaboratively if • Find the right voice
you need to • Bring value
• Enhance – do not • Move quickly to
dictate correct
• Success is how many • Evolving discipline
people are talking • Customers appreciate
about you contact

What can you do to go social?

Search Engine Optmization
Lee Odden, Top Rank Blog http://www.toprankblog.com/

Understand Your Audience
http://http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell

Social Media Tools
Twitter Social
• twitter.com • www.facebook.com
• search.twitter.com • www.myspace.com
• www.tweetscan.com • www.friendfeed.com
SEO • www.yahoo.com
• www.google.com/trends • www.plaxo.com
• www.google.com/insights/search • www.linkedin.com
• www.freekeywords.wordtracker.com • www.orkut.com
• www.freekeywords.wordtracker.com/gt Sharing
rends • www.delicious.com
Measurement • www.stumbleupon.com
• www.google.com/trends • www.digg.com
• www.alexa.com • www.flickr.com
• www.quantcast.com • www.YouTube.com
• www.compete.com • www.Vimeo.com

Social Media Principles
• Open
• Honest
• Accurate
• Accessible
• Personal
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meepocity/

Rod Nicolson, VP Online Services
rod.nicolson@prnewswire.com
twitter.com/rodnic66