The document outlines a fresh approach to digital public relations (PR) that integrates traditional and digital strategies to enhance awareness, sales, and customer engagement. Key insights include the changing media landscape, the importance of social media in media relations, and strategies for building better relationships with journalists and influencers. The document emphasizes the need for targeted research and social media engagement to create smarter media pitches and drive business results.

1. a fresh approach to best practices:
Digital PR
Heather Whaling
heather@gebencommunication.com
prtini.com • @prTini
#ReutersWebinar • @prTini

2. The Geben Approach
• Innovate best practices
• Integrate traditional & digital PR
– Generate awareness, drive sales, influence
opinion & recruit customers
• Communicate the right message to the
right audience via the right tools
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3. tweetable tip:
Combine traditional & digital PR to drive business results
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4. social strengthens media relations
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5. Changing Definition of Media
print & broadcast journalists • bloggers • online news reporters • vloggers •
podcasters • amateur photogs • facebook admins • YouTube “haulers” • twitter
“celebrities” • pinners • writers/freelancers • … anyone with an audience??
tweetable tip:
TIP: Anyone can be media, but not all media are journalists
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6. Social + Media Relations
• More outlets
• Better research
• New relationship-building opportunities
• Bypass (some) gatekeepers
• If you're not quick, you're not relevant
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7. Tech-Savvy Journalists
• 81% of journalists are on Twitter, with 75% of
them using it for work
• 91% of journalists believe their reliance on
social media has increased
• 33% of journalists use social media to find
sources
• 80% of journalists believe their newsrooms
encourage the use of social media
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8. Why Blogger Relations?
• 89% of journalists research story ideas
on blogs
• Social media and blogs dominate
Americans' time online (23%)
• Tumblr grew 168% year-over-year
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9. Building Stronger Relationships
• Update media lists with Twitter handles
• Twitter Stalking: Create & monitor
Twitter lists
• Subscribe to Facebook pages
• Join LinkedIn groups
• Create Newsle alerts
• Follow/like on Google+, Quora,
Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
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10. Social Research = Better Pitches
• Highly targeted lists
• Access to reporters
before, during and after
the pitching process
• Spot trends to create
story opportunities
tweetable tip:
Research social media to create smarter media
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pitches

11. Social Amplifies Media Coverage
• Socialize the clip
• Create companion content
• Parlay into content for blogger relations
• Incorporate into other communication
materials
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12. Crowdsource Product Development
Challenge: needed to break away
from “commodity” products
Solution: Sparks Innovation Center,
supported with PR, marketing, social
media, advertising
Results:
• 17% company growth
• 37% new sales growth
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13. The Power of Niche
Challenge: Launch a new social media management tool,
targeting key niches (sports, retail, restaurants)
Solution: Embargoed launch, targeted media/blogger
outreach, create sharable content
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14. sharable content
Results:
• Customer growth
exceeded
expectations
• Major news coming
this fall … stay
tuned!
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15. Own Your Story
• Social media release
• Add social sharing to the launch timeline:
– Facebook and Twitter “drip” campaigns
– Identify when & how news can be shared online
– Provide sample posts
– Internal communication is critical
• Coordinate with high-profile supporters
• Update closed/secret Facebook groups
• Monitor online conversations on FB, Twitter, Quora,
blogs, etc. Respond as appropriate.
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16. Heather Whaling • @prTini
heather@gebencommunication.com
subscribe: bit.ly/prTini
Disrupt the status quo.
Build awareness.
Acquire customers.
Excel in the social world.
Increase sales.
Innovate best practices.
#ReutersWebinar • @prTini