I’ve long been a fan gal for research in PR. Personally, I obsess over trends, opinions and ultimately, what motivates customer sentiment toward a brand, product or an entirely new way of doing things.

Professionally, research solves so many things — identifying specifically who to target and how these people consume content. Research allows us to truly move beyond metrics that never satisfy internal audiences to those that demonstrate true, meaningful impact.

Also, it’s fun to identify the sentiments we can unlock, uncover and expedite for clients and prospects. Previously though, research had its challenges — it could be cumbersome, costly and slow. It was often times very hard to sell in primary research or audience insight programs, particularly to start-up or mid-stage companies that could benefit from such critical information.

Continue reading " Only the Best Data Can Lead to Better Decisions and Direction "

In today’s fast moving search and social Web, content flows in every direction throughout a variety of platforms, formats and devices. In fact, by the year 2020, a study from Ericsson reports that there will be over 50 billion Internet connected devices. Ubiquitous Internet access is enabling consumers and brands alike to create, consume, publish, interact and transact — anytime, anywhere.

At the same time, brands are answering the call to create more value for customers during the buying cycle through content marketing. Companies are adopting publisher models of content and media creation that are beginning to rival the reach and influence of the publications in their industry.

What do these changes mean for public relations and communications professionals? How is PR competitively positioned over marketing and advertising in a content-centric Web?

Continue reading " How PR Can Attract and Engage More Influencers and Buyers With Content Marketing "

Brands are learning that it isn’t enough to just advertise to women online. Real influence happens when brands form relationships with women/moms and participate in the conversations that women are having with each other. And it’s no secret that the online consumers with the most influence are those actively engaged in social technologies like Facebook and Twitter, and those leveraging blogs to publish original content and build their own niche loyal readership.

Bloggers represent online influence and women represent a powerful consumer demographic.  Put them together and you have the Holy Grail for brands trying to reach women and moms online. What are the most effective ways to partner with women bloggers to generate brand affinity and loyalty, and drive purchase behavior?

Continue reading " Reaching Consumers Via Women Bloggers: The Digital Impact Conference "

In case you haven’t noticed, the blogosphere no longer needs to stand separate and apart from the mainstream media. Blogs have quietly joined the mainstream, at least in terms of their place in the editorial elixir that influences the court of public opinion.

It was late ’04 or early ’05 when Richard Edelman and I presented an introduction to weblogs to The New York Times Company’s communications teams — our focus: blogging’s burgeoning value to public relations professionals. Richard recently had become the first large PR agency CEO to blog regularly. (To this day, he may still be.)

At the time, we hadn’t yet predicted that blogs may one day usurp the news release as the primary deliverer of corporate news. At a minimum, they could serve as a means to publicly present one’s point-of-view, unfettered by the media filter. What’s more: contradictory perspectives would be addressed openly in the blog’s comments section or through comments on other blogs.

Continue reading " Welcome to the Mainstream "

Don’t be the last to hear what is being said about your company and brand, or issues affecting your business. Attend our session, What Are Your Customers Thinking — Right Now: How to Use Real-Time Media Analysis and Data Visualization to Make Better Business Decisions, and see how other companies use analytics to better anticipate rumors and as a result have a better and timelier reply to attacks on their image or brand.

Continue reading " Did You Hear The Rumor? "