Facebook rolled out their redesign this week, packed with new user friendly features. According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, “what [Facebook is] trying to do is give everyone in the world the best personalized newspaper.” Numerous media outlets have reported on the changes, including the new features designed to offer users more control of their News Feed and how these changes will affect brand pages. It seems also that with these new changes, users may be able to get around the issues they experienced when Facebook developed their new algorithm. While Facebook openly discusses the added bonuses and upgraded features, there has been little said about an increase in revenue for the company (which we know is inevitable.)

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore Facebook’s redesign and whether or not these new features will make users’ Facebook experience easier or just complicate things further.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Changes to Facebook May Alter the Way You Do Business "

We all know that hindsight is 20/20, but thinking about a crisis before it happens gives companies the chance to consider their strategy without the pressure of news choppers hovering over their facility or the possibility that your brand might be trending on Twitter for all the wrong reasons. For some brands, however, trouble may not present itself in a full-blown crisis. Sometimes trouble lurks in leadership issues and quick fixes aren’t always an option.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at a number of brands who made waves in social media with quick, strategic and enduring crisis communication responses. We will also delve into brands that have suffered long term challenges and are still trying to work their way back from corporate trials and tribulations.

Continue reading " Friday Five: PR Crisis: What Makes a Brand Sink or Swim? "

Social media is the primary form of communication for most people these days. Yet with the rapid changes made to various social media platforms, sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether or not you are using social media properly or with the right purpose in mind. Some social media tools (like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) have been around for years, yet casual users and professionals alike are still learning how to optimize their social media experience for better brand awareness, stronger engagement strategies and smarter ways to demonstrate ROI.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at the how various social media channels are evolving to offer brands more opportunities to better showcase their goods while improving engagement strategies to reach larger audiences.

Continue reading " Friday Five: How Well Do You Really Know Social Media? "

This week has been chock full of public relations crises, desperate attempts to repair reputations, and chaos caused by the viral nature of social media. A crisis usually descends upon brands without warning. It begins to spin out of control, taking on a life of its own. Even if brands invest big money on managing their reputation, when a crisis hits brands are often left completely unprepared.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at five brands that have been hit by crises, are scrambling to do damage control, and are trying to regain some semblance of a solid reputation.

AIG Launches PR Campaign on YouTube in Hopes of Repairing Public Image (The Washington Post)

It’s no secret that American International Group (AIG) has had to deal with a full plate of damaging reputation issues recently.  It seemed a little ironic when the company announced last year that it would offer reputation insurance for companies experiencing similar public relations disasters. This past week AIG launched a public relations campaign with the hopes of repairing its own reputation. The company posted several YouTube videos declaring that AIG is proud to be an American corporation. The campaign is still too new to know whether it will help change the company’s image. AIG’s YouTube ads convey the story of AIG’s return from the pit of the financial crisis. Watch the new YouTube videos and share your thoughts. Is this enough to help the company redeem themselves from a tragic public relations crisis?

Continue reading " Friday Five: More Brand Reputations at Risk after a Week of Crises "

Social media plays a crucial role in the relationships created between brand and customer. Like any relationship there are ups and downs. Unfortunately for brands when the “downs” happen, it is usually in the form of biting customer reviews or criticism. Social customer service was developed for brands and customers to connect on a number of issues related to products, inquiries, leading trends, or even just for customers to express gratitude over a satisfying experience. Brands are being recognized for successful engagements with customers and more so their ability to increase brand awareness through brand advocates. The overarching message to brands is that social customer service is here and it’s time to get on board and start listening to online conversations to get a better pulse on what your customers truly value in their brand experience.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we look at how brands are integrating social customer service in their everyday social business practices. We will also look at how some brands are inadequately prepared to take on the responsibility. In our discussion we will discover engagement factors that come from social customer service and offer helpful tips on how brands can better meet their customers’ needs online.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Brands Engage Through Social Customer Service "