Having the expertise to manage your brand’s social media presence takes so much more than simply using Twitter and Facebook on a personal level. Community managers have their hands full researching social media tools to help them maximize their brand’s social presence while not spreading their brand too thin trying to create a presence on every platform that exists. While some brands have successfully made a business case for social media in their company, other brands are learning to manage their organization’s expectations in regard to the return on social media stunts initially meant to garner a reaction instead of a specific outcome.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore the skills, various tools and resources needed to fulfill the very well-rounded role of community manager. We also look at a few brands successfully tackling their social media strategy and those social PR stunts that sometimes fall on deaf ears.

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Public relations is an ever-evolving profession. Technology and social media advances continue to move professionals further into the future with the access to new apps, platforms and other tools that accelerate the way PR pros do their job. Staying up-to-speed on these advances is one way PR pros can remain relevant.

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 far public relations has come over the last decade and put the spotlight on a number of new social media advances, platforms and measurement tools that continue to launch the profession forward.

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The evolution of social media is never ending and the expansion of relevant social media audiences is happening in a blink of the eye. The idea that so many different groups of people are affected by one single channel should seem preposterous but because of modern technology, it is not. From a consumer’s purchasing decisions to the government’s role in social media policy, social media has run the gambit with the different markets, industries and stakeholders that are affected in some way by the realm of social media.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary — we explore various industries impacted in some way by the viral nature in which social media continues to evolve. We look at tips and tools that will help professionals keep up with the varying ways to share the company’s story and reveal why social media policy has made it on the to-do list of a federal agency. 

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Social media offers brands and corporations a variety of new options for building awareness around their company, promoting cause-related initiatives and providing access to information through real-time discussions. Social media platforms are not only constantly gaining new users; they are also increasing in number, with new platforms for companies to join, learn and manage. It can be challenging for professionals to constantly build foundations to support such growth.

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 various social media experts are building new bridges via social networks and how leaders in the digital sphere are leading new advances in the nonprofit world. We also look at the growing importance of transparency in the digital age and the need for social media platforms to remain sustainable in order to continue supporting users in the future.

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Brand identity is critical in influencing opinion, maintaining solid engagement with a selected audience, and retaining awareness in the marketplace. What was once an easy objective – get people to like you and have a brand advocate for life – has become far more challenging in the age of social, digital and mobile technology. Brands must now connect with their audience visually as well as emotionally to garner brand loyalty. Brands are now being forced to tackle the big issues, turn obnoxious customer reviews into a strategic play and sometimes rebrand completely as a way to stay fresh with younger generations.

In this week’s PRSA “Friday Five” post — an analysis of the week’s biggest public relations and business news and commentary —we take a look at what some brands are doing to remain relevant and the creative strategy they’ve employed to reach new audiences. We look at the concept of brand loyalty and explore the challenges brands face to remain in good graces with consumers.

Continue reading " Friday Five: Brands Reach New Audiences with Creative Strategy "