Career Opening: Director of Industry Outreach for Zillow Group

Zillow Group has a new career opportunity for some fortunate soul.

Director, Industry Outreach.

Aka Jay Thompson’s current job.

The question is, who wants to replace Jay Thompson once he retires?

I’m not sure who can fill such big shoes. Few are as like-able, humble, or gracious as the man I still think of as the Phoenix Real Estate Guy.

Maybe DG or I should make an epic comeback to the halls (and social media channels) of Zillow. (kidding of course).

In all seriousness, it would be an awesome role…for the right person. What are they looking for? Read on…

Responsibilities

• In coordination with the team, develop and implement outreach and social strategy for Zillow Group as the company grows.
• Actively monitor and participate in real estate related Facebook groups and other online forums. Effective relationship building is critical in this role.
• Be the voice and face of Zillow Group in social media communities and groups.
• Exercise perseverance with dissenting agents and brokers, while maintaining professionalism and consistent message delivery.
• Handle and help lead and administrate various Zillow Group communities focused on Premier Agents.
• Actively participate in product and feature development to provide insight and the voice of the agent/broker community.
• Teach internal “Real Estate 101” classes to Zillow Group employees across the country.
• Serve as Zillow Group industry voice at various events– emphasizing and focusing on Zillow Group’s mission, goals and products at local, state and national real estate conferences and events.
• Attend local, state and national events and represent Zillow Group in an effective and professional manor.

Who you are

• A strategic thinker who has your eye on a long term vision.
• Someone who works reciprocally with others to create and execute on a long-term strategic plan.
• Someone with strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Someone who understands the social media space and wants to build on ZG’s successes.
• Patient and measured– able to respond to the same questions and concerns repeatedly and with enthusiasm.
• Ability to respond to dissenting voices in a professional and courteous manner.
• Able to wade into sometimes hostile discussion while maintaining a professional
• Collaborative and enthusiastic, but with ability to quickly shift into reactive mode when needed.
• Self-starter and able to work at times with little direct supervision.
• A great teammate.

Your skills and background

• 8 – 10 years in real estate sales / brokerage and/or title experience is strongly preferred. Active real estate license preferred, but not required. National Association of Realtors membership preferred but not required.
• Experience establishing, building and administering on-line communities is a plus.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills required.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of key social media platforms.
• Ability to take “corporate speak” PR messaging and convert that to a personal voice without losing the key points of the messaging. In other words, the ability to personalize and humanize important messaging and objectives.
• BA/BS in Business, English, journalism, communications or related field is preferred.
• Public speaking and teaching experience strongly preferred.

Interested? Apply here.

The post Career Opening: Director of Industry Outreach for Zillow Group appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2HZPJlD

3 reasons you shouldn’t ignore messaging apps

Are messaging apps the next frontier for communicators?

The technology enables users to send messages back and forth and engage in real-time conversations. Curious communicators have several apps to choose from, and most social media platforms have messaging counterparts like Facebook’s Messenger and the direct messaging functionalities on Instagram and Twitter.

Messaging apps are a great alternative to text messaging, but that only scratches the surface of their potential. Brand managers should pay close attention because these platforms offer an opportunity to bring them closer to their audience, a challenge often faced in the crowded social media marketplace.

Here’s why 2018 should be the year you consider messaging apps in your marketing plan:

1. Your customers are already using them.

Over the past few years, there’s been a hefty rise in the use of messaging apps. In fact, four of the more popular ones—Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat and Viper—boast more monthly users than the top four social networking sites: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+.

It’s easy to understand why messaging apps are becoming a key part of social engagement strategies for businesses. Once customers discover the ability to send a direct message to a popular shoe brand and receive a discount code from them, they won’t hesitate to buy.

There’s a good chance your customer base is already using messaging apps in some way, so it makes sense to cater your customer-relations strategy to the preferences of your audience.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: How reporters use social media in their jobs]

2. Customers want to interact on their terms.

Today’s consumers are smart, independent and informed. They have to be in order to sift through all the brand choices out there.

It’s no surprise that convenience plays a role in deciding who they want to do business with. According to a 2016 Nielson survey commissioned by Facebook IQ, 53 percent of people say they are more likely to shop with a businessthat they can message directly.

Phone customer service can be limiting. With messaging apps, people can engage when they want and where they want without wasting valuable time sitting on hold. Not to mention the amount of time consumers spend online. It only makes sense to stay online when they have a question or want to do business. If marketers place a larger emphasis on customer needs, results will follow.

3. Messaging apps will be for more than conversation.

In 2018, messaging apps will continually evolve their e-commerce capabilities and shift from being solely conversational platforms to multi-purpose business tools. WeChat is a great example of a messaging app ahead of its time. Launched in 2011, the Chinese app has an array of functionality including a digital wallet service and e-payment system.

With the rise of Chatbots, people can easily make reservations, get answers to general questions, place business orders and more. According to a survey by Oracle, 80 percent of businesses will want touse chatbots by 2020. Not surprising since they save money, can be available to customers 24/7 and can have simultaneous conversations with thousands of people.

Maybe robots are taking over.

Megan Snyder is the marketing manager for JConnelly, a New York based PR firm. A version of this article originally appeared on the J Connelly blog.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2HKD82o

Twitter users to see more news links in timelines

Though news often breaks on Twitter, users are about to see more articles and trending stories in their timelines.

Twitter is rolling out a new feature to all users (including those on desktop, Android and iOS) that pushes links tweeted by members of your network into your timeline. It also groups additional tweets about the same link underneath it.

The new feature aims to make it easier for users to see news articles at a glance, along with who is sharing them. A spokesman for Twitter confirmed the feature to Buzzfeed, which first broke the news.

Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s co-founder and chief executive, confirmed the feature through a tweet:

It’s a good start. Lots more to do here https://t.co/df0THizo1M

— jack (@jack) April 27, 2018

Techradar reported:

This feature, albeit similar to Facebook’s own method of tidying up the newsfeed, is the latest news-centric Twitter tweak, joining the likes of live news broadcasts and its journalist-focused ‘explore’ tab.

9to5Mac.com reported:

There are a couple of things worth noting about this new feature. For one, it prevents users from seeing the same link shared multiple times throughout their timeline, instead grouping it all under one central heading. On the other hand, this means Twitter is moving farther away from a chronological feed, much like other social networks.

Forbes reported:

The idea really is an engagement play. Users see the news and clicks (or doesn’t) but it now takes them less time than scrolling past multiple tweets that reference the same thing - a smart move for time-poor users. Users still have the same amount of time for each Twitter visit but now more of that time can be spent looking at ads, content users want to search for and other content Twitter wants to push to you. The curation element has been lacking for some time in Twitter (Moments aside). The new feature could add more social proof to proceedings and offer people a way of garnering value, importance or grandeur of the situation.

The move is another effort by Twitter to attract new users and increase activity on its platform, thereby boosting its attractiveness to advertising partners. However, what takeaways does this announcement give to PR and marketing pros?

[RELATED: Take advantage of the power of video—regardless of resources orbudget]

Twitter as a news platform

First, communicators of all stripes should note Twitter’s increased focus on being a news app, not simply another social media platform.

Engadget reported:

Twitter started grouping together tweets about ongoing events back when it launched " Happening Now." It only applied to sports topics in the beginning, but this new feature and the one that pushes trending tweets by news organizations to the top of your feed are probably part of its expansion.

Buzzfeed reported:

Over the past two years, Twitter has made a relentless push into news, seizing on it as an identity it had long lacked.

The company first switched from the "social networking" to the "news" category of the app store in April 2016. Now, it airs live news broadcasts alongside the home timeline; it's showcasing news and tweets from journalists in its "explore" tab; and it's experimenting with curated timelines around breaking news events. This new feature will further support that effort.

Forbes reported:

… News is a key part of twitter’s formula and future. This move is a good indication that Twitter is staying serious about being a news source and more moves in this arena are expected. Twitter beat Q1 estimates with revenue of $665M (up 21% YoY), vs. $605.9M est. Revenue increased 21 percent, the biggest jump in two years. Activity is up too; DAUs are up 10% YoY; MAUs up 3% YoY to 336M vs. 334.2M est. While monthly active users 3 percent rise may not seem like a lot compared to other platform numbers and growth, Twitter is a different kind of product and is used a lot outside.

How communicators can take advantage

Breaking news and news features might be the way that Twitter sustains itself in the changing social media ecosystem, but brand managers would do well to consider that the news focus means increased opportunities for media relations success.

Journalists are Twitter’s largest, most active verified group, and a 2017 Muck Rack survey of reporters revealed that 72 percent track how often their stories are shared online. That means publications as well as its staff are using Twitter to increase their stories’ reach and garner more clicks.

However, brand managers shouldn’t forget that articles are not the only way to reach audiences via social media.

Though this feature seems geared toward wooing marketers, the company said that its video ads are a huge source of marketing revenue. The feature, offered to brand managers through promoted posts, pre-roll ads before publishing partners’ videos and sponsorships with its live video shows, generate more than half of Twitter’s ad revenue.

Re/code reported:

Now video ads don’t just generate a lot of money for Twitter, they generate the majority of the company’s advertising revenue. Twitter said this week that video ad revenue makes up more than 50 percent of its ad revenue, something that actually happened in Q4 but was only made public this week as part of Q1 earnings.

That means Twitter made a minimum of $287 million on video ads last quarter. Even though Twitter is often considered a distant third in the social video space behind YouTube and Facebook (maybe even fourth behind Snapchat), video ads have clearly become very important to Twitter’s business. You’ll hear a lot about that this week when the company presents all of the video shows and projects it wants to create to media buyers on Monday at the NewFronts.

Lastly, communicators shouldn’t look to any one platform as the silver bullet for digital marketing and PR campaigns—or think that their organizations and clients must be on all of them.

Considering where your audience resides is a crucial consideration to whether or not you should invest time and money building a presence on a particular platform. Keep in mind users’ discontent with platform updates, as well. Many users criticized the new Twitter feature, and user growth has stalled. Other platforms, such as Snapchat, are seeking to make amends with power users that have sworn off new interfaces and updates.

How will the latest changes on Twitter influence your social media strategy? Will you make a bigger investment in the future?

(image via)

Copyright: rvlsoft / 123RF Stock Photo

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2rc7YcS

Why you should reduce your reliance on social media

Is it time to stop searching for the perfect platform?

From time to time, an opinion piece will emerge confidently stating that hosting your content is a waste of time because MySpace, Bebo, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram or Medium is where your audience is hanging out. The argument is that it’s more efficient to host your content where people already are.

It’s a compelling argument, but here’s why you should abandon platform hunting and simply host your content on your own website:

1. You’ve got full ownership of your future.

If your content strategy revolves around a social media channel or channels, you’re at the mercy of the next algorithm change. Things can be going great when all of a sudden 80 percent of your audience disappears for reasons you have absolutely no control over. That’s unlikely to happen if you’ve got a balanced strategy in place with content hosted on your own site and promoted using the PESO model, which combines paid, earned, shared and owned methods.

2. Social media trends are just that—trends

Facebook’s popularity among young people—once its lifeblood—is declining, and now it’s just where your aunt’s go to snoop into your life. Instagram Stories is killing SnapChat with a little help from Kylie Jenner and Rihanna. Twitter continually fails to capture the imagination of most consumers. Who knows what the next big thing will be—and how long it will last? If you host your content primarily on one social media channel, you’re screwed when your target audience moves on.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: How reporters use social media in their jobs]

3. It does nothing for your search engine rankings.

Someone might have told you that search engine optimization (SEO) is dead. Well, unless people have suddenly stopped using Google to find answers to their questions, that’s obviously not true. Getting found via Google is one of the best ways to reach people who are researching the products and services you sell, but who don’t know you exist yet.

Hosting content on your own site and driving traffic to it remains one of the simplest ways to boost your SEO rankings.

4. You get better analytics.

Compared to the stats you get in Google Analytics, most social media analytics suck.

You can get some very basic demographic information but that’s about all. By comparison, you can link Google Analytics to your site for free to find out a wealth of information about your site visitors including demographics, their interests, how long they spend on your site, whether they’re logging on from phones or desktops, whether they’re new or returning visitors and much, much more.

Yes, it’s a little creepy when you realize how much data these guys have—but if you’re going to look at your audience’s behavior, you might as well get the full picture.

5. Your company will have more control over the data collected in your name.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, you’ll have heard about the controversy around how Facebook allowed Cambridge Analytica to exploit data from potentially 87 million users. Reducing your reliance on companies like this and ensuring you have strong data protection policies in place on your own site is important in terms of protecting yourself and your customers.

6. It’s a better way to create a long-term relationship with your audience.

On a social media site, you’re constantly vying for attention amongst memes, friends’ status updates, cat pictures, news stories and advertisements. Getting your customers on to your site instead means that for a minute or two (if your content is really good) you’ll have their full attention. You can use that time to tempt them into giving you their email address—and that’s the start of a long-term relationship.

Also, email converts to sales at a significantly higher rate than social media anyway.

7. Organic reach on social channels is pitiful.

It’s increasingly difficult to get your message across to your social media audiences and get engagement without spending lots of money. Back in the day, if you posted something on your Facebook page, all your followers would see it. These days, you’re lucky if 10 percent of those who follow you see your posts. Facebook charges you to promote your page so it can get more likes, and then when you’ve got the likes you wanted, it charges you again to promote your posts so people actually see them. Most social channels operate similarly, and it makes it very difficult to get good value for your money.

8. You don’t need to be omnipresent.

The truth is you don’t need to “be everywhere”. You never did. If you’re providing valuable content to your target audience, they will keep coming back. Work hard to make your brand’s content remarkable, and then use every channel you’ve got to promote it.

Social media still has a role here, alongside email, paid ads, influencer marketing, media relations and more. Social media is a promotion tool—not the rock on which to build your business. Choose the best avenues to promote your content based on the audience and what’s on trend—but host it right there on your own site where you have full control over its future.

Katie Harrington is a Communications and Content consultant based in Dublin, Ireland. Katie has worked with global brands including EY, Emirates Airline and Allianz, as well as in the Irish parliament and Qatar’s semi-government oil and gas company Nakilat. A version of this article originally appeared on her blog.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2ra5QCx

3 PR lessons from Whole Foods’ ‘Yellow Fever’ crisis response

The restaurant owner insists the name isn’t racist, but the social media outcry over a new partnership is hitting Whole Foods just the same.

A California pan-Asian restaurant was given floor space in a Long Beach Whole Foods location, and some aren’t happy with its name, Yellow Fever, which to some recalls an infectious disease and to others suggests white sexual fantasies about Asian women.

The Washington Post reported :

[Owner Kelly] Kim, who said that before this week the name wasn’t an issue, did not take the term to have an overtly sexual or even negative meaning, adding that it is more nuanced than what critics have said.

The term implies “an attraction or affinity of Asian people or Asian things,” such as Korean pop music or karaoke, she said. “I never took it to a have deeper meaning. … It’s a little tongue in cheek, but I never saw it as offensive or racist or anti-feminist,” she said.

Kim, who is also the executive chef, said she discussed the charged nature of her restaurant’s name with Whole Foods, but could not recall if her partners or the company raised the issue.

On Twitter, users have been vocal in their disapproval.

whole foods rlly goin in with the worst restaurant name ever! https://t.co/GGQchGmrY5

— spicy boy (@shawnwasabi) April 28, 2018

My personal concern: all the non-Asian people of the world using this to validate their use of the term yellow fever, because Whole Foods did it.

Reposting this as an amended tweet, to include this WaPo critique + sketchy response from @365byWholeFoods: https://t.co/QBV6XNo5mU pic.twitter.com/L7aPHzHDVZ

— Celeste P. (@Celeste_pewter) April 28, 2018

This is not a joke. Nobody @WholeFoods or @amazon noticed the problem with calling an Asian restaurant “Yellow Fever.” This was okayed all the way up the chain & actually got built. https://t.co/KMgR0Ck3Ga

— Laura Seay (@texasinafrica) April 28, 2018

[WEBCAST: Prepare, protect and promote your organization and brand in a climate of crisis .]

Whole Foods has remained silent, allowing Kim to speak for her restaurant.

Fortune reported :

“I think it’s been silly, and I think it’s a bit funny that it’s all of a sudden a big deal,” Kim told the Daily News .

Kim added that she was re-appropriating the term and that the issue actually came up while working out the details of partnering with Whole Foods . The supermarket chain had Kim change some of the ingredients in her dishes, the Daily News reported.

“I hope that once they come in and try our food and see us for who we are and who we’re trying to be, that they’ll realize that they’re picking on the little kid, you know?” Kim told CBS.

What can PR pros learn from Whole Foods’ and Kim’s crisis response?

Here are three lessons:

1. Choose your public face wisely.

Although Kim doesn’t work for Whole Foods, letting her do the talking about the partnership generally—and her restaurant in particular—is a smart strategy. Kim brings cultural authenticity to the public discussion about the name “Yellow Fever” and the complex related issues for the Asian-American community.

Buzzfeed wrote :

"Yellow Fever celebrates all things Asian," Kim said in a statement emailed to BuzzFeed News. "We have been a proud Asian, female-owned business since our founding over four and a half years ago in Torrance, California."

Company branding materials provided to BuzzFeed News acknowledge the name's associations but say the restaurant aims to instead "embrace the term and reinterpret it positively for ourselves."

"The old definition will eventually become an obsolete anachronism, and that should be our collective goal; that is when we will have succeeded," the branding statement said.

2. You must say something.

Though Whole Foods’ has tried to sidestep the controversy by letting Kim take the lead in responding, the company’s failure to comment can read as tone-deaf—or, worse, indifferent.

Social media users say the fault still lies with Whole Foods, as someone in authority there should have flagged the problematic name.

How do big brands miss this stuff still? ::palm to face:: Asian Restaurant Named Yellow Fever Sets Off a Debate About Language and Race https://t.co/AVjSQwITHf #wholefoods #brand

— Britt Wood (@BrittWood9) April 30, 2018

A statement in support of (or deferring to) chef Kim would have allowed the grocery chain to let her speak for the restaurant without Whole Foods’ appearing uninvolved. Instead, it seems Kim has been left to fend for herself and, perhaps, to take action based largely on public opinion.

3. With Twitter, all bets are off.

With a female, Korean-American chef, you might think you’ve consulted the demographic that might find a name offensive. However, no group ever completely agrees with a given way of thinking, and with social media users ready to sound off, a crisis is always lurking around the corner.

It appears Whole Foods executives knew “Yellow Fever” was a risky name for a partner.

Reuters reported :

A year ago [Kim] told the Argonaut, a local Los Angeles news outlet, that Yellow Fever means “love of all things Asian” and that public push back over the name had not been as drastic as expected.

Communicators should have been ready to deal with this issue—or insist on changing the name to avoid courting controversy.

How would you advise Whole Foods to respond, PR Daily readers? For that matter, how has Kim handled the controversy?

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2r97ll4

The marketing tactic you need for your health care organization

You’ve finally started to publish blog posts on a consistent basis. You have SEO, social media posts and paid media advertising down pat. You’re ready to see results from your internet marketing efforts come flying through the door.

Not so fast.

There’s one more thing that could make or break your health care business, and it’s simple to keep track of: Word-of-mouth marketing.

Ensure that your most satisfied patients are being heard by prospective clients. Learn exactly how on our free webinar, “Get the most out of your online reviews.” Join us on May 10 at 1 p.m. Central time to hear from Podium’s Rob Mayfield and Cameron Hale as they teach you how to use online reviews to drive word-of-mouth for your health care organization.

Here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll learn:

• How online reviews affect local search ranking
• Which online review sites are best for health care
• Tips and tricks for collecting hundreds of reviews

Learn how to capitalize on your positive ratings and reviews. Sign up for the free webinar here.

(image via)

Copyright: pichetw / 123RF Stock Photo

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2rca4tc

Take action, win big

 

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2FsKh5a

18 ways to write better business copy

When you’re launching a business, the budget is probably tight.

It’s tough to differentiate between a wise investment and a wasteful rabbit hole, but one thing you should not skimp on is writing.

As you launch your company, you’re probably jumping into a crowded field. Good copywriting will give you a distinct voice among the competition and, most important, help you convert more customers.

Here are 18 tips to write copy that convinces, influences and converts:

1. Write conversationally. Communicate with people as you would over coffee. Eliminate industry geek speak. Delete jargon and insider phrases that might cause confusion. If you use technical terms, define them.

Write with a casual tone, and emphasize clarity over trying to sound smart.

2. Learn how to write a great headline. David Ogilvy knew that people tend to read headlines—and often not much else.

Ogilvy was working mostly with print ads, but headlines are still crucial for web content, blogs, landing pages and other marketing collateral. Treat every headline as if it’s the only bit of your story people will read—because it often is.

Don’t treat headlines as an afterthought. Take time to craft teasers that entice, inspire, jar and excite.

3. Become a master with emotion. People tend to buy based on emotion.

If you can invoke fear, greed, happiness and other emotions into your copywriting, you’ll create more sales. It’s that simple.

Make people understand how your product or service will make them feel.

4. Offer social proof. The second you have happy early adopters and customers, seek permission to place testimonials on your website.

You can hawk your own wares until you’re blue in the face, but neutral third parties always carry more marketing weight. Ask for LinkedIn recommendations, promote Facebook flattery, and solicit praise from your biggest fans.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: 10 ways to improve your writing today]

5. Tell a compelling story. What differentiates your company from the competition?

Even if you lack a fascinating backstory, use your “About” page to elaborate on your personal credentials, passions and interests. Tell stories instead of conveying information.

People remember a great story more easily than they’ll remember a data point. Always incorporate the human element in your writing, and prioritize content that lends itself to compelling storytelling.

6. Back up your claims. Hot takes and personal opinions won’t sway skeptical consumers. Use data, stats and facts to bolster your claims.

Cite reputable resources, piggyback off academic research or mine your own data to boost credibility and write more persuasively.

7. Maintain focus. Everything you write should have one central idea behind it. Don’t meander or try to cover too much in one piece. After you finish writing something, go back and edit out the filler.

Keep your copy focused on your main idea. If you have something strong that doesn’t support your main idea, save it for another blog post or marketing piece. Write with a specific call to action in mind.

8. Use visuals. Most readers will give your copy a few short seconds before they determine whether to continue. Use striking visuals with descriptive captions to lure them in.

Break up blocks of text by inserting pictures, GIFs, videos, infographics and other visually appealing elements to keep readers engaged. Also use bullet points, lists and subheads to make for swift reading.

9. Keep your copy clean. Typos can be a company killer.

Writing that’s rife with mistakes speaks to your credibility—or lack thereof. You don’t have to be perfect, but you should be consistent. There are ways you can improve. Use your word processor spell check, or a third-party program. Have someone look at your copy before you publish it. Hire a copy editor. All these things can help.

10. Write a strong “About Us” page. This is arguably your most important piece of marketing. Before making a purchase decision, your reader wants to know, “Why you?” Your “About” page is the place to create a compelling case of why you’re the right person for the job.

Use that page to establish credibility, likability and trust.

11. Put yourself in your readers’ shoes. It doesn’t really matter what you think is interesting or exciting. Your writing should be geared with your readers’ interests, goals, problems and preferences in mind.

What are your potential customers looking for? What problems are they looking to you to solve? Let those questions drive your content. Ask readers and potential customers about what sorts of content they might find interesting.

12. Define your ideal customer. You can’t be all things to all people. Establishing a specific target audience will help you tailor your language and approach accordingly.

Once you home in on who your users are, go further to uncover their hobbies, interests and passions. You might find new ways to approach them and connect.

13. Be relevant and timely. What trends are shaping or affecting your industry? Which stories are dominating the headlines?

Newsjacking hot topics can boost your traffic and help you reach a wider audience. Use current events and pop culture to your own marketing advantage.

14. Include a time element. Instead of telling someone that your product can change their life, say that your product can make a significant impact within 14 days. Be specific about timeframes regarding your product’s beneficial qualities, and include time-sensitive offers to spur action.

15. Focus on the benefits. Tell people how your product or service can make their lives easier, better or more efficient. Instead of focusing on features, bells and whistles, key on the tangible benefits your product provides.

16. Ask questions. Questions can provoke and pique interest. Consider these questions:

• Do you want to make more money?
• Do you want to lose 20 pounds in 30 days?
• Do you want more customers?
• Are you concerned about retirement?

Most would respond “yes” to all of the above. Now consider these:

• Would you like to call us today?
• Do you think you can benefit from this?
• When would you like to receive help?

These sorts of questions make readers consider doing something. Ask questions that lead your reader toward taking desired actions.

17. Consider search engines. Write for human readers, but keep Google in mind, too.

Which terms, phrases and keywords do you want people to associate with your business? Sprinkle them into your copy. Don’t overstuff your content with keywords, but they should be present.

If you’re using WordPress, download an SEO plugin such as Yoast to make sure your bases are covered. Writers should also stay abreast of SEO trends and changes by reading websites such as Moz, Content Marketing Institute and Hubspot.

18. Create clear calls to action. As you write, think about the change you are asking people to make. Remind them why they should make it. Reiterate the value in taking action, then remind people to buy now, call now, download now or whatever you want them to do.

Matt Brennan is a copywriter based in Illinois. A version of this post first appeared on his website.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2Kop3t9

Meet the Real Estate Tech Founder: David Shapiro from EquiFi Corporation

In our latest real estate tech entrepreneur interview, we’re speaking with  David Shapiro, co-founder of EquiFi Corporation.

Without further ado…

What do you do?

I created EquiFi to be a blend of a Fintech and Specialty Finance Company. It offers an equity-based home financing product for homeowners and homebuyers and give investors access to home price appreciation in the $30 trillion housing market through the Equity Funding Instrument (EFITM). The EFI is an alternative financing instrument that provides new home buyers with the ability to benefit from an equity co-investment in the purchase of their home and offers existing homeowners a new channel to access the existing equity in their homes.

What problem does your product/service solve?

I help liberate consumers from the burden of overfinancing their homes, thereby creating greater and more diversified wealth while increasing the population of qualified home buyers giving real estate agents a larger market to prospect.

What are you most excited about right now?

I organized EquiFi as a Public Benefit Corporation which is a C Corporation that has a stated social purpose. I am finally getting Wall Street to realize that a PBC can also make money.

What’s next for you?

We are working on an upcoming product launch with mortgage originators and a housing finance agency.

What’s a cause you’re passionate about and why?

Personal financial awareness and financial psychology. I’m an entrepreneur, an author, and a speaker. I’ve written extensively (3 books and countless articles) on financial well-being and needs-based selling. The challenges have never been greater than they are today with the largest generation (millennials) at risk of not learning the single most important component of financial planning…compound interest!

Thanks to David for sharing his story. If you’d like to connect, find him on LinkedIn here.

We’re constantly looking for great real estate tech entrepreneurs to feature. If that’s you, please read this post — then drop me a line (drew @ geekestatelabs dot com).

The post Meet the Real Estate Tech Founder: David Shapiro from EquiFi Corporation appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2r6IWgm

The Century 21 Rebrand with CEO Nick Bailey

I’m certainly a fan of the new Century 21 branding. Below is an episode of Listings Bits: an interview Greg Robertson did with Century 21’s CEO, Nick Bailey.

Happy listening.

[via VendorAlley]

The post The Century 21 Rebrand with CEO Nick Bailey appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2HTHlnw

Houses that Unfold with the Click of a Button

Did you know homes can unfold? I didn’t, until seeing the following video the other day.

If you’re curious to learn more, look into what Ten Fold Engineering is working on.

The post Houses that Unfold with the Click of a Button appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2JBwdcd

Husky Energy uses its newsroom to address refinery explosion

Even old-school crises call for modern tools to execute an effective response.

In an oil refinery explosion near Superior, Wisconsin that could have been much worse, many were counting their blessings after no fatalities were reported at the facility and an evacuation order was lifted at 6 a.m. Friday morning.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel wrote:

At least 20 people were injured and thousands evacuated when explosions rocked a northern Wisconsin refinery Thursday.

The fire was extinguished shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday and evacuation order was lifted about 6 a.m. Friday.

The organization that owns the refinery, Canadian-based Husky Energy, received praise for how involved it was in responding to the incident.

The Journal-Sentinel continued:

"The refinery is a very involved business, it's just not what's burning but everything that's around it," said Superior Fire Battalion Chief Scott Gordon. "We want to make sure we're doing it safely."

How were Husky’s communications teams able to get the word out quickly? They turned to Twitter and their own online newsroom.

In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, the organization released a placeholder statement detailing what was known about the accident and offering contact information for two point people on the communications team.

Husky wrote:

Emergency crews are on site and all workers have been accounted for. Husky’s first priority is the safety of its people, the community and emergency responders. There are injuries, which are being treated at hospital and on site.

Regulatory authorities have been notified. Local air quality is being monitored. There is no danger to the public or local residents at this time.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

Three hours later, Husky offered an update when an evacuation order was given for the nearby town of Superior:

[FREE DOWNLOAD: How reporters use social media in their jobs]

UPDATE: Husky continues to respond to incident at Superior Refinery. https://t.co/nDrsux8lsb Thank you to emergency responders, municipal authorities, businesses and residents who have offered support.

— Husky Energy (@HuskyEnergy) April 26, 2018

In an effort to help affected citizens, the organization tweeted a hotline people could call to receive aid:

Husky continues to respond to the incident at the Superior Refinery. Residents needing assistance, such as accommodation, food or transportation, or help dealing with other evacuation issues or concerns can call Husky’s Superior assistance line at 1-800-686-3192.

— Husky Energy (@HuskyEnergy) April 26, 2018

Later, Husky thanked the community for its heroic efforts to come together and help one another:

The Superior community has shown incredible support to evacuees and emergency responders. We sincerely appreciate and thank the many businesses, community groups and agencies who have stepped forward to assist. https://t.co/OPGqYvYOpS

— Husky Energy (@HuskyEnergy) April 27, 2018

Finally, the organization promised to investigate the cause of the incident:

The emergency situation at the Superior Refinery is now over, and our focus in the days ahead will turn to the investigation and understanding the root cause of the incident. Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and their families. https://t.co/7DPMWBEwLe

— Husky Energy (@HuskyEnergy) April 27, 2018

Striking images of the smoke plumes from the explosion covered Twitter, proving once again that images have a lot of impact on social media platforms.

Second explosion sends thick black smoke into air at Husky Energy Refinery in Superior, WI. More small popping blasts can be heard, accd. to witness nearby. @kare11 pic.twitter.com/JwCyIZ4ZHS

— Chris Hrapsky (@ChrisHrapsky) April 26, 2018

Searching for patterns

The organization has some ground to cover, as many consider the explosion to be linked to years of health and safety complaints. Husky Energy’s CEO Rob Peabody rejected the idea that the incidents were linked.

The Financial Post reported:

Peabody also said he didn’t believe there was any connection between Thursday’s fire and other operational issues that have landed Husky in trouble with regulators in recent years, including a near-miss with an iceberg at a platform offshore Newfoundland and a large oil spill in Saskatchewan in 2016.

Husky faces 10 charges from its pipeline spill in Saskatchewan.

“The pipeline incident in Saskatchewan was one where the ground shifted and it caused the pipeline to fail, so I’d be surprised if there was any ground shifting involved in this one,” Peabody said. He also said the iceberg near miss in Newfoundland was a different series of events.

Take note, communicators: Your crisis response shouldn’t be prepared to address only the immediate incident. Reporters (and the public) will try to find a pattern whether it exists or not.

Air contamination

Husky Energy has yet to discuss problems with air quality, and its declaration that the incident is “over” might come back to haunt it.

ABC reported:

The gases include so-called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, which can cause symptoms ranging from dizziness, breathing problems and nausea to liver damage and cancer , depending on the level and length of exposure, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency .

Also present in asphalt smoke are microscopic particles of chemicals that stick together as visible smoke.

Those particles carry cancer-causing benzene and other contaminants that can lodge deep in the lungs when inhaled. From there, they can pass directly into a person's bloodstream, said Neil Carman, a former refinery inspector for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, now with the Sierra Club.

"Anybody breathing that stuff should be very concerned about what's getting into deep tissue, into the bloodstream," Carman said. "When you see that kind of smoke, it means you're getting a lot of unburned hydrocarbons. ... Those particles are loaded with carcinogens."

How would you advise Husky Energy to address these concerns going forward, PR Daily readers?

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2HQpiif

Geek Estate Newsletter #26 – Are you Selling Green?

The purpose of Geek Estate’s mastermind community is two fold:

1. Curate the most incredible and diverse membership of real estate innovators, creatives, doers, and creators in the world.
2. Make our members wildly successful in their careers building real estate companies.

In this week’s member newsletter (#26), I talk about selling green homes,  a curated green homes search experience, and the broader trend toward sustainability.

In the “Built World reads” section, I highlighted an article in Forbes, Exclusive: Britain’s Co-Living King Has Raised $400m To Take On WeWork In America. The Collective based in the UK is aiming to double in size (Germany and the USA). I continue to be fascinated by WeWork, and the broader competitive landscape in co-living.

I also shared a podcast: This Week in Startups (E813): Wealthfront Andy Rachleff: early Benchmark, $10b+ assets, Risk Parity fee cut, economy. There’s some great advice to heed: “figure out your competitors greatest strength, and turn that strength into their greatest weakness.” (I’ll probably write a future blog post, or entire mastermind newsletter, about this quote)

If you want to read the entire newsletter, and future newsletters, please apply for membership below.

Geek Estate Membership

Interested in joining?

Apply for Membership

The post Geek Estate Newsletter #26 – Are you Selling Green? appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2r4eNOq

How offering access leads to accurate media coverage

In today’s fluid digital media environment, it’s essential for PR pros to be ultra-responsive to reporters.

To win press coverage, you should avail yourself to journalists around-the-clock, to the extent possible, especially if you’re a spokesperson for a large company or client. It’s not called “earned media” for nothing: You must earn it by providing access.

Otherwise, you potentially risk inaccurate information spreading like a California wildfire in the Santa Ana winds. This can cause untold PR damage to the organization you represent, not to mention damaging your own credibility.

Accessibility for journalists pays off in accurate reporting. Thus, it’s vital that you are available to the news media at night, on weekends, during your commute home, on holidays, etc.—not just when it’s convenient for you.

[RELATED: Take a three-minute communicator evaluation to see how you stack up]

Don’t risk bad PR

Remember that journalists don’t want to receive voicemails or email bounce backs when they contact you on deadline. Plus, you don’t want your company or client cited in a story as being unreachable or unresponsive, which can hurt their brand image.

Even though the official work day may technically be over at a time certain, members of the news media might still need your help. Reporters depend on you to assist them in getting the story right the first time, before it goes out. Neither side wants to deal with factual errors, corrections and clarifications afterwards.

News editors and producers can have last minute questions or concerns. If so, they turn to the reporter for answers, and the reporter turns to the PR pro for a timely response.

To the contrary, being inaccessible means risking bad publicity going viral, which puts you in PR jeopardy. Therefore, you always need to be ready when reporters call, even at unexpected times.

The media outlet frankly doesn’t care if it’s late in the evening or over a weekend when they contact you. They don’t care about family night in your household, whether the kids are sick, or if your septic tank just overflowed.

Journalists want updated and accurate information when they need it, which might be after hours. That’s their job—being accessible and responsive is your job.

If the media gives you the benefit of responding to a story before it goes out, then always take it. Any PR pro would be wise to seize the opportunity to work cooperatively with reporters to ensure factual accuracy, no matter the hour.

Publish your contact info

Remember, if your job is to foster successful media relations then it’s imperative to provide journalists with a way to reach you at all times. This includes providing personal information to high-impact media outlets, such as your personal mobile phone, home phone, alternate emails, etc.

Do yourself and the media a favor: Be reachable.

David is a strategic communications consultant, freelance writer and former federal government spokesman based in the Washington, DC-area. A native New Yorker, David was a journalist prior to his career of public service. You can also find him on Twitter, LinkedIn and Medium.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2r7iwdl

2 mistakes that immediately tank your pitch

Some pitching behaviors can drive reporters crazy.

Though PR pros can easily find journalists who want to be pitched via phone and others that hate it—or those that find follow-up emails and calls helpful, while others despise the act—some pitching missteps are universally loathed by reporters and editors across publications.

Here are two pitching fails that can immediately move your email to the trash bin:

1. You didn’t bother to make it personal.

Journalists understand that PR pros have jobs to do, and that the pitch you’re sending was likely sent to other reporters. However, you don’t have to be obvious about your lack of tailoring and personalization.

Here’s a pitch about an organization winning an award:

Dear Media Outlets:

I'm submitting a press release about the [organization name redacted] winning the [awarding organization name redacted] Annual Award for Business Excellence (AABE).

… Would there be any way to use this news as a business announcement in your print publications or on your websites?

via GIPHY

This PR pro really wanted me to publish a press release:

Dear Editor,

We would highly appreciate if this press release “[Organization name redacted] LAUNCHES LATEST MATCHING ALGORITHM FEATURE” could be published in your esteemed website.

via GIPHY

I still can’t figure out what question this pitch is asking:

Thanks for opening my email. You being theExecutive Editor ,reducing the turnaround time in publishing along with ensuring optimal utilization of your editorial content may be your prime objectives. [Organization name redacted] can assist you in achieving these objectives by assisting you with meaningful utilization of right Technology and Resources.

via GIPHY

This pitch is about automation, so perhaps its lack of tailoring is ironic:

Good day Editor,

Automation is the latest buzz word and can cause anxiety and unease based on the change it means for a business or a person. But, like most things embracing the change can be your greatest asset.

Whether you automate repetitive tasks or outsource services to a managed service provider (MSP), both can free up your most valuable asset – time.

Below are some insights into automation in the IT services, please consider sharing these with your readers.

Along with not being a fit (PR Daily doesn’t publish articles about IT services), the title of the press release caused me additional confusion:

Put your success on autopilot with managed IT services

The last thing I’d want to do with my success is put it on autopilot.

Successful pitching efforts involve research. Savvy PR pros have looked at the publication’s front page, along with the journalist’s bio (or Twitter handle, if you can find one) to ensure that your story is a fit for the reporter’s beat and readers.

If you’re going to send the same pitch to many journalists, break them into smaller groups and tailor those pitches to the individual groups, based on traits (such as local news outlets, vertical publications in a particular industry or journalists on a certain beat).

At the bare minimum, use the journalist’s name (and correctly spell it).

2. You didn’t give enough information.

Whether or not you automate your pitching efforts, you should give enough information that the journalist you’ve contacted knows what you’re asking and can respond accordingly.

This pitch is about writing a guest post for Ragan.com:

Hi Editor,

I hope you are well? This is [name, title and site redacted]. Actually, I have some kind of passion for blogging and I have also written lots of useful posts on many blogs.

I came across your site Ragan.com and wanted to be a Guest Contributor. It would be great if I get an opportunity to share my content with your blog readers.

Let me know your thoughts on the above and I will send over some title suggestions unless there is a particular topic you would like me to cover on your behalf?

I'll be awaiting your response.

via GIPHY

This pitch tells me nothing other than this person wants to write a story, and the salutation lets me know that I am one of a number of other individuals who have received this same email.

Most publications have a publishing guide that states whether or not it accepts guest submissions, and if it does, steps you should follow before pitching. PR Daily has a submission page and guide —or you can learn more in this article about writing for PR Daily .

No matter what publication you pitch, however, have an idea ready to go. Don’t expect the reporter or editor to have a list of assignments ready to dole out to those who contact them, hoping to write articles. Those assignments are generally done through the publication’s staff or contributor group, not to people with whom the journalist has no relationship.

Many publications want to see articles before accepting or rejecting them, which is another reason to read guest submission guidelines before pitching.

I also received a follow-up email to the pitch above:

Hello Editor,

Just wanted to follow up on the Inquiry I sent over a few days back. Have you had a chance to give it a look?

Awaiting response.

I’m still awaiting a sign that this person knows my name or what I do.

(image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2vX9ndg

How to end the PR juggling act

PR pros are pulled in a million different directions.

You’re expected to earn media coverage, deliver content to target audiences, and manage relationships with journalists, influencers and consumers, all while proving ROI to your organization’s leaders.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could do all that in one place?

Mynewsdesk is an all-in-one digital newsroom that makes it simple for you to manage content, contact journalists, increase content visibility and measure your efforts.

Here’s a taste of the ways this all-in-one digital platform makes your life simpler:

• You can manage your online content and contacts in one place.
• This customizable platform enables you to add a personal touch to your newsroom and seamlessly blend with your website design. (There are also ready-to-use templates, if you’d prefer).
• Built-in SEO optimization makes it easier for journalists and your target audiences to find your organization’s pertinent news.
• Index lists of journalists, stakeholders, consumers and influencers, and send targeted messages to individual lists.
• Get essential metrics to measure the ROI of your content efforts.

Deliver your organization’s stories to larger audiences with Mynewsdesk.

Schedule a demo here or contact Dane Burns for more information.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2uJP2aA

Did you revive an old-school communications strategy?

 

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2HzZG5R

5 time-wasting exercises that bog down communicators

If social media is any indication, the fastest-growing sport isn’t pickleball, it’s “getting the most done before 9 a.m.”

Lately I’ve been inundated with stories telling me to wake long before sunrise and dive into my to-do list so that, by the start of the workday, I’m ready to really start working.

If you love setting your alarm for 5 a.m., go for it, but here’s a better idea: Rid yourself of “busy work” activities that plague PR pros during business hours. Cut back on these time-wasters, and you’ll have more opportunity to think and do great work for your clients or executives.

Start with these five:

1. Waiting for approvals on everything.

Sometimes we send an idea or plan of attack for that crucial buy-in, knowing we’ll never hear back.

Save yourself from drafting that initial email, plus the many follow-ups and the non-committal hallway conversations. You’re the PR expert, and your responsibility extends to the brand, not to one person with a title. Put your idea into action. If it fails, no one is the wiser; if it works, then you’ll have done something great.

Executives are far more likely to say yes to doing a high-profile interview, versus whether they’d like to do one.

Salespeople don’t get fired for selling. You won’t, either, for doing what you’re supposed to be doing: protecting and enhancing your organization’s brand.

2. Drafting a content calendar that will never see the light of day.

The larger and more sophisticated the organization, the more important content calendars become. People need clarity when dealing with multiple channels and a lot of copy. In startups or smaller organizations, though, creating color-coded calendars is just busy work.

Here’s a better idea: Dump the fancy template and come up with 10 meaty, original ideas for content with deadlines; then commit to producing and sharing them on time.

[RELATED: Take a three-minute communicator evaluation to see how you stack up]

3. Converting boring internal material into boring social media posts.

LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook offer a lot of room to play with, but they are not content dumping grounds. The risks of posting anything less than outstanding material are high, given fickle algorithms and the intense competition for attention.

So, if you’re asked to take something that just isn’t worth sharing, be it a jargon-filled technical manual or yet another event reminder, just say no. Don’t have that authority? Then make sure you have all those great content ideas ready to go, plus some other assignments, so your pipeline is nicely filled, leaving little room for filler.

4. Embarking on an epic agency search.

Reaching out to 10 agencies feels good at first. You want to be thorough and diligent, and to ensure that you choose wisely, but the bigger your search, the longer it will take.

Instead, make life easy. Ask around, get recommendations, do some research. Find a handful of agencies that have good reputations and that have clearly done the kind of work you want to do. Then call them, and take it from there.

5. Trying to be opportunistic when you’re clearly not.

You’re reading the news Monday morning and there it is—a breaking story that is not about you but is nonetheless relevant to your company’s expertise and opens the door for you to provide commentary. It’s the perfect opportunity for your spokesperson.

Two days later, after getting approvals (see above), slowly drafting and revising a pitch, and meeting with your team to figure out who will do what, you’re finally ready to go—just in time for no one to care.

Rapid response when news breaks requires preparation during slow times. Use that time. If you can’t/don’t, or if your culture moves slowly, ask yourself honestly whether all that time and effort are worth it.

In our fast-moving industry, getting bogged down in needless exercises wastes time and makes us less effective. Committing to moving with speed and ignoring background noise is a great way to get more done.

If nothing else, it sure beats waking up a few hours after you go to sleep.

A version of this post first appeared on the Provident Communications blog.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2FlwJbI

Infographic: Reasons to invest in video

Good video content is expensive.

Equipment costs have steadily decreased as technology has improved cameras and made editing simpler; still, there is a significant investment when it comes to time and staffing.

Crafting the perfect video can take hours of labor and tie up important resources, yet the benefits generally outweigh the costs.

This infographic from Clum Creative shares statistics about how important a strong video component is for your online presence.

It includes these nuggets:

• Eighty percent of all global internet traffic will be video by 2021.
• Embedded videos on websites can boost traffic by 55 percent.
• Forty-four percent of consumers prefer to learn about products via video.
• Adding video can increase sales conversions by 80 percent.

[RELATED: How to take advantage of the power of video—regardless of resources or budget.]

See the infographic below for more information about why video is so important for modern marketers and which aspects of their video strategy deserve the most investment.

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2r4dbnd

NYC RE Tech Meetup Tonight: Rental Tech

For those in New York City, the Spring 2018 real estate tech meetup is tonight at 6 pm. The topic is rental technology, and they have a speaker, panel discussion, and BEER!

Companies represented:

• Flip ( https://flip.lease/ — previous founder interview here)
• hOm ( http://www.iamhom.com/)
• Jetty ( https://www.jetty.com/)
• LiveWith (https://www.livewith.com/)
• Loftsmart (https://loftsmart.com/)
• Ollie (http://www.ollie.co/)

If you can make it, the logistics:

When: Thursday, April 26, 2018, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST

Where: Rise NYC (43 West 23rd street, 2nd Floor · New York, NY)

Cost: $15 per person

You can RSVP here. Yes, it’s in a few hours, so I apologize for the late notice.

The post NYC RE Tech Meetup Tonight: Rental Tech appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2HyklXZ

Report: Fake news has reporters demanding accuracy

Being fast is important, but a new study says it’s more important to be right.

Cision surveyed 1,355 journalists from six different countries, developing a snapshot of the current state of play in the news media industry. While good news came for major outlets like The New York Times, respondents said they still were on the lookout for fake news and wanted more accuracy from PR pros.

The report said:

According to three-quarters of the survey’s respondents, being 100 percent accurate in their reporting is more important than being first on a story or the promise of exclusivity. As well, 56 percent of journalists said fake news accusations are causing audiences to become more skeptical about the content they produce.

This sentiment wasn’t confined to the United States. Sixty-three percent of respondents in the United Kingdom said the public had lost trust in journalism; in France, 42 percent agreed, and Canada came in at 69 percent.

What does that mean for brand managers and PR pros? The report argues communicators and media relations teams should make accuracy their No. 1 priority.

It said:

Most [journalists] are happy to work with public relations professionals, provided they’re giving them information that’s accurate, newsworthy, and that can be used to enhance their coverage.

Social media trends

The report also looked at how journalists were continuing to struggle with social media’s impact on their industry. Specifically, respondents said they worried about algorithm changes (34 percent), cheaper video production technology (26 percent) and artificial intelligence (21 percent) as factors that would change their day-to-day work.

What reporters want from PR

The report had good news for PR pros, too. Reporters said they continued to rely on relationships with PR pros, with 20 percent saying relationships with PR folk were more important than ever.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: How reporters use social media in their jobs]

There was also good news for the press release: Reporters still want them. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they wanted a press release or news announcement from PR sources, and 44 percent said they trusted press releases more than other contact methods, including spokespeople and organization websites.

The report also offers ideas for PR pros to make their press releases more effective. Respondents ranked their preferences as:

1. Clearly state your news hook (45 percent)

2. Tell your story conversationally (27 percent)

3. Add quality quotes (17 percent)

4. Include multimedia (11 percent)

Blogs don’t build trust

The report suggested that your organization’s blog is a helpful tool—but not when it comes to building trust with your audience.

The report states:

Continuing to make earned media a priority is still important, too. Using owned channels, like a website or company blog, can provide some context and useful information, but it’s not useful for reporting a story. In fact, only three percent of global respondents said that a company blog is a trustworthy source of brand information for their stories. Getting someone to speak to a journalist directly, versus just pointing them to your site, is still important today.

Make the news hook explicit

The biggest finding of the survey might be that PR pros are still burying the lede.

As reporting staffs continue to shrink and media requests flood inboxes, it’s more important than ever to get to the point. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said PR pros could do a better job of researching media outlets and understanding what a reporter needs before pitching. Another 27 percent said PR pros should be more ready with their data and expert resources.

Read the full report from Cision to understand what journalists want to see from PR pros and how your efforts can win your organization better news coverage.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2HWyDoM

5 behaviors that ruin media relationships

The inbox and the telephone are tools of the trade for a journalist. They can be useful platforms that deliver the next exceptional story or be the bane of their existence.

While it’s their job to be open to unsolicited pitches, journalists draw the line at certain tactics that they will not tolerate. Do one of them even once, and you could get blacklisted forever.

While PR pros should know better, it’s worth revisiting these basic rules for successful pitching. Bad behavior, just like bad pitches, can come from individuals, PR professionals, corporate staff, influencers or bloggers. Don’t be that person.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: How reporters use social media in their jobs]

Here are the top five things that will get you banned by journalists:

1. Lying

Never lie to a reporter. They are smart, trained professionals who will find out the truth eventually. Any of these behaviors will portray you as less than truthful to veteran journalists:

• Outright lies
• The omission of key details
• Withholding information
• Not presenting a ‘downside’ to the story, the product, or the main subject (that you are aware of)

Journalists never appreciate being blindsided or embarrassed when information “they should have known about” comes to light after they have pitched a story to their editor—or even worse—after it has been published.

While your initial pitch should be brief, once a journalist has expressed interest it’s time to reveal everything you know, or risk being banned later.

2. Offering bribes

Do not offer any kind of compensation for coverage, including money, gifts or barter offers. Offering to share the article with your army of followers on social media as an incentive to write about you, your product, or client, is also taboo. Gifts of any kind, including an offer of any form of compensation, are against journalism’s code of ethics and will get you shown the exit faster than you can blink.

Instead, pitch a better story that they will want to write about. Make sure it’s on a topic that they cover.

3. Pitching the same story

Most journalists prefer or insist on an exclusive on a story. If you are pitching more than one outlet on a story with the same angle, you need to let the journalist know up front.

Don’t pitch the same story that has been covered before in a similar outlet or market, and definitely don’t hide the fact if it has. Journalists like to be the first to break an original story. No one likes to be a copycat.

Instead, find a new angle or an update to your story that hasn’t been covered before. Offer the journalist an exclusive for a limited period, and you will have much greater chance of success.

4. Making demands

There is no situation where it is appropriate to make firm demands or requests of journalists. This includes asking for specific placement, insisting a photo or hyperlink gets included or any other requests.

Whether or not a journalist or publication decides to run a story is at their discretion. They do not work for you.

The specifics of what they choose to include in their coverage is totally up to them. Asking nicely, pleading or hounding them will get you banned from ever working with them again.

5. Late or missed deadlines

Journalists work on deadlines, and as a reliable source, you want to meet requested delivery dates for information, a quote, or a photo that has been promised.

The worst thing you can do is leave a journalist hanging on a story or miss a deadline by which you agreed to get back to them. Not returning calls in a prompt fashion, can also cause them to miss a deadline altogether, which can be catastrophic on their end, giving them a good reason to decide to sever your relationship.

Things happen in life. Perhaps you can’t gather the information they are seeking from you or can’t get approval to use a photo they requested. Let the journalist know as soon as possible so that they can find an alternate source or kill the story with enough time not to leave a blank hole in their publication.

Think about how you can make it easier for a journalist to do their job. By bringing them excellent stories, and following these simple guidelines, you don’t need to worry about being banned. They might even start seeking you out when they need a source for a story.

Jane Tabachnick is a PR professional, writer, and book publisher. A version of this article originally appeared on Muck Rack, a service that enables you to find journalists to pitch, build media lists, get press alerts and create coverage reports with social media data.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2KhBKpm

Why is Recruiting So Damn Hard for Brokers?

Pretty simple. Your “brand” means absolutely nothing. No brand values. No differentiator. If that’s the case (as it is for most real estate companies), the only way you can recruit is by paying more.

Solve your brand, and you’ll solve your recruiting issues.

[Graphic via business2community.com]

The post Why is Recruiting So Damn Hard for Brokers? appeared first on GeekEstate Blog.

from GeekEstate Blog https://ift.tt/2KewxyG

Snapchat seeks to fix redesign that sparked backlash

Snapchat might be changing its mind on the redesign that recently caused a huge wave of criticism .

The social media app’s overhaul separated branded content from snaps that users’ friends shared. It also placed content from celebrities and influencers in the same place as marketers’ stories.

Though Snapchat’s redesign was meant to court brand managers and open the platform to more advertising opportunities, it brought swift backlash from users who complained the app was confusing and hard to navigate.

On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Snapchat is testing a new interface where user-generated stories and branded content are in the same place—similar to the way the app functioned before its redesign.

Fortune reported :

But the latest update isn’t a full reversion to the Snapchat of old; there is one key difference. While the celebrity and user content will all exist on the Discover page, they will be separated into two sections. That means that unlike Instagram stories, users won’t see one of their friend’s stories immediately followed by one from a celebrity. But it also means a user’s feed won’t be dominated by the celebrity content, ensuring that they can still see the stories their friends have shared.

For now, only a small number of users will see this change. Snap has not announced when or whether all users will receive the update.

Journalists have ventured a few theories as to why Snapchat is making this move, including making scorned users happy and increasing views on stories shared through the app.

[RELATED: Take advantage of the power of video—regardless of resources or budget .]

Recode reported :

It’s a small change, and a Snap spokesperson says it’s just a test, but it’s also a big deal, mostly because Snap was very adamant about keeping friend content and professional content separate when it unveiled the redesign late last year.

So why is Snap doing this? It’s not entirely clear, though a company spokesperson who confirmed the change added that, “We are always listening to our community and will continue to test updates that we hope will give Snapchatters the best possible experience on our platform.”

Engadget reported :

There's no question that the Snapchat redesign prompted harsh criticism—when your stock price drops because Kylie Jenner said she'd stopped using your app, you sit up and take notice. Snap may be trying to appease critics by reverting to the old ways. It's not certain that Stories use has dropped as a result of the split, but it wouldn't be surprising. And as Recode observed, there's a chance that Snap would use its unified Stories as a way to pitch professional content . If you have to glance at the latest big-name shows in order to catch your friend's concert snap, you might be more inclined to watch those shows.

The one certainty: this would represent a fundamental shift in philosophy. The Snap spokesperson noted that the test interface revolves around "users' behavior, not just relationships." It's about what you're trying to do, not who you're doing it with -- a simple strategy for a company that has lately been accused of making things unnecessarily complex.

“… Clearly [Snapchat’s] redesign wasn’t perfect, and now it’s trying to find the right layout and balance of user content and professional content,” Recode’s Kurt Wagner wrote.

Snapchat is also testing additional features to entice users to use its platform.

On Wednesday , the company announced “Snappables,” which are augmented reality lenses that enable users to control the lenses via facial expressions, motion and touch. Users can play games and challenge friends to compete.

Though Snapchat’s attempt to appease users and offer more features might increase users’ time on Snapchat, the move didn’t boost investors’ confidence.

CNN Money reported :

Shares of the social media company plunged Wednesday after it changed its app again—only months after a previous redesign that ticked off users.

Snap ( SNAP ) stock was down 7% in midday trading, putting it more than 15% below the price when it went public last year.

(Image via)

from PR Daily News Feed https://ift.tt/2HtrY5J