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I'm going to let you in on a little secret; if all the top tech pr agencies in the world were to get together for a three minutes with a mission of agreeing on ONE thing, it could be done. There is one conversation point everyone would be in complete alignment on:
One day a year, the world takes a deep-dive look at the power of the press. But why not make the case for checking in on the health of the fourth estate on a daily basis?
Media trends, transparency, tools and access to intelligence are the bread and butter of the trade, and journalists face an every-day battle to do the work they were born to do: cover the key features and breaking news of the world and industry, and apply needed context. Attention to this critical mission should be on the minds, and the reading radar, of all of us, every day, right along with the journalists struggling to deliver credibility, vital news and relevance to our inboxes, devices and doorsteps.
Powerful Statistics, Sobering Reality
As citizens and residents of the United States, we take the First Amendment and its guarantee of freedom of the press as a given. However, there are some sobering statistics we should look at.
The "didn't see that coming" statistic? This country does not lead the way in freedom of press rights; we don't even rank in the top three. Or even the top twenty:
According to Reporters without Borders, the United States ranks 43rd out of 180 countries for press freedom.
Across several political administrations, the fourth estate has dealt with suppression of information, attempts to reveal sources, intimidation and other factors. And, in a sobering call to reality, journalists deal with much more than simple repression. As of today, over 13 journalists in 2017 alone have been killed in the pursuit of news.
Yes, journalists are the gatekeepers of information for our society, and they can pay a steep price for their commitment.
What can we do, not just on World Press Day, but everyday, to help them in their mission, while guaranteeing our continued access to free and unfettered press? Here are some simple steps:
There's Hope in the Next Generation
There's a bright spot in all of this, however; and it's called the next generation.
The Washington Post sponsored a student essay competition, which caught my eye. Designed for students in grades four - eight, it's an extraordinary "from the mouth of babes" look at what it means to have freedom of the press, here and abroad.
This year's winner is Jahnavi Dave, an eighth-grader, and her take-away was impressive:
Free press and technology go hand in hand. - Jahnavi, Dave, 8th Grader
Individuals and entities may use technology to chip away at the transparency and credibility of the press; but savvy media consumers, and tech-conversant next-generation readers also understand that technology is a powerful tool for protecting and accessing a free and independent press.
So, make every day World Press Day, and use both your rational judgment and the tools of technology to read, share and elevate the best efforts of the journalists committed to reporting on the news, trends and issues that so impact our lives.
By Pam Abrahamsson, founder, PRA Public Relations
pam@prapublicrelations.com | @Pam_A
There's been a lot of change happening in the world of communications, much of it is affecting two issues near and dear to my heart:
1. My client's thought leadership
2. The swiftly-evolving landscape of marketing, and the expansion of paid content.
Last week had some serendipity happening, in that several incidents converged and prodded me to give some thought to our evolving communications marketplace, and the changing roles of Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned Media*. Here's the outcome:
Three Things Happened
1. Top Media Access for Almost No Money
Yet again, someone called and wanted to be featured in the New York Times for a grand total investment of $500. I responded in my usual fashion; thanking them politely for contacting me, sending on some free DIY reading materials, then hanging up and having a small fit. Again.
2. Yet, Someone is Doing This
A number of someones, apparently, as a partner of mine mentioned one of several companies that provide "cooked to order" articles in top publications, for the cost of most New York agency's lunch meetings. While this has been part of the landscape for quite some time, I'm seeing a proliferation tipping point.
3. I had my Bias Surgically Removed
By this, I meant I stepped back and took a hard look at the industry and its changes. I need to stop automatically dismissing, and start thinking about this here-to-stay member of the marketing ecosystem.
Here is What I Saw, This is What I Think
Yes, indeed, the change in access to top publications has opened dramatically. Content networks, and agencies focused on providing client-vetted articles to "top outlets" has proliferated, and this is not anything new.
Democratic Ecosystem
It is part of the very democratic ecosystem that allows enterprises and thought leaders to get their messages out in the marketplace in a controlled manner. From dialogue across social platforms, to paid-message positioning and paid amplification, the enterprise is now also the gatekeeper. This is an excellent thing, as elbow grease and budget can now allow companies and their founders to drive their market dialogue.
The Slippery Slope Downside: Third Person Credibility
There is a caveat however; institutions, conventions, media and markets are in many ways like a luxury car or fine jewelry: these things only hold their value if the market consensus agrees there is value; and one of the hallmarks of value is quality and rarity.
To put it bluntly, if anyone with the price of a weekend trip to the beach can be featured in a top business magazine, then what is the value of that coverage in the publication?
Right. Not much. So, what protects the asset value of true earned media, the independent coverage of an issue, executive or company, by a credentialed journalist when favorable coverage and low-cost interviews are readily available?
Google: Thought Leadership's Digital Guardian
While Google means many things in the marketing universe, for the discipline of public relations and its role as conveyor of thought leadership, Google has emerged as ultimate boundary and gate-keeper. It ranks and reveals quality content, and pushes away the also-rans (which is why some of my client's coverage outranks even their website; a powerful earned media placement carries significant gravitas in the search world).
Why is Google the thought leadership gatekeeper? Because it needs to retain its role as unbiased source of legitimate search. Allowing search to be impacted by paid-placement media results ultimately lowers the confidence of the consumer in Google ranking and results. An earlier post of ours takes a look at the power of Google, SEO and public relations.
This is content which is featured "as seen in" on company websites cannot be found in search. Google won't index independent content, as it impacts credibility. And that is an issue as critical for thought leaders and enterprises as it is for the world's foremost search engine. Which means, in my humble opinion, the need for journalists, and independent news coverage, is here to stay. But so are the other communication strategies.
What does all of this boil down to? Here's what I decided
Pam's Three Laws of Thought Leadership Immutability
1. Original, Visionary Thinking Always Needed
Leaders of companies and causes lead precisely because they see pain points, solutions, big pictures, and are often the very first to see things in a fresh new light. Society needs them; we most especially need to hear what they have to say, and read their words. The role of the public relations expert is to help them get their words out to a larger world. This need will never change.
2. The Market Decides. Always
Marketplaces are peculiar things. On a collective level, there is a continual surge and recede as solutions, products, trends and thinking are adopted and discarded. If prestigious publications are flooded with paid content, it is highly likely the market will decide the publication is not as prestigious, or more importantly, credible**. It is no accident that media outlets considered to be "authentic" have seen extraordinary rise in readership and revenues; it is a natural reaction to the rising tide of paid and opinion-driven content being served across all channels. So, yes, paid content is valuable, and will largely find a receptive audience. But issues such as credibility and trust will belong to what they perceive as independent media coverage.
3. There is a Time and a Place
The reality is the marketplace - and marketing industry - needs a smart mix of ALL the channels, paid and earned. While there is tremendous benefit to having an independent journalist cover an executive's forward thinking, or a company's breaking news, the reality is paid marketing content is critical for sustained, managed engagement with the consumer.
My course of action for my clients is to keep these channels separate and distinct. Do not try and pass off a paid placement, advertorial or other controlled content as the work of an independent, credible journalist. Both Google and your market community will look askance. DO, however, use the paid and and PR channel mix to carry a blend of strategic messages and market touch-points across social, digital and media channels, ultimately connecting with your customer in a fluid, seamless and multi-channel way.
*At the crux of this change is a topic I've written about previously: PESO - the strategic combination of Paid, Earned, Shared and Owned media channels, and their impact on both the brand and the position of company executive leadership.
**This research summary provides a valuable look into consumers'relationship with the media.
The beauty of public relations, we tell our clients, is this:
The power and credibility of ONE third-person endorsement will do more for your company than a million self-administered pats on the back.
That is why we are proud, pleased and delighted to be recognized as a top public relations agency here in the Pacific Northwest.
National curator of best-in-business enterprises Expertise.com has just released their list of top Portland public relations firms, and we are thrilled to have made the list.
Having an independent organization such as Expertise.com give us kudos for the work we turn out as a matter of craft and pride feels pretty darned wonderful. We are grateful, and looking forward to continuing to create award-winning media results for our clients.
Wow! I had the privilege of being part of Portland's annual Hacking Social Impact 2016. The place was chock full of social impact entrepreneurs and change agents, and I was proud to be there with them. I had the chance to help these thought leaders become better equipped to get their message out through partnership and effective sharing with the media.
Would you like to get in on the how-to's of effective dialogue with journalists? Just click through for your free presentation on being a "Social Impact Rock Star" - and let me know what you think!
Also, a HUGE thank you to Portland Radio Project, who kindly hosted the day's event at their iconic headquarters!
As professional communicators, we can not stress the importance of applying a critical eye, and mind, to all news and opinions you read across digital and soc...ial channels.
This Washington Post article drives home the sophistication of people disseminating false news and social shares for their own agenda.
This piece from the Washington Post delivers a concise look at fake news, why it's being done, and the mult-faceted geopolitical and economic forces driving the proliferation of this phenomenon.
The number of changes hitting the retail industry are piling up like mohair sweaters on a sales rack in July. For the retail executive, just keeping up with the latest technology shakeout or millennial shopping shift can make the usual challenges of logistics, buying strategies and mobile sales promotion seem like a proverbial walk in the park.
New York magazine undertook a deep-dive survey into the heart, soul, psyche and habits of American journalists, and emerged with a revealing portrait of...us, the reading consumers.
Not on purpose, by any means, The research, "The Case Against The Media. By The Media" is a survey-and-summary driven look of the forces propelling journalism today, and the ways in which the writers' feel accountable.
The reporting take a thorough look at how journalists are responding to the influx of social media and channel choices in covering the news, how the craving for highly-clickable headlines interferes with broader news coverage, the (almost) inability to provide in-depth coverage within a seconds-to-publish news cycle, and, as you guessed, and how the drive to profitability in a competitive news consumption marketplace has replaced deep news reporting with a "give the customers what they want" mentality.
The lessons to be learned from this survey and self-examination by the fourth estate are eye-opening, much more for consumers of the news, than those of produce it. Doubly so for those of tasked with a role in the creation of it - the communicators.
While the journalists' interviewed held themselves mercilessly accountable for current media coverage trends, the rest of us need to take heed.
When it comes to creation of a better news and media product, it's upon the consumer to drive healthy content demand, not the journalist to force us to eat our editorial "vegetables."
Ironically, trust in the news-making institution is at an all-time low (only 21% of the public "trust" TV news these days), at the same time the media are giving us more of what we want then ever before: irresistible content.
Competition, in the form of channel proliferation, the rise of social media as a news-capturing tool, has given consumers greater choice. And our choice, demonstrated by our clicks and viewership, are snack-worthy headlines centered around scandal, personal and professional misconduct, celebrity doings and more. We can do better, can't we?
As a consumer, the role I can play in turning this trend around is to simply be more mindful of what news I choose to consume. The number one step to take?
Think before we click.
This simple step will go far in re-directing the national flow of news away from the sensational, and back towards substance.
But, wait. I'm a communicator first, which tasks me with a double-duty: to create as responsibly as I consume, for myself and my clients.
So, it's upon us to ensure accuracy in all we portray of our clients to the media, and to work tirelessly to elevate the media conversation towards the larger platform of thought leadership and market impact.
Insightful briefs on the topics driving technology and industry. Informative articles that explain, not sale. Working in tandem with our clients, we have the unique ability to drive accurate, quality conversation in the marketplace of news and media coverage, to the betterment of their business as well as the quality of media content.
The irony is not only is this more fascinating reading for technology, business and consumer alike, it's a greater benefit for the industry, a more compelling look at issues over product features, and a chance to let journalists do what they do best: report the news and issues of the day.
Which in turn gives:
A win-win for all involved.
So, I say "kudos" to New York magazine, andto the journalists willing to speak so frankly and with such high accountability.
Now let's do our part as communicators and consumers to drive demand for the insightful, balanced news coverage those media professionals are chomping at the bit to produce, and that consumers are willing, ready and eager to read.
Thought Leadership Rock Star: That's You!
Let’s face it, the endless stream of articles, infographics and webinars on thought leadership is a little overwhelming. Not only that, if everyone follows the “thought leadership” formula, then aren’t we all at risk of becoming a packaged success product, instead of a true industry influencer?
Possibly. Which is why 2016, the “Year of Thought Leadership” according to business-focused publications, may need to be re-titled “the year of you breaking the thought leadership mold and becoming a rock star.” That may not be exceptionally catchy as a record title, but I hope it resonates with you.
The reality is that all of those thought leadership must-do’s are very helpful – as a starting place. At some point, however, you need to leave the playbook behind and create your own, fresh, original voice if you really want to find your place as opinion maker and chart-topping influencer.
After all, Led Zeppelin rock icon Robert Plant would have been just another high school dropout with a few chords under his belt if he hadn’t cultivated that eerily cutting banshee wail that became his hallmark.
Fortunately for you, there is no need to sing “Stairway to Heaven,” but harnessing your industry knowledge to a fresh, unique point of view is a must.
Here’s What You Don’t Know
In my 16+ years with some of the world’s smartest executives and entrepreneurs to share their stories, I’m here to tell you: You have thought leadership capabilities within you that you haven’t even guessed at. The key is to acknowledge your unique industry experience, and partner it with your you-and-you-only point of view. You may not be able to play a 16-string guitar, but I bet you have a fresh take on your industry that could turn a hum-drum conference presentation into rockstar-worthy chatfest.
The key is to turn what you know into how it impacts your target market. Your knowledge of a manufacturing process isn't fascinating, but your ability to tell an audience how lean manufacturing will create better work environments and a greener world certainly is. Don't think "what," think "why," 'how" and "impact" when you inventory your knowledge. I think you'll be surprised at how much you have to share.
So What is a Thought Leader?
A thought leader is someone with subject expertise, who is generous in applying their knowledge to educate, engage, inspire and explore.
Don’t sell. Inform, engage, question. Maybe even inspire if you are truly passionate about your subject. You don’t necessarily have to have all the answers, but knowing the questions to ask, and being able to offer a reasoned look, is key.
Where’s Your Stage?
OK, you’re ready to take your act on the road and share your thought leadership chops. Great. But where? Fortunately for you, the options for connecting with your fans (oops, I mean market community) are endless. The social world of owned media under your control is great: blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, all good. Speaking engagements and white papers? Equally good and necessary.
May I suggest, however, that you not overlook the awareness and credibility-builder that’s transformed the careers of CEOs and actual rock stars alike: the press, or earned media, as we call it these days. Turning your expertise into media-worthy topics, shared by top journalists and embraced by their community, is one of the most effective ways possible to share your expertise and unique viewpoint with the world.
Want to discover your inner thought leader rock star? Book a free 15 minute discussion; there is no obligation, only fast and furious discussion on how to get yourself on the road to industry expertise stardom.
It's all too easy to fall into a comfort zone; to post a quick update on Facebook, or perhaps you send out a release after every new software update. Even with a program, planned calendar and strategy, it can be easy to overlook opportunities in a jam-packed business day.
But the reality is you need an integrated, three-pillars approach to communications to ensure you're maximizing your market reach potential. The following report, prepared by social media ace Maria Dykstra of TreDigital and public relations expert Pam Abrahamsson of PRA Public Relations, details the key Three Key Pillars of Social Media Success. Concise explanations, examples, and how-to's are all just a click away.
We'll be honest. We can't help but beam with pride when one of our clients or partners lands amazing media coverage thanks to our team work. But the emphasis here is on team work.
After all, we do the work of reaching out to the journalist, with a well-researched suggestion for a story or feature idea. But, our clients and partners come to table with their sleeves rolled up, too. They bring thoughtful insight, a wealth of experience in their industry, a commitment to education for their clients, and the willingness to work hard.
This is a great case in point for our latest "win," a full length, contributed article in Entrepreneur magazine, authored by the amazing Maria Dykstra of Tredigital.
While we secured the media opportunity, it was her willingness to share her expertise with startups and founders, and to bring valuable insight to the table, that made the publication "win" a success. Great news and valuable insight is always welcomed in the world of earned media (and among journalists), but marketing and self-promotion are not. Which is precisely why her article saw the light of publication day, and so many others do not.
Here's the story for you to enjoy - and, we suggest you take notes. There's a lot to learn there for the current and would-be entrepreneurs of the world.
It happens to the best of us. Our company (or client, or department) has a newsworthy bit of something to share. It's time to get that press release out in the world where it belongs.
You write it up, complete with a laudatory quote from the CEO, the customer, the partner, you put it on your website...AND...crickets chirp. Or as NASA might helpfully conclude: mission failure.
