On May 14, the Chapter held the 2nd annual Social Media Summit. More than 200 attendees from all over the Boston-area PR community attended.

The sessions, split into sections on Content, Engagement, and Measurement - three pillars of any social media program - showcased a variety of case studies and thinking from leading local brands as well as bloggers (in the case of one panel). We have gathered slides from some of the presenters here: http://slidesha.re/16wNzAP .

How far have local PR professionals come in accepting social media? During the course of the day, the event hashtag, "#PRSABOS," became a nationally trending topic on Twitter (see evidence in the photos below), and reached a potential two million people on Twitter.

Rather than try to boil the entire program into a blog post, we thought we would distill the day into some of the more interesting points raised throughout the half-day program:

From the opening keynote by Karen Raskopf and Jessica Gioglio of Dunkin' Brands:

• PR pros are uniquely qualified to lead social, because they understand the need for conversations, and are good at localizing content (from the opening keynote by Karen Raskopf of Dunkin' Brands).
• Experiment with the new platforms like Instagram and Vine, but make the business case first.

From the panel "Creating Content":

• Statistically, you are more likely to become a Navy SEAL than to click a banner ad (John Mataraza, Digital influence Group)
• Treat social media like a news bureau; hire journalists and keep editorial calendars (Corinne Kovalsky, Raytheon)
• Companies can have many social media channels, but need one central planning strategy: a "hub and spoke" model (Thom Lyltle, EMC)

From "Driving Engagement"

• Social media is not a silo, but exists throughout the organization (David Oksman, Life is Good)
• Take advantage of opportunities to help customers online (even if they are adult film stars), and let them advocate for you online (Jeremy Warnick, LoJack)
• New platforms can have unexpected uses- Stonyfield uses the music service Spotify to create a playlist for its brand (Chandra Carson, Stonyfield)

From "The Brand-Blogger Connection"

• Don't pigeonhole bloggers- they often cover multiple topics (Charlene DeLoach)
• 40% of bloggers surveyed say the piches they get are not relevant (Cindy Meltzer)
• Bloggers don't use only blogs, but multiple channels for sharing content (Jodi Grundig)

"From Measuring Impact"

• Know what the numbers mean and sum up your metrics reports for the C-Suite (Jessica Payne, PAN Communications)
• People spend too much time on influence scores like Klout. "Don't believe the hype" (Kathy O'Reilly, Philips Healthcare)
• There are a variety of tools for measurement and monitoring. Find the set that works for you. Ken Burbary keeps a wiki listing many resources at http://bit.ly/16xvv9U  (Dave Armon, Critical Mention)

Below, we used Storify to compile some of the reactions, content and Tweets shared by the attendees. Find more at the "#PRSABOS" hashtag.

Crisis planning is a necessary part of any corporate communications program, but in truth it is hard to anticipate what kind of crisis you or your clients may encounter, and how exactly your planning will play out in action. This is especially important for social media, as organizations are now used to publishing their own content, and interaction is often instantaneous.

When the Boston Marathon bombings occurred on Patriot's Day, followed a few days later by a manhunt for the suspects, crisis preparedness was put to the test. As we'll see, what you don't do is as important as what you do.

Of course, there is the role that social media played in disseminating information, and in assisting in the hunt for the culprits. Largely this was a function of law enforcement combing through social postings from individuals, though it is worth noting the organization and poise law enforcement officials brought to their own social channels:

(Further reading: http://blog.loispaul.com/blog/2013/04/suspects-cant-evade-social-medias-dragnet.html)

What about our jobs as PR professionals? There are several aspects to social media that touch us in these situations. Among them:

- Cease non-essential publishing: the content that puts us in our best light on a normal day may suddenly seem trivial. Most brands cease publishing during a national event such as this: not only may normal content seem inappropriate; it will also simply be ineffective.

Worse, some companies feel the urge to "newsjack" the event by tying content to it. Unless you are performing an essential service, it is likely better to stay quiet until the news cycle is over.

- Internal communications: Many companies located in town, especially in the Back Bay, were displaced in one way or another. This created, on the one hand, a need to account for all employees in the area the day of the bombings (further reading), and on the other hand, ways to keep in touch for employees not used to working remotely. In these cases the definition of "social media" can be expanded to think of any internal communications tools - with alternatives in place for when land line or cell phone communication is interrupted.

Do you have crisis plans that include use of social media- for both external and internal communications? Feel free to discuss your point of view in the comments below.

It seemed like only a few years ago that search engine optimization (SEO) was the province of a group of search experts whose methods seemed obscure to us. Sure, it was important to be at the top of search results, but most of us in PR were concerned with media placement, placing awareness over Web traffic. Several factors have converged to change this: one is that PR is more involved than ever in developing the content owned by companies. To some extent this has always been true, for those who have counted web page copy as a part of our charge. But social media has exponentially increased that role. Also, communications disciplines are merging, with objectives and methods being spread and duplicated across PR, marketing and advertising, and owned paid and earned media sharing the agenda at communications department meetings.

Before a crowd gathered at the Schwartz MSL offices in Waltham on April 9, Lora Kratchounova of Scratch Marketing + Media, and Ian Klein of InSegment, Inc., brought their unique points of view.

Lora Kratchounova presented first, emphasizing production of good content for good SEO:

- We are seeing more convergence of paid, owned and earned media channels; PR professionals now have to pay attention to the larger communications and marketing landscape.

- Content skills are now essential for PR, alongside traditional media relations and reputation management skills.

- Unbiased content can create credibility and provide a search engine boost; branding does not have to be obvious, as shown in Lora's example, MidSizeLife.com from IBM.

- Buyer personas are "old school marketing," at least in terms of content and SEO. 

Ian Klein then debunked some myths about SEO in his talk:

- Games and tricks don't fool the search engines. Better writing wins every time.

- Keep press releases simple; despite what some people say, don't overstuff them with keywords or worry too much about "optimization."

- It's ok to talk about competitors online, assuming you are confident that your products are better.

- Do your own segmenting; the Sprint.com home page is a simple checkbox letting visitors self-identify what kind of customers they are: customers, browsers, business or consumer. 

 To answer the big question: "How does SEO align with public relations?" The simple answer is that it is one of the front lines of reputation management. How are you integrating SEO into your PR programs?

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Northeast District’s annual conference will be hosted by the PRSA Central New York Chapter on November 7^th in Syracuse, NY. We anticipate more than 200 practitioners and students will attend the event.

Date: Thursday, November 7, 2013

Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center (701 East Genesee Street, Syracuse, NY 13210)

PROPOSALS: We are looking for experienced presenters who can motivate and energize an audience on the latest public relations tools, techniques, trends and knowledge.

Industry experts, seasoned practitioners, researchers, and public relations service providers are invited to submit a proposal to individually or jointly present on a topic relevant for PR practitioners with varying levels of experience. We welcome presenters from both the corporate and not-for-profit worlds, and we are open to any proposal that provides PR professionals with new knowledge, insight and ideas that can enhance their professional capabilities.

Suggested presentation topics include:

1. Community Relations
2. Employee Relations
3. Media Relations
4. Media Training
5. Crisis Communications
6. Non-Profit PR
7. PR Writing, Pitching, or Presentation Skills
8. Skills for students in PR
9. Social Media
10. Use of Multimedia
11. Other/Miscellaneous

Presentation proposals should include:

• Title of presentation

• Description of proposed presentation (200 words maximum)

• Biography of each presenter (100 words maximum)

• List of previous speaking engagements

Programs must offer solid and authentic tactical and strategic insights, and must NOT be a commercial for products or services.

**Presenters will receive a complimentary full day registration to the conference.

Submit proposals by Friday, May 10 to: NortheastDistrict@prsacny.com

Additional information on the conference will follow throughout the summer – check back for details and please SAVE THE DATE of NOVEMBER 7 to attend – this is likely the most cost effective full day of professional education you can put on your calendar!

BOSTON, MA (April 2, 2013) – The Public Relations Society of America’s Boston Chapter (PRSA Boston) will present its 2^nd annual Social Media Summit Tuesday, May 14^th at Bentley University, Waltham.  Starting at 7:30 a.m., the informational conference will feature keynote speaker Karen Raskopf, senior vice president of Corporate Communications at Dunkin’ Brands.  Other social media experts from Life is Good, EMC, Raytheon, LoJack, Stonyfield and Monster will also take the stage to present social media best practices to attendees.

“We’re excited that the summit will feature a great line-up of speakers from some of the most recognizable brands, who will share insights into their social media strategies and campaigns,” said Diane Pardes, president, PRSA Boston. “They’ll discuss a wide range of topics of interest to PR professionals, ranging from content creation to measurement.”

The Social Media Summit will run from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  In addition to Raskopf’s keynote on Engaging Customers and Building Brand Loyalty, the day’s agenda will include various breakout sessions, including Creating Content, Driving Engagement, The Brand-Blogger Connection and Measuring Impact, as well as a networking break.  Event sponsors include Business Wire, PR Newswire, GlobeNewswire and Critical Mention.  The event is open to the public. For more information or to register, visit www.prsaboston.org or email info@PRSABoston.org. Special early bird registration ticket pricing is available through May 1^st.

About PRSA Boston

The Boston chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world’s largest and foremost organization of public relations professionals, is a vibrant community of PR professionals committed to advancing the profession and creating connections with peers. The chapter’s active network of communication professionals represents a range of industries, job settings and levels of experience in public relations.  PRSA Boston helps members develop and share best practices with colleagues, engage in industry-leading training and professional development, interact with top PR practitioners, and manage and advance their careers.  For more information, visit http://prsaboston.org/.

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Mullen, FlipKey and Red Bend Software communicators all discussed their experiences with increasing public relations opportunities through integrated marketing communications campaigns. Pictured below are: Tess Morton, FlipKey, Mary Maguire, Red Bend Software, Jaclyn Ruelle, Mullen, Tony Sapienza, Emanate & Diane Pardes, PRSA Boston. @PRSABOS

On February 14, television veteran and media trainer Barry Nolan spoke to PRSA Boston Chapter members and other guests on “Mastering the Message & the Art of the TV interview,” or  “Beware the Black Swan.” The Black Swan, as Nolan explained to those assembled, is that event, or crisis that no one sees coming. How does one prepare an executive or client for the worst-case scenario, especially when it is something nobody has anticipated?

Nolan gave some valuable tips on the topic, particularly from the point of view of giving television interviews.

Even Those Used to Risk Don’t Prepare Well for the Black Swan

Nolan’s example here was Las Vegas: the casino resort city knows what to do when a high-rolling gambler starts laying down huge wagers, or when card counters and other cheaters invade the casinos, but what about the famous tiger attack during Siegfried and Roy’s show? Who would think of that, an event that ultimately cost a lot of money, not to mention a public relations problem?

Another example was NASA: despite a small number of high-profile incidents in the last 50 years, the disaster rate for NASA space missions is extremely low. How does one prepare for such low probability? By rehearsing the response to the unthinkable. This is what the “Black Swan” represents to companies: the unthinkable that nonetheless must be prepared for over and over again.

Have a Plan

The main thrust of Nolan’s advice is simple: have a plan. The challenge here is that many executives think they can handle anything by thinking on their feet, but only through ongoing message training and rehearsal can a company avoid gaffes such as British Petroleum CEO’s Tony Hayward “whining” about wanting to get his life back during the intense media scrutiny of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster. Off-the-cuff remarks can have lasting consequences, and preparing executives in what not to say is key. Planning is even more important in this age of social media, where a negative story can spread faster and have wider impact before slower companies can react.

Controlling the TV Interview

Nolan insists that wanting to control a media opportunity is not “manipulating the media.” However, one must be ready to act to present companies and executives in the best possible light. This is taken literally, in the case of choosing where and when to be videotaped. Nolan’s advice included avoiding being photographed in front of a beige wall or any other background that give the appearance of a police mug shot. Even lighting is important, as he demonstrated with his iPad by taking two pictures of an audience member and comparing the contrast between the images created by separate lighting . Backlighting, which makes a subject appear darker and obscures features, is generally a no-no; additionally, lighting should come from above, at about 45-degree angles (10 and 2 o’clock).

Also, we must train clients to watch for interview questions that have negative or false assumptions embedded. Your job is to teach clients to identify these questions and respond in a positive and truthful way. In general, Nolan said, “Sometimes to prepare people for a Black Swan event, you have to tell them things they do not want to hear. They have to be made aware of the consequences of what they say, and what to say and how to say them to avoid negative consequences.” 

Despite the tendency for executives to feel they naturally have everything under control, preparing for the Black Swan is essential. Barry Nolan even addressed his own Black Swan event (detailed here), saying of the long-term result, "It was the most aware I have ever been of my children being proud of me. Of telling the truth at a cost to myself."

While preparation is designed to prevent such a cost, being able to get the truth out through the media under the most stressful circumstances is the primary goal in crisis preparedness.

The PRSA Boston Chapter again thanks Barry Nolan for presenting in front of the group. Our next event, “Take a Trip into Integrated Marketing Communications,” takes place the evening of March 5.