By Andie Levine
The right media coverage can significantly impact your brand’s visibility and reputation. Knowing how to effectively leverage your coverage is essential to reaching the widest possible audience and achieving your marketing and PR goals. The following strategies and tactics can help your business maximize its media coverage and drive brand awareness.
The All-Mighty Press Release
Press releases are vital for sharing news, enabling businesses and organizations to communicate significant developments and events to the media and the public. They generate media coverage, enhance visibility, and provide a structured, professional way to convey information. Press releases help share achievements, product launches, financial reports, and more. They also serve double duty as a valuable reference point for journalists and contribute towards a positive public image while maintaining transparency for your business.
Once your team drafts and approves your press release, the best way for quick and widespread distribution is to share it through a distribution service like PR Newswire or BusinessWire, then follow up by emailing the release to key reporters and publications in your field.
After the press release has been distributed on a wire service and delivered to reporters’ inboxes, a few more strategies can help you reach a broader and more engaged audience. The first is to share the press release on your company’s website. Posting on your website can significantly enhance your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts.
Leveraging social media is another effective way to optimize your press release’s reach. Share it across social media channels, and consider pinning it to the top of your business’s page or profile. Make your content more engaging by creating graphics with pull quotes and relevant images to accompany the post.
How to Share Great Media Coverage
Now that your press release has gone out on a wire service and been pitched to reporters, you hopefully have some great media coverage! While many folks will find your article in print or directly on the publication’s website, you can employ additional strategies to maximize your brand’s reach and visibility.
Sharing media coverage on your company’s website is a fundamental step that archives and showcases your news and increases organic search traffic. Consider prominently featuring news on your home page to ensure that visitors to your site immediately see and recognize your company’s success and momentum.
Leveraging your social media presence is also crucial for sharing media coverage effectively. Be sure to include a link to the article and consider tagging the reporters and media outlets responsible; this helps you engage with journalists and enables them to easily repost to their audiences. Additionally, you could update your LinkedIn profile or, in the case of platforms like X (Twitter), your bio with a mention such as “As seen on CNBC” to bolster your credibility.
Another approach is to draft and share posts about the media coverage on behalf of key figures within your organization, such as executives, featured spokespeople, and partners or clients mentioned in the article. Consider turning the placement into an advertisement to reach a targeted audience directly.
Similar to sharing press releases, including your media coverage in email marketing efforts is a valuable tactic to ensure your key stakeholders and supporters can access the latest news and are well-informed about significant developments. This approach broadens your reach and ensures that individuals with a vested interest in your company’s achievements are kept in the loop.
Beyond email marketing, there are additional avenues for disseminating your media coverage effectively. One such approach is incorporating media mentions into investor decks and sales presentations, bolstering your credibility and showcasing your company’s recognition to potential investors and clients. Another is to share your media coverage with industry and networking groups to engage a targeted audience and position your company as a thought leader and an active participant in relevant communities.
The power of media coverage in shaping a company’s reputation and bolstering its visibility cannot be overstated. Press releases, distributed through wire services, serve as a structured and professional means to communicate significant news and updates. Amplifying the impact involves strategically sharing the release and its corresponding media coverage on company websites, social media platforms, and email marketing. By combining these methods, businesses can effectively maximize the impact of their media coverage across diverse channels, ultimately influencing perceptions and driving success.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Colleen Martin
One of my favorite parts of my job as a PR professional is cultivating a strong rapport and relationship with various reporters, where there is mutual respect and trust between us. They aren’t just a person on the other end of a transaction (pitch) to “win” coverage for my clients, but human beings with families, stresses, pressures, deadlines, and, no doubt, unique and interesting backgrounds that helped them get to where they are today.
However, if you ever read the “Bad Pitch Blog,” which puts PR folks on blast on X (Twitter) for often almost comically poor behavior, it can often seem like PR and journalists are like frenemies with dissonant interests. But dig a little deeper and you will find that the best PR professionals know how to build trust with journalists, deliver them incredible sources and stories worthy of their time and energy, and understand what the key ingredients are to help journalists do what they do best: tell a great story, with speed.
I recently had the honor of interviewing Elizabeth Heubeck, a staff writer for Education Week, one of America’s most trusted resources for K-12 education news and information. Elizabeth, who covers education angles and intersections in significant news events, cultural phenomena, and high-demand topics and issues, and I recently collaborated on a few stories, which were truly great pieces.
A big thank you to Elizabeth for taking the time to conduct this interview with me! You can find her latest stories in Education Week here: https://www.edweek.org/by/elizabeth-heubeck.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background as a K-12 education reporter?
My career has been a mix of marketing and journalist writing. I wrote about education and children for most of my career; I had a stint writing for a parenting outlet and wrote a lot about children’s health issues earlier in my career. I joined EducationWeek four years ago and have only been a full-time employee for the last year. I am considered an enterprise reporter, which means I can write about whatever I want.
What motivated you to focus on writing about education?
As a parent and spouse of a lifelong educator, I have always had an interest in education. I thought early on I would become a tutor to help kids with reading but I ended up writing about education instead.
Collaboration With PR Professionals
Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps?
I have been fortunate to have many successful interactions with PR people, who respond quickly, understand whom I need to talk to, and quickly connect me to the right people. Everyone is on a deadline, and we typically only have a few days to submit each story. It can be a catch-22 though, some days, we only have a 1-2 day turnaround, and if you want to make the story compelling, it usually requires talking to an actual person rather than regurgitating data over email. Sometimes, there isn’t enough time to make that happen. That’s when a PR person can be immensely helpful. They have their finger on the pulse and can connect us to folks fast.
What are some common misconceptions reporters have about PR people?
What I hear the most from my colleagues is that PR folks are like annoying salespeople. The woman who shares a space with me told me that one day, she walked away from her desk for two hours, and returned to 900 emails, mostly from PR people. That’s not an exaggeration.
When you are on deadline and under the gun, it can be easy to overgeneralize that ALL PR people hound you. Often, we just hit the ‘delete’ button – probably 60-70% of emails get trashed. Many of them aren’t targeting the right person. I keep getting emails about the U.S. Coast Guard. News flash – I don’t write about the Coast Guard!
Effective Communication
What communication strategies do you find most effective when working with PR professionals, such as pitches (length), press releases, research, etc.?
Phone calls have gone by the wayside. I have actually never received an unsolicited phone call from a PR person. What is effective, beyond a tight, well-written, short (couple of paragraphs) pitch that is targeted to what I write about, is getting ahead of trends; now that’s a godsend. Sometimes I will receive a pitch on a topic, immediately after I wrote about the same thing, what your industry calls “rapid response,” but if you aren’t sending me a unique angle or saying something different, then why would I write about it again? Take our partnership to the next level by helping me get ahead of a trend. If you have a relationship with a reporter, the occasional phone call is okay – but cold calling is usually a waste of time.
Advice for PR Professionals
How can PR professionals best tailor their communications to meet the needs of education reporters?
At the bare minimum, know what we cover. I would also invite PR people to reach out and say, “hey, what are you covering in the next few months?”
How far in advance are you planning stories?
I will put story ideas in buckets based on timing and typically work 1-2 months ahead. I might have something planned for this month, and have other ideas that I will file away for a future month.
Are there any specific elements or information that you consider essential to a story?
If you have background information on a topic that is super easily digestible about a product/service/curriculum, so that we can easily refer back to it – that is phenomenal. We need strong sources, especially educators that can vouch for something working well.
What advice do you have for PR professionals looking to build positive relationships and trust with reporters?
Keep your communication targeted and avoid bombarding reporters with constant pitches. Less is more! If you are in a stage where you are supporting a reporter with a specific story, identify strong sources at the onset and make introductions in a timely manner.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about the dynamics of working with PR professionals?
Know that timing is incredibly important for us – we are almost always under a time crunch. Put yourself in the position of a journalist, “What would I want to get out of it?” If you do those things, it can be a really phenomenal synergistic relationship between us, or really annoying. It is critical to be super responsive. Journalists who have flipped to PR really get it.
By Colleen Martin, Principal, Zer0 to 5ive
I recently sat down to listen to the PRWeek webinar, “From Intuition to Insight: Leveraging Data to Refine Your Craft and Deliver Proven Results.” The main takeaway – that should be obvious for anyone who has been working in PR for more than a minute – is that PR expectations are growing, and clients are demanding a mastery of PR measurement.
It feels like it wasn’t that long ago that I was helping to print, three-hole punch, drop into sheet-protectors, and add to a binder – hundreds of articles, what we PR folks call “clipbooks,” to give to our clients as evidence of our hard work and visible results. But news has largely since transitioned away from being dominated by print, TV, and radio, into the online realm, via digital magazines, Instagram stories, TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, Facebook feeds, LinkedIn posts, YouTube channels, Medium blogs, Reddit communities, podcasts, and more that I am probably failing to mention. But without all kinds of tools, it can be difficult to put a “value” on securing coverage on these various channels.
Therein lies the problem – how do you measure the true value of PR? Data analytics is no longer a “nice to have” – they are a significant part of the PR role. Every PR person should (already) be thinking – how can we as PR pros most efficiently and effectively leverage data to demonstrate the value of what we do?
Cision and PRWeek’s sixth annual 2023 Global Communications Report found that analytics and reporting, or attribution and ROI, are top priorities for more than 38% of communication professionals; yet, with 50% of communications leaders struggling to convert data into actionable insights, it’s not surprising that more and more brands are turning to agency partners to help bridge the gap.
Measurement is not a buzzword. It is the best way to show the value of our work and help us to make better strategic decisions to move brands ahead.
The Economy’s Impact on the PR Industry
The media industry has announced more than 17,000 job cuts as of June 2023, marking the highest year-to-date level of cuts on record, according to a recent report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
That means journalists are getting squeezed – pressured to write more articles, with less staff, while it seems like the PR field, like bamboo in a tropical climate, is growing like wildfire. The ratio now stands at 6.2 PR pros for every one journalist, which means we are all competing to grab attention from a smaller pool of journalists and fighting for the same ink.
A May 2023 MuckRack PR survey found that over 70% of PR professionals anticipate securing earned media will become more challenging over the next five years, and more than half are concerned about getting journalists to respond to pitches. Surprising? Not at all.
PR budgets also shrunk in the second quarter of 2023 and have not risen for more than a year, according to the latest IPA Bellwether Report. For those of you in the back who may not have been working yet during the last economic downturn, marketing budgets are often the first items to get slashed when things go south because PR and marketing are considered to be “soft” or “non-essential” costs.
Why Is There a Growing Focus on Data-Driven Insight?
Those of us who have worked in the field for some time know that PR is both an art and a science. It’s not lead gen, but contributes to brand awareness and credibility, and therefore, ultimately lead gen. Coverage by the media is the number one driver of credibility and should be recognized for its value in the lead gen funnel.
It can be hard for PR pros to try to explain everything we do in numbers because it’s not so black and white. But we can’t hide from the data, because it’s part and parcel of the “why” behind everything we do.
More CMOs are now reporting directly to the CEO – up 47%, according to a 2019 McKinsey study: Marketing’s moment is now: The C-suite partnership to deliver on growth. CMOs are now seen as strategic advisors by the business and need faster access to data to report to their boards and C-suite. The CMO’s rapport with the C-suite is crucial for establishing marketing’s role as a growth driver. The McKinsey study found that 83% of global CEOs said marketing can be a major driver of business growth.
A silver lining from the COVID-19 pandemic is that the C-suite now better understands what communication pros bring to the table and the impact of what communicators do.
Stay tuned for my next post where I will continue this discussion by sharing key things for PR people to know about PR measurement, the top use cases, where to begin with PR measurement, and how to leverage data in storytelling with the media.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Sydney Stressman
I have worked with Steven Aquino many times and have gotten to know him well over the years. His work as an accessibility and assistive technology reporter holds so much importance. He has my utmost respect. Today, I had the opportunity to interview Steven about his job, reporting on accessibility in the technology sector, and his perspective on working with public relations professionals.
Thank you, Steven, for taking the time to share your insights with me. You can read Steven’s stories on Forbes here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenaquino/
Can you briefly introduce yourself and your background as a technology reporter?
Hi there! My name is Steven Aquino, and I’m a freelance technology reporter based in San Francisco. I’ve been running a one-man newsroom full-time since May 2013.
You can read more about my journey on my portfolio site.
As to my beat, I cover all things accessibility and assistive technologies. Classically, that pertains to the hardware and software of products like the iPhone. Over time, I’ve grown and evolved my coverage to encompass lots of ways disability and technology intersect. They include healthcare, adaptive clothing, autonomous vehicles, and even Hollywood with film and television. So long as tech companies such as Amazon and Apple insist on leveraging their massive war chests to roll their own streaming services, the tie-ins will remain strong and utterly relevant.
How long have you been reporting on technology/DEI topics, and what motivated you to focus on this field?
As I said, I’ve been a journalist since 2013. Next May marks 11 years.
How I got started in the industry is kind of a long story, but suffice it to say I’ve always loved to write and I’ve always been told I’m *really* good at it. In my prior life teaching special education preschool, I was the school’s unofficial IT person—always setting up devices like computers, iPads, iPods, and more. We used iPads to augment the curriculum with my students, and I wrote about it in my first-ever bylined story. That story immediately went semi-viral, so much so that it got picked up by Apple and their PR team reached out, which led me to snowball to opportunity after opportunity after opportunity that shaped what my career looks like today.
Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps? What are some common misconceptions reporters might have about working with PR folks?
I have experience covering companies big and small, from behemoths like Apple, Google, and Microsoft to smaller, scrappy startups. I’ve attended media events and received regular review units of key products such as the iPhone. Those all involved cultivating and nurturing relationships with PR folks over all these many years.
As for misconceptions, I think reporters are oftentimes jaded in thinking PR folks exist merely to market and push happy/favorable coverage. That’s true to a certain extent, but the majority of my interactions are with people who not only have a job to do for a living, but who are genuinely interested and believe in whatever they’re selling.
What communication strategies do you find most effective when working with PR professionals, such as pitches (length), press releases, research, and more?
I typically work with the usual email pitches and press releases. I also find email interviews more accessible for me, although I know you learn in journalism school they aren’t the best because it’s harder to press people and ask follow-up questions. I get that logic, but email interviews really do make my job easier and more expedient.
I’ve also found texting with PR people more accessible too. It’s easier and more efficient than using email and has the side benefit of being an avenue by which to cultivate the personal end of the relationship. I’m very much an introvert, and texting has enabled me to establish long-standing relationships with people that transcend work. It’s been a great tool with which to network on multiple levels. Of course, I’m not super close with every single person this way, but the point is having a person’s personal number implies trust and care.
How can PR professionals best tailor their communications to meet the needs of technology reporters? Are there any specific elements or information that you consider essential in a press release or pitch related to technology/DEI topics?
I think it’s important not just to mass-mail a press release and call it a day. If possible, I think it’s more prudent (for both of us) to have the comms person tell me a story—tell me what, then why, and let me decide. Sometimes a press release is okay and all I need, but more often they feel sterile and lack the deeper context that’s crucial for my reporting on such an abstract, wide-ranging topic and community.
What are some best practices for PR professionals to build positive relationships with reporters of any beat? How can they effectively pitch stories and information to you?
Don’t be transactional. I know what your job is and you know mine. But we’re also human beings who thrive on interpersonal relationships. You don’t have to be besties with everybody—that’s impossible—but some of the best relationships I enjoy right now masterfully straddle that line between professional and personal. And we’re both better off.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about the dynamics of working with PR professionals?
Three big points I get asked about an awful lot.
- Just because I agree to interview your client does not automatically guarantee coverage on my end. It’s kinda like a job interview—I’ll interview a bunch of people, but I’m not hiring all of them.
- I’m not sending you interview questions in advance unless we’ve agreed on doing an email Q&A.
- And I’m definitely not sending you my story prior to publication so you and/or your client can inspect it. That’s not at all how reporting works, unless in certain circumstances.
By Lindsay Hull
I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with Kara Arundel, who currently serves as an education reporter for K-12 Dive, on various educational stories over the years. Normally, it’s Kara who works her journalistic magic to interview my clients. However, today, I had the honor of interviewing Kara to gain her perspective on working with public relations professionals and achieving effective communication. She also generously shared some valuable advice for those in the field of PR.
Thanks to Kara for taking the time to conduct this interview with me! You can read Kara’s stories on K-12 Dive here: https://www.k12dive.com/editors/karundel/
Introduction
LH: Can you briefly tell us about your background as a K-12 education reporter?
KA: I knew I wanted to be a news reporter since I was in middle school. I still feel so lucky I am still working in a job I love and am passionate about. I am a senior reporter at K-12 Dive, a publication of Washington, D.C.-based Industry Dive, which is a business journalism company. Here, I cover national education issues from birth through grade 12. Specific education topics I write about include early childhood education, special education, education funding and Congress.
LH: How long have you been reporting on education topics, and what motivated you to focus on this field?
KA: I have worked as an education reporter for the past two decades, first at newspapers in Virginia and Florida, and more recently for online publications. Everywhere I’ve worked, I’ve met people dedicated to improving schools and supporting students. I’m so grateful to everyone who has helped me tell these important stories.
Collaboration with PR Professionals
LH: Can you share examples of successful collaborations or interactions you’ve had with PR reps?
KA: My daily reporting is very much influenced by PR professionals, whether they are alerting K-12 Dive of an upcoming release of a report, a meeting about a top-of-mind topic, or an innovative school-based program.
Some of the most successful collaborations I’ve had with PR professionals happen when they hear about a school- or district-based promising practice and share that information with me. I can then dig into that topic and ask school and district-based educators what steps were taken to make that program successful, what were the roadblocks and what advice would they have for others who may want to replicate the model. Our readers appreciate learning about how schools and districts are addressing barriers in education, such as chronic absenteeism, teacher shortages and funding shortfalls.
We like to focus on these advice-driven stories and include the real-life examples of the efforts educators are undertaking in the schools. PR professionals are extremely helpful in alerting us to these examples.
Effective Communication
LH: What communication strategies do you find most effective when working with PR professionals, such as pitches (length), press releases, research, etc.?
KA: The communication strategies from PR professionals that I find most effective are emails pitching a unique education-related angle, a promising practice, insights into school and district operations, and data or research about timely education issues.
LH: How can PR professionals best tailor their communications to meet the needs of education reporters?
KA: We receive many emailed pitches a day and honestly it can be difficult to sort through all the messages. This is why the subject line is critical to encouraging reporters to open the message to learn more. I do try to read all my messages, but I would encourage PR professionals to send follow-up messages or to call reporters if they don’t get a response.
It is helpful when pitches are as specific as possible. That said, I also respond to and appreciate shorter emailed pitches that give a brief overview and ask if I’m interested in learning more.
At K-12 Dive, we write a mix of shorter articles, called briefs, and longer articles. The longer articles often take several days of reporting and interviews with multiple sources. I appreciate pitches for both of these story formats.
LH: Are there any specific elements or information that you consider essential in a press release or pitch related to education topics?
KA: One of the biggest pieces of guidance I can share is how important it is for education PR professionals to read the education news so they can help put a spotlight on unique activities that relate to current issues facing schools. I really appreciate pitches that highlight real-life examples or case studies of how a school or district is addressing problems in education.
Pitches that are sent ahead of an anticipated news event, such as an offer to review an embargoed report or an interview with an education professional, are most helpful as we plan our short- and long-term news coverage. Also, it is key for reports and press releases to include dates so we can verify how timely the release is.
Story pitches that are overly promotional of a product or service from a for-profit business tend not to get as much attention because our news stories cannot be viewed by readers as being influenced by paid or sponsored content.
Advice for PR Professionals
LH: What are some best practices for PR professionals to build positive relationships with reporters of any beat?
KA: I view the work between news reporters and PR professionals as teamwork in sharing stories with readers to help them better understand a topic. It’s most helpful when PR professionals understand that our news stories can’t promote a for-profit service or product.
LH: How can they effectively pitch stories and information to you and your colleagues?
KA: The PR professionals I work with most frequently have proven track records of being trustworthy and reliable. They have delivered on promises of interviews with education leaders, are available for clarifying follow-up questions and are familiar with our news coverage. They also are understanding when an interview or pitch doesn’t lead to a story. I am often working on several stories at the same time and, depending on the news cycle, I may request an interview or information right away or several weeks or months after the first pitch was sent.
It’s helpful for PR professionals to know the “beats” or focus area of each reporter so they can tailor messages to the reporter for that specific topic. The K-12 Dive team talks regularly, and we are all familiar with what stories each of us is working on so there is no duplication of efforts.
Closing Thoughts
LH: Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers about the dynamics of working with PR professionals?
KA: I strongly believe that there are a lot of untold stories in education. Don’t be hesitant to pitch a story idea to reporters even if you are unsure how it may land. There are several times I will get a story pitch and it aligns with an article I’m already working on — or sparks a new idea. We all need to help tell the stories about the challenges and successes our schools are facing.
By Sydney Peterson
Public relations or “PR” professionals are often working behind the scenes to help support business goals. PR work includes a wide range of responsibilities from reputation management to developing PR strategies, to drafting press releases and pitching stories to the media. In 2015, National Publicist Day was founded on October 30 as a day to celebrate and show appreciation for professionals working in the public relations industry. In honor of National Publicist Day, Zer0 to 5ive employees shared insights from their experiences and advice for current and aspiring PR professionals.
Here are six tips on working in public relations from the team:
“Be proactive and curious! Your managers, colleagues, and, especially, your clients love when they see proactivity and ongoing curiosity from you whether it be in the form of newsjacking/rapid response opportunities, asking questions related to a client’s industry, and more. These things help show that you are not only eager to get results but that you are being creative in your thinking and strategy. Being able to continually showcase both of these characteristics will take you far in PR and they will help you generate a greater impact.” – Maggie Markert, Director
“Read a lot! Reading and subscribing to industry newsletters can help you stay up-to-date on trends and current topics that are being covered.” – Annmarie Ely, Senior Strategist
“I once received invaluable advice from a professor who emphasized that PR is far from glamorous moments in a limousine with celebrities. Her words proved to be spot-on. What I’ve learned is that successful PR hinges on the cultivation of relationships. The capacity to engage with clients, peers and colleagues, journalists, stakeholders, and the public holds utmost importance.” – Lindsay Hull, Principal
“Be sure to know your publications – best contacts, what they’re covering, if they accept bylines, etc.” – Chelsea Lindner, PR Strategist
“Don’t let the inevitable “no” discourage you when it comes to pitching. It’s very common to encounter more negative responses than positive ones in the world of PR. Journalists often find themselves buried under a mountain of tasks and competing deadlines – they can’t say yes to every story. When you do receive a “no,” don’t hesitate to ask for feedback. Was it a matter of timing, scope, or a misalignment with the outlet’s focus? This feedback can provide valuable insights to inform your next pitch and increase the likelihood of a positive response down the road. The key to mastering the art of PR is persistence. Keep refining your pitch, honing your message, and approaching it from different angles. Repeated “no” responses can be valuable lessons that help you better understand what resonates with your audience.” – Andie Levine, Director of Content and Social Media
“PR is not for the faint of heart, it takes persistence, tenacity, a thick skin, ability to multitask 1,000 things at once and work under constant deadlines and pressure, for starters. So, if you are interested in PR, go into an area of PR that you have a passion for or are interested in. For example, technology, travel, fashion, food, public health, entertainment, video games, politics/policy, crisis comms…There are so many different options. Working in an area you love will help you get through the tough times.” – Jennifer Moritz, Managing Principal
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive can help drive visibility and industry leadership for your company drop us a line.
By Sydney Peterson
Happy Book Lovers Day! At Zer0 to 5ive, we’re excited to celebrate this holiday as we value the opportunity to expand our knowledge through reading. Are you looking to learn more about PR and marketing? Explore one of our recent blog posts highlighting industry-related books.
Three Takeaways from the Book, “Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time,” That Can Be Applied to PR and Media Interviews
The book “Pitch Perfect” shares lessons that can help clients improve their communication skills. Distilled into seven principles these lessons can be applied to public speaking, interviews, or any important conversation. In this blog post, we look at three that are especially relevant for PR and media interviews.
Adam Grant’s “Think Again” Teaches Us to Stay Curious – and Ask (a lot) of Questions!
In Adam Grant’s, “Think Again,” he discusses how things might improve in our work and personal lives if we keep an open mind. There are three key tools we cling to, says Grant, and those are evenly distributed between our assumptions, habits, and instincts, leaving out the most valuable, “having an open mind.”
How Boxing Is Like Social Media – and How to Land Those Killer Blows with Outstanding Content
Learn about the six characteristics of compelling social media content that are outlined in Gary Vaynerchuk’s book, “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook: How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy Social World.”
Looking for More PR and Marketing Book Recommendations?
Check out our full recommended reading list. Happy reading!
By Sydney Peterson
1. What types of social media campaigns have you worked on at 0to5?
There have been a few exciting campaigns I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of. In 2021, I helped Sony AI announce Gran Turismo Sophy, their breakthrough AI agent, which started with a series of cryptic posts hinting at a big announcement on the way. Across all channels, the organic campaign generated 650K social media impressions, 15K link clicks, and 2.2K new followers in a week.
In addition to global announcements, I’ve helped companies establish their presence at industry conferences, accelerate recruitment efforts, launch new products and services, and participate in national awareness days.
2. What is your favorite part about working in social media?
There are general best practices to follow, but there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” strategy that can be applied to each client – which is my favorite part about working in social media! Each organization that comes to 0to5 for social media support has a unique set of goals it is working to achieve through its social media presence. Our job is to find creative ways to meet those goals that resonate with their target audience.
Social media also keeps you on your toes. There are new platform updates weekly, and understanding how each new feature works is essential. It is mentally stimulating, and there is no shortage of new things to learn!
3. What are some brands or campaigns that you admire?
There are so many great B2C brands out there that – rightfully so – get a lot of attention for their fun and often-viral content. However, there’s a misconception that B2B companies can’t also have fun and creative social media. A few great examples I like to point to are: Salesforce, IBM, and Gartner.
4. How do you think social media has evolved since you started your career?
The technological advancements, even in just the past year, are impressive. There are more ways to share content than ever before, which has led to more opportunities for impressions, engagement, leads, etc., which is exciting but also easy to get caught up on. But as much as it has evolved, its ethos has remained the same. At the heart of social media, being transparent and offering value to your audience works.
5. Where do you see social media going in the next few years? What trends are you excited about?
I like that social media is becoming more accessible and conversational for B2B organizations. In the beginning, many felt that their online presence needed to be super polished and sterile – and for some industries, this resonates with their audiences! – but now, they are more willing to lean into “being real.” I’m glad to see companies ditch stock photography in favor of images of their real employees or customers. Even a quick photo snapped on an iPhone is better received than a stock photo.
6. What is your advice for creating more engaging social media content?
If you’re struggling with engagement on social media, you’re likely not sending the right messages to your audience. Start by clearly identifying your top two to three audiences. You should already have a good idea of who your buyer personas are through research, surveys, and customer pain points. After identifying their key challenges, develop content around how your organization can help address them.
7. What are some great resources or blogs to follow for someone who wants to accelerate their career in social media management?
I’m a big fan of Hootsuite. Not only do we use their platform here at 0to5, but I highly recommend their webinars to anyone interested in staying on top of the latest and greatest social media trends. What’s more, the great thing about social media is that you don’t need a client to show off your skills! Your channels can serve as a case study for your ability to create professional, engaging content.
8. What does being Zer0 to 5ive’s Director of Social Media mean to you?
Zer0 to 5ive has a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise and talent, making us a valued partner for organizations building a brand and market presence. As Director of Social Media, I get excited to work with organizations ready to take their social media to the next level: whether this means revamping existing accounts or creating them for the first time.
Social media is sometimes easy for companies to overlook. After working with 0to5, I hope our clients can see the value in creating impactful social media strategies that drive brand growth, engage audiences, and deliver measurable results. In this role, I want to help clients navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape and position them for success in their marketing and PR endeavors.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive’s team can help your company, visit our PR and social media page, or drop us a line.
By Lindsay Hull
Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, have been all the rage this year. In fact, ChatGPT is on track to surpass 100 million monthly active users, according to data. For PR professionals, generative AI tools hold tremendous opportunities. In this blog post, we will explore a few ways that PR pros can utilize generative AI to enhance and improve productivity.
1. Idea and Brainstorming Partner
Generative AI tools provide a unique opportunity for PR professionals, who can use AI as a virtual brainstorming partner. By inputting a topic or challenge, these tools can generate ideas and suggest fresh angles and concepts that could potentially fuel creative thinking during brainstorming sessions. Plus, as AI is constantly improving, the quality of its output is ever-increasing – meaning that in the future it will be able to offer even more original suggestions.
2. Making Content Generation More Efficient
Generative AI tools can be used to create compelling content for blog posts, social media posts, and more. Through using these tools, PR professionals can provide prompts and generate drafts, headlines, or creative ideas that can then be refined and polished. The use of generative AI allows for a more efficient process when creating content for multiple platforms and various audiences.
3. Easily Craft Key Messages
Generative AI tools can be used by PR pros to quickly create talking points and key messages. By providing the necessary data and context, these tools can generate starting points that can then be adjusted and customized. This allows PR professionals to quickly produce content that is creative, unique, and tailored to the specific needs of their clients; all without needing to spend time creating copy from scratch.
Important Note
It is essential to remember that generative AI tools are not foolproof, and any content generated must be edited carefully to best suit the requirements of your client, as well as reworked to ensure you are not rehashing someone else’s content. An MIT Technology Review article recently quoted an expert saying “they (ChatGPT) are predictive systems that are generating the most likely words, given your question and everything they’ve been trained on.” It is important to take the time to go over the output thoroughly, ensuring that it meets expectations and accurately conveys a client’s message. Additionally, it is critical to remember that automated content generation should never replace manual effort; a human touch and careful review is required to ensure the best output. PR professionals should be providing the strategy. We should not be using AI content at face value, but rather as a starting point for our own creativity.
Leveraging the Latest Tools to Stay Ahead of the Curve
Generative AI tools have opened up a world of possibilities for PR professionals. From utilizing them as idea generation partners to making content generation more efficient, Generative AI tools are arguably some of the most powerful tools available to assist with strategic PR efforts. We should all be looking for ways we can use this type of technology to stay ahead of the curve.
What are some other implementations of AI in your daily work that you are finding useful?
By Sydney Peterson
1. What types of social media campaigns have you worked on at 0to5?
There have been a few exciting campaigns I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of. In 2021, I helped Sony AI announce Gran Turismo Sophy, their breakthrough AI agent, which started with a series of cryptic posts hinting at a big announcement on the way. Across all channels, the organic campaign generated 650K social media impressions, 15K link clicks, and 2.2K new followers in a week.
In addition to global announcements, I’ve helped companies establish their presence at industry conferences, accelerate recruitment efforts, launch new products and services, and participate in national awareness days.
2. What is your favorite part about working in social media?
There are general best practices to follow, but there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” strategy that can be applied to each client – which is my favorite part about working in social media! Each organization that comes to 0to5 for social media support has a unique set of goals it is working to achieve through its social media presence. Our job is to find creative ways to meet those goals that resonate with their target audience.
Social media also keeps you on your toes. There are new platform updates weekly, and understanding how each new feature works is essential. It is mentally stimulating, and there is no shortage of new things to learn!
3. What are some brands or campaigns that you admire?
There are so many great B2C brands out there that – rightfully so – get a lot of attention for their fun and often-viral content. However, there’s a misconception that B2B companies can’t also have fun and creative social media. A few great examples I like to point to are: Salesforce, IBM, and Gartner.
4. How do you think social media has evolved since you started your career?
The technological advancements, even in just the past year, are impressive. There are more ways to share content than ever before, which has led to more opportunities for impressions, engagement, leads, etc., which is exciting but also easy to get caught up on. But as much as it has evolved, its ethos has remained the same. At the heart of social media, being transparent and offering value to your audience works.
5. Where do you see social media going in the next few years? What trends are you excited about?
I like that social media is becoming more accessible and conversational for B2B organizations. In the beginning, many felt that their online presence needed to be super polished and sterile – and for some industries, this resonates with their audiences! – but now, they are more willing to lean into “being real.” I’m glad to see companies ditch stock photography in favor of images of their real employees or customers. Even a quick photo snapped on an iPhone is better received than a stock photo.
6. What is your advice for creating more engaging social media content?
If you’re struggling with engagement on social media, you’re likely not sending the right messages to your audience. Start by clearly identifying your top two to three audiences. You should already have a good idea of who your buyer personas are through research, surveys, and customer pain points. After identifying their key challenges, develop content around how your organization can help address them.
7. What are some great resources or blogs to follow for someone who wants to accelerate their career in social media management?
I’m a big fan of Hootsuite. Not only do we use their platform here at 0to5, but I highly recommend their webinars to anyone interested in staying on top of the latest and greatest social media trends. What’s more, the great thing about social media is that you don’t need a client to show off your skills! Your channels can serve as a case study for your ability to create professional, engaging content.
8. What does being Zer0 to 5ive’s Director of Social Media mean to you?
Zer0 to 5ive has a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise and talent, making us a valued partner for organizations building a brand and market presence. As Director of Social Media, I get excited to work with organizations ready to take their social media to the next level: whether this means revamping existing accounts or creating them for the first time.
Social media is sometimes easy for companies to overlook. After working with 0to5, I hope our clients can see the value in creating impactful social media strategies that drive brand growth, engage audiences, and deliver measurable results. In this role, I want to help clients navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape and position them for success in their marketing and PR endeavors.
To learn more about how Zer0 to 5ive’s team can help your company, visit our PR and social media page, or drop us a line.