Hyper Alerts - the notifications Facebook doesn't provide

For all it's benefits for organizations, Facebook lacks function to notify page admins when someone posts to a "fan" page. I came across a Facebook post from Social:IRL linking to a Hubspot blog post about Hyper Alerts, a free service that sends these missing e-mail notifications.

Note: Apparently, because of its popularity, the "ASAP" option on e-mails is temporarily suspended while they move to a new server. But, once it's back functioning, won't that be nice?

Get everyone talking!

When you can't be there - whether it's an event or the conference - there is a growing expectation of still being able to participate remotely. Here is a good discussion on hashtags, engaging participants in conversation and possible missed opportunities.

Making a Twitter habit

In case you're still getting used to a regular Tweeting habit, all you need to remember is to follow the right people. People who are engaged in the same type of industry, who have relevant information to share. Read and retweet. Engage those in conversation. And find your own bits and pieces to share as well. You have a wealth of knowledge - now share.

Twitter may not be the best for communicating with your audience - it's true. But it can be helpful to you as a professional in staying atop industry trends and information.

Read "Four Reasons Why Everyone's Content is King on Twitter."

Worth a Look!

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Sports fans utilize social media to stay updated on World Series

Social networking has changed the way people communicate - we all know that. But did you ever think how it has changed the way we watch sports? I know I didn't. But this article focuses on how people will stay up with the upcoming World Series - and it even discusses the types of "voices" people use on Facebook vs. Twitter. It's not the same audience.

I'm not posting this article because of the World Series angle. I'm posting about it because if sports fans are following these conversations (and they are), you or your organization could gain something from these media. Think about it, and make a strategy about the types on information you want to disperse, who you want to talk to, etc.

Read the article here

How serious do you look?

For your reading pleasure, I recommend this Journalistics blog post entitled "Is social media the cause of the casual office?" I think it brings up great points about how social networking has changed the job of customer service and public relations - to a more friendly and casual style. Can you adequately represent your company in jeans and flip flops? Do you think you have to be in a suit to be taken seriously? Or is there a happy medium?

Think about it.

Need a graphic? Make it yourself!

We're always looking for ways to add visual or audio interest to our daily tasks, and infographics are becoming increasingly popular. You don't have to be a graphic artist to produce them, though. Check out this article with great tips on spicing things up!

Think you know your audience? Watch for new trends!

Knowing your audience is HUGE in public relations and marketing....and using a consistent tone across channels helps to increase transparency and clarity of messages while communicating with your audience. It is important to note that demographic trends are changing, and this Ad Age article discusses one major lifestyle trend. Click here to read the full article.

They are a growing -- and graying -- force.


Never-married single people ages 25 to 34 now outnumber the married crowd by 46% to 45%, a stark reversal from just a decade ago, when couples held a 20-point edge in the age group, according to an analysis of new Census data by the Population Reference Bureau. In essence, selling to singles no longer means just targeting teens and those in their early 20s.

Remember: our chapter has a Delicious account to share and bookmark articles!

Define your audience

Market segmentation or defining target markets has always been important in reaching our audiences. Facebook now has made it easier to do so, too! Read this piece from Ad Age to learn more.

Press Releases 101

Some of the most basic skills are the easiest to lose if you're not paying attention to WHY you do things the way you do them. This Journalistics blog reminds us of the inverted pyramid style - something every journalism teacher likely taught each of us at one point in time or another.

Read the article here

Remember: our chapter has a Delicious account to share and bookmark great articles!

Accountability? Ethics? Who knows?

I stumbled across this article on Mashable this morning, which addresses online ethics in teenagers. While it's a short piece, it definitely made me think: how has technology changed the work we do? How does it change with different generations? And how do we maintain credibility as we lose some of the control of the information?

Check it out

Remember: our chapter now has a Delicious account in order to share articles, too!

What about when the world tires of Facebook?

While no one is claiming that it has happened yet, there is a distinct possibility that the public will tire of Facebook. Growth slowed over the summer, and this article notes that "Some are concerned about privacy, certainly. Younger users, meanwhile, are probably irked that there parents are using the site too." What can we learn from Facebook? Where do we go from here? This article explains how an organization should build in the principles of Facebook to their own website.

Don't forget: our chapter has a Delcious account where we can share and bookmark great articles!

Remember, you are one press release among many

Although there are a million different ways to distribute information about your organization, you probably still write press releases in a traditional format as well. Here's one journalist's views about receiving them and an example of one that caught her eye. Read article

Don't forget: our chapter has a Delicious account to share and bookmark great articles.

Think before you send

Here's a little piece to get you thinking about your media distribution list and strategy for distributing your news, and it will also refresh you on "pitching" stories.

The primary takeaway from the article is this: think before you send....easy enough, right?

Don't forget: our chapter now has a Delicious account to share and bookmark great articles!

How can we use location-based social networking

While this article is focused on how journalists can use location-based social networking, I think it's worth a look for all of us. We all need to know how to harness these technologies to improve our processes and to stretch what we ever thought was imaginable.

Read "Location! Location! Location!"

Don't forget: our chapter has a Delicious account to bookmark articles to share!

Gmail launches a major time-saver

Would you love to save a week's worth of work-time by eliminating useless email messages? Who wouldn't? According to this Mashable article, Gmail has launched a new system for prioritizing emails based on who you email frequently, subject keywords and other options....and while Gmail may currently be the only system to filter through emails like this, it could be the wave of the future.

Read the article

Don't forget: our chapter has a Delicious account!

Sweepstakes article shares legality of promotions

Giveaways have been a way to build brand excitement for a long time, but there are rules to consider in order to keep things legal. Check out this Mashable article.

Don't forget: our chapter also has a Delicious account where we can bookmark and share articles!

Evidence of a resurge for journalists

Here's a glimmer of hope for the journalism industry: The Evolution of the Journalism Job Market. For those of us in public relations, we still need to grow and change with technology and non-traditional media. The fact that journalism is experiencing a bit of a resurge, though, is definitely a good thing, even if it's in a less traditional setting.

Don't forget, we also have a Delicious account bookmarking interesting articles to share!

Get in the Game

Ever wonder what all the jargon means? Feel a little out of the loop? Read through this "Idiot's Guide to Understanding Today's Marketing Catchphrases" and get on the same page.

Don't forget - tomorrow is the PR Boot Camp - you can register now!

The relationship between journalists and public relations

I found this interesting post reminding public relations professionals that your PR efforts shouldn't solely be aimed at journalists - it should start at home. It's a good reminder - especially in an age where most PR pros are busy with social media and the web as well - that each of our actions should be part of a greater strategic and integrated plan. And that writing a press release alone means very little.

Read the post here