Gone are the days where customer questions, complaints and commentary reach businesses via phone, email or even Twitter. Facebook Messenger for business has been around since 2015, but this year, both customers and brands have really started adopting the service in a big way. And who can blame them? We all have these little devices in our pockets that keep us connected 24/7. We might as well use them to make our lives a little easier, right? Messaging with businesses is not a passing trend…
Read MoreIt’s been over 50 years since Marshall McLuhan famously stated, “The medium is the message,” kicking off countless arguments about whether that’s true. It’s my impression that as PR people, we have a bias toward the message. But technology’s rapid evolution, especially the past few years, has dramatically impacted how we communicate, tipping the scales toward the medium. Arguably the biggest example of this – the proliferation of mobile devices. Increase of mobile devices At first, smartphones were a secondary means for accessing the internet….
Read MoreMy affinity for live, streaming videos of baby animals began in 2013. It was a big year for babies. Bao Bao the Giant Panda debuted at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Lana, a cheetah at Richmond Metro Zoo, had a litter of five cubs. These live cams helped generate an awareness for the populations of these endangered species (and the zoos that care for them). Fast-forward to 2017 and the latest live-streamed animal phenomenon is April the Giraffe, the 15-year-old leggy lady at Animal…
Read MoreIf you host a large event, whether with customers, partners, prospects or the public, you know the joys and struggles of producing and distributing meeting materials. Even if, like me, you feel a beautifully designed printed piece is a thing of joy, you may just be ready to move away from a printed program guide to something more interactive. That’s the situation we were in recently as we helped a B2B technology client prepare for its bi-annual developer and user meeting. I’d had the good…
Read MoreI always use the start of a new year to examine different methods to do better, more efficient work. From meetings across campus to monthly reports (and pitching subject matter experts in between), staying on top of it all can be daunting. But have no fear, here are four apps that will make your life easier as a college communicator: Texture ($9.99 per month): Keeping up with magazine journalists’ stories and columns takes time and big budgets as subscriptions add up. With a monthly subscription…
Read MoreWith the release of iOS 9, Apple has brought ad blockers to the mobile web. Blockers have been available on desktop computers for some time, but mostly have been used by technically savvy—OK, I’ll say it, nerdy—users. With iOS 9’s new content blocking features, millions of iPhone and iPad users can now download (some free and some paid) ad blockers from the App Store. (I’ll wait for you while you stop reading and eagerly go download one for your phone.) Apple’s new content-blocking capabilities aren’t…
Read MoreConfession time. My first AOL screen name in middle school was MisterEMan83. Because…well I have no idea really. I lived a life of awkwardness then (and debatably now), not mystery. Regardless, my sweet (read: embarrassing) handle and I would spend hours hogging the phone line chatting with my friends. Now at 32, I’m well on my way to being a kids-these-days… adult, so it’s tempting to look at instant messaging apps like Snapchat as just another young adult obsession. But then I look at the…
Read MoreEarlier this month, Jon blogged about the “walls tumbling down” where he referenced Snapchat’s new Discover feature. Discover launched at the end of January and is Snapchat’s newest iteration in its effort to monetize. And it makes sense; the latest stats are saying that Snapchat has more than 100 million monthly active users, an estimated 700 million ‘snaps’ (photo or video messages sent between users that ultimately disappear within a few seconds) are viewed daily and ‘stories’ (photos or videos that can only be viewed for…
Read MoreLast week, Hodges made history as Sean Ryan, the last iPhone hold-out purchased the iPhone 5s. Everyone at the agency now has an iPhone, even Steve, who was once known for his sleek, sexy and T9-capable LG flip phone. What took you so long people? I recently wrote a blog on how the iPhone changed public relations. In it, I promised a post on the top iPhone apps for PR professionals. Check out some of my favorites below: Tastemade Don’t waste hours or days putting…
Read MoreIt's June 29, 2007: Game show fans are still heartbroken after Bob Barker completes his last episode of The Price is Right nearly two weeks earlier; former astronaut Lisa Marie Nowak is disputing accusations she wore diapers while driving 950-miles to confront her romantic rival in the bizarre love triangle case that made worldwide headlines; and, standing in line at AT&T and Apple stores nationwide, thousands of eager consumers are waiting to get their hands on the first ever iPhone. It’s hard to believe the…
Read MoreOnce again, Mary Meeker’s latest Internet Trends report has tons of interesting nuggets on worldwide Internet usage. Overall, there are now 2.4 billion Internet users across the world. And that number is growing, fast. The report includes 117 pages of data and insights, but what does it mean for the PR industry? Here are nine takeaways and their implications for PR professionals: TV and Internet top media consumption: 42 percent of America’s media diet is dedicated to television; another 26 percent goes to the Internet….
Read MoreLast week, the long-rumored Facebook phone came to life as Facebook Home. It’s not an actual phone, but a replacement home screen and app launcher for Android. (The HTC First, announced at the Facebook Home event, does offer tighter integration with Facebook Home.) That got me thinking: are we going to see other companies (not just social networks) following in Facebook’s footsteps to launch their own “phones”? Would that work? If, so how? I think the best first candidates for a customized Android “experience” are…
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