Abi asks, “What are the most effective PR strategies we should be looking at?” Have news worth sharing. That’s it. That’s PR in a nutshell. It’s simple, and it’s not at all easy. Here’s a test: if you were going on a date with someone, is the story you’re working on something that you’d want
Jon asks, “Any thoughts on how to quantify online social media interactions at a conference versus those that happen in hallways and bars?” I’m not sure you could without either highly intrusive surveillance or robust individual tracking. Self-reporting would probably be the only reasonable way to gather and analyze this data that wouldn’t be unethical
Elizabeth asks, “What’s the difference between digital PR and traditional PR?” This is in reference to a set of techniques promoted by search engine companies to focus PR outcomes on SEO. In reality, there isn’t and shouldn’t be a difference. If you’re doing public relations well, the outcomes are the same. There shouldn’t be a
Nadia asks, “What are the best tips you would give to someone who has just started building their personal brand?” Remember the words of Mitch Joel: it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you. What do you want to be known for? Be crystal clear about that first. Once you know that, once you’re
Erika asks, “What are your tips for getting the most out of virtual events as an attendee?” A great question given the changed world we live in. First, prioritize what’s transient – what are the things that you can only get during the virtual event? Sessions are generally recorded and you can go back to
Alexandra asks, “In your opinion, is it possible to become an expert and succeed online without personal branding?” Of course. A personal brand is nothing more than a brand. Can a company have a runaway product without itself becoming a well-known brand? Of course. Consider how many products, services, and companies with strong brands are
Misha asks, “Do you think it’s easier or harder to build a strong personal brand now than 10 years ago?” It’s different but the principles are still the same. On social media, mainstream social media now requires ad spend whereas 10 years ago it didn’t, but tons of niche social networks still provide the same
Thomas asks, “Is SEO still accessible to small businesses?” SEO is a high knowledge discipline. That knowledge is largely free, though some of the tools are not. However, it’s not something that’s both high knowledge and high cost, like search engine marketing (SEM) is. SEO requires three kinds of knowledge: domain expertise, audience knowledge, and
Erika asks, “How do you find your ideal audience on Twitter?” Twitter is one of the easiest networks to map and understand. Using techniques like network graphing, you can quickly find the engaged, interested audience you care about for your business, on any topic. Watch the video for an example. Can’t see anything? Watch it
Mark asks, “Do you need a college degree to succeed in marketing?” Like any profession, success in marketing is about combining knowledge plus practical application to generate experience. How you obtain those pieces is up to you, but for many employers, a college degree is a heuristic they use to screen and judge candidates. Generally
