By: Melinda Dale

Following the ever-changing world of Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and other social media platforms feels a lot like watching local news broadcasts – there seems to be a lot of negative news going around. From the multiple McDonalds hashtag highjackings, to rogue tweets on professional accounts by oblivious employees that cost companies money, to public figures sticking their foot in their mouths in 140 characters or less. It’s no surprise a lot of business owners who aren’t so social media savvy are skeptical about becoming a part of this world that boasted more than 4.2 billion users among the major platforms at the end of 2011.

So it was refreshing to read an article on Mashable last week about how Iceland, a country with the principle that everyone is a friend until proven otherwise, has embraced social media and modern technology to help rebuild the country. For instance:

• Inspiredbyiceland.com uses Vimeo and Tumblr to share sights and stories to whet visitors’ interests in visiting Iceland; and citizens (including the president) post invitations to personally escort visitors on tours of the country. You can even watch a live feed of Iceland, though I recommend not watching at 4 p.m. CST as most of the country is asleep so not much is going on.
• Last year, through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr Iceland enlisted the help of all of its citizens to rewrite its constitution.
• When the country’s president announced he would not run for re-election in 2012 residents started an online petition for him to stay in office, which he ultimately agreed to do until the country’s economic issues are resolved.

Read How Iceland is Rebuilding its Economy with Social Media for more examples of the innovative campaigns they are implementing as they rebuild their economy and their international image.

It’s safe to say this approach would not work as seamlessly in other countries, like the U.S., but maybe it will help us reexamine how we treat our “friends” online.

*Pictured: screen shot of a live feed of Tjornin, Iceland (www.inspiredbyiceland.com).

By: Melinda Dale

Eight short years ago, a sophomore at Harvard University launched an online network that would eventually make him the ninth most powerful person on the planet (according to Forbes magazine). As you know, that sophomore was Mark Zuckerberg and the network was Facebook.

This week’s news headlines were full of reports and opinions about Facebook’s move to file for an IPO, which could set its worth at a staggering $100 billion. You might have to sift through dozens of these articles to begin to comprehend the impact this move will have on the direction of the company and the Internet as a whole. But, one article in particular brought to light a monumental fact about the power of this social network.

In the TIME Business article, Why Facebook’s IPO Matters, Sam Gustin highlights recent events that had a global impact because of Facebook and other social media tools:

• Protests that swept across the Middle East, collapsing governments in power for decades
• Activists organizing Occupy Wall Street movements across the country, ultimately shaping a key issue for the 2012 presidential election
• Opposition against SOPA and PIPA (Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act), causing both the House and the Senate to postpone votes on the bills indefinitely

And just this week, the backlash caused by Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s decision to pull funding for Planned Parenthood. The announcement was made on Tuesday, and within three days almost 30,000 comments were made on posts on Komen’s Facebook Wall about the decision. Long-time supporters from across the country took to social media to either praise or condemn the organization, threatening to pull their own financial support. This morning Komen reversed its decision.

It’s hard to argue against the power of a Facebook post. In just eight years this tool, and the doors it opened for many other social media platforms, has fundamentally changed the way we communicate, and the way we live.

Now we must ask ourselves…what do the next eight years hold?

*Photo: Protests in Egypt, February 2011. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)

By: Aileen Katcher, APR, Fellow PRSA

When Nancy Reece asked me to speak to her Leadership and Organizational Behavior class at Lipscomb University’s graduate business school on managing your personal brand it sounded like a fun challenge.

In preparing for the talk, I found there are many different attitudes about the concept of a “personal brand.”  It appears to be coined by management guru Tom Peters in The Brand Called You in 1997 when he said “We are CEOs of our own companies:  Me Inc.”

One of Peter’s recommendations was to think about what your colleagues might consider your brand to be.  I suspect if social media had been around in 97, Peters might have recommended asking them online.  So I did.

The first thing I did was post a question on LinkedIn explaining what Nancy had requested and asking them how they define and manage their own brands.  The results varied from people trying to sell their own books and consulting services, to those with some good suggestions.

My favorite was from a nonprofit consultant named Virginia:

“I am SO sick and tired of this particular pomposity.
PEOPLE do not have brands.
People have reputations.

Levi is a BRAND of jeans.
Coke is a BRAND of cola.

grow up.”

Well, I think we can guess what Virginia’s personal brand is.

What I told the class was no matter what you call it – your brand, your persona, your personality – we all have qualities or characteristics that make us different.  And, in response to Virginia, I do agree that the concept is a dated business buzz word. But, the bottom line is in today’s business world, with social media providing instant communication, the line between one’s personal and professional life is sometimes blurred.  Even Mark Zuckerberg is not immune.

It got me to thinking – what is my personal brand? This time, I went to Facebook to see what my “friends” thought it was.  If you want a big boost to your ego, try asking your friends to define your personal brand.

Again, some controversy on the concept arose.  One friend reminded me that “cows are branded.”  But the bottom line was that my brand is that of “lack of pretence, highly approachable, devoted and accomplished professional.”

Homework assignment:  In 15 words or less, what is your personal brand?

By: Melinda Dale

Any child who asks what Thanksgiving is will undoubtedly receive one of the following answers: it’s a day to give thanks for all of the good things that have happened to you; it’s a day to spend with your family, recognizing how lucky you are to have each other; it’s a chance to reflect on everything you have and do something nice for those who are less fortunate; it’s a day to eat and eat and eat!

But how many adults know the full story of the first Thanksgiving?  Rather than providing a full history lesson, here are some key details*:

• In the early fall of 1621 the 53 surviving pilgrims celebrated a successful harvest, along with natives from the Wampanoag tribe
• The pilgrims did NOT call this celebration “Thanksgiving”
• Eventually the Day of Thanksgiving and the harvest celebration became one event that was proclaimed by individual governors on a Thursday in November
• Throughout history some presidents have proclaimed Thanksgiving and some have not
• Thanksgiving became an annual, national tradition in 1863, started by President Abraham Lincoln

Unlike the first celebration in 1621, this year’s Thanksgiving will be heavily documented. Countless photos and messages from Thanksgiving dinners around the country will flood Facebook walls and Twitter feeds. What if the pilgrims had Twitter handles?  What would their posts say**?

@TheMrsBillington: I cannot believe how delicious the meal looks, we are amazing cooks ladies! @Miss_MaryB @LizaHop1621 @SusyWhiteWinslow

@LizaHop1621: There are 3 things I am thankful for this year: @StephenHopkins, @CutieConnie413 & my little Giles Hopkins. My family is a blessing!

@CutieConnie413: OMG, why do I have to sit next to Johnny Crackston at dinner? Major #fail!

@PrincessPriscilla: I just keep staring at the squash, leeks and wild onions I cooked…they look so good! To all those at our feast tonight – you are welcome!

@JustFrankyB: @TheyCallMeJohnny  After dinner it is you, me and the draughts board. #IWantARematch!

@TheyCallMeJohnny: Challenge accepted! RT @JustFrankyB: After dinner it is you, me and the draughts board. #IWantARematch!

What will you be saying from (underneath) the holiday table this year?

*facts about the first Thanksgiving provided by Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, Mass.

**Identities based on actual individuals documented as attending the first Thanksgiving. Information provided by Pilgrim Hall Museum.

By: Aileen Katcher, APR, Fellow PRSA

When I first joined Facebook several years ago, it had recently made a change.  It didn’t affect me since I joined right after, and I couldn’t figure out what all of the complaints were about.

Last week, I felt like it was déjà vu.  One friend, artist Rick Russell, summed it up in a post:  “‘If it ain’t broke, fix it.’ – Mark Zuckerberg”

Why?  People don’t like change.  Why would Facebook make changes knowing it might upset its customers?  Douglas Rushkoff’s piece in CNN sums it up well.  He writes:  “We are not Facebook’s customers at all.  The boardroom discussions at Facebook are not about how to help little Johnny make more and better friendships online; they are about how Facebook can monetize Johnny’s ‘social graph’.”  And, what’s wrong with that?  Facebook is a business after all.

Apparently a lot in many Facebook members’ eyes.  In response to my post:

“How do the recent Facebook changes compare to the past times Facebook has changed? Worse, better or about the same? Discuss”

I had many friends weighing in on how they felt about the new changes.  No one loves them, three friends like them, but the overwhelming majority don’t like them.  Comments included:

• Feh (which means I don’t like them)
• I’m lost
• I prefer the former set up
• If they are so technologically savvy, why can’t they devise a way to interactively allow the user to design their own Facebook pages?
• Don’t expect Facebook to listen to complaints any more than they have ever done.
• I don’t like the huge photos
• I’m more likely to leave, the more often I’m relearning navigation.

Kim Phillips shared a link that enables you to remove the new news ticker by using Google Chrome (wonder if it also automatically subscribes you to Google+.)

And Christine Taylor, one of the three friends that like the changes shared a link about how to use the new timeline to enhance your Facebook experience.

Christine has the right idea.  The change is here.  It’s likely not going to change back.  So, embrace it – or stop using Facebook.  Complaining won’t fix it.  Facebook is a business and businesses must change to remain competitive.

Earlier this week, Facebook announced its integration of video calling powered by Skype, a group chat and a new chat design.

Brier Dudley, writer for The Seattle Times, attended the webcast and provides a minute-by-minute overview in his blog.

Reaction from the field seems mixed with comparisons to Google+ Hangout, which was announced last week.

If you’re curious, Preston Gralla from Computer World offers an in-depth comparison of Facebook Video Calling vs. Google+ Hangout.

Jennifer Starkey, a fellow APR I met at a PRSA conference, provides a shrug, a “we’ll see” and an easy-to-digest “6 Thinks To Take Away From Facebook’s Announcement” in her blog, Internet marketing trends and emerging technology.  

KVBPR’s Melinda Dale offers a different take.

“I think these new features are the next logical step in the evolution of Facebook,” said Dale.  “With the group chat feature, people might turn to Facebook even before texting.”

Additionally, Dale believes the partnership between Facebook and Skype is a great business move, as it introduces Skype’s capabilities to new audiences, including Facebook’s ever-growing senior adult population.  Technology often appears less intimidating if it’s part of a service to which people already subscribe.

What do you think?

As social technology outlets race to provide value to users it’ll be interesting to see what else they have up their sleeves.

Photo Credit: James Martin/CNET(http://news.cnet.com) Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Skype's Tony Bates during partnership announcement

By Holley Stein

Jason Falls, owner, co-author and editor at Social Media Explorer, spoke at yesterday’s PRSA luncheon about the key elements to a successful social content strategy: Understanding the differences in audience expectations and preferences on each channel, and building different content for each.

Falls was entertaining, engaging and knowledgeable. I wish I could bottle him up since he’s everything you would want to convey through social media.

He suggested that in the social media realm, we as practitioners need to not just be brand-centric, we need to be audience-centric. The social media space is about sharing and, as he put it, “people share awesome and awesome is defined by the customer.”  So how do we communicate “awesome?”

While Falls offered a number of gems in his presentation, the following thoughts are just a few of my takeaways:

• Social media should not be approached as an “end-sum” game. It’s more important to focus on the audience who likes you and don’t try to be everything to everyone.
• Know your channels, how they are used by your audience and understand that you cannot use the same content in the same way. Also, know that not all channels are appropriate for your product.
• Define the audience for each channel.
• Different networks require different jargon. For example, no one on Facebook really cares about hash tags and no one on LinkedIn wants to know every personal detail.
• Establish social media expectations with your audience.
• Only eight percent of adults use Twitter.

For additional information, visit http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/.

(Translation: Oh my God…in case you missed it, that’s in the dictionary!)

By Melinda Dale

On this morning’s episode of TODAY, Katie Couric was back for an in-depth interview with Matt Lauer.  When Matt playfully teased her about how early she had to get up to be there, Katie’s immediate response was “OMG!”  This reminded me of the story published in the Huffington Post at the end of March, announcing that “OMG,” “LOL,” and “<3 (heart)” were officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, once these “initialisms,” as they are called in the digital world, are thrown about in normal conversation by some of the media industry’s most renowned news people, there’s really no turning back.

So what do they mean?

OMG, int. (and n.) and adj.:
Etymology:  Initialism < the initial letters of ‘oh my God’ (frequently as a graphic abbreviation).  The final element may sometimes represent gosh, goodness, etc.

LOL, int. and n.2
Etymology:  Initialism < the initial letters of laughing out loud; sometimes also pronounced as an acronym.  The first L of LOL is sometimes also explained as the initial letter of laugh.

<3 to heart
The new sense added to heart v. in this update may be the first English usage to develop via the medium of T-shirts and bumper-stickers. It originated as a humorous reference to logos featuring a picture of a heart as a symbol for the verb love, like that of the famous ‘I <3 NY’ tourism campaign.  From these beginnings, heart v. has gone on to live an existence in more traditional genres of literature as a colloquial synonym for ‘to love’.

It’s hard to believe that not even a decade ago terms like these were practically completely absent from daily conversation.  But with the lightning fast rise of text messaging, Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of digital conversation, everywhere you turn you hear someone talking about their “BFF” or starting a sentence with “BTW.”  As a twenty-something who is quite connected through many social media outlets, I used to think I was on top of the latest trends and very well versed in digital communication.  But now I find myself on Google far too often looking up the definitions of new initialisms that have appeared in a tweet or a Facebook post.

IMHO (meaning, in my humble opinion) it’s rather absurd that, what is known as, the premier dictionary for the English Language is now including initialisms in its listings.  But, with the way this new “language” is growing, it might start becoming more and more necessary.

BFN!

by Aileen Katcher

About ten years ago, Joel Fortner interned at KVBPR while he was at MTSU.  We called him Joey then (I still do).  Today, Joel is Media and Opinion Research Analyst at Air Force Public Affairs at the Pentagon in DC.   We have stayed in touch off and on since he graduated, most recently connecting via social media (LinkedIn and Twitter.) 

When he reached out to see if he could interview me for his first blog post on Public Relations and The People Behind It, I was flattered. 

He profiles me and three other PR entrepreneurs, Gayle Falkenthal of Falcon Valley Group, Heather Whaling of Geben Communication, and Sarah Evans of Sevans Strategy in the post.   I already followed Sarah on Twitter.  I didn’t know the others but was also impressed by their stories (and looking forward to following them as well.) 

Read Joey’s post for some interesting insights into how each of us became PR firm owners and what keeps us awake at night.

By Aileen Katcher, APR, Fellow PRSA

The goal: raise awareness of the Nashville International Trade Mission to South America for the Nashville Health Care Council and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

The challenges: jet lag, a three-hour time difference, a packed agenda, language barriers … oh, and I was in week three of my personal push to stay off caffeine.

The opportunities: 30 delegates with different perspectives meeting health care and government leaders in Chile and Argentina and exploring the potential to work together and learn from each other.

The KVBPR solution: a plan that became the road map for best practices in intercontinental event communication, significantly raising awareness of the trip in the Nashville business community and highlighting perspectives.

An exclusive relationship with SouthComm provided advance stories, daily blog posts and post-mission trip stories. Each day of the week-long mission, the NashvillePost ran a blog or video post from their Latin American correspondents (myself and Council President Caroline Young) and included it in their daily email summary of stories.

With a three-hour time difference and a packed agenda for the mission, developing content and making deadlines was sometimes a challenge. It meant occasionally skipping lunch, leaving evening events early, or rising at the crack of dawn to write about the prior day. Sound hectic? It was, but it was also the most enjoyable writing I have done in a long time.

Although we had developed a list of potential subjects to cover, we had to be flexible and seize opportunities. For example, the “We are Chile” post practically wrote itself after we learned how the country had come together following their tragic earthquake and mining accident. Another blog developed after three delegates discovered they attended the same law school at different times yet ended up in very different health care related jobs.

While I was busily writing and recording in South America, the KVBPR team and Council and Chamber staffs in Nashville were proofing, editing video footage, formatting photos, updating social media sites and delivering completed materials to the NashvillePost each day. The Chamber posted links to the stories on its site and the Council encouraged its members to post links on their sites.

In addition, KVBPR produced The Daily Five – a daily email news digest of the top five local and national health care stories, plus any trip coverage, in a PDA-friendly format that helped delegates stay informed of news at home.

I learned a lot (including developing a love for Mate, a tea product that provides caffeine-like results without the negative side effects), met some fabulous people (including a neighbor who runs by my house everyday on his jog), saw and fell in love with two countries I had never visited, and overall had a fabulous time. And, the Nashville Health Care Council and Chamber achieved the visibility and awareness of the trip that they were seeking.

So, where are we going next?