Why CEO Visibility Still Counts

Imagine Facebook without Mark Zuckerberg, or Tesla without Elon Musk. Even thinking about JPMorgan Chase without picturing Jamie Dimon is hard if you follow Chase even casually.

In today’s business and media landscape, the CEO role extends far beyond the traditional confines of boardrooms and executive suites. An analysis of articles written about current Fortune 100 CEOs and their companies shows a strong correlation with those CEOs who are quoted in the press and the position of their organizations.

It’s difficult to separate the cause from the effect here (large and successful companies are media magnets after all), but successful CEOs use various PR strategies and channels to engage with stakeholders, share insights, and shape narratives. The trend toward increased CEO visibility isn’t merely a matter of ego, or personal preference, though it certainly might feed their vanity. But at a corporate level it’s a strategic imperative with real implications for company reputation and even performance.

A visible leader is an engaged leader

Eleanor Hawkins of Axios highlights the growing prominence of CEOs in the Fortune 100, noting their heightened presence across social media platforms and in long-form media interviews. According to Paul Argenti, a professor of corporate communication at Dartmouth College, such visibility can be a critical component of effective strategy execution.

CEOs have a key role as conduits to various stakeholders, including shareholders, employees, and the press. By proactively engaging with them, business leaders can foster transparency, build trust, and shape perceptions of their companies. In particular, the C-level bully pulpit can be a powerful tool for amplifying corporate messaging and generating buzz around key initiatives.

But what exactly does CEO visibility entail, and why does it matter? An effective approach involves more than just making occasional public appearances or issuing carefully crafted statements. It’s about actively participating in conversations, sharing perspectives, and demonstrating leadership on issues that resonate with stakeholders.

Avoiding pitfalls isn’t that hard

What about the risks? It’s essential to strike the right balance. While being outspoken can garner attention, it also means thoughtful planning and a willingness to take some criticism—especially for leaders representing large brands with diverse customer bases.

Nevertheless, CEO visibility doesn’t have to mean provocative commentary or grandstanding. Instead, it’s about engaging authentically and meaningfully on relevant issues of the day.  The MuckRack analysis of CEO media coverage shows that while political comments or crisis response drove some stories, “most executives were simply weighing in on 2023 industry trends.” Whether it’s commenting on changes, addressing corporate challenges, or championing social causes, CEOs have a unique opportunity to shape narratives and influence perceptions.

Stakeholder engagement and success are correlated

The data speaks for itself. CEOs who embrace visibility and engage actively with stakeholders often enjoy greater corporate visibility and, by extension, enhanced business outcomes. Take Elon Musk, for example, whose prolific presence on social media has helped propel Tesla to the forefront of public awareness. His visibility on X, the social platform where he reigns as the de facto CEO despite lacking the title, by contrast, has not worked well, depending on what you think his goals are. But that’s because his most obvious role on X has been Chief Troll.

Other Fortune 100 CEOs, like Satya Nadella and Bob Iger, have done well by leveraging their visibility to drive corporate narratives and shape public discourse. By commenting on industry trends, sharing insights, and demonstrating thought leadership, they have solidified their positions as influential voices in their sectors.

In essence, CEO visibility isn’t just a vanity metric or a passing trend—it’s a strategic imperative with tangible benefits for companies and their stakeholders. By embracing transparency, authenticity, and proactive communication, CEOs can enhance corporate reputation, drive engagement, and ultimately, achieve sustainable business success. As Argenti puts it, “It’s really a shortcut for an organization to communicate their strategy.” So, to all the CEOs out there: It’s time to step into the spotlight and make your voices heard. Your stakeholders—and your bottom line—will be the better for it.

How To Measure The “Hidden” Value Of PR Work: Contextual Value

We’re in the middle of the first quarter, which for many PR and marketing teams can mean close budget scrutiny. But unlike marketing, where we can count whitepaper downloads, webinar attendees and inquiries from marketing content, proving the ROI of PR can be a little more obscure.

One of the biggest trends we’re seeing in PR is a focus on the innate value of PR – and not just in meeting KPIs. Numbers are helpful, but it’s the context behind those numbers that should truly make them resonate with brands. There are three simple ways to measure the value of PR this year.

Sentiment and tone make all the difference

We intuitively know if an article or interview is positive, but an analysis of sentiment and tone offers insights into the qualitative impact of PR efforts. This means evaluating whether brand mentions in the media and in social chatter are positive, negative, or neutral, and how this affects public perception. Advanced tools like Muck Rack, Critical Mention and Hootsuite can examine articles and social media posts to provide a sentiment score. The contextual value is higher when the coverage aligns with the organization’s desired image and messaging, even in the face of challenges or crises.

What placement? Where?

PR teams should consider how to evaluate the prestige and relevance of the publication to the brand’s target audience. A placement in a highly-respected, widely-read publication within the client’s industry can have significant contextual value. In some cases, while a Tier 1 win like a Wall Street Journal piece is great for the brand, the Tier 2 media placement in the Retail TouchPoints is the one that drives prospects and customers.

Where a brand appears in an article also affects the value of a placement. A mention at the beginning or within key sections can have more impact than a minor one that’s buried with industry competitors. PR teams should also evaluate whether the brand is featured as a primary subject of the article or merely mentioned in passing. The context in which the brand is discussed – for example, as a solution to a problem or as a market leader – clearly also impacts its value.

Does it reinforce the brand story?

Finally, evaluate how well the brand mention aligns with desired messaging and goals. The contextual value increases if the article communicates or supports specific messages, such as innovation or sustainability, or an origin story that makes the company stand out.

PR analyses should also consider the article’s reach and how likely it is that the desires audiences will see it, of course. This involves assessing the outlet’s circulation, online traffic, and social media sharing potential. High visibility in a context that aligns with the organization’s values and messaging boosts the placement’s relevance and value.

Considering the contextual value of earned media and social content offers a more holistic view of a strategic PR program, including its longer-term impact on brand reputation, awareness and customer retention.

Changing Content Consumption Trends And What They Mean For PR

The way we consume media – in terms of formats, channels, platforms, and more – is in a state of constant evolution. For PR professionals, it’s not enough to be “on social,” “into video,” or “always on mobile.” PR teams need to note what’s driving trends in content consumption – whether it be convenience, price point, overall user experience, or anything else. Only then can we understand where brand conversations and messages make sense.

In the media business, we talk a lot about how brands can get into those conversations through advertising. But what about PR?  PR and other media professionals think in terms of paid versus earned media – but consumers don’t. They care about media that speaks to their interests. For an imaginative PR team, this opens up new avenues presented by current media consumption trends.

Mobile usage remains strong

Whether it’s earned or paid, more people are reading and viewing content on their mobile devices than ever before. Account Supervisor Alysha Duff expanded on this phenomenon in a recent post. Mobile ecommerce is booming, with 54% of millennial and 55% of GenZ shoppers saying social is their preferred channel for discovering brands. So for PR, there are opportunities to connect with relevant influencers, or to place branded content, or, where applicable, to take advantage of the growing popularity of click-to-buy mobile ecommerce.

But beyond that, PR teams need to step back for a moment and think about mobile UX on the media outlets they’re targeting, and to consider what the mobile experience means for overall quality of media. How does the outlet’s content render on mobile? Do its pages load quickly? Do ads or permissions interfere with the content? Media must be visually appealing on mobile, and that stands whether a PR team is strategizing for TikTok or Instagram, or for trade publications. As we all know, seamless UX just isn’t a given across all the industry publications where B2B brands want to be heard.

Podcasting is still huge for PR

Digital audio listenership only continues to trend upward, with nearly 75% of US consumers listening on digital channels in 2023. A lot of that growth is driven by podcasts – and the intimate nature of the medium, plus the trust audiences place in their favorite podcasters. That engagement presents prime opportunities for branding and thought leadership. PR teams are naturally intrigued by how precisely podcasts target audiences, and how varied they are in subject matter, tone, and length. And in PR, it’s always important to look beyond the most famous podcasters to understand which personalities have celebrity status within their sectors. Choose an industry, and you’ll find it has its own stars. Often, they’ve built their audience through a distinct voice and ability to speak authoritatively. That’s true even if they’re not the most senior professionals in the industry – or, in the case of someone like AdTechGod, even if their real-life identity is secret.

Where’s that “replacement Twitter” we asked for, anyway?

PR professionals and journalists alike are still grappling with what to do when a platform that had been a central conduit for information becomes a minefield of brand-unsafe content and unreliable narrators. It’s even more urgent when the platform keeps losing the users PR teams want to engage. In the case of X, formerly Twitter, no single social platform has emerged where PR pros can simply port over and replicate their Twitter strategies. PR leaders need to grapple with a digital landscape where media interactions take place on a platform that may not look like Twitter. This is actually an opportunity to shift PR/editorial interactions to a platform engineered to facilitate those interactions. Patrice Gamble, Director, Public Relations, recently told us about how platforms like Discord and Media.com give PR teams the means to meet on equal ground, and to work together to build shared trust and elevate storytelling.

Tracking trends in media consumption means we’ll recognize where messages can contribute to the conversation organically and intuitively. It takes dedication and imagination, but that understanding is necessary to successfully adapt PR strategy for the way people consume media today.

Top PR Insights From 2023 – It’s More Than AI!

This year, our PR team published dozens of blog posts, sharing PR insights and unpacking trends from a variety of perspectives. They’re based on the experience and direct observation from people at all staff levels. And 2023 has certainly been a year of wild experiences for PR professionals.

We’re not just talking about ChatGPT – although the Crenshaw team has been early and vocal in proclaiming Chat GPT’s usefulness for PR. We’ve explored imaginative ways to frame narratives, take advantage of new social channels, ride the waves of change in tech PR, and more.

Here’s a countdown of the five Crenshaw blog posts that have attracted the most attention throughout 2023.

Top PR Insights from 2023 that PR Professionals Need for 2024

  1. Five Essentials for PR Campaigns Tied to Holidays

Holidays offer great opportunities for PR teams and the brands they represent, but it’s also easy to slip and see your message get lost in the chatter. To connect a campaign to a holiday, there must be a purpose, a relevant message, and of course a thorough plan. In this post, Sasha Dookhoo explains how PR teams can set themselves up for success in holiday-themed campaigns – and to recognize what success looks like.

  1. Triggers, Myths and Archetypes for Powerful PR Storytelling

PR is evolving beyond pitching stories for reporters to tell. More than ever, PR professionals are telling the stories ourselves. And to tell memorable stories, we need to understand how to make emotional connections with the audience, and to present a story that holds their attention. Where better to look for those narratives than Joseph Campbell’s own Hero’s Journey? There are reasons why these familiar story lines continue to resonate over millennia.

  1. For PR, Is ChatGPT an Asset or a Threat?

AI has been positioned for years as a tool for automating repetitive tasks. But ChatGPT marks a clear leveling up of AI’s potential for business. Here, Dorothy Crenshaw lays out what ChatGPT is and how it differs from earlier AI tools, complete with a demonstration. PR professionals can use ChatGPT to gain a competitive edge, but it’s important to understand the limitations to the technology. Otherwise, we risk declining professional standards.

  1. What ChatGPT Brings to Public Relations

ChatGPT is a powerful tool – but in PR, we need to use it thoughtfully, and without devaluing human creativity and oversight. When we look at how ad tech and B2B tech businesses use AI for their own benefit, those uses are often well-suited for PR work. Here are some examples of how Cooler Screens and other leading digital brands are making good use of AI, and some recommendations for further reading.

  1. How PR Teams Can Use ChatGPT

It quickly became obvious that ChatGPT would have the power to impact the work of PR and our entire industry. But it was also clear that we have many reasons to feel optimistic about these changes. At Crenshaw, we’ve seen so many valuable PR use cases for ChatGPT – from saving time on routine tasks, to brainstorming ideas and angles, to making video production feasible. Adam Brett shows us seven strong examples of how ChatGPT is empowering PR teams.

The PR insights we’ve gained will certainly be welcome food for though for those aiming to accelerate their teams and their innovation in 2024. Here’s to putting the knowledge to good and constructive use!

Sam Bankman Fried, FTX, And The Limits Of PR

Of all the opinion journalism about former FTX CEO Sam Bankman Fried’s quickie conviction, Ginia Bellafante’s article struck me. It explores the gap between how tech insiders and investors saw the tech whiz kid and the way a jury of regular people did. It even includes accounts of testimony at his trial that Mr. Bankman-Fried refused to wear a suit when investor Anthony Scaramucci asked, because, he claimed, “T-shirts were crucial to his ‘brand.'”

In other words, it’s all about image. The most important corporate function? PR.

Apparently Bankman Fried took that literally. According to The New York Times, FTX lacked crucial elements of corporate governance, including a chief financial officer, a human resources or compliance department, or a board of directors. Instead, a significant portion of its resources was dedicated to a public-relations manager who arranged interviews and managed Bankman Fried’s public appearances.

The Lessons of Theranos, Unlearned

The quick collapse of FTX and its boy wonder is also reminiscent of another high-flying tech CEO who prized personal PR above all  things — Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of Theranos. Anyone who works in PR for high-growth tech businesses knows that the media are eager to cover colorful founders, especially if they’re young. If they’re female, they’re irresistible. Investors were taken in by Holmes’s charisma, and even tech journalists showed surprising credulity when it came to the Theranos blood-testing story.

There’s also a media herd mentality in sectors like Silicon Valley. Media coverage brings more media coverage. Holmes became a business celebrity, and everyone wanted a piece. Few questioned the absence of peer-reviewed research on the Theranos technology, and the culture of secrecy was covered as a Holmes quirk. It took a hard-nosed investigative reporter outside the bubble, John Carreyrou, to bring down the house of cards.

Don’t Use PR for Evil

It’s true that in the exalted world of high-growth technology companies, public image can make a brand. In a new or emerging sector like biotech or crypto, it’s particularly compelling. A public face can make the esoteric accessible and build confidence in a brilliant future even if the products or underlying tech isn’t quite there. The promise of positive media coverage and a strong brand reputation can seem like the keys to success.

But Sam Bankman-Fried’s crash and the collapse of FTX serve as stark reminders that the image, and an excessive focus on optics, can hide a much uglier picture.

Strategic PR can position a young business in a new or emerging sector. It can help build credibility, attract investors, and lay the groundwork for market demand generation. But it should never come at the expense of core operational functions. And it certainly shouldn’t be used as a smokescreen to hide critical deficiencies or mask a charade.

Obviously, a high-growth tech company, like any organization, should prioritize accountability and sound corporate governance. A public image should reflect a foundation of ethics and good business practices rather than paper over failures. In the long run, it is the substance of a company’s operations and its commitment to delivering value that will determine its success, not a glossy exterior.

A preoccupation with PR over essential governing functions is empty and fruitless if there’s no substance behind it.

Five Things PR Teams Should Know About Voice Search

As PR pros, we must continually adapt to emerging technologies that impact consumer behavior. One new kid on the block that’s still underused in PR is voice search. Voice search is reshaping how people seek information because of its ease of use and flexibility. According to Demand Sage, there are 4.2 billion voice assistants in use as of 2023, and the number will reach 8.4 billion by 2024.

As voice-enabled devices and virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant become common, voice search is also transforming how consumers interact with brands and information. For PR pros, understanding and adapting to this shift is crucial for maintaining relevance and delivering value to internal and external clients. Here are five ways to consider voice search in a PR program.

Conversational content

Voice search queries tend to be more conversational and long-tail, reflecting the way people naturally speak. PR pros must optimize content to align with these conversational queries, ensuring that it ranks well in voice search results. Voice searches also often have a strong local intent, such as finding nearby businesses or services. PR pros should prioritize local SEO efforts to ensure their clients’ businesses are discoverable through voice search.

Content marketing

Creating high-quality, informative content that answers common voice search queries can position a company or their leader as an industry expert and increase its chances of being featured in voice search results. Tech PR pros in particular should also consider how to simplify a lot of the complex, jargon-filled content that fills so many websites. Simple, effective content will aid voice search queries and help with discoverability.

Reputation management

As voice search relies on providing quick, accurate answers, PR teams need to help companies enhance their authority and build trust online. This includes maintaining a strong brand reputation that is accurate and positive. A negative online reputation can be detrimental for brands and decrease voice search results. As such, PR pros should proactively help brands mitigate potential damage.

Trustworthy sources

As voice-activated devices rely on credible sources to provide answers to queries, earned media coverage becomes very important. Earning media coverage in multiple reputable publications can increase the likelihood of being cited as a trusted source by virtual assistants. Collaborating with reputable influencers and thought leaders who have a strong online presence can also help PR pros establish brands as reliable sources of information in their respective industries.

Structured data and schema markup

Structured data and schema markup are foundational elements of SEO that are gaining more prominence in the era of voice search. These tools help search engines better understand the content on a website, making it more likely to appear as a featured snippet or a relevant answer in a voice search response. PR pros should work closely with web developers to ensure content structured in a way that’s easily digestible by voice-activated devices. FAQ pages, for example, are very useful. The goal is for sites to provide concise, accurate answers to common voice queries, aligning content with the conversational nature of voice search.

Voice search not only changes how consumers access information, but also how they perceive and trust brands. Since earned media builds credibility, it is very useful to creating trust. Embracing voice search optimization while creating strong content that builds positioning will ensure brands can navigate the evolving world of voice search. PR pros must consider voice search in their long-term plans to ensure continued relevance or organizations and their leadership as they work to establish them as industry experts.

Crenshaw Communications Joins Digital Marketing Agency Mod Op

“What’s a Mod Op?”

That’s the question I heard from clients, friends, and PR colleagues when I told them that Crenshaw Communications, the PR firm I founded in 2009, had become part of Mod Op, a leading digital marketing and communications agency.

Mod Op is on an impressive growth trajectory and its profile is rising fast, but it’s better known in marketing circles than in the PR business. So, I’ve had to spell the name once or twice. I’ve explained that it hearkens to the Latin modus operandi, which means “way of operating” and implies a distinct approach and commitment to one’s work. In that regard, the name is fitting.

But beyond the name, here is what Crenshaw’s acquisition by Mod Op means to us, our clients, and our future.

An instant expansion of services

As our base of B2B technology clients has grown, they need more than the earned media, executive visibility, and thought leadership positioning our programs provide. While we’ve flirted with adding new offerings and have brought in consultants for specialized needs, there’s nothing like the real thing. As Mod Op, we offer market research, SEO, data insights, website development, creative services, and a whole lot more. This, while maintaining our identity as Mod Op’s strategic business unit for public relations.

A greater depth of talent

In the short time we’ve been part of Mod Op, we’ve been wowed by the depth of talent here. It’s going to take time to get our arms around it, but it’s exciting to be part of this larger team. I feel like I learn something new every day, whether it’s about an amazing client campaign, insights from the AI committee, or just chat about the latest new business pitch. Sharing office space with Mod Op Strategic Consulting (formerly dPrism, a digital transformation consultancy) and learning about their work, which is at the intersection of data, technology, and business, has been fascinating and thought-provoking. It all translates into greater mobility and opportunity for our team and a deeper offering for clients.

An entrepreneurial culture

We’re a small and nimble team, and we represent high-growth businesses that prize independent thinking and proactivity. As a result, we’re an entrepreneurial group. We value that spirit and feel it has been a driver of our growth and success. Although it’s a larger company at over 200 employees, Mod Op’s leadership and culture reflect very similar values.

An eye on the future

Artificial intelligence is changing everything. It’s the biggest inflection point for business transformation, and we have only  begun to realize its potential. Our clients are grappling with its impact and implications, and so are we. We all need top-quality analysis, insights and objective advice to do that. Mod Op’s leadership team was quick to recognize the transformational nature of AI for marketing and PR, and they’re committed to scaling our expertise and our offerings. The agency’s tagline is “Accelerating Growth Through Data, Human Creativity + AI.” They take this mantra seriously.

As a PR team that serves high-growth technology clients, so do we. Mod Op’s emphasis on AI-driven solutions as a complement to human creativity and inspiration resonated because it’s aligned with our thinking. But it invites us on a bigger and broader mission. My partner Chris Harihar has helped drive our growth, in part because he understands the power of technology, especially AI. Our team has developed a reputation as an innovator for that reason.

We joined Mod Op so we can take things to the next level. It’s going to be an exciting trip.

Newsjacking: How Brands Can Use Current Events To Make News

Newsjacking is a powerful tactic for marketing and public relations. It involves capitalizing on current events and trending news stories to promote or offer comment from a brand, product, or service. Given the ever-evolving digital landscape, keeping up with current events is not just important, but imperative for businesses that want to stay relevant and engage their most important audiences. A swift and reactive response to news lets brands insert themselves into ongoing conversations, offering timely and relevant insights.

As B2B PR specialists, our team has helped adtech, data  and cybersecurity brands like SOCi, MediaRadar, Lotame, National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA), and Digital Remedy seize news opportunities. With fast response, they’ve aligned their messages with the latest news, driving engagement and amplifying their brand presence.

The Art of Newsjacking: Balance Speed with Care

The essence of newsjacking lies in timely, relevant responses that connect a brand with current events. Swift reactions are key, given the speed of the news cycle.

However, caution is crucial. Mishandled timing or execution can damage a brand’s image. Avoid jumping on sensitive issues in a way that can be seen as exploitive. Add something meaningful to the public dialogue.

SOCi’s Threads Launch Commentary

When Instagram unveiled “Threads,” Meta’s equivalent to Twitter, it created a social media frenzy. This presented a prime newsjacking opportunity for SOCi, a marketing platform for multi-location brands across online platforms. SOCi offered insights on Threads’ implications for social media marketing, showcasing their expertise and thought leadership.

Their commentary not only addressed the new aboit Threads, but also provided actionable tips that resonated with industry professionals. SOCi’s approach garnered coverage in Adweek and Gizmodo, establishing their authority in the field.

MediaRadar’s CNN Ad Spend Insight

Following Chris Licht’s departure from CNN, advertising intelligence company MediaRadar analyzed ad spend data for the network. They found a striking decline of nearly 40% in CNN’s ad revenue, capturing significant attention within the media and advertising industry. The news shed light on possible hurdles in the network’s advertising approach.

With our help, MediaRadar was able to seize the opportunity for media coverage. Their findings attracted widespread media coverage from CNBC, Forbes, Yahoo, and others, generating 7.8 billion impressions across nearly 20 pieces of coverage. They not only increased brand visibility but also reinforced their credibility as the go-to choice for advertisers and marketers seeking insights about advertising trends.

Lotame’s Take on the Impact of the Writers’ Strike

As the writers’ strike dragged on, it presented an ideal newsjacking opportunity for companies in ad-supported entertainment content. Lotame, a leading data solutions provider for connected TV (CTV) advertising, recognized the relevance of the strike and offered insights into how it might affect the TV industry and its viewers’ habits. Lotame’s commentary resonated with industry professionals and consumers, establishing them as CTV experts. Their insights were featured in respected publications like Digiday and The Drum. This successful newsjacking effort elevated Lotame’s brand visibility and bolstered their reputation as knowledgeable about the changing CTV landscape, benefiting both their stature and business.

NCA Educates after the MGM Casino Hack 

The recent cyberattack on MGM Casino underscored the persistent threat of cybercrime. The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) responded by emphasizing the need for increased employee training to deal with the human element involved in many cyber threats.

NCA’s commentary stressed that even robust cybersecurity measures can falter without well-trained employees. Their insights gained significant media coverage and interest, including AP, NBC Las Vegas, and Thrillist. The response underscored the organization’s role in dispensing useful and credible information about cybersecurity.

Digital Remedy’s Insights on Nielsen/Amazon Controversy 

When Nielsen decided to exclude Amazon’s data from its Thursday night football ratings, it triggered discussion about measurement accuracy and the value of first-party data in media measurement. Digital Remedy, a digital advertising and media solutions expert, recognized the significance of the clash between traditional measurement and digital platforms.

Digital Remedy provided astute commentary on the implications of Nielsen’s decision. Their insights, focusing on the potential impact on measurement accuracy and the importance of first-party data in advertising, resonated with industry professionals. Their perspective was featured through an interview with Ad Age and coverage in The Current. This successful newsjacking effort boosted their brand visibility and positioned them as industry thought leaders on media measurement, ultimately enhancing their industry reputation and relevance.

These are just a few examples of newsjacking that illustrate the power of timely and relevant responses to current events. When executed adeptly, newsjacking can significantly enhance brand visibility and credibility. Brands should actively seek newsjacking opportunities, leveraging them to establish thought leadership and foster meaningful connections with their audience in today’s media landscape.

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Download our ebook to learn about the core principles of ethical newsjacking, self-assessment to determine readiness, and proven strategies to achieve success by responding to breaking news. It will equip you with the knowledge and tools needed to harness the power of newsjacking in today’s dynamic media environment.

Riding The Mobile Wave: What’s In It For PR?

In the public relations world, keeping up with trends is the name of the game. One game-changer is the surging use of mobile phones, thanks to conveniences like mobile streaming and online shopping right in the palm of our hand. The mobile craze, including a rise in mobile commerce (m-commerce), has advertisers and publishers trying to capitalize on consumerism. But what does this mean for public relations professionals?

The Mobile Surge Means New PR Opportunities

We’re in the age of mobile dominance, and it’s affecting the way consumers absorb content. And as technology advances, readers are gravitating toward websites and platforms that offer a seamless mobile user experience.

For PR teams, this means a whole new playground for getting the word out. It also means we should try to influence our companies and clients to get ahead of the mobile trend with innovations like a website that’s optimized for voice search, or – importantly – a mobile site that is accessible to those with disabilities. More directly, the rising popularity of podcasts and other mobile-centric media channels indicate new storytelling opportunities and platforms for PR.

How Mobile Technology Can Shape PR Strategies and Tactics

PR media placements

Platforms that offer a strong mobile experience are catching everyone’s attention. When strategizing PR placements, it’s essential to prioritize platforms with robust mobile interfaces. At minimum, press releases, blog posts and other PR material need to be optimized for mobile viewing to ensure the message gets through.

Mobile usage also has implications for other content we produce. Short, pithy, and digestible articles and videos, as well as images that pop on a smaller device are now table stakes.

Social commerce

Social commerce is mobile’s latest opportunity. According to a study of 6000 consumers by Global-e online, a majority of both Millennial (54%) and Gen-Z (55%) shoppers say social media is their number one channel for discovering international brands, with Instagram leading as the preferred platform for purchase (62%), followed closely by TikTok. While not all social shopping is done on mobile devices, the addition of one-click pay and the ubiquity of digital wallets have propelled m-commerce. The trend is particularly striking among Millennials and Gen-Zers, who are now reaching adulthood and coming into their spending power. PR teams have a big opportunity to leverage social influencers for not only brand content, but click-to-buy opportunities.

Podcasts and mobile-first media

Podcasts are riding the mobile wave big time. They’re terrific tools for PR teams because they offer a fresh way to spread a PR message, and they tend to be highly targeted. We look at podcasts as a powerful tool for communicating thought leadership by client executives, especially on key topics like building a business culture, management, marketing differentiation, and the like.

Engagement metrics

The mobile era has redefined engagement metrics. Usage and frequency are more important than downloads and installs, for example, and for most campaigns, interaction is the key measure of success. Understanding engagement metrics helps PR and communications professionals recognize the impact of their media placements and campaigns.

Riding The Mobile Advertising Wave

Mobile shopping and streaming are at the forefront of mobile-centric advertising strategies. That’s one reason why AI and ML are emerging as key ways to enhance ad effectiveness and personalization.  While adtech is innovating, there’s a prime opportunity for public relations teams as well. Rather than working in a silo, PR people should lean into adtech advances to create compelling narratives. By integrating PR efforts with modern ad personalization tools, they can not only ride the wave but also shape the future of brand messaging.

Adjusting to the mobile-centric world by analyzing and tweaking PR strategies, making content mobile-friendly, dialing up social influencer campaigns and diving into mobile-first media channels is the way forward. Along the way, it’s time for us to get the hang of the evolving mobile advertising scene and its impact on PR in driving strong brand narratives as we march into the future.

How to Use Threads For B2B PR

As Twitter (now X) declines, and newer social platforms like Bluesky remain exclusive or in beta mode, Meta’s Threads has emerged as a notable social destination for brand PR. Threads initially captured public attention with a rapid growth surge and the promise of being a less divisive alternative to Twitter. It seems promising not only for B2C campaigns, but for the content and thought leadership promotion more typical of B2B PR.

The secret of Threads’ fast growth was its integration with Instagram, which made onboarding seamless for users. Its growth has definitely cooled over the past several weeks, but for PR or comms specialists, it can offer an opportunity to drive engagement, amplify outreach efforts and reach audiences with specific interests.

Threads’ format resembles a blend of Twitter and Instagram. It is very user-friendly and enables concise messaging. However, it still lacks key features, like a content search function. Below are five ways PR professionals can use Threads to maximize their value to clients and grow business.

Thought leadership and brand positioning

For PR and communications specialists, Threads offers a unique platform to establish thought leadership and enhance brand positioning. Its focus on real-time conversations and sharing presents an opportunity to showcase industry expertise through engaging content. Threads’ tight integration with Instagram can leverage visual storytelling, making it ideal for conveying complex ideas in a visually appealing manner. Moreover, its user base, although not as large as some major platforms, is highly engaged, enabling stronger connections with the target audience.

However, the absence of a search function for content makes it challenging to explore and discover specific topics. Unlike other social media platforms, Threads makes it difficult to search for relevant conversations or even trends. The good news about the platform is that it’s already loaded with notable personalities and influencers due to its Instagram origins, yet it’s still catching up in attracting the types of business influencers most B2B brands want to engage or partner with.

Rapid response

According to a recent Capterra study, more than three in four business leaders who have activated crisis communications plans in the past say they’d increase the tools used for communication. Thus, PR professionals should be on the lookout for new tools for rapid-response communications.

Threads can be used to disseminate vital information, address concerns, and maintain transparency during a crisis, and its “softer, gentler” environment might be a welcome change from Twitter or other platforms like Reddit. Its simplicity can also streamline crisis messaging and keep it focused, ensuring a clear and consistent response.

Yet Threads lacks key features such as hashtags and trending stories that define Twitter as a global conversation hub. In an urgent situation, access to trending topics and the ability to use hashtags can amplify the reach and impact of crisis communication efforts.

Community engagement and feedback

When it comes to community engagement and gathering feedback, Threads has the potential to foster meaningful connections with the audience. Its public dialogue-oriented design, resembling Twitter, encourages open conversations and direct interaction with stakeholders. PR specialists can use Threads to conduct surveys, seek feedback, and address community concerns promptly. The platform’s simplicity and visual elements from Instagram can make engagement more appealing.

However, Threads currently lacks features such as customizable alt text for user-posted images, hindering accessibility. Additionally, it does not offer user-generated captions for videos, which can impact engagement for individuals with hearing impairment. Still, Threads offers communications professionals a fresh opportunity to interact and reach new users who were otherwise not present or felt disenfranchised from other social media platforms.

Amplifying campaigns and initiatives

Depending on their intended audience, PR specialists can leverage Threads to amplify campaigns and initiatives. Its user-friendly interface and emphasis on public conversations make it suitable for sharing campaign updates, engaging with supporters, and creating buzz. Threads also provides a direct line of communication to users, fostering a sense of involvement in ongoing initiatives. Additionally, the ability to share multimedia content can enhance storytelling and campaign visibility.

Nonetheless, Threads lacks advanced targeting and analytics features available on other social platforms. PR specialists may find it challenging to tailor their messages to specific audience segments or measure campaign performance with precision. The addition of stronger and more robust targeting and analytics tools by the platform should be an area communications professionals are consistently monitoring for as it will enable more efficient measurements to gauge campaign success.

Building influential partnerships

For PR and communications specialists aiming to build influential partnerships, Threads presents a real opportunity, given its focus on real-time conversations and interactions. Threads’ simplicity also helps in initiating conversations and networking with like-minded professionals.

When incorporated into a communication specialist’s toolkit, it opens a plethora of opportunities to enhance PR strategies and engage high-value audiences. However, Threads still lags behind more established social platforms when it comes to the functionality business users need. It will be important for PR specialists to stay updated on platforms like Threads as it adapts to a rapidly changing media and social environment.