News & Opinion

The PR industry is made up of three types of professionals: ineffective, good and great. It’s really that simple. A majority of PR pros would fall into the good category – they’ve found a comfortable position where they get the job done and keep clients happy. Although this is a good thing, public relations cannot afford to be a majority of good professionals if it wants to lead the charge in branding the reputations of their clients. One cannot go from good to great overnight. Habits are hard to break and actions require accountability. A recent article about the habits of highly effective PR people shed some light on ways industry professionals could change themselves: 1. Listen hard: don’t pretend you’re listening. Focus during key conversations and jot down what you heard. You think you’ll remember the key takeaways but odds are you won’t. 2. Hone your writing skills: whether it’s a finely crafted memo, a post-campaign report or an email to a colleague or client, make your writing sing. How you write is often how you’re perceived in the field of communications. If you can’t articulate your message in writing, you can’t go from good to great. 3. Master your Social: Social media is not a strategy, it’s a platform. Understand it and use it regularly but don’t let the fear of missing out make you an obsessive social communicator. The other “social” — communicating and networking with peers and stakeholders (preferably in person or by phone) — holds more long-term value for you as a PR leader. 4. Be a PR advocate: Public relations often suffer from an image problem; PR is not just about pitching to the media or bitching about the media; it’s one of the most important disciplines within an organization. Advocate for your profession – and the best way to do that is by being a great PR person. 5. Read until your eyes hurt: Always be reading something – be it a magazine article, a news item online, a fiction or non-fiction book. Reading stirs your imagination, helps you to become a better writer, and, of course, keeps you well-informed. I’m sure there are some habits that were missed, can you think of any? To read the original story click here:

Social media can be a powerful tool that people use to express their feelings and to share life experiences with relatives who may not reside locally. The content users share ranges anywhere from personal opinions to pictures of what they are about to eat. Many users can probably agree on one thing that is consistently seen on their social media feeds and that is the friend that tends to over share way too much personal content. Although these rules are not lawfully written, in 2014 everyone should be aware of proper social media etiquette. Facebook over-sharing It is a safe bet that a majority of the people who post on Facebook are not thinking about the content of their message before sharing it with everyone. Just because we are friends it does not mean I want to know every meal you are about to consume or how different your child is from the pictures of them already posted the previous day. Although these photos, inspirational sayings and political messages are being seen by friends, not everyone wants to know the minute details of your life. Before posting something, it is important to ask if the content is something you would feel comfortable sharing with a room full of strangers. Questionable Connections The connections we make on social media are normally done with people we have had some form of interaction with face-to-face, but at times we also accept requests from complete strangers or people vaguely remembered. LinkedIn is a social media tool where the connection we have with people could help us advance professionally. Invitations to connect on LinkedIn should be treated like an introduction at a networking event. Have an actual conversation As people become comfortable engaging with others on social media, it is important to remember the value of an actual conversation. There are people out there that think problems can be solved through a long chain of email or text correspondence, but in reality some solutions call for human-to-human interaction. A 10-minute conversation can clear up a problem faster than waiting for a person to reply to each email. As the rate of content being shared by social media users increases daily it is important to remind ourselves of the etiquette our parents taught us and how applies it to what we share on a daily basis. To read the full story click here:

Like all jobs, building a relationship with your colleagues is key to a harmonious workplace. In the PR industry some of the most important relationships you will have are with journalists. The foundation of these relationships is built from the etiquette that you present when interacting during each conversation. In an age where social media usage sometimes limits us to a 140 characters we can often forget to be polite. The ability to engage with journalist thru different social media channels does not mean we should start the relationship off on the wrong foot by not being courteous and showing respect. Many relationships start out as a social connection and that should not be any different with a journalist. Doing research on their bio and pieces they have written will give you something to talk about when initiating conversation. Remembering not to get offended if there is not an immediate response to your outreach as journalist have just a hectic schedules as PR professionals. Once a relationship is formed, continue to monitor your new friends activity on social media so you are aware of their current interests. You never know when they may put out a request and you are the one with the right answer. This also keeps your relationship building skills sharp as you become more aware of how you interact with others and the bonds that have been formed. Read the full story here:

Anyone who is a fan of professional baseball will agree that the last few years of Alex Rodriguez’s career will always be associated with controversy. The New York Yankees all star has been fighting an uphill battle to over-turn a 2014 season long ban for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Recently A-Rod dropped his lawsuits against the Major League Baseball player’s union and the Yankees, accepting his punishment and potentially ruining his public perception for good. The money that was spent on a high-powered legal team could have been put to use seeking out the advice of experienced public relations professionals. Without this advice A-Rod’s reputation, legacy and personal life have all been damaged. A good PR representative would have told him to make public statements on his own instead of allowing a lawyer to speak for him. Since lawyers with aggressive reputations represented A-Rod, this did not portray him as a relatable guy. Solid public relations advice would have told him to admit his transgressions and stop running from the truth. Finally, some of the best PR advice that could have been given would have been to act humbled by the experience and show that he learned from his errors. If A-Rod would have considered sound public relations guidance from a professional, he would not of been the victim of bad advice and possibly been able to play in the 2014 season. To read the full story click here:  

High Tech-Focused Public Relations Agency Retained By International SEO/SEM company Los Angeles – Feb. 18, 2014 – SEMrush, a leading data provider for competitive and keyword research, today announced it has selected Bob Gold & Associates, a full-service public relations agency, to lead its U.S. communications efforts. SEMrush provides companies and professionals with great amounts of data for search engine optimization (SEO), search engine marketing (SEM) and online ad campaigns. Among their unique tools, SEMrush offers organic research to see competitors’ organic positions; advertising research to study competitors’ ads texts; keywords research to find good long-tail keyword and charts which compare various SEO metrics and other unique link building strategies. “We now have a seamless international communications campaign by partnering with the Whiteoaks Consultancy in the U.K. and their affiliate agency, Bob Gold & Associates in the U.S.,” said SEMrush Brand manager, Alexandra Tachalova. “We have a dynamic solution that we believe is filling an important need in the marketplace. With our agency partners we know we will get help in shining a light on our efforts.” “SEMrush offers important tools to speed the business prospects of any company or organization with an online presence with expert advice and practices. In short, this is a breakout company that everyone should know about and experience,“ said Bob Gold, president and owner of Bob Gold & Associates. ### About SEMrush SEMrush provides in-depth knowledge, expertise and data needed to enable businesses to take projects to the next level. Drawing on a vast well of data, easy-to-use SEMrush software gives users unrivalled analysis on SEO and website performance over 22 countries. For more information, visit www.semrush.com. About Bob Gold & Associates Bob Gold & Associates with offices in New York City, Southern California and Chicago provides strategic public relations and marketing services for the communications and high-tech industries.  Founded by Bob Gold in 1997, the agency is dedicated to providing highly-targeted creative services with reasonable fee structures.  Headquartered in Redondo Beach, Calif., Bob Gold & Associates is a co-founder and North American affiliate in the Whiteoaks International Network (WIN), a global tech-focused public relations agency network with 17 offices in 37 countries across five continents.  For more information, visit www.bobgoldpr.com. For more information, contact: Jarone Eitan Ashkenazi, Bob Gold & Associates 310-320-2010 jarone@bobgoldpr.com

Companies are improving their online social media presence by live-tweeting from events they are either hosting or attending. Live-tweets are a way to keep followers informed and give them the opportunity to experience the event without being physically present. As a PR professional there are a few important things to keep in mind when live-tweeting from an event. Use the event hashtag. If there is not a hashtag already created for the event it is ok to make one up. Keeping it short is important to remember when every character counts. The use of hashtags will group all related tweets, enable people to search for content related to the event and shows your followers that you are tweeting about an event, not just putting out random information. Tag speakers and companies in your tweets. Tagging the appropriate attendees brings attention to your company and acknowledges your presence to those who are participating in the event. This will also increase your chances of being retweeted. Engage with other live-tweeters. Use the hashtag search to find other people who are tweeting about the event helps you start a conversation that could turn into potential new followers. Don’t tweet too much. A problem that could be experienced with live-tweeting is over-tweeting. Regular followers could be overwhelmed and not appreciate a barrage of out-of-context tweets. Although there is not a specific number that is too much, it would be a good idea to determine an appropriate number before participating in the event. Take pictures, and incorporate them into your tweets. Tweets with pictures are 94 percent more likely to be retweeted, according to Social News Daily.

Washington, D.C. - NAB Show organizers today announced the first round of startups selected to participate in SPROCKIT 2014. These startup companies will collaborate with and present before influencers and decision-makers in media and entertainment at the 2014 NAB Show, the world's leading convention for professionals who create, manage and distribute entertainment across all media platforms, scheduled for April 5-10 2014 in Las Vegas. Now in its second year, SPROCKIT, a year-round program, will invite up to 30 companies to participate. A committee of industry experts reviewed a competitive pool of companies and selected the participating startups based on their potential to influence the media, entertainment and technology markets. Over the next several weeks, NAB Show will unveil additional selected startups. The first 10 companies are: AudioAir creates captivating entertainment, advertising and engagement for patrons of establishments with TV screens allowing users to listen, watch and interact on their mobile device on or off premise. Cognitive Networks is a provider of real-time services that power Enhanced TV on Smart TVs, enabling viewers to receive increased engagement and interactions with TV content through their Smart TV. ExciteM's self-serve platform enables broadcast stations to create custom interactive mobile and social experiences for their audiences in real-time. theloop is a social marketplace website, allowing individuals and brands to showcase and deliver services, as well as monetize their online content. MAZ is a mobile publishing platform that empowers brands to create better user experiences by transforming their media properties into "mini" social networks. Penthera is a provider of intelligent portable video software solutions for TV networks and content distributors. ShareRocket is a social media ratings and audience solution that helps media companies and broadcasters quantify their social media equity, benchmark against peers and turn that social market intelligence into actionable insights to drive success. Tomorrowish is a social media DVR that syncs and curates a live social media TV experience for viewers where they can participate in real-time conversations about a show whether it's live or after it's already aired. Wayin provides real-time intelligence into how viewers engage with TV programming and gives producers creative freedom to easily display social content within their own broadcast production workflow. WebTuner brings Broadband to television, and with its next generation hardware, innovative content guide, addressable and interactive advertising platform, it creates a unique consumer experience advancing industry growth and creativity.   "SPROCKIT gives up-and-comers an opportunity to work side-by-side with leaders and visionaries to navigate challenges within and find solutions to improve the media and entertainment industry," said Harry Glazer, creator and co-producer of SPROCKIT and founder and CEO of World Series of Start-Ups, LLC. "Every participating startup is a true innovator in their field, and we look forward to announcing the entire 2014 lineup over the coming weeks." SPROCKIT gives entrepreneurs broad exposure and facilitated connections to top executives in media and entertainment, the opportunity to pre-schedule private meetings with industry influencers, and time to present their product or service to potential customers, partners and/or investors at the 2014 NAB Show. Following NAB Show, the year-long program will continue through SPROCKIT Sync, where startups and industry leaders will convene and collaborate on how to bring the most innovative products, services and revenue models to market. Created in partnership with World Series of Startups, LLC and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), SPROCKIT is supported by Springboard Enterprises LLC and New Vantage Group. SPROCKIT partners and corporate members include Angel Capital Association, Convergent Wealth Advisors, Hearst Television, infoDev, SmithGeiger and Univision.

When a product or service does not meet basic standards the first place people complain is usually the Internet. But are all of those comments reliable? A recent study by YouGov revealed that 21% of Americans has reviewed a product or service online without ever buying, using or trying that product or service! One would wonder what would possess a person to potentially harm the image of a product they have never used. Could it be kids that just have too much free time on their hands? In a shocking twist the survey revealed that adults are the perpetrators of these false reviews. There is not much of a difference in the gender gap among those who leave these types of unreliable reviews (23% of men versus 17% of women), the group that is most guilty of these negative reviews is parents of children younger than 18 (32%). Now that we have identified who leaves these types of reviews it is important to understand why they are doing these things in the first place. The most common reasons: 19% left a false review because they did not like the manufacturer or service provider 22% did so because they didn't like the idea of the product in question 32% left a fake, potentially-damaging review because they “just felt like it” Manufacturers know that nearly 8 out of 10 Americans check reviews online before purchasing a product or service and that it is important to halt these negative reviews. Some businesses are fighting back by taking legal action against non-customers who leave false reviews. What do you think about this, readers? Have you ever reviewed something without giving it a try first? Let us know, your secret is safe with us. To read the full story by Elizabeth S. Mitchell click here:

People who are just starting a career in public relations industry will tell you that they chose this career path because they are a) social, b) respectful or c) want to interact with celebrities. Although those can be attributes of a PR professional, one of the quickest lessons learned in the real world is that good writing skills are required to advance quickly in this industry. Knowing the latest trick on social media doesn't mean much if you can’t convince anyone of your client’s message. The ability to write effective press releases, pitch letters and editorials, mixed with key people skills, go a long way to ensure success for you and your client. In terms of journalism, the expression of facts, viewpoints and perspectives are truly effective when written so, that the reader can get lost in the content and return to reality upon completion of an article. To read the full story by Evan Peterson click here: