| Just about everybody is buzzing about social media | | | | * Monitor -- Know the high-authority bloggers who |
| and its implications for the practice of public relations. | | | | cover your industry and diligently monitor what they |
| Not just the specialized public relations New York area | | | | are saying about you and your industry. This could |
| firms offer, but in the world at large. While a number of | | | | serve as an early warning detection system as to |
| New York-based public relations firms have created | | | | emerging issues. |
| practice areas devoted to social media, others have | | | | * Identify Allies -- While it is always a good idea to |
| added social media initiatives to existing practices to | | | | keep your enemies close, you should have a good |
| offer clients a complete arsenal of marketing | | | | idea of who your company's potential supporters are |
| communications tools. However, the rise of social | | | | within the digital world. These are relationships worth |
| media has greatly impacted the area of crisis | | | | cultivating as they could become "ambassadors" for |
| communications and we at Makovsky + Company, a | | | | your company in times of crisis. |
| New York public relations and investor relations firm, | | | | * Utilize Social Media -- Having an active presence in |
| offer insights into how you can safeguard your | | | | the realm of social media can assist greatly in building |
| company's reputation in this brave new world. | | | | your company's reputation and marketing its products |
| First, a look at what's changed from a crisis standpoint | | | | and can also be utilized to deliver key messages to a |
| since the rise of social media. In years past, when | | | | variety of constituents during troubled times. Think of |
| traditional media were the primary delivery vehicle for | | | | this effort as building a reservoir of good will. |
| the dissemination of news and information, a company | | | | * Be Mindful of Disclosure -- Corporate disclosure |
| typically had a little time to implement their crisis | | | | within the SEC's guidelines is important. All |
| communications program. With the advent of social | | | | communications via social media should be vetted by |
| media and the increasingly powerful position it occupies | | | | legal counsel and, of course, should involve your |
| in the in the media world, all of that is changing. Social | | | | company's investor relations department to avoid |
| media is immediate and viral -- rumors and news can | | | | inadvertent disclosure. |
| spread rapidly throughout the Internet via blogs, Twitter, | | | | * Update Your Crisis Program -- Basically, your crisis |
| Facebook, and YouTube, informing the traditional media | | | | communications plan should be updated frequently and, |
| (often, journalists housed at traditional media outlets will | | | | perhaps with greater frequency given the rapidly |
| maintain blogs that are updated with a degree of | | | | changing world of social media. |
| frequency). | | | | The emergence of social media has forever altered |
| In addition, the media landscape is also changing. With | | | | the landscape of the battle. While a crisis once take |
| the well-publicized cutbacks at newspapers and other | | | | hours to unfold, companies can now find themselves |
| traditional media, there is a void which is being filled by | | | | engulfed in a troubling situation in the time it takes to |
| bloggers, who outnumber traditional journalists by a | | | | click a mouse. Makovsky + Company is among the |
| wide margin. Also growing into the millions are the | | | | public relations firms to pioneer to use of social media |
| numbers of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter users. | | | | in business-to-business applications. The firm |
| In essence, this means you -- as a practitioner of public | | | | understands the critical importance of integrating online |
| relations New York based companies turn to -- must | | | | and traditional campaigns to ensure your company's |
| be ready to respond instantaneously to protect the | | | | reputation is protected in the online marketplace. As a |
| reputation of your client's company and/or products. | | | | result, it has forever changed the practice of public |
| We offer a checklist on how to utilize social media in | | | | relations New York financial services and healthcare |
| your crisis communications planning: | | | | companies expect and rely upon. |