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If you want to build your professional reputation online, here are a few Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr accounts you should follow to up your social media game:

Twitter

@Mashable - with over 5 million followers, Mashable keeps you updated on the latest social media trends.

@PRNewswire -...

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Facebook’s Messenger App: What Communication Pros Need to Know

Snapchat’s recent move toward hosting branded content has been rather significant. But what if there was another app along the same lines with double the monthly users? 

That’s where Facebook’s Messenger app comes in. 

Next week, at the F8 developer conference, Facebook will announce a number of changes associated with Messenger. From pay functions to third party content, Messenger is quickly becoming something communicators need to keep an eye on.

Continue reading on PR News

(Photo by Janitors; used under CC BY 2.0)

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Crises are always difficult and rarely expected, but being prepared can mean the difference between success and failure for a brand.

4 Things You Should Do During a #PR Crisis

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When the media calls, and they will, what do you do? It’s important to stay cool, calm, and collected when you get that unexpected phone call.

If you remember any advice, remember this: Do not take an interview on the spot – anything you say can and will be used against you! Ask them to...

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Four Effective Ways to Maintain Your Online Image

In the words of online personal branding expert, Grant Goodwin, “The first impression happens when a person ‘Google’s’ your name.” 

Your web persona can be either your best friend or yourbiggest foe. Here are my top four tips for maintaining an online image that prospective employers will appreciate.

1) Beware of Social Media

Even if you use strong privacy settings, it isn’t a great idea to use foul language, post/tweet obnoxious statuses or share inappropriatepictures online. According to TimeMagazine, 73% of prospective employers check social media profiles before hiring. Even if they can’t see your activity, employers can ask mutual friends about you. Suddenly, you may be getting a reference you haven’t bargained for… If you’re an annoying Facebook user, be prepared for that to shine through.  

2) Improve SEO

The goal is to help employers who Google your name to find the real—and impressive— you more quickly. Authoring a blog or creating an online portfolio is a great way to move your name to Google’s first page. These are incredible ways to let your professional personality shine through while showcasing your skills front and center. Check out Marketing Sherpa Blog for great tips on personal SEO.

3) Set up a Google Alert

A few weeks ago, Conestoga PR prof, Paula Barrett suggested I set up a Google Alert for my name. I’ve since been using the Google search function to track the results of searching my name. This means I’m 100% aware of any hype (negative or positive) that surfaces around my name. I can easily do some damage control if another of the world’s Justine Martins is working to trash our namesake.

4) Create one unified online persona

Basically I’m talking branding. Create a unique yet professional brand that portrays who you are. Using the same name, theme and graphics throughout your various web platforms is the best way to unify your online image. Using similar language and writing styles will also help to amalgamate each space. 

** Bonus: This will also help to ensure that random, unidentified content is not being confused for your own!

Utilize these four tips to make your online image your BFF!

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Great tips for scratching that inevitable spring cleaning itch!

Spring is in the air, and after the harshwinter we had in Canada, it’s about time for some sunshine and rejuvenation. While we know the importance of dusting, mopping, and ultimately, spring-cleaning your home, it’s also important to think about how you can spring-clean your business.

An...

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What Not To Do When Creating a Personal PR Portfolio

Last week I covered my tried and true tips for Creating a Personal PR Portfolio. That’s all well and good but even with the best intentions and great samples, your efforts can quickly go awry if you don’t tread carefully. 

Here are my three top tips of what NOT to do when creating a PR portfolio: 

1) Don’t start designingbefore you buy

Your physical portfolio will influence everything from the number of samples you’re able to include, to the layout you choose, to the cost of your printing. I learned the hard way that anything bigger than 11x14 is considered extra wide. At this size, prices can skyrocket from under $2 a sheet to over $10 a sheet. However, if you have room in the budget, a 14x17 portfolio, like the one I chose, allows you to showcase several pieces per page without overcrowding.

2) Don’t skimp on time spent perfecting samples

All your time and money spent will be for nothing if your samples are not reflective of your best abilities. I’m sure you hear this all the time, but it’s truly worth repeating… Proofread, proofread, and when all else fails, proofread again. Spelling and grammar mistakes reflect poorly on your work, as well as on your quality and time management skills. Not to mention, spending some time to pretty-up your documents can really pay off in the end.  

3) Don’t leave it to the last minute

I know, I know… You’ve heard this from parents, professors, and peers forever. But, just like proofreading, this is worth repeating. If you leave your perfecting to the last minute, chances are you’ll be trading perfection for haste. If you leave your printing to the last minute, you may notice errors or be unhappy with the layout, colours or quality. At best, you’ll find yourself rushed and stressed. At worst, you won’t have time to reprint and you’ll be forced to present a subpar portfolio to a prospective employer.

Have you made an critical mistakes in developing a personal portfolio? 

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Three Tips for Creating a Personal PR Portfolio

You know that your best and most relevant work should go up front, and that you should end with a bang. You know that you need to spotlight successful pieces, and display proven outcomes. However, if you’re anything like me, you might be overwhelmed and have no idea where to start. Here are a few of my tried and true tips to creating a unique and professional PR portfolio.

1) Splurge on a quality portfolio

A genuine leather portfolio can be expensive, but this is not the place to skimp on costs. No one is immune to first impressions. As good as your samples may be, your presentation case is the first thing an interviewer will see. A three-ring binder is reminiscent of high school. You want to be the embodiment of professionalism and competency.

2) Create a personal brand

First, identify how you want to be perceived. Consider developing a personal logo that embodies these characteristics. Free services like Vistaprint offer databases with thousands of logos to choose from. For something more personalized, seek the help of a graphic design student at your local college. Once you have a logo, work to include key colours or fonts not only in your portfolio design, but also in your website, blog, resume and cover letter. The final step is to make sure that the pieces you are selecting express these same characteristics.

3) Use a design software

This is an expansion of my last tip. Though it takes a bit more time than simply printing each sample, a design software like InDesign, Photoshop, or MS Publisher will allow you to carry your brand throughout the portfolio. You’ll be able to create a great introductory page, and see all other pages side by side as they’ll appear when you’re presenting your work. Of course your prospective employer knows that you aren’t a graphic designer, but showcasing some design skills is never a bad thing!

Bonus: Include relevant testimonials

The main goal of a portfolio is to show that you know what you’re doing. What better way to demonstrate to an employer that you are competent than having an authority figure vouch for you? In my experience, professors and previous employers were more than happy to provide me with some kind words. This is one aspect of my portfolio that interviewers tend to pay particular attention to and comment on.  

What are some of the unique things you’ve done to make building your portfolio a fun and successful experience?

Stay tuned for the second of this two-part series: What Not to do When Creating a PR Portfolio.

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Mo-Sistas, Mo-Money

We’ve all heard of Movember… More likely, we’ve all beard witness (pun-intended) as thefaces of the men in our lives have become increasingly mustache-laden over thepast 30 days. In my humble opinion, Movember is one of the most successful PR initiatives of the 21st century.

Through Movember, over $301 million has been raised for prostate cancer since 2003. Considering the Breast Cancer Society of Canada has been around for over 20 years and brings in only little over $1 million annually, Movember’s tally is no small feat.

I’m sure we’ve all noticed—especially with the advent of Pinterest—the intense amount of Movember marketing aimed at women over the past two years. The previously male dominated initiative now encourages women to register with pictures of their “faux-mo”.

Humber College students have teamed together to offer mo face painting for mo-sistas who can’t grow their own ‘staches.  Numerous retailers, websites and campuses offer mo-sista apparel and accessories so women can also act as ambassadors for the cause. Tonight I’m even attending a mo-themed party hosted by dedicated mo-sista, and fellow Conestoga PR student, Sam Clark!

After a quick visit to the Movember Canada website it is obvious that the organization has been successful in reaching this public. The site is riddled with mo-sista registrants, teams and networks, who have helped to raise thousands upon thousands for the cause. 

Ultimately, some of the most successful public relations campaigns are born when an organization learns to capitalize on key opportunities.

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Measuring Social Media Success: The Future of Gaining Credibility for Public Relations

Those of us in the post-secondary stage of our lives are not likely to turn a blind eye to social media. How many people under 30 do you know that don’t completely rely on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube to stay connected? My guess… Very few, if any!

Students know how to stay connected on an informal level through various social media outlets. Those studying public relations are also inclined to understand how to align social media goals with those of an organization to generate successful communication outcomes. Students are less likely, however, to understand the importance of actually measuring the success of such social media outputs.

It is vital, more so now than ever, for students and entry-level practitioners of public relations and communications to be well versed on the impact that measuring social media can have for the profession.

Barry Waite, Professor and Program Coordinator for Corporate Communications & Public Relations at Centennial College, believes that this is precisely where the future of social media lies. “I think how it ultimately has the power to impact the profession is to demonstrate the credibility of public relations through the fact that it’s all more measurable.” 

Waite is not alone in this view. Marissa Panlilio Durazzo, Director of Partnerships and Promotions for Cost Plus World Market, discussed how social media, and especially the measurement of its impact, is extremely important in proving the value of the public relations function in her company. 

In 2010, personal branding bigwig, Amanda Miller Littlejohn was quoted as saying that “right now, the most important tools are the broadcasting tools… In five years, the most important tools will be the monitoring and measurement tools — the tools that can tell you what happened to your message once it got out there. The tools that can demonstrate (and quickly demonstrate) return on engagement will be winners.” 

Five years later, true to her prediction, we find ourselves overwhelmed with the need to prove our impact. Whereas in the past “...you [could] pay thousands of dollars per month for a nice platform to measure your brand on the social web,” we’re now in a time where affordable (and often free) analytic tools are the norm, not the exception. 

No longer are we stuck in an age of reviewing the number of ‘likes’ on Facebook [or] ‘hits’ on Twitter. The shift to delving into the outcome of a campaign has already come, and with it, the need to focus on deeper questions of activity and engagement. Waite puts it succinctly saying, “students need to understand measurement, and how it relates to business objectives.”

As a PR student on the brink of graduation, I am soaking up every last morsel of measurement and analytic information I can find and applying it to not only to my clients, but also to my own social media channels. What better way to showcase your understanding of the value of proven impacts in advancing the profession of public relations.