I’ve been doing some work recently with The Times, helping them out on a feature about the issue of unemployment amongst the over 50’s. I was called upon to offer my expertise on how job seekers can use social networking to help them find work. The feature was based on a number of case studies, two of which I spent the afternoon with, coaching them through the different sites they could use and tactics they could implement. The piece is now live online (behind pay-wall I’m afraid):
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/career/article3039242.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/career/article3039002.ece
It also featured in …

Working in both PR and digital comms I have been involved with a number of blogger relations campaigns throughout the years. The most recent one I’ve been involved with has been for one of my clients, ‘make mine Milk’, where we invited mummy (and, not to be forgotten daddy) bloggers down to the London School of Coffee for a morning of Barista training and low fat semi-skimmed milk discussion.  After chatting to many of the attendees about how they liked being approached by PRs, plus some of their worst PR …

Building on my last blog post the Social Media Policy – not just for the big players I felt it was worth sharing some pointers on what should be included if you are drafting this document on behalf of your business or client.
Not one for the bottom drawer
Remember that you want your policy to empower the reader to embrace social media rather than scare them off. This means ensuring that there is no complicated, technical jargon (if this needs to be included then make sure there is a glossary …

So you are getting excited about your social media strategy, you have your creative execution standing by and are ready to start counting fans and followers.  Being a small to medium sized business you may not have thought about a Social Media Policy. That’s something only for large corporations and agencies, not you, right?  Wrong.
Before I hear a collective virtual *sigh*, a social media policy is essential for any business who wants to get online – no matter how small. This is because in using online platforms to communicate you …

Calling all newbie PR’s – there really is no reason why social media skills are not integrated into your day job. They shouldn’t be seen as specialist tasks, but as an extension to what you do already. The truth is, good PR’s already have the foundations to deal with online communities and media – it’s just about tailoring those skills in the right way:
- Blogger relations – make it part of your wider media relations plan. Yes, you need to adopt a different approach, but good communicators are skilled at …

With 3.2 million UK users and a market value of over $2 billion, LinkedIn is no longer just a fishing pool for recruitment agencies and head-hunters. It is now a viable business networking and resource tools which works most effectively with the more connections you have. So, start connecting and make the most out of all the new functionalities which are available (new apps, group features, plug-ins).
Growing your network
Think about who you may have worked for in the past and who you have everyday contact with. The Outlook toolbar add …