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What GCAI is Thankful for This Thanksgiving

For this week’s edition of GCAI’s social media news we wanted to switch it up and in honor of Thanksgiving we each listed what we are thankful for. Enjoy!

Screenshot of Google Turkey

John:

Two things that immediately come to mind…starting with the most important – I am most thankful for the creativity and determination of my peers here at GCAI. Mary Fallon, Laura Chechette, Kaitlyn Bigica, and Michelle Wolters are what makes our business a success .  Without them, I would be just another guy with a good idea and a dining room table.

From a technology standpoint – I am thankful for all things Apple.  Our iPhones, iPad, and MacBooks have transformed the way we conduct SEO PR and digital marketing.

Mary:

I am is thankful for the opportunity to present and discuss GCAI’s SEO/SMO/ORM approach with college students because I love my job and hope to inspire others to pursue a career in marketing and communications.

Laura:

I am thankful for social media tools like HootSuite and TweetDeck because they allow me to schedule Facebook and Twitter posts for GCAI’s clients on Thanksgiving while I am enjoying my turkey and mashed potatoes. I am also thankful for Kaitlyn Bigica who helped me create and schedule all of those Facebook and Twitter posts.

Key Takeaways from the PR + Social Media Summit

Last week the GCAI team traveled to Milwaukee, WI to attend the PR + Social Media Summit at Marquette University. I presented during the panel discussion, Online Reputation Management: Tools, Tactics, and Tips from Experts on the Front Lines while John moderated the panel. Mary also moderated the panel, Engaging with Social Media Communities for the Right Reasons and the Right Outcomes.

When not busy presenting, we attended multiple breakout sessions and also listened to keynotes from George G Smith Jr., Sr. Manager, Social Activation Strategy and Execution at PepsiCo, and Jennifer McTighe, Director for External Relations at IBM Research. We learned a lot at the summit and wanted to share some of our takeaways from the event with you!

John Garvey and George G Smith Jr. at the PR + Social Media Summit

George G. Smith Jr. and John Garvey presenting at the PR + Social Media Summit.

John’s Takeaways:

  • How advanced Marquette University is; students’ questions, participation, MU greeted me on Twitter when I arrived.
  • Social media has arrived for major brands – it is not “new”, “an after-thought”, something for kids – or interns…
  • Strategy is all important – know where you are going and what to measure.
  • Concentrating on building fans is so yesterday.

Mary’s Takeaways:

  • Social media isn’t about promoting new products/services; it’s a virtual culture for your brand.
  • The future of social media is moving toward radical transparency.

Laura’s Takeaways:

  • Redefine influence. Always remember that small communities online matter just as much as the larger ones.
  • Don’t complain about changes to social media platforms. The platforms have to change to survive.
  • Focus on engagement with your communities, not the number of fans or followers you have.

Were you at the PR + Social Media Summit? Anything you would like to add? Please feel free to email me. Thanks! – Laura

 

Tornado’s Winds Whip Up Volcanic Search Results

Tornado in Springfield, June 1 2011By John J. Garvey

Who would have thought that my digital “15 minutes of fame” would come because of a tornado passing right by my 24th floor window?  Tornadoes just don’t happen in western Massachusetts.  In fact, it took my co-worker Mary Fallon and I a few seconds to realize what it was despite its obvious destructive power. Once I did, and came to the conclusion that it was moving away from us, I snapped a picture and did what any other digital native would do. I posted it to Twitter.

Twitter is the same social media platform that I am always a bit squeamish about explaining to clients and prospects. It’s hard to say tweet or tweeted with a straight face in a business meeting. Every time I do, eyebrows raise and thought bubbles are suddenly very visible: “And this from man who calls himself a PR pro?” This is the same Twitter that only about 13% of online adults using it? It’s no earthling-eating Facebook after all.

Tweet I did and that is when the action started. This recent story in the Sunday Republican captures most of it – how national news organizations one by one lined up to ask permission to use my tweeted photo minutes after I clicked send. That’s just part of the story however. Sure CNN, ABC News, and in particular AP helped yield the seven pages of results now available through a Google Image search (“john garvey, tornado”). But it was the story itself and the resultant commentary on social media that quickly buried the needle on our search and social media intelligence software. In fact, the initial 10,000 results that came in on the keyword phrase “Springfield, MA” basically shut down our system.

One other metric, Google Trends, had the search term “Springfield MA” as the number one hot search in the entire US on the day of the tornado – a status described as volcanic. Now, to put that into context, “Springfield MA” finished ahead of Shaq, who had just announced his retirement: Ocotomom, whose doctor had his license revoked; and Anthony Weiner, who – well, you know that one. That is truly volcanic hotness. The peak for that hotness happened at 6 p.m. EST, about an hour or so after the tornado had passed.

Google Hot Search June 1, 2011 (Volcanic)In just 24 hours, we picked up over 6,400 individual mentions on social media alone and the search for “Springfield MA tornado” yielded close to 1.2 million results, including one funny video, in the weeks following the event. The volume of social media commentary remained incredibly high after the tornado as well: close to 5,000 mentions.

What’s a mention you might ask? Here are a few random samples:

RT @nytimes: A Tornado Is Reported in Springfield, Mass. http://nyti.ms/lC8BRu

@feliciaday Hi Felicia, would you like to send your love to community in and around Springfield, MA?…

Well damn. As if my old home didn’t have enough problems. RT @science: Tornadoes strike Springfi…

(We have about 4,997 more.)

Even more amazing is our analysis of where these mentions came from. While you would expect the top states to be in the New England area – and, in fact, MA, CT, and NY are the top three. Wrong! Our analysis shows that after our fellow neighbors in MA, CA was commenting the most about the tornado, followed by NY and CT. It appears that that Whitey Bulger was not the only MA expat hanging out in the Los Angeles area at that time. We have no evidence of him tweeting, however.Tornado Map Overlay

Conclusions?

1) I am no longer squeamish about saying Twitter, tweet, or tweeted around adults. In fact, I have let it be known that I actually am a Twitterer.

2) As proven through this experience, Twitter is a great way to get information and share information.

3) For those of us in the digital communications business, Twitter and social media are very important channels to use to connect with media quickly.

4) Social media essentially makes the response time for crisis communications zero. Media are monitoring these channels and as soon as a negative post goes up, it is in their hands.

I don’t care what the other 87% of Americans think – they are missing out and I have proof. Also, compelling news travels and gets shared. Creating compelling, share-worthy content is the goal. Sure, a tornado on a rampage in New England is pretty compelling, but then again, most of us do not need 1.2 million search results either.

Final note: There was nothing funny about this tornado. Mary and I had front-row seats to the destruction and have seen up close the damage, devastation, and despair.

Thank you to Laura Chechette otherwise known as @GarveyComm for helping me pull together these statistics.

Media Links:
Pew Internet Research Twitter statistic

Sunday Republican Article, Springfield tornado photo storms around the world

Google Image results for “John Garvey, Tornado”

Google Hot Search results June 1, 2011

Flickr photoset of GCAI tornado images

3 Perspectives On How Social Today’s PR Graduates Must Be – Part 3

Views from The Student, The Pro and The Professor

Last week we discussed how graduates will use social media to find a PR job. This week’s Social Media News, is the last of our three  part series, and asks what will surprise graduates about social media once they get on the job. GCAI tapped three people for their perspectives.

The Student: @stjackman
Stephanie Jackman, Intern at GCAI, completing a BA in Communication this year from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY
The Pro : @MFallon
Mary Fallon,  Media Director at GCAI and Isenberg School of Management at UMASS Amherst graduate, Google AdWords Certified, PRSA member for 4 years, has led seminars on SEO and SMO PR at UMASS Amherst
The Professor: @FvrythingPR
Dr. Daradirek Ekachai,  Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI

3) What will surprise graduating college students about social media once they get on the job?

The Student:
Little is taught about social media in the classroom so the majority of experience I have, I’ve learned as I went along. I was surprised to find the amount of time and effort that goes into developing a social media strategy and how essential it has become to a company’s marketing needs. In order for a company’s social media initiatives to be carried out successfully, they must be well thought-out and organized.

The Pro:
I believe most students will be surprised to realize how much strategy goes into social media.  Social media isn’t just about creating and distributing posts; the content must be tied to an overall plan which has been created with the business’ goals in mind. Also, the strategic plan must be constantly evolving as social media does.

The Professor:
I think students might be surprised that, being seen as a “digital native,” they could be regarded as a social media “expert” with full responsibility in the area “grown ups” are not familiar with. They will have to learn quickly on management (time and organization) issues.

3 Perspectives On How Social Today’s PR Graduates Must Be – Part 2

Views from The Student, The Pro and The Professor

Last week we discussed the “must have” social media skills a graduating senior needs to impress PR employers.  This week’s Social Media News, is part 2 of our 3 part series, and addresses how those graduates will use social media to find a PR job. GCAI tapped three people for their perspectives.

The Student: @stjackman
Stephanie Jackman, Intern at GCAI, completing a BA in Communication this year from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY
The Pro : @MFallon
Mary Fallon,  Media Director at GCAI and Isenberg School of Management at UMASS Amherst graduate, Google AdWords Certified, PRSA member for 4 years, has led seminars on SEO and SMO PR at UMASS Amherst
The Professor: @FvrythingPR
Dr. Daradirek Ekachai,  Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI

2) How can graduating college students use social media to find PR jobs?

The Student:
With graduation only months away, Twitter is one of the first resources I turn to when searching for career opportunities. Following Twitter handles geared towards entry-level job postings is easy to do, yet incredibly beneficial to my job search. By following thought leaders in the social media and PR industry I can engage in conversations, form relationships and show future employers I’m savvy in multiple social media platforms.

LinkedIn is another tool graduating seniors can use to enhance their job search. I’ve used LinkedIn to network with professors, find internship openings and participate in discussion forums. I think of LinkedIn as a virtual resume where each user has the ability to list past work experiences.

The Pro:
Students can use various social media platforms (including Facebook and Twitter) to follow companies they would like to work for and connect with people who work there. They can also post their resume on LinkedIn or upload a video version to YouTube. Overall, it’s important to show employers you have experience with social media, which means students should accurately complete their profiles and stay active on the platforms they are utilizing.

The Professor:
To me, it’s not so much how students can use social media to find PR jobs, but how they can use social media to get a PR job!

The obvious social media platform related to careers is LinkedIn, so that means that students must create and maintain a professional profile on LinkedIn. They can start growing their contacts and build their own network, start networking, and creating meaningful content to show future employers that they are capable and serious about their professional future.

Students also can use Twitter to follow professionals in their field, job sites, and companies that they want to work for.  It’s widely known that job recruiters search for job candidates, using social networking sites, and research candidates before the interviews. Students need to know how to use social media wisely, differentiate themselves from other job candidates in order to be a top contender in the job market.

3 Perspectives On How “Social” Today’s PR Graduates Must Be-Part 1

Views from The Student, The Pro and The Professor

Obviously, Social Media has transformed Public Relations. Yet, are the PR factories (colleges and universities) cranking out graduates that are prepared to work in, or maybe even lead, this changed industry?  This week’s Social Media News is the first in a three part series that will answer that probing question.  GCAI tapped three people for their perspectives.

The Student: @stjackman
Stephanie Jackman, Intern at GCAI, completing a BA in Communication this year from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY

The Pro : @MFallon
Mary Fallon,  Media Director at GCAI and Isenberg School of Management at UMASS Amherst graduate, Google AdWords Certified, PRSA member for 4 years, has led seminars on SEO and SMO PR at UMASS Amherst

The Professor: @FvrythingPR
Dr. Daradirek Ekachai,  Associate Professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI

1) What are the “must have” social media skills a graduating college student needs to standout to PR employers?

The Student:
Being savvy in the realm of social media is no longer an added bonus, but a job requirement for entry-level PR candidates. The skill that will showcase graduating seniors’ expertise in social media is their ability to be engaging on these various platforms.  Mastering the writing technique it takes to be successful on each social media platform is key. Students must be able to use their writing skills to not only write an eye-catching press release, but an engaging tweet and Facebook post.

The Pro:
My top three are: writing ability, responsiveness, and curiosity. Whether a PR professional is writing a 400 word press release or a 140 character tweet, both grammar and writing come into play. When working in the social media world everything is in “real time” and students need to be able to analyze and respond to issues as they arise. Lastly, a willingness to learn is vital.  Students who are curious about social media and are constantly researching new platforms and methods will be the most successful.

The Professor:
Students should not only possess social media skills, but they also should know how to use them strategically, personally and professionally. They need to understand the sociology and psychology of social communication through social networks and know how to apply them in social media tools. They should keep abreast in current and ever-changing new media trends and be informed of latest research reports.

I also believe that they need to practice social media (Facebook and Twitter, mostly) regularly (everyday preferably!). Social media should be second nature to them and they need to know how to create content, engage and maintain their social relationships with their friends and followers.

GCAI Staff Member Gains Google AdWords Certification

Mary Fallon, media director at Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAI) recently attained Google AdWords Individual Certification. Google AdWords allows advertisers to create text, image, and video ads to run on Google, its partner “search network” and/or its content network sites.

Mary Fallon, media director at Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAI) recently attained Google AdWords Individual Certification. Google AdWords allows advertisers to create text, image, and video ads to run on Google, its partner “search network” and/or its content network sites.

Mary Fallon, media director at Garvey Communication Associates Inc. (GCAI) recently attained Google AdWords Individual Certification.  Fallon passed two exams to gain certification including an advanced-level exam on search advertising covering best practices for managing AdWords campaigns.

Celebrating its 10 year anniversary this year, AdWords continues to be Google’s flagship advertising product.  Google AdWords allows advertisers to create text, image, and video ads to run on Google, its partner “search network” and/or its content network sites.  The advertiser is able to limit spending by setting daily budgets and can specify the geographic location, ranging from local to international distribution.  All of these controls make for an incredibly targeted marketing campaign.

A resident of Springfield, Fallon is a graduate of the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing. She is also a guest lecturer at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on the subject of SEO and SMO PR.  Fallon is a member of The Valley Press Club, The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and serves on the board of directors for The Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts. She also volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden County through their Community-Based Mentoring program.

Mary Fallon Chosen as One of BusinessWest’s 40 Under 40

Pictured left to right are: Mary Fallon, Media Director at Garvey Communication Associates Inc.; Father Jim Brennan, Co-Director of St. Francis Chapel; Ellen Lambert, volunteer; and Amanda Gauthier, Social Media Assistant at Garvey Communication Associates Inc.

Pictured left to right are: Mary Fallon, Media Director at Garvey Communication Associates Inc.; Father Jim Brennan, Co-Director of St. Francis Chapel; Ellen Lambert, volunteer; and Amanda Gauthier, Social Media Assistant at Garvey Communication Associates Inc.

Our own Mary Fallon has been chosen as one of BusinessWest’s 40 Under 40 – the Class of 2010. The panel of judges reviewed over 90 nominations and felt that Mary’s credentials, accomplishments, and contributions to the community made her stand out. Over the past year Mary has been involved in many business and community events. Serving as Media Director at GCAI, Mary manages public relations efforts, coordinates media planning/buying, and supervises social media – just to name a few responsibilities. She has presented on various Social Media topics, most recently at Online Impact 2010. Mary also played a major role in the St. Francis Chapel’s collection of personal care items for the homeless which resulted in the most successful collection to date and is a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Even after all of this, she still finds time to take care of her 3 year old Weimaraner, Riley.