While I’m definitely not advocating for hiding from the press when you’re in a tough situation, there is merit to taking the high road when you simply can never win and will never be given a fair shot to explain the situation. By doing so, we avoided making a bad situation worse. There is a big difference between talking to a reporter who’s trying to uncover the truth and talking to someone like this. You don’t have to talk to everyone.

Read this article:
Why “No Comment” is the Worst Thing You Can Say

I always admire those folks that have genuine relationships with their clients. It’s a tough dynamic to perfect that’s for sure.

Corporate blogs serve many purposes and one of the most important can be the “unfiltered voice,” provided by having a full page to work with to tell your story as opposed to having to craft a “statement,” that you hope will be used by the media when referring to your particular situation.

Read more from the original source:
Now this is how you use a corporate blog! Chrysler does it right after Twitter F-bomb

There are a ridiculous number of panels to check out at SXSW Interactive. If you did no networking and no partying (ha!) you still couldn’t attend all the panels. You couldn’t even attend just all the panels you really want to attend. You’ve got to make some choices. Here’s my list of the panels I’m determined to go to.

More:
SXSW 2011: The Nine Panels I Most Want To Attend At SXSW

Over the past few months, Google and Bing have started to allude that they are beginning to increase the impact of social media content and links on their search results, citing that social networking activity is a strong indicator of what might be most relevant to consumer searches. The impact of these developments is likely to spread far and wide, as the positives and negatives of this new factor begin to reveal themselves and take shape.

Read more from the original source:
How Will Social Search Affect Social Media and SEO?

What you need to know about the changes in the UK's CAP codes, which now apply to unpaid social media spaces including user-generated content. As Vikki Chowney from Reputation Online pointed out in her presentation at the IAB seminar 'How to be Safe and Social' last week, there are two sides to being 'Safe and Social'. Protecting the user from content which may offend, distress, harm or infect. And protecting the brand from user generated content which could impact their reputation or legal status.

See the original post:
Social Media: Staying the Right Side of the Law and the Extended UK Cap code

Now a buzzword that’s been kicking around for a while now as the ‘next big thing’ online is Social Commerce and these updates from Google and Bing could dramatically influence where customers now choose to shop online.

See the article here:
Are Social Search Updates About to Change How We Shop Online?

This is a great opportunity to give the Facebook community in question something to get excited about. If there’s very little information available, for example if it’s a secret event, this section should reflect that, building up some buzz and letting imaginations go wild. If there’s plenty of information that can be divulged, get it out there and give the invitees something to talk about.

Original post:
Creating the perfect Facebook event – Part Two

I’ve said it fifty times and I’ll say it again… Social media is one big relationship fueled by conversation. Conversation involves people. Real people. People that inspire, connect, talk and engage. Knowing and understanding your audience is required to truly inspire them to further engage and connect with you.

See the original post:
8 Things You Must Know About Your Audience to Inspire & Connect In Social Media

I recently spoke to a group of public relations and marketing students about using social media in a business setting. This group of “go-getters” made me stop and think about what’s missing from their curriculum — “How to put business strategy behind social media.”

Original post:
Got Social Media Courses?: PR Students Thirsty for More...

It was inevitable that sooner rather than later, the multi-level marketers, the out-and-out salespeople, the spammers, and the promise-the-moon-for-a-nickel types would show in the social media arena. It was as inevitable as ants showing up at a picnic – and just as annoying.

Link:
PR 101 Rant on The Pollution of Social Media

Over the past year there has been an increased interest placed on local search and location based advertising. Sites like Yelp, Google Places and Citysearch, just to name a few, have continuously made strides in the local search market and local businesses have jumped on the wave. But no one ever talks about what happens once you have joined these directories, You’ve added your business but now what? Are you going back to check on the progress of your business? How are you measuring success?

See the original post here:
Beyond Local: Have You Taken Control of Your Online Reputation Yet?

You take out full page ads in major newspapers for what was surely a hefty sum trying to explain your side of the story... You then decide to give away your food, for all intents and purposes... This is wrong on so many levels it scares me... You do not under any circumstances try and "buy" back your customers' trust. This is NOT what Social Media is all about. It's about engaging your customers and the general consumer. It's about being open and honest with them at ALL times, i.e. the Red Cross.

Continued here:
Red Cross And Taco Bell - A Social Media Dichotomy

Companies and organizations often seek out social media consultants, but may not be achieving their desired results. By applying the 'DEEPER' method, you are more likely to get more depth and success with social media.

See the original post here:
Dig ‘DEEPER’ Into Social Media by Hiring Qualified Consultants

Yesterday I was privileged to attend the Toronto launch of the Canadian results of Edelman’s 2011 Trust Barometer survey with my employer, Richard Edelman. This year, even more than in recent years, I find the results of the survey fascinating from both traditional and digital communications standpoints

See the original post:
Edelman Trust Barometer Reveals Need For Mature Social Media