{"id":435,"date":"2010-06-08T08:17:32","date_gmt":"2010-06-08T14:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.prssa.org\/blog\/?p=435"},"modified":"2010-12-17T10:56:01","modified_gmt":"2010-12-17T16:56:01","slug":"3-social-media-takeaways-from-prsas-digital-impact-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/progressions.prsa.org\/index.php\/2010\/06\/08\/3-social-media-takeaways-from-prsas-digital-impact-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Social Media Takeaways from PRSA\u2019s Digital Impact Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019ll admit it \u2014 sometimes I\u2019m overwhelmed by social media. No, I\u2019m not just talking about maintaining friend lists on Facebook, checking in to favorite restaurants on Foursquare or shortening pesky URLs on Twitter. But in addition to keeping my nose in public relations textbooks and trying to stay up to date on my Google Reader feeds, using social media just takes time out of an already busy life.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s craziest about it is that our generation \u2014 the Millennials \u2014 helped invent this phenomenon.<\/p>\n

As a publications intern for PRSA\u2019s Tactics<\/em> and Strategist<\/em>, I helped cover the third-annual Digital Impact Conference, held in New York City May 6\u20137. Keynoters included Google director of global communications Gabriel Stricker<\/a>, New York Times<\/em>\u2019 social media editor Jennifer Preston<\/a> and Toyota\u2019s social media supervisor Scott DeYager<\/a>. Each had their own take on the future of social media and how they fit into the public relations function.<\/p>\n

“It’s not about using new media; it’s about using media in new ways,\u201d read one PowerPoint slide by PR Newswire, which quoted Dr. Craig Lefebvre, a social media expert from George Washington University.<\/p>\n

Here are some key takeaways that will help you overcome, rather than succumb, to the great PR shift that is social media that I gleaned as a reporter for the conference.<\/p>\n

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  1. Humanize your brand through social media.<\/strong> Toyota\u2019s Scott DeYager revealed, \u201cWe\u2019ve learned a lot from the recalls, but like you, we have a long way to go.\u201d He said admitting flaws, being social and even using a little humor can help humanize your brand because it builds relationships. Whether it\u2019s with the customer or the classmate, focusing on relationships \u2014 not friend counts, tiny URLs or Foursquare badges \u2014 will help humanize your personal or corporate brand.<\/li>\n
  2. Stay on top of change.<\/strong> Last year\u2019s PRSSA National Conference theme was \u201cSurfing the Waves of Change.\u201d That theme was farsighted. Social media are here to stay in public relations, and if you\u2019re not learning how to use them, you\u2019re going to be washed out to sea. Now is the time to create a Twitter account as a public relations student. Now is the time to start socializing on the Web. Now is the time to subscribe to those social media blogs. Here\u2019s the news from the conference: Social media are here to stay in public relations, and they\u2019re fundamentally changing the way we practice. Traditional news releases reach the influencers. Social media reach our publics directly.<\/li>\n
  3. Manage personal and professional social media use. <\/strong>A thread was a question many professionals asked the presenters one way or another throughout the conference: How do I separate my personal social media brand from my company\u2019s?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The most concise answer I heard came from Michael Pranikoff, director of emerging media at PR Newswire, who outlined four Twitter branding strategies:<\/p>\n