Is it time for a website redo?

Lauren Hannaford

An organization’s website is oftentimes the first or second impression for a new customer, and if the site is outdated, dysfunctional or unorganized, it could be the No. 1 reason customers aren’t calling. The Obsidian team recently attended a PRSA Memphis luncheon where Amanda Mauk, digital marketing manager at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, walked attendees through the long process her team went through to develop Le Bonheur’s new website. I was amazed at the insight she provided and was impressed by the level of organization it took to complete their final website. 

That discussion got me thinking. When should a company redo their website? Well, there’s no clear or definite answer, but Amanda’s presentation gave me a few ideas. Many of our clients, new and long-term, ask us what we think about their websites and if we think it’s time for them to update. It truly depends on a number of things, like budget, goals, purpose or potential rebranding. Let’s start with a few questions:

1. Did you create your website yourself? 
2. Do you have to pay boatloads of money just to make a few content changes on your site? And, does that take forever?
3. Is your website stuck on the second page or further of Google organic results?
4. Do you have the right amount of content on your site?
5. Can you track results or leads from your website?
6. Is your website compatible with Google? (Is the platform doing its job when it comes to search engine optimization?)

If you answered “yes” to the first three questions (and you aren’t an expert web developer) and answered “no” to the last three questions, it may be time for you to redo your site. 

Jumping into a website redo is no easy task. I think one of the first and most important things to remember is that you should not rush. It’s important to get it right so that your investment does not go to waste. Amanda talked about how Le Bonheur’s website redo took a year to complete, but the end result was exactly what they wanted and needed. 

Secondly, don’t go with the cheapest company you can find to redo your website. Go with a company who has proven results and a great track record. Ask for a list of clients you can speak with about their experience before you make a decision. 

Thirdly, identify your target audience. Drill it down to exactly who you believe the primary customer utilizing your site will be. 

Then, make sure your company’s branding materials and messages are consistent across the board. Your collateral should also match your website. 

Finally, don’t do it alone if you don’t have to. Form a website committee that can work together to complete the redo. If you don’t have someone to help, ask friends or family to review your content and the proposed design before you finalize the project. 

Whether it’s the right time for you to completely redo your website or not, don’t let the site become stagnant. Take time often to update sections with relevant information. Otherwise, people will stop visiting. 

Snapchat: Join the conversation early

Ali Glemser

Snapchat, the popular social media app that allows users to send pictures and up-to-10-second videos to a controlled list of recipients, has gained exponential popularity over the last 18 months, causing consumer brands to take notice. Yet, brands have been slower to join the Snapchat scene because it offers no opportunities for advertisement, forcing them to get creative about the content and messaging they channel through the app.

In case you aren’t familiar with Snapchat, here are some statistics that prove why it is enticing for brands to capitalize on its user base. 

• Snapchat has an estimated 26 million active users in the U.S.
• About 400 million snaps (photos and videos) are sent per day.
• The core audience on Snapchat is ages 13-25.
• Women make up 70% of Snapchat’s user base.
• 18% of people who own an iPhone are on Snapchat.

These five nuggets of information alone are pretty substantial evidence that there is a large audience of the teen-to-young-adult demographic that many brands are vying after who are using the app regularly. 

To break it down, brands have used the following strategies to communicate with their targeted audiences through Snapchat.

• Host contests
• Show exclusive content
• Offer coupons and discounts
• Tell a story with the app’s Snapchat Stories feature
• Introduce new products
• Invite fans to participate

Specifically, see how companies and organizations like Taco Bell, Rebecca Minkoff, Acura and the New Orleans Saints have used Snapchat to successfully communicate with users and share their brand messages.

Although, several brands have been able to capitalize on the unique communication opportunity the app presents, there is still uncharted territory out there for other brands to discover. Share your ideas or prediction about future interaction between brands and Snapchat users below.

Pinterest – a secret shame or helpful promotional tool?

Sarah Lichterman

I am a frequent user of the social media platform Pinterest. If you are not familiar with this platform, Pinterest is a tool for collecting and organizing things you love. For more information, click here. 

This platform can be utilized in many ways for personal or business use. As a personal user, I pin photos at random, whenever the moment strikes. However, I also use Pinterest in a completely different way for a couple of my clients. As a social media tool, there should always be a strategy behind your usage for a business. 

On my own Pinterest page, you will find that I have 17 boards, 333 pins and 0 likes. Your first thought might be, “No likes? She must not be very good at this.” Due to the social norm for social media, the popularity of people and pages is determined by your following. Nevertheless, this is not the case with Pinterest because I will only receive likes if I upload a photo myself. Some personal users do this, however, I believe that the majority of pins are posted originally by companies. I use Pinterest in three ways:

1. As it was originally intended, a means of entertainment. I enjoy looking at beautiful photos, silly quotes, the latest fashion trends and cute animals. (I mean, who doesn’t?)

2. For ideas for practical uses. This includes recipes, DYI projects, fitness tips and decorations.  

3. To organize my aspirations in life. Whether my goal is to have a closet full of the hottest fashions or to own a vacation home on an exotic beach or tucked away in a mountainside castle, Pinterest has helped discover the “billionaire me” (my secret shame).

Using Pinterest for a business is very different. There are two main things that you need to consider for your company page: a strategy and original content. The main goal behind a Pinterest page is to engage with users to get them to “pin” your photo. This is where it gets a little difficult, trying to make your photo stand out. Below I have summarized a few tips from PR Daily on how to create viral Pinterest posts. 

Write your post as a list. People love lists and see value in them. It is proven that lists are pinned frequently.

Use text on your photos. This can stimulate pins because it helps users understand your photo and makes it stand out among the hundreds of photos they are scanning through. 

Use searchable tags. Similar to other social media platforms, you should try to use common key words and hashtags to show up on as many search requests that relate to your product or service as possible.

Be relevant. Be aware of the timeliness of your post. There is no reason to create post about DYI Halloween decorations in February. Be strategic in the timing of your posts, even if they don’t pertain to a holiday.

Connect to other social media platforms. If you have a Pinterest presence, you most likely have a presence on at least one other social media site, if not more. Intertwine your social pages by sharing links from your Pinterest page on other platforms.

These are just a few of the many simple tricks and tips you can use to help grow your Pinterest presence. From your personal page to a business page, always remember to have fun and be creative! 

Mothers Teach Us So Much…

Daniel Wade

Not too long ago, most of us set aside a day to honor our mothers. Depending on your life circumstances, this could have been a joyous or a difficult occasion. My perspective on motherhood up to this point in life has been almost entirely shaped by my own mother – truly a blessing from God. This is about to change due to the fact that, as I write this post, my wife is two short weeks away from giving birth to our first child. Like so many things in my life, my appreciation for mothers across the world is about to change. So, mothers, here’s hoping that this recent day in your honor was a happy one. 

Not unlike other holidays in our country, Hallmark and other popular gift spots made a killing. I purchased a Mother’s Day card for almost $8 after tax and was nearly sick. As is my annual tradition, I bemoaned the fact that some schmuck is also making a killing off holiday cards that are subpar at best. Nevertheless, I purchased cards and gifts for my mother and the mother types in my life and proceeded to do the next logical thing…that’s right…wish these wonderful ladies a “Happy Mother’s Day” via social media. Come on – it’s 2014 – don’t tell me you didn’t do the same! 

And here, fine folks, is where our public relations reminder comes for the day. PR 101: Consider your audience! It doesn’t matter how sweet or funny or witty your collection of 140 characters was on Twitter – your mother never saw it because she doesn’t use the medium. I observed (and I wasn’t the only one) many great admonitions of love and proclamations of the “best mother on the planet” titles belonging to certain people on Twitter – my social medium of choice. Here’s hoping they also wrote that card or picked up the phone. A few savvy folks in my timeline had the presence of mind to point this out, and I couldn’t agree more. 

It’s an easy parallel to your brand, your product and/or your service. Start by knowing your audience or your tribe, as renowned marketer Seth Godin calls it. Where and how do they consume their news? Who do they trust as opinion leaders in the industry? What are they passionate about? What moves the needle for them? If you don’t know your tribe intimately, how will you ever really reach them? It’s 2014, folks. The same old advertising buys and email newsletters aren’t cutting it. Build equity in the form of relationships with your tribe, invest in truly understanding them and yield the currency of trust. Yes, content matters (another talk for another day), but at this point, you’ll know where and how to effectively communicate to a tribe that is truly engaged.  

Now, go back and make sure the mothers in your life got your Mother’s Day message – the way they would understand it best!

History lesson: The first news release published

Tiffany Cunningham

On Oct. 28, 1906 (108 years ago), public relations expert Ivy Lee wrote the first news release to journalists about a tragic train accident that happened on the Pennsylvania Railroad. Fifty passengers were killed when a three-car train of the Pennsylvania Railroad's new electric service jumped a trestle at Atlantic City, N.J., and plunged into the Thoroughfare creek.

According to About.com, Lee convinced the railroad company to release the news to journalists before any rumors were spread or reported on about the accident. The New York Times printed the news release, word-for-word, on Oct. 29, 1906. 

On the left is an image of the printed version of the news release in The New York Times. Since 1906, there have been two major changes to news releases: distribution and multimedia platforms. Distribution methods evolved along with technology. Today, there are four main points of distribution: email, wire service, post on website, and social media platforms. There are many things added to the distribution of a news release, i.e. SEO keywords, videos, photos and links to websites, but the core messaging in a news release have not changed that much over time. Technology has helped news releases to transition as a modern tool while still maintaining its original roots. 

News releases are simply written public relations announcements made to draw media attention to a specific event or product launch that is newsworthy for readers and viewers of various outlets. Never forget your “five W’s” for a release and always research the writer, editor or blogger you would like to send the release to before actually clicking send in your email box. 

Have a question about news releases or insight into writing a great release? Comment below!

Conscious Capitalism: Have you heard of it?

Crissy Lintner

I’m fascinated by a movement happening in the business world right now. It’s called Conscious Capitalism. Ever heard of it? Many of you likely have heard of or read the book, “Conscious Capitalism,” by Whole Foods founder John Mackey and Raj Sisodia. The movement is gaining momentum in the corporate landscape with companies like The Container Store, Whole Foods, Southwest Airlines and Interstate Batteries at the forefront. 

I recently had the opportunity to meet with the culture ambassador from Interstate Batteries. Yes, that’s right – culture ambassador. Cool, huh? Jennifer Bowes’ career is focused on building a corporate culture centered around a purpose statement that is crystal clear: “To glorify God and enrich lives as we deliver the most trustworthy source of power to the world.” 

I’ll let that sink in because it is powerful. The complementing values are just as impressive – and the process by which Jennifer and her team gathered insight and developed this list of values made this PR nerd want to jump up and down in excitement. The focus groups, surveys and interviews gave such amazing insight into what employees thought about the brand; what customers thought or how they perceived the brand; and where they wanted to see the company go in the future. 

I’ve been spending my personal time reading “Conscious Capitalism.” I’ve attended an event hosted by the Conscious Capitalism Dallas Chapter and Social Venture Partners Dallas Chapter that discussed the movement. I’ve also been working with a nonprofit organization in planning our fall speaker series focused on – you guessed it – Conscious Capitalism! In Dallas, this movement seems to be digging its claws into my circles. People like Jennifer and Interstate Batteries CEO Scott Miller are taking the leap to unapologetically reinvent their culture to become one that is focused on a higher purpose, incorporates insight from their stakeholders (employees, customers) and that encourages conscious leadership and an overall conscious culture – the four pillars of Conscious Capitalism. 

If you haven’t read the book, I recommend it. I will likely write more on this topic in the coming year ahead, but for now, I just wanted to encourage you to dive in because this movement may just be the saving grace of American business and for our culture as a whole. 

You can learn more about the movement at www.consciouscapitalism.org and find a local chapter to get involved with in your city. 

Saying ‘Strategic’ May Be a Cliché, but Thinking Strategically Isn’t.

Thomas Whitehead

During this past holiday season, I received an email from LinkedIn with a headline saying something along the lines of, “Thomas, you have the word ‘strategic’ in your bio. More than 35,000 other people use this word. Stand out now by upgrading your account.” 

So, this got my attention. Without providing a full chart of my strengths and weaknesses as a professional, I have always prided myself on strategic thinking being a vital strength of mine. But, it made me think. If everyone considers strategy to be a strength, is it really an important trait today, or is it something that everybody has and is almost expected to know?

Then, two public incidents happened almost simultaneously that made me reconsider how common or often strategic thinking is a part of our day-to-day decision making. 

• First, Bridget Anne Kelly, the deputy chief of staff for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, was fired from her job for her direct involvement in closing traffic lanes as part of political revenge on a local politician. The closing of the lanes shut down the George Washington Bridge, causing complete gridlock and even prevented medical authorities from reaching a 91-year-old woman who had a heart attack and died. 
• Secondly, at right about the same time, Justine Sacco, the PR director for New York media conglomerate InterActiveCorp was fired after she posted a tweet right before she took off for a transcontinental flight to South Africa saying, “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Oh, wait I’m white.“ This was not the first controversial tweet she had posted. 

It really caught my attention that, within the span of a week, two highly successful communication professionals were in the middle of controversies that could have been prevented if they had utilized strategic thinking about how their actions may affect their careers. 

I am not going to stand here and proclaim that I have never made any mistakes. Both professionally and personally, there have been decisions in my life that I regretted making. The good thing about the mistakes that I have made in my life is that I took those moments to learn from them and make sure that I become a better person from them. 

And, I have to give both of these professionals the benefit of the doubt that they will learn from these highly publicized incidents and return with a sense of self-awareness as they continue their careers. 

But, in light of these incidents, I think LinkedIn may want to reconsider trying to alarm me about how many people describe themselves as strategic. Thinking in terms of long-term, big-picture focus helps us in the small decisions of our lives. Trying to decide if our actions will lead us closer to or further away from these plans is vital to being strategic, whether it is for you, your company, your family or your clients. 

Three Questions to Consider When Writing Social Media Posts

Jenn Taylor

Throughout my internship at Obsidian, I have been given various assignments. From the basic intern-type tasks, like collecting the newspapers in the morning, to the more in-depth tasks, like formulating a media contact list, there is one particular task that I feel has grown on me quite a bit. Researching content for social media posts is an assignment that I consistently do every week. While working on these projects, I have learned that there are three very important questions everyone should ask when writing these posts. 

The three questions are: 

What audience am I trying to reach? 

I believe this question is the most important of all because if we do not know to whom we are speaking, how could we possibly know what content would be of interest? For example, we would not want to write about fashion or about celebrity updates for an accounting firm. The update on the latest E! network show, “Eric and Jessie: Game On,” is probably not going to be beneficial to the firm’s current and future clients. Considering the audience not only shapes the message, but also the tone of any post we craft. 

What is relevant, and what is currently trending? 

Something that I did not think about when I first started writing social media posts was that, yes, we need to ultimately use the company’s information and updates to write the posts, but we need to also remember that important events and holidays are occurring outside of the company. This approach helps pull in your followers who may not be completely invested in the company’s everyday posts but could easily relate to a general “Happy President’s Day” post. If anything, the most basic and timely posts can help keep those followers engaged through a possible retweet on Twitter or a share on Facebook. 

What is the overall mission/message the company wants to communicate? 

We have all visited our fair share of company websites to learn more about a company. Usually, one of the first things we read about or notice on the website is the company’s mission statement. The mission statement lays out the purpose of the company or organization and its reason for existing. It is vital to understand the mission statement of the company you are writing for to ensure consistent implementation of the company’s values and beliefs into the content. This will also help connect to an audience that may be alike in those values and beliefs. 

With social media becoming a popular communication channel for businesses and organizations of all types, I believe this newfound knowledge will be useful to me in my future career in public relations.

Public Relations is like…

Daniel Wade

We begin today’s discussion with a well-known brand. Ladies, help me out here. When considering a luxury brand such as Tiffany’s, what comes to mind?

Forget diamonds – have you seen their new leather collection? 

If we must speak about diamonds, did you know you could get an 18-carat white gold brooch with “Love” written in diamonds? All for today's low price of $40,000!

Remember your “normal” watch? How about a Tiffany’s cocktail watch in 18-carat white gold lined with diamonds for a cool $75,000? Good news: it’s water-resistant up to 30 meters. 

Have you ever worn something from Tiffany’s? Dare I say owned? What do you think about Tiffany’s? More importantly, why do you feel the way you do about this established brand? 

Now, let’s move to your business’ brand. Real estate is close to home for me, so I’ll use this as an example. There’s a difference in a real estate agent and a REALTOR^®. But, as a REALTOR^®, how do you communicate this difference? What’s the advantage? There has to be something more than the trademarked symbol. For those in this industry, this is their brand…just like Tiffany’s.

Here’s where public relations comes in. [What – you didn’t expect this?] Public relations is like the elevator button. When you want to go upstairs, you go to the elevator and push the button, and when it dings, you turn and walk in it. Very Pavlov. Follow me? REALTORS^® want to brand themselves so that when someone wants to buy or sell a home, they turn to a REALTOR^® and not just any old real estate agent. Make sense? More specifically (and here’s where we get competitive), when someone wants to buy or sell a home, they call your agency or better yet…you! Public relations works to accomplish this. 

Public relations is simply who’s talking about what you are doing. I’ve used the real estate industry as my primary example here, but this concept travels. Ideally, you want people to say: “I need to _____, so I’d better call ________.” Insert your law firm, photography studio or pre-manufactured metal building company, and you get the idea.

How can you begin to do this?

• Observation No. 1: Listen. 
• Do you read The Commercial Appeal, Memphis Business Journal or Memphis Daily News on a regular basis? Your clients are hearing things about your business and industry, and you need to be able to talk about that and provide perspective. 
• Observation No. 2: Find appropriate ways/areas to communicate your messages.
• Community Involvement – What a great arena in which to communicate in a grassroots manner about what it is you want to get across.
• Make it personal and credible – Advertising is not the way to do this. The praise of another takes on new meaning and legitimacy when it’s unpaid. 

You, and your employees alike, serve as ambassadors for your business and industry, whether you like it or not. Who’s talking about what you are doing? And what are they saying? 

Ding! Your elevator just arrived…