Tag: Twitter

Is Facebook Here to Stay?

Clairemont InternBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , ,

Today’s post is written by Clairemont intern, Emma Kirkpatrick.

We’ve all heard it – chatter that Facebook is slowly dying and is doomed to become the next MySpace. But before you go and break up with Facebook, consider this. Yes, more and more users, specifically young teenagers, are trading in their Facebook accounts for newer social media platforms, such as Instagram and WhatsApp. But let’s not forget who owns these apps—Facebook.

Social Media and the Changing Environment

And why did Facebook decide to buy these apps? With its steady user base and enormous funds, Facebook is changing and adapting to the new social media environment where it is not the only social network anymore. In more recent years, an average social media user navigates between multiple platforms, including Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

Facebook Is Still Distinctive

But what makes Facebook different from these newer platforms? Channels like Snapchat allow users to post pictures that will disappear and be forgotten after a few seconds or hours. On the other hand, Facebook aims to allow users to post photos designed to be remembered, such as weddings, graduations and family reunions. Each platform’s goals and functionalities differ, helping to further distinguish them.

The Cool Factor

Teenagers might say that Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram are the “in” platforms and Facebook just isn’t cool anymore. But according to Business Insider’s article in 2013 when Facebook seemed to be diminishing, Mark Zuckerberg said, “People assume that we’re trying to be cool. It’s never been my goal. I’m the least cool person there is! We’re almost 10 years old so we’re definitely not a niche thing any more so that kind of angle for coolness is done for us.”

Instead of trying to be the trendy site that relies on the cool factor to attract users, Facebook is trying to build a lasting product to compete in the same market with platforms such as Google.

Trampling the Competition

From Fortune.com
From Fortune.com

Recent data shows that Facebook continues to squash the competition in social media traffic referrals. This may be because businesses and companies still rely heavily on Facebook for marketing strategies and endorsement activities.

So even though there are new channels, tools and platforms popping up daily, Facebook isn’t dying anytime soon.

How do you feel about Facebook? Connect with us on Facebook and let us know!

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On the Record: Twitter’s Next Move

Sarah HattmanBlog, Public Relations, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , ,

With slowing growth and stock troubles, 2015 was a tough year for Twitter. If you’re expecting the app to cease to exist in 2016, think again. Changes are coming. There have been rumors swirling lately about lifting the 140 character limit restriction, but no confirmation from company representatives. However, Twitter did recently introduce conversational ads as a new way to increase interest and engagement. Let’s go “On the Record” and take a closer look.

 

 

Right now, conversational ads are currently available for select advertisers in all markets. Assuming it goes mainsteam, how will you use conversational ads for your brand? Make the most of the 140 characters and tweet us your thoughts.

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Back-To-School Pitch

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Case Studies, Restaurant PR + Hospitality PR, , , , , ,

The Pitch

As a tactical component of Clairemont’s public relations strategy to reintroduce Il Palio, Chapel Hill’s iconic Italian restaurant, after the restaurant’s first renovation in 30 years and to gain exposure of the new chef, Chef Teddy Diggs, Clairemont leveraged the back-to-school season by highlighting Chef Teddy’s role as a parent. Recognizing that busy parents often struggle for fresh ideas for school lunches, we asked, “what does a top chef pack for his own children to eat?”

We selected targeted media and shared “Top Chef’s Top Tips for Back-to-School Lunches,” a series of kid-friendly recipes and photos designed to engage children and yield tasty, balanced lunches. We also offered college-friendly recipes upon request. These efforts resulted in articles, blogs and wide-spread posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Execution

  • Blogger Outreach: We targeted key mom bloggers and local media for a behind-the-scenes tour of the new restaurant before it was publicly unveiled. These bloggers were invited to join Chef Teddy in the kitchen to see his recipes being prepared and discuss issues important to them such as healthy, balanced meals and quality family time.
  • Media Materials: Clairemont Communications shared photos of Chef Teddy preparing lunches with his children in his own home kitchen for a personal touch. The photos and tips were incorporated into media pitches and sent to media contacts in order to help them visualize Chef Teddy’s fun approach to packing lunches with his children.
  • Coordinated Pitches: Creative and individualized pitches were used to pique the interest of targeted media contacts. For example, mom bloggers received a personal invitation to bring their children into Il Palio’s kitchen for a personal cooking session with Chef Teddy where they learned to make a special Nutella cookie.

Results

Il Palio’s reintroduction to the Triangle restaurant scene has been a success. As part of a larger, strategic campaign, Clairemont helped Il Palio engage with a targeted mom audience by finding a common connection through this Back-to-School pitch. This tactic exceeded expectations by securing five media placements and 10 social media posts, with a reach of more than 51,899 followers on Twitter alone, to generate additional buzz about Chef Teddy and his family friendly persona.

Want to see more about the restaurant PR work we do at Clairemont? Be sure to check out our Foodie Blog Posts!

 

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Blurred Lines: Social Media and The News

Sarah HattmanBlog, Social Media + Influencer Engagement, , , , , , , , ,

It has been nearly five years since I left television news for a career in public relations – or “the dark side,” as my friends and former colleagues in news call it. Five years isn’t a long time in the grand scheme of things, but it is plenty of time for social media to grow exponentially, shape the way newsrooms operate and change the way people consume news.

I remember it vividly. I was working at KRQE in Albuquerque, N.M. A colleague was walking out the door to cover a high-profile trial when the news director yelled from his office, “Don’t forget to live tweet!” It was 2009, and Twitter was exploding. During that year alone traffic on the site grew by 1,100 percent, and the total number of tweets increased by 1,400 percent.

Fast forward to 2015, and social media continues to become more and more intertwined with traditional media. Just a few weeks ago, I watched WTVD’s Stephanie Lopez record Facebook teases for her story about Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day. Thinking about how social media is impacting journalism, I reached out to Sean Maroney, evening anchor at WNCN, and Andrea Griffith Cash, VP of content at Durham Magazine and Chapel Hill Magazine. I asked them to explain trends that they noticed developing in the world of news and social media.

  1. Sean: “Social Media is changing the landscape in T.V. More and more people say, ‘I saw your story on Facebook.’ It’s changing the consumption of media and the way we interact. They comment, they share, they’re engaged.”
  2. Andrea: “It used to be that I only had to consider if a pitch was good for our print products. Now, I run everything through several filters. Would this be a good print story? Would this make a nice blog post? Is it worthy of just a shout out on Twitter or Facebook? Could it work for our weekly e-newsletters?”
  3. Sean: “When I got my start more than 10 years ago, I was an intern on the assignments desk at WTVD. I would start my day with a list of about 60 numbers that I would call up and say, ‘You got anything for me today?’ That’s how we got our news – by calling the police department and other agencies to find out what was going on. Now we have a list of Twitter accounts that we follow.”
  4. Andrea: “For writers, that also means that their jobs aren’t finished when they turn in the story. Often, they are being asked to promote it on social media and possibly update it online, if it’s a news piece. They also might check online comments and respond to them. They might work on a video that ties in with the print piece. In a lot of ways, you could say the story is never finished.”
  5. Sean: “I recently moderated a social media panel as part of the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program. I told young journalists I understand that it is a race to be the first, but I encouraged them to be the first to get it right.”

Clearly, social media has changed the way members of the media report the news. How has social media changed the way you consume news?

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What does a PR Agency Do? LEKKER Bikes

Jasmin SessomsBlog, Case Studies, Raleigh PR Agency, , , , , 2 Comments on What does a PR Agency Do? LEKKER Bikes

Client: LEKKER Bikes US

Objectives: In 2014, LEKKER Bikes US became the first American distributer of LEKKER bikes, Dutch-inspired bicycles originally established in Amsterdam and later sold in Australia. LEKKER Bikes US retained Clairemont Communications to research the U.S. cycling market, capture the public’s attention and craft a dynamic event to introduce this custom-designed cruiser to the American audience.

Execution: To maximize online and in-person engagement with LEKKER’s target audience, Clairemont focused its efforts for “LEKKER Bike’s First 24 Hours in America” in the following areas:

24-Hour City Tour: LEKKER’s debut event introduced the first LEKKER bike in the U.S. by positioning it as a celebrity during its first day in America. During the 24 hours of festivities, the LEKKER bike made stops at nine local hot spots throughout Greensboro. Clairemont strategically planned the event in tandem with First Friday—one of Greensboro’s most popular community events—to maximize visibility.

Media Outreach: We targeted each news outlet with hyper-individualized pitches, highlighting the nontraditional 24-hour aspect of the event. Clairemont secured local TV anchors to host the bike as the first appearance of the day and live-tweet an inaugural ride on the morning show.

Social Media Campaign: Clairemont established LEKKER’s online presence and engaged its target audience on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Pre-established relationships on social media paid off as local organizations spread the word through Twitter and Facebook.

V.I.P. Reception and Community Outreach: Clairemont hosted a special V.I.P. reception during the 24-hour event at a local restaurant for community leaders, biking experts, media and bloggers to increase in-person interaction with the bike.

Website and Print Collateral: We carefully crafted SEO-friendly content—key messages, company history, mission statement, product descriptions and photography—to showcase LEKKER’s custom quality and accessible style. Additional collateral featured eye-catching photography and easy calls to action; Clairemont designed and distributed these materials during the event to attract and secure new leads for future sales.

Onsite Support: The Clairemont team worked around the clock for 24 hours to escort the bike between locations, distribute information, encourage interaction and live post the bike’s adventures on social media.

Results: Our efforts landed the bike on stage with a nationally renowned bluegrass band, at a pub party and in a four-star hotel where the chef honored the bike with its own signature cocktail. With the goal of only four stories, Clairemont secured a total of five media stories, one in every key outlet in the market. The event produced five blog posts and more than 100 social media posts to at least 285,000 followers, a result that exceeded the goal by more than 300 percent. Through the 24-hour event, more than 350 individuals encountered or interacted with the bike, including 30 community influencers that attended the V.I.P. reception, also exceeding our goal.

Our team agrees that this was one of our most fun assignments in 2014. The LEKKER bikes are beautifully designed, and we loved introducing it to everyone from potential buyers to members of the media to fashion bloggers who saw the bike as a hot summer accessory! Thank you Will at LEKKER Bikes US for letting us be part of bringing LEKKER to North America!

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