Sunday, October 25, 2009

Rewrite of Women and Spirituality Conference article for the Web

In our research class, we decided to rewrite Robb Murray's article "'Politics of Food,' other hot topics at Women and Spirituality Conference" from the Mankato Free Press.
This exercise was designed to get us thinking in terms of writing for the Web, often times including SMR's (social media releases). In general, pieces for the Web need to be:
  • shorter, with shorter sentences: According to readability expert Jakob Nielsen, readers do not read material on the Web. They scan. Therefore, keep information on the Web brief and to the point.
  • free of fancy, embellished and extravagant words (like the ones I just used): Showy words are unnecessary and cause readers to lose interest. Keep things simple.
  • basic in punctuation: Stick with periods, commas and apostrophes. Anything else clutters the information.
  • considerate of appearance. In other words, remember readers are drawn to articles that look easy to understand and quick to read: This can be accomplished with lists and bullet points.
  • mindful of SEO (search engine optimization): Remember to use keywords throughout your article, including in your headline, so others will be able to find your piece on the Web.
  • accommodating to those who want more info: Because articles should be brief and concise, make sure to provide links for people who want to learn more.
Keeping all this in mind, here is the rewrite of Robb Murray's Free Press article:

Women and Spirituality Conference brings 'Politics of Food' discussion to Minnesota State Mankato

10.25.09—MANKATO, Minn.—The Women and Spirituality Conference comes to Minnesota State University, Mankato with a keynote address by physicist and author, Vandana Shiva.
Join Shiva for her discussion on "The Gendered Politics of Food." The talk will be held Saturday, Oct. 31 at 11 a.m. in the Centennial Student Union Ballroom.
Other sessions featured during the conference include "Nurturing Spirit by Embracing Inner Awareness in Public School Setting" and "Finding the Balance of Masculine and Feminine Power: Astrological Keys for Healing Mother Earth and Ourselves."
Vandana has founded an international college in Doon Valley, India and Navdanya, a national Indian-based movement to protect resources and promote organic farming.
She has also written some books including "Stolen Harvest: Hijacking of the Global Food Supply."
The conference includes more than 100 workshops and discussions covering many topics.
Visit the Gender and Women's Studies Web site for more information about this event.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Vimeo

Vimeo.com is a wonderful Web site dedicated to the sharing of videos and short films.  What seems great about this site is the fact that it isn't simply a tool for people to display their movies, but is more of a "community-based" network that allows you not only to upload films, but also to connect with others in 'Vimeo ville.'
Although the Web site's focus is on video content, it strongly reminds me of blogging in the sense that it allows for two-way communication and encourages proactivity in feedback and conversations.  
Just as with a blog, you're able to create a profile for yourself, which allows you to upload videos of your own, add people to your contact list, subscribe to different channels (a fun tool for people to gather all their videos in the same place, almost like a TV channel), leave comments on others' films and, most importantly, begin having conversations and forming relationships with other people.
Through the use of tools such as commenting, "liking" and the ability to share videos through e-mail plus other social networks such as Facebook, Digg and Twitter, people can really take advantage of this great opportunity to build beneficial relationships.
One channel I've really found fun has been 5-Second Films.  As the name implies, all videos on this channel are basically five seconds or less, and they're a riot.
This video, Live Fast, perfectly captures what these five-second films are all about.
Even if you aren't to the point of taking and uploading your own videos yet, vimeo.com is still a wonderful networking site and relationship/communication builder.  Maybe after communicating with others on the site, searching through videos and subscribing to different channels you'll get a better feel for what it'd be like to post a video.  If you're at all interested but don't know where to start, I'd suggest making a profile and adding people to your contact list. Use those contacts to help pave your way as you get going on Vimeo.  More than likely, they'll want to help and answer questions you might have. Reciprocate and offer feedback on the films they've uploaded.  Pretty soon, you'll have some great connections made.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Blogger Relations

Once again, I am finding Brian Solis and Deirdre Breakenridge's book Putting the Public Back in Public Relations more and more intriguing, helpful and eye-opening.
Chapter 7 discusses blogger relations and the importance blogging has begun to play in the world of public relations.  Public relations is no longer about attacking audiences with messages and pitches.  It's transformed into the development of loyal, trusting and beneficial relationships between practitioners and people, which include individuals and groups from all different ages, interests, cultures, values and the list goes on and on.
Blogging, which is only one source the Internet has to offer, has become one of the most practical, beneficial, communicative tools online that allows you to "get personal" with those with whom you're communicating.  Blogging has closed one door to the old one-to-many way of communicating: a way that made PR practitioners deaf to the feelings of everyone else out there, and has opened a new door that allows feedback, reciprocation of information and, most important of all, a true way to connect with, learn about and get to know the people who are interested in what you, as a PR professional, have to say and offer.
With this wonderful advance in technology, it seems like the perfect opportunity to grab hold and take advantage of the situation at hand.  Upcoming PR people have the chance to transform old ways of thinking, planning and executing to a more personal level, and the advent of blogging is here to help.
One thing mentioned in the book was Chris Anderson's blog on PR spammers.  
Anyone with e-mail understands Anderson's frustration with excessive amounts of spam, pitches, news releases and unimportant messages that continue to flood inboxes.  Almost everyone can relate to that on a human level.
However, this seems to be the absolute worst way to fix the problem, when in fact the intentional 'fix,' I would guess, has only created more problems.
We all get annoyed with certain situations, but to handle it in this way, listing hundreds of professionals and their e-mails, especially on a professional platform, seems completely backwards.  Why not rise above those you're annoyed with and approach them in a more favorable way?
Also, on page 104, Solis and Breakenridge recommend sending "positive feedback to those who do it right."  This is a wonderful idea.  Reinforce the connections and behaviors of the people with whom you're happy, those who you perceive as ethical and those whose relationships you truly admire and appreciate.
Overall, blogging, whether used positively or negatively, is definitely a tool that allows connections to be made on a much more personal level.  Take advantage of these opportunities and continue to push PR in a more communicative, reciprocal and "striving to get to know people" direction.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Media Relations Student Editor

The beginning of this school year allowed another beginning for me: I started my position as Media Relations Student Editor for the Media Relations Office at Minnesota State University, Mankato.  Now, nearly two months in, I am extremely grateful for the experience I'm getting that will continue to prepare me for my future in public relations.
As the student editor, I write articles for the university's Web site.  I also help put together the stories for the biweekly newsletter that gets sent out to faculty and staff.  
One aspect of my job that's been very different from any other position I've had (and one I have had no trouble getting used to) is the location of my office.  My office is like a chameleon: It's always changing.  Sometimes it's my bedroom.  Sometimes it's Memorial Library.  Other times it's a comfortable couch in Panera.
You guessed it.  All I need to work is a computer, connection to the Internet and my AP Stylebook, of course.  
Not only do I have the freedom to choose where I want to work, I also have a voice in when I want to work.  If I have five hours of homework to do after getting home at 6 p.m. from classes, I can start a piece at 11 p.m. before I go to bed.
All my information is sent to me by e-mail from my boss.  All my pieces are typed and then compiled in Word for the newsletter and posted on the Web site.
This is perfect practice for me as I look toward life after graduation, and it's a wonderful job to have with my heavy workload as a college student.  

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Skills and Attributes for New Public Relations Professionals

Dave Fleet's blog post 14 Key Skills & Attributes for New Public Relations Professionals was extremely eye opening and incredibly relevant to not only our research class, but also the stage we are in now as PR majors with changes in technology happening faster than ever.
This article really reminded me of the first few chapters in the Solis book, particularly with the emphasis on this current transition between more traditional tools, skills and strategies and the newer methods that have presented themselves recently with the advent of online opportunities.
I appreciate that even though Fleet's focus is on the newer attributes he recommends for PR hopefuls, he still encourages knowledge of and practice with the older methodologies. I feel, no matter how technologically advanced our world becomes, writing will always be one of the most vital skills to have. Just as with writing, communication skills will never stop being important, and being attentive to details will continue to show readers your reliability as a source, as well as the degree of commitment you hold to your work.
I found it very interesting to read over his recommendations for 'newer' PR. I think the most common devices on the internet today (and by most common, I mean what most people are most familiar with) are the online social networking tools such as Facebook and Linkedin. I feel they're so famous because of the mass use they get (specifically Facebook) from not only people in the PR and journalism fields, but also, just the everyday person.
I, too, fall in line with the millions, perhaps even billions, of others around the globe who have Facebook accounts. And my entrance into the Facebook world wasn't inspired by college, classes, PR or even the consideration that Facebook could possibly affect (either negatively or postively) my job outlook in the future. It was influenced by the fact that my friends were doing it, it seemed 'cool' and fun, and I wanted to stay in contact with people after graduating high school.
Now, being able to recognize Facebook as so much more than a fun hobby and cool tool to update my friends on how amazing this episode of The Office is, I've already gained a much better understanding of what it can provide for me in the future.
But beyond Facebook and my recent practice with blogging, I need work--and a lot of it. Fleet mentions the importance of coding with HTML and PHP. He also stresses his belief that knowledge of search engine optimization is key information to have. This opens my eyes to the heavy reality that I need to start learning and using these tools now. And I can't simply test the waters with my feet, but rather dive head first in the deep end, submerging myself in every opportunity I can while I still have the chance. I'm still in college. This is the perfect time. Within a year, I'll be graduated and out in the 'real world' when knowledge of these things will really count and my expertise in them could make or break my prospect of a job offer.