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PR Trend: The Power of SEO

What is SEO?

SEO (search engine optimization): noun. The process of increasing the quality and quantity of website traffic by increasing the visibility of a website or a web page to users of a web search engine. –Wikipedia

To put it simply, SEO is the practice of directing and increasing traffic to your website and its content through major search engines like Google.

SEO & PR

According to Public Relations Today, “Consciously using SEO tactics will drive more traffic to your site and campaign, as well as boost your brand’s visibility.”

The main aspects of SEO are:

  • Keywords
    • Use keywords that attract a wide variety of people. PR Today recommends asking these questions when brainstorming which to include: “When people use that search term, what do they want to get? Are they doing basic research or are they in the middle of the funnel looking for a solution to their problem?”
  • Links
    • It’s important to include backlinks (a hyperlink from one web page to another website) from reputable sites that are also relevant to your brand or business. This could be links to interviews with influencers within your field, videos, relevant infographics, etc. “Backlinks to your site are like votes in popularity — they tell Google that other sites recognize your value and that Google should too,” says PR Today.
  • Audience
    • Research your target audience. This will help you to gather the questions they may have. You can do this with tools like social media insights and Google Analytics. Create your content with a specific group of people in mind, focus on your niche, and start small in terms of audience.

 

“Research shows that sites who rank on the first page of Google get 91.5% of all organic search traffic. And 51% of all site traffic comes from search engines.”

 

PR is crucial to SEO. If you’ve successfully promoted your brand/biz and it’s featured on another site, make sure to showcase that on your own social media platforms and website. Search Engine Journal says: “When someone is thinking of buying from you they’re much more likely to pull the trigger if publications (or sites) they recognize have featured you.”

This post merely scratches the surface of the world of SEO. Want to know more? Simply search it up on Google…since you clicked on this article, your algorithm already knows what to show you next. 😉

Gen Z’s Commitment to Activism

Now more than ever, all eyes are on our world leaders. And many of these eyes belong to the younger generation, known as Gen Z. (Born in the mid-1990s to early-2000s.) With the issue of climate change becoming a global crisis, Trump’s border control policies impacting immigrant children, plus the rise of school shootings, these issues can no longer be ignored.

This post will mostly focus on two of those major topics: climate change and gun violence.

The Global Climate Strikes

Last week, Global Climate Strikes took place all over the world, a protest to demand action regarding climate change. According to Wikipedia, “the strikes’ key dates include 20 September, which was three days before the United Nations Climate Summit, and 27 September, together with the full week from 20 to 27 September proposed for a worldwide general climate strike, the Earth Strike.” The event was part of the school strike for climate movement, led and inspired by Swedish climate activist, 16-year-old Greta Thunberg. It was the largest climate strike in world history.

Over 4 million people participated in these strikes worldwide, the majority of them being young students. The L.A. Times comments on Gen Z activism: “How fortunate we are that members of Gen Z are devoting their adolescences to correcting our country’s painful course, the conditions of which elder generations created or enabled by our inaction.”

Greta Thunberg

Greta, a 16-year-old environmental activist from Sweden, has become the face of Gen Z activism. In May of this year, TIME magazine named her a “next generation role model,” and the media has even dubbed her influence across the world as the “Greta Thunberg effect.” Greta has used social media as a tool to spread her message of urgency about climate change, all starting when she posted pictures of her solo strike outside of the Swedish Parliament. The purpose of her strike was to demand that the Swedish government work to reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

Greta’s Impact:

  • “August 2019: a doubling in the number of children’s books being published which address the climate crisis was reported, with a similar increase in the sales of such books—all aimed at empowering young people to save the planet.
  • Inspired by Thunberg, wealthy philanthropists and investors from the United States have donated almost half a million pounds to support Extinction Rebellion and school strike groups to establish the Climate Emergency Fund.
  • February 2019: Thunberg shared a stage with the then President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. Climate issues also played a significant role in European elections in May 2019, as Green parties nearly doubled their vote, boosting their MEP numbers to a projected 71. Many of the gains came from northern European countries where young people have taken to the streets inspired by Thunberg.
  • June 2019: Swedish Railways (SJ) reported that the number of Swedes taking the train for domestic journeys had risen by 8% from the previous year, reflecting growing public concern about the impact of flying on CO2 emissions that is highlighted by Thunberg’s refusal to fly to international conferences.
  • Being embarrassed or ashamed to take a plane because of its environmental impact has been described on social media as ‘Flygskam’ or “Shame of flying”, along with the hashtag #jagstannarpåmarken, which translates as #istayontheground.” –Wikipedia

March For Our Lives

Gun violence in schools is a deadly trend.“Since April 17, 2007, 320 people have been shot on college and university campuses in the U.S.,” according to the Collegiate Times. And it’s no secret that gun violence in the U.S. has significantly increased in the last decade. “2018 was the highest year for the number of victims killed, including the shooter, with 51 killed,” with California, Texas and Florida being the states that have experienced the most school shootings, according to Campus Safety Magazine.

In March of last year, an estimate of 2 million people across the U.S. participated in “March For Our Lives” to end gun violence in schools, making it one of the largest protests in American history. This march occurred after the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida in February of last year.

Gen Z faces an entirely knew set of problems. As school shootings continue to occur across the U.S., sitting and waiting for someone to do something is no longer an option – so students are standing up for themselves. This recent video produced by Sandy Hook Promise depicts that – students are now taking on adult roles in an attempt to preserve their futures.

New Ways of Activism

Social media is the number one tool for young activists to connect with each other, share opinions, and set up events/gatherings. With access to instantaneous sites like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, activism has gone digital. According to PEW, “around half of Americans have engaged in some form of political or social-minded activity on social media in the past year.”

“White Gen-Zers are more willing to explore and understand racial politics and issues, in part because POC Gen-Z have the ability to be more vocal through social media.” –KultureHub

Paralleling activism in the ’60s/’70s, music is still a popular way to protest. Popular U.K. alternative band, The 1975, recently released a self-titled single, “The 1975,” which features a powerful 4 minutes of Greta Thunberg urging people to “wake up” and get involved. This was an incredibly effective way to reach Gen Z activists and beyond, as the band’s target audience tends to fall in that category. Listen here:

Why Do Gen Z Kids Care?

School shootings. Climate change. #BlackLivesMatter. #MeToo. Child immigrants. All these issues impact younger generations and their lives directly. In addition, with more and more of these issues becoming popular points of conversation, a trend is on the rise. Abby Leedy, an 18-year-old co-coordinator of the Sunrise Movement’s Philadelphia hub, spoke with The Intercept on why people her age are so in-tune with world issues:

“She first got interested in activism her freshman year, and in the time since — marked by Donald Trump’s election, and the upswing in youth activism following the Parkland school shooting (an inspiration to Thunberg) — has seen it go more mainstream, reaching beyond the usual suspects. ‘There’s just a lot more people, and it seems a lot more socially acceptable,’ she said. ‘It’s cooler to care about political stuff, which is really exciting.'”

 

Gen Z and young activists refuse to stay silent any longer. What will you speak up about?

 

All photos are free from Pixabay.

PR Networking 101

Networking is the foundation of PR. From connecting with potential clients, to maintaining strong relationships with current ones, networking is essential. Building connections with fellow PR professionals is just as important.

Whether you are a seasoned PR rep or a recent college graduate, here are a four basic networking tips you should know!

1. Attend Events

Attending industry events is a great way to get your name out there and talk to people on the same career path. When attending these events, talk to as many people as you can*. Ask questions, swap business cards, and have a spiel about yourself and your career goals ready.

PR/Ad Networking Event Resources:

*You never know who might have a connection with a company you want to work for. Find out who works for who, and ask the people you meet to set up an email introduction with those companies.

2. Connect With Professionals On LinkedIn

Along with following businesses and firms you’re interested in on LinkedIn, connect with their employees. After attending a networking event or doing an interview (informational or official), connecting with the person you met is really important. It shows your commitment to keeping in contact with the rep and your overall interest in the position. Keep your LinkedIn profile up to date, your resume down to one page*, and provide samples of your work.

*Simplify your resume so that it isn’t longer than one page. Long, overly-detailed resumes are off-putting to employers and may make it seem like you are including irrelevant info to fill up the page.

3. Build a Personal Brand On Social Media

Give fellow PR peeps and potential employers an idea of who you are. By building your personal brand on social media (website, Instagram, Twitter etc.), users get an idea of what’s important to you, your goals, and showcase what makes you unique.

4. Ask For Informational Interviews

Even if there are no open positions at a company you are hoping to work for, it doesn’t hurt to ask for an informational interview. By doing this, you can get a feel for the company (if the interview is at their firm), meet a rep, and get your name on their radar. Make sure to leave a physical copy of your resume with them, and follow up afterwards with a thank you email or handwritten note!

5 Portland Brands Worth Following

 

Instagram, as discussed in our previous blog post, is a major marketing tool. From small brands that are just beginning to build their fanbase, to super brands using the app to promote new products, this platform is used heavily to showcase businesses and what makes them stand out.

Here are five local Portland brands that are worth your follow!

Spin Laundry Lounge

“Portland’s only eco-friendly laundromat, bar and cafe places state-of-the-art, energy-efficient Electrolux washers and dryers + sustainable laundry products, in a retro-mod cafe/bar environment. Complete with coffee, beer, wine, and local eats.” –Spin Laundry Lounge

With over 4,000 followers, Spin’s content ranges from cute shots of their well-lit space (always an eye-catcher), the coffee shop attached to their business, the arcade area in the back, and snaps of cute dogs that come to visit. Plus, the account regularly gives away Spin gear through various contests. Spin’s socials convey their goal to remain a welcoming, fun lounge space to chill…not just a place to do laundry.

Powell’s Books

This iconic Portland landmark markets themselves not only to PDX regulars, but to customers all over the country. A few of their most popular posts are personal stories from Powell’s employees (that you actually want to read!), display art at the various locations, staff picks, and hilarious/cute book reviews by young readers. While documenting the store’s events and new items, Powell’s also uses Instagram to convey their cozy, home-like atmosphere. Their main message? Powell’s is a space where readers of all ages are welcome to come in, explore, and get lost in a good book.

Tender Loving Empire

You know those Instagram pages that post such great pictures of their product, it makes you want to buy it all on the spot? Yeah, that’s TLE. With their use of color, contrast, and sweet snaps of their unique products, it’s no wonder this PDX brand has over 16,000 followers. TLE’s merch doesn’t fall under one genre — from funky jewelry, records from the TLE music label, pet toys and art prints, TLE covers all the bases. Their Instagram account gives fans an inside, first look at new products, news about their record label, and upcoming events. (Including in-store performances from artists and a variety of panel discussions!)

Portland Gear

As Pat mentioned in our previous blog post, “Portland Gear leveraged Instagram to perfectly position its company and its personal commitment to our community, sports teams, and great design.”

Portland Gear, as founder Marcus Harvey says, was created as a way to harness Portland’s unique energy into something tangible. His gear has expanded beyond just hats and shirts now – the company even has its own trademarked beer! The iconic Portland “P” can be found everywhere, recognizable even to people who don’t live in Oregon. Plus, the vibrant teal color (similar to the PDX airport carpet) included in almost all of the Portland Gear products will forever be associated with the brand.

Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw, Portland’s most popular gourmet ice cream shop has been around since 2011, and it’s only getting bigger. Their Instagram features snaps of Salt & Straw fanatics getting their fix, funny fan tweets, contests for followers to win a free pint, and more. Their latest campaign has brought student’s imaginative ice cream flavor ideas to life –like Ellie, from Addams Elementary, who came up with a “PB & C” flavor: “In the PB and C is peanut butter ice-cream, ripe sliced bannans, hot fuge and chocklet chips. The choclet chip are in the icecream. My isperashun is my dad loveing peanut butter and bannas together. Also, its poshonul you can put appels instead of bannas.”

What are your favorite brands to follow?

How To Grow Your Brand Through Instagram

 

“Instagram has over 800 million monthly active users and the platform is a great marketing tool if utilized effectively.”Forbes

Looking to expand your personal brand or business by using Instagram? Here are a few helpful tips.

Your Bio

Let’s start with the basics — your bio. It’s typically the first thing users see when they visit your Insta page. You want it to be short and sweet. While remaining eye-catching, simple and creative, you also want your bio to give a snapshot of you who you are. Brainstorm a few words associated with your company/brand, and that will help you come up with a phrase users will remember.

AM:PM PR’s Instagram bio: Creativity. Strategy. Socks with sandals. #ampmpr

Consistency

Keep your content consistent. Although it’s fun to experiment with filters, users will keep visiting your page if it follows a general theme. Choose one filter for the majority of your photos, and pay attention to how much white/blank space is present in each of your photos. A balance between the two is important. If you switch off between these two styles of photos or simply stick to just one, it will result in a overall more visually-appealing page.

It’s important to be regular with your posting schedule. Post every day and include a group of relevant hashtags under each photo. This will allow new users to discover your page, plus, unchanging hashtags will pool your content into Insta categories related to your field.

Examples of hashtags for a food blog/Instagram:

#foodblogger #food #foodie #foodphotography #instafood #foodstagram #foodlover #yummy #delicious #foodblog #foodies #healthyfood #instagood

AM:PM PR’s usual hashtags:

#agency #publicrelations #PR #pdx #branding #agencylife #portland #creative #art #portlandia #business #pragency #socialmedia #follow #brand #creativeagency #ampmpr #instafollow #instagood #creativity #media

Engage

Follow similar users. Not only will this increase your followers, (similar businesses will typically follow back) but you can also gather ideas for future content. Comment on other’s posts, reply to Insta stories and message people who reply to yours. You’ll grow an engaged fanbase in no time.

Connecting Your Website or Blog

If you are using Instagram to ultimately promote a larger businesses, website or blog, make sure to link your Insta appropriately.

When promoting new blog content on your Instagram page, here’s a few tricks:

  • Use call to action words. Examples: “New blog post is up! Click the link in my bio to check it out,” “You aren’t going to want to miss this week’s blog post! Visit the link in my bio to read.”
  • Use a platform like TapBio to immediately direct users to your latest blog post. “Rather than constantly changing your Instagram profile URL (to go with your latest post), you can easily add slides equipped with links to your Tap Bio corresponding to your latest Instagram posts. Tap Bio could be a powerful tool for social media stars, digital entrepreneurs or anyone trying to market themselves via Instagram.” – TechCrunch
  • Use Instagram stories to continue promoting your latest blog post through out the week. Use Insta stories to advertise new content instead of repetitive photos on your feed.

Highlights

A fairly new feature, Instagram highlights are an awesome way to display your archive of Insta stories. To organize them, divide the highlights into categories. Add a creative, consistent cover for each that compliments your theme colors for an extra touch. (See below for AM:PM’s highlights.)

Need more ideas/content inspo? Check out AM:PM’s Instagram page here!

PR Trend: Artificial Intelligence and Public Relations

What Is AI?

Artificial Intelligence: noun. A branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers, the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior. -Merriam-Webster Dictionary

AI infiltrates our lives more than you may realize. For example, that voice to text feature on your phone, Google maps, and customization of your Facebook feed? Yep, it all stems from AI. But don’t worry, these robots aren’t evil. And they aren’t taking over the world…just your Instagram feed.

AI & PR

The majority of the media you consume is tailored to align with your thoughts and opinions. This data is collected and customized for you based on what you engage with. In the world of PR, this is extremely valuable information. According to Forbes, “With real-time data being used as an asset, professionals in the PR and media industries are able to provide their audience with content they want, rather than content they find annoying.” AI allows PR professionals to target niche audiences with specific content and advertisements. As a tool for marketing, AI is transforming the PR industry.

How Do PR Professionals Use AI?

According to PR Daily, “If you do something more than twice, it’s a good candidate for automation.” This means that AI could be useful for routine tasks like monitoring client media coverage, summarizing negative/positive articles and analyzing data. A major advantage to AI could be its ability to quickly track a potential crisis your brand may face. AI frees up time for PR professionals to focus on client projects that require human understanding and creativity. (Something AI bots will never fully grasp. 😉 )

“All these AI applications will help PR folks save a ton of time on longer projects, resulting in increased opportunities to focus on what really defines a PR agency: ideas.” –Big Fish Communications

Why Are People Concerned About AI?

As PR professionals and consumers of media, should AI in the business world concern us? John Bara, president and CMO of a leading predictive marketing technology company, says no: “Savvy PR professionals will understand that big data and AI can provide their readership with amazing, data-rich research on a myriad of topics. Companies should not fear big data and AI. Instead, they should embrace the trend and experiment.”

It is also not likely that AI will steal jobs. The core of the PR industry is forming relationships. The personal connections that agency’s and businesses form with their clients can never be replaced by AI. PR succeeds through the cultivation of authentic relationships.

Pat’s Picks: Top 3 Fave Brands

Today’s blog post highlights AM:PM PR Co-Founder Pat McCormick and his three favorite brands!

Apple

“Hi, my name is Pat and I’m an Applephile. I need to make that admission to explain why I have Apple’s marketing at the top of my list of faves. Apple infuses its brand in every element of its products and marketing – from ads to packaging, to the look, feel and function of its products. My latest Apple acquisition is my Apple Card. Like other Apple products, it’s clean, simple, minimal. It lives in the Apple universe with my Apple MacBook Pro, Apple iPad Pro, iPhone XS Max, Apple Watch, Apple HomePod, Apple TV and Apple Music. (Full disclosure: I’m an Apple stockholder.)

Disney

My second fave is Disney. Family and friends are familiar with my tradition of taking my grandchildren to Disneyland between their 9th and 10th birthdays. So far, I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy 9 great Disney stays with 9 amazing grandchildren. It’ll be awhile before I can take Haxton, who just turned 3 last week.
The Disney marketing that’s caught my eye recently is its upcoming launch of Disney+, the new streaming service. Disney’s D23 Expo, the annual gathering of the Official Disney Fan Club, was this past weekend and a number of new program announcements were released. The company made great use of its social media, digital tools and traditional media relations. Disney+ will to tap into the existing and future Disney media libraries as well as Pixar, the Marvel Universe, the Star Wars franchise and National Geographic. Cost will be $7.50/month, about half of a Netflix subscription. I’m also a Disney stockholder.
~

Portland Gear

Third fave is Portland Gear. The company and its founder, Marcus Harvey, have a great origin story. He leveraged Instagram to perfectly position his company and his personal commitment to our community, its sports teams, and great design. Portland Gear is my nominee for the best example of developing a brand from a great idea which resulted in significant success using Instagram.”

Sophie’s Picks: Top 4 Fave Marketing/PR Campaigns

I’m not afraid to admit it: I have a folder on Instagram where all of my favorite ads, marketing campaigns, and PR-related posts are saved. As I’ve come across them on my feed, I often ask myself: “why did this catch my eye? What’s effective about it?”  These are good questions to ask when working in the advertising and PR world.

Although I’m sure this list will change as new campaigns develop over the next few months, here are four marketing/PR campaigns that have definitely caught my eye!

“Maisel Day” in L.A.

As a part of Amazon’s Emmy campaign for its hit show, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” (set in the 1950s) 30 businesses in L.A. traveled back in time. Salons, restaurants, candy stores, movie theaters, and, you guessed it…GAS STATIONS sold their products at ’50s prices for an entire day on August 15th, 2019.

“In honor of the show’s 1959 setting, Cafe ’50s is doubling down on its bygone ambience — and doubling its staff — in order to serve authentic 30-cent malts (usually around $6) to Maisel Day customers. The retro diner on Santa Monica Boulevard already features era-defining decor, including a working payphone, a 1957 jukebox and a 1959 Chevy Bel Air.” -L.A. Times

The participating businesses dressed the part, too. 1950s dresses, vintage waiter outfits, plus retro music playing in most stores added to the 50s vibe. Although the campaign was largely successful in promoting the show and its Emmy nomination, the biggest setback was when L.A. police were forced to shut down the Maisel gas promo (gas for 30 cents a gallon, up to 20 gallons) when it led to an overload of traffic.

Eggo’s Partnership with Stranger Things

If you’ve seen Stranger Things, you know that the beloved character Eleven has a thing for Eggos. After the first season of ST premiered on Netflix, fans began associating Eggos with the show, even buying their own Eggo waffles for costumes or Stranger Things-themed parties.

As the release of season 2 approached in October 2017, Eggo launched a series of experimental marketing campaigns across social media. According to A.List, “One such campaign is a menu of Eggo waffle recipes to pair with each episode of Season Two. An Eggo food truck arrived at the Season Two premiere in LA, where attendees and fans could sample the promoted recipes.”

Eggo didn’t stop there. With the release of the much-anticipated season three of Stranger Things this July, they rolled out ’80s-style ads. Back in June, Eggo’s social media channels overflowed with mysterious Eggo billboard ads, “which appear to be straight out of the 1980s, making strange appearances in towns named Hawkins across Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Texas, Wisconsin and more,” said The Drum. In addition, Eggo’s Instagram led users on a wild “Easter Eggo Hunt,” navigating them through a variety of Stranger Things-themed clues.

Red Balloons and the IT Movie

Every 27 years, the evil clown known as IT awakens. 2017 marked 27 years since the release of the first IT movie in 1990. The 2017 remake, starring Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the clown, was marketed in an incredibly creepy, genius way. The guerrilla marketing campaign* was the appearance of mysterious red balloons tied to sewer grates in the streets of Sydney, Australia. Below each balloon in eerie white chalk are the words: “It is closer than you think. #ITMovie in cinemas September 7.”

Guerilla marketing: “innovative, unconventional, and low-cost marketing techniques aimed at obtaining maximum exposure for a product.”

Blossom Brother’s Mini Content Campaign (Sparkloft Media)

Sparkloft Media, a social media/advertising agency in Portland, produced one of my absolute favorite campaigns last year. Blossom Brothers, an artisan wine spritzers company, partnered with Sparkloft to promote and celebrate their packaging relaunch. Through a series of product photos, each stylized pic tells a unique story.

“Pairing a life-size can with miniature props gives viewers context into when and where they should crack open a can of Blossom Brothers. We paired each flavor of wine spritzer with a mini usage occasion to tell a narrative of when you might enjoy each flavor. A tiny backyard barbecue, mini camping trip, or pocket-sized pool party are all perfect places for this summer sipper. This creative was produced as a direct social translation of the point of sale campaign to celebrate the grab-ability of the can, and the moments where the excitement begins.” –Sparkloft

Not only are the photos visually appealing, but the message behind each photo is clever while speaking to the brand and its niche.

 

Stay tuned for more of the AM:PM PR Team’s ad/marketing campaign picks.

What are some of your favorite advertising and marketing campaigns? Tweet me!

AM:PM PR’s Favorite Lunch Spots

At our office on Clinton Street (and near Divison Street), we are lucky enough to be surrounded by a wide range of yummy lunch spots in the neighborhood. Here are our faves!

Broder Cafe

The ultimate brunch spot. This hip little cafe is packed almost every single day, and for a good reason. Not only is the space cute, but the food is INCREDIBLE. This Scandinavian eatery specializes in Danish Pancakes (to die for) and delicious egg scrambles. The staff is so friendly, the drinks are good…you’ll never want to leave.

Pat’s Pick: The Lost Eggs and the Lefse potato crepes

Photo by Modern Guide to Portland

Dots

If aliens, Elvis and Marie Antoinette opened a diner, it might look like Dots. The walls are lined with black-and-white damask wallpaper, oil paintings of Elizabethan royalty, screenshots of Spock, and Warhol prints…Stepping into the red light of Dots is like going down Alice’s rabbit hole. It’s a ’50s-style diner with a killer bacon bleu cheeseburger…Come as you are.” -Willamette Week

A favorite of ours for many years, Dots is the best spot for some comfort food and greasy goodness. Its quirky, retro atmosphere attracts a fun crowd, and the food leaves you beyond full and happy.

Pat says: “It’s a stop for a quick lunch. I used to go there for daily specials, but I like their grilled cheese sandwich. For Happy Hour, the sandwich comes with a bowl of tomato soup and a salad – a perfect comfort meal.”

Pastini

Thank goodness there’s Pastini near our office — where else would we get our pasta fix? This lovely, classic-style Italian restaurant is one of our go-to team lunch spots. Whatever you order here, you’ll love it.

Pat’s Pick: Linguini Gorgonzola or Baked Ziti with Eggplant

Spielman Bagels and Coffee Roasters
Although still a fairly new spot (opened in 2011 on Division Street), Speilman quickly earned its place on our list of faves. According to their website,”the uniquely “Portland Style” bagel was made from a sourdough starter, mixed with milk and honey, and kettle-boiled to perfection. The soft, doughy center was the perfect contrast to the crunchy exterior, quickly becoming a local favorite.”
Their bagel sandwiches and bottomless house drinks are amazing.
Pat’s #1 Fave: “My FAVORITE neighborhood lunch spot is actually by our old office, ZELL’S CAFE, on SE 13th and Morrison. I bike there frequently for lunch. I like many of their breakfast items (I like to eat breakfast for lunch.) Favorites include their omelettes, their specials (especially ones featuring poblano sauce or roasted cauliflower) and their turkey melt sandwich with cheese and mushrooms.” -Pat McCormick

PR Trend: Influencer Marketing

“Influencer marketing” is the modern day equivalent to celebrity endorsements, a marketing tactic that’s been around for decades. These days, partnering with Instagram stars and YouTube phenomenons is a whole new way to advertise.

“Influencer content may be framed as testimonial advertising where they play the role of a potential buyer themselves, or they may be involved as third parties. These third parties can be spotted either within the supply chain (retailers, manufacturers, etc.) or among the so-called value-added influencers (such as journalists, academics, industry analysts, and professional advisers)” –Wikipedia

What’s the Difference?

The difference between celeb endorsements and influencer marketing is the idea that the campaign is a “collaboration” between the brand and the influencer. Everyone benefits from the deal. More of the brand’s products are purchased, while the influencer gains a few hundred new followers.

“YouTuber PewDiePie teamed up with the makers of a horror film set in the French catacombs under Paris, creating a series of videos in which he underwent challenges in the catacombs. It was pitch-perfect content for PewDiePie’s 27 million subscribers, and received nearly double the views as the movie’s trailer. Everybody won.” –Influencer Marketing

Another main difference between the two is the accessibility of influencers. These social media masters can be anyone– from a makeup guru to a gaming star on YouTube, there are more influencers populating the internet than ever before, and they’re often looking to be sponsored by brands.

YouTuber Zoella

Pros:

The benefit of this type of advertising is the humanization of a brand, which leads to an increase in sales. Influencers speak directly to their fans with their content, often personalizing their relationships with followers through interactions on social media. And what’s better than buying a product that your favorite YouTuber endorses? People want to buy products that are supported by the people they admire and trust.

  • “In a survey, 82% of consumers said they were highly likely to follow a micro-influencer recommendation on a product or service.
  • 71% of marketers say the quality of customers and traffic from influencer marketing is better than other sources.”

-HubSpot.

Another pro of influencer marketing is that it allows you to target the exact audience you are trying to reach. According to Grin, “This is the reason why most apparel brands prefer to collaborate with fashion influencers and beauty or skincare brands prefer to work with beauty influencers. Because it helps them reach an audience that’s likely to be interested in their offerings.”

Cons:

It’s important to find the right influencer to represent your brand. According to Brand24, “There are some rare cases when influencer marketing campaign backfired. Either the influencer profile didn’t suit the brand, the content was ill-prepared, or there was some other type of social media crisis.” If the wrong influencer is given temporary power over your brand and it goes wrong, this can be extremely detrimental to your business and its image as a whole.

There are pros and cons to everything, especially this new concept of influencer marketing. I’m curious to see it develop further in the world of PR and advertising.