✅ Monday briefing #17: PR start-ups, search metrics, propaganda media, sustainable local media, COVID-19 data, LinkedIn hack, foodbank fundraiser, and more
Industry news, must read, tools, data and research, social media and platforms, final work
Good morning. My name is Stephen Waddington. This is a weekly summary of news from my blogs and topics discussed in a community of practice that I run on Facebook. You’d be welcome to join us. My thanks to all the contributors.
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Industry news
👨💻️ PR START-UPS: The story of PR agency start-ups in the UK market is an uplifting one of innovation and new business models. I caught up with 12 agencies that have spotted opportunities emerging from COVID-19. Source: Stephen Waddingon.
📆 ICCO OFFER: Speakers at the ICCO Summit on 4 & 5 November include: Barbara Bates, Richard Edelman, Johna Burke, Tina McCorkindale, Kamiqua Pearce, Mark Read and Sir Martin Sorrell. A two-day ticket costs €225. Readers can use ICCOFLASHSALE50 for 50% off in the next 48 hours. Source: ICCO sponsored story.
Must read
📏 SEARCHING METRICS: Share of search shows potential as a planning and measurement tool and an alternative to share of voice. Google Trends is a useful signal to determine the effectiveness of campaigns: Spotted by: Andrew Smith.
📍 OUTCOME MAPPING: Amnesty International's Mariya Parodi outlines a measurement approach called outcome mapping. It enables results to be attributed against activity. Source: Prowly sponsored story.
🗞️ PROPAGANDA MEDIA: A growing regional pay-for-play US media network that has filled the void left by local newspapers is facing a backlash. Many of the stories promote Republican party propaganda. Spotted by: Jesper Anderson, David Gallagher and Amy Losak.
📰 SUSTAINABLE LOCAL MEDIA: Publishing less, higher quality content, is critical to the local media building a sustainable business model. Paid models cited by a Reuters Institute report include freemium, premium, micropayment and reader-donation models. Spotted by: Kerry Sheehan.
Tools
📱 ACTIVISM APP: Milkywire is a digital platform that connects people with issues and charitable campaigns. The activism app is aiming to disrupt the way that charities engage with their communities. Spotted by: David Gallagher.
🔧 FAKE NEW TOOLKIT: The Media Manipulation Casebook is a digital research platform that helps researchers, journalists, technologists and other professionals spot disinformation campaigns and misinformation. The platform links theory and practice to help spot fake news. Source: David Gallagher.
🔍 SEARCH SUPPORT: Google is deploying AI to improve search. New features include support for spelling and the discovery of passages of text. It is also calling out key moments in video content. Spotted by: Shayoni Lynn.
Data and research
📊 COVID-19 DATA: Google reports on long term COVID-19 consumer trends. It calls out living spaces, localism, gardening, health and wellbeing, mental health, online shopping, and changing expectations of brands. Spotted by: Alan Morrison.
💁 SOCIAL DATA DUMP: October’s monthly digital report from Hootsuite and We Are Social contains everything that you need to know about digital consumer behaviour worldwide. Spotted by: Stephen Waddington.
📈 B2B SALES TRENDS: Digital first, buying online, and video and live chat are among the trends in business-to-business sales that are here to stay according to analysis by McKinsey. Source: Andrew Smith.
Social media and platforms
🐤 POWER OF A TWEET: ExxonMobil confirmed via Twitter that Donald Trump had’t called its CEO in response to his suggestion of offering permits in exchange for funding. Source: Nigel Sarbutts.
👨⚖️ ANTITRUST REBUTTAL: Google has been quick to respond to the US Department of Justice antitrust lawsuit. It claims people use Google because they choose to, not because they're forced to, or because they can't find alternatives. Spotted by: Andrew Smith.
🤙 LINKEDIN HACK: PDFs could be a way to optimise reach in the LinkedIn newsfeed. Documents uploaded to the platform and served in a carousel receive a higher amount of reach and engagement than external links. Source: Andrew Smith.
📅 LINKEDIN EVENTS: LinkedIn is taking aim at Eventbrite and other event platforms rolling out events to all users. A new Facebook-like tool provides promotion, discovery and data capture to build an audience for an online event. Spotted by: Alan Morrison.
Final word
🍝 FOODBANK FUNDRAISER: The UK Government voted against extending free school meals during school holidays. No one should go hungry in the UK. I'm raising funds for The Bay Foodbank and would appreciate your support. Alternatively, please do what you can in your local community. Thank you so much.
