Menu

PR Tech Tester

COMMS Organizer

What’s in Your Fall 2014 Communications Toolkit?

, , , , , , , , 2

Screen Shot 2014-09-02 at 4.46.19 PMIt’s the end of the summer and fall marks the busy season for professionals, as well as PR educators and students who are back in school.  Gearing up for a productive fall means having the most efficient tools in your PR and communications toolbox. There are SO many tools that I’ve “Tech Tested” in 2014. Here are nine resources (both free and paid tools) I’ve discovered that have the power to enhance your communications program in a variety of ways.

 

 

 

All in one social media ecommerce dashboard SumAll

1. SumAll:   Earlier in the year, I wanted to find a tool that gave me a comprehensive view of my social media data. At the time, I had heard about Tableau but wasn’t able to download the software to my MacBook Air. Then, a peer recommended SumAll, after a lengthy Facebook discussion.

Note: Since this discussion, I’ve come to learn that Tableau has a version for us Apple folks, if you want to check that out too.

SumAll allows you to look at your Twitter data over time and to look at data sets together for a more complete picture of your activity. The charts allow you to overlay your tweets, replies, retweets, mentions, reach, etc., so you can see how your actions result in a variety of interactions. SumAll is a free tool that shows you how conversations progress and you can make comparisons over time.  Looking at the larger picture, allows your data to tell a story about how you are impacting your audience, or not getting enough of their attention. With clear peaks and valleys represented that highlight your ability to engage and spark enthusiasm, you can determine new ways to interest audiences at different times in your marketing programs.

theSkimm
2. TheSkimm: When it comes to the news, there is so much that we need to know on a daily basis. There are those industry publications that have thoughtful pieces that I love to read when I’m looking for deep coverage on a subject area. However, there are times that you need to simply skim the news to get the gist of what’s going on in the world, yet still have the option to dig in deeper to a story that affects your industry or a businesses you serve.  TheSkimm is a brief newsletter, which allows you to do just that. You can skim news quickly in bite size, digestible pieces, explaining what’s going on, with an option to learn more. I read the theSkimm every morning and it has become a go-to daily resource.  I’ve also recently received information on being a Skim’bassador, which is a great way to enjoy the theSkimm and get involved in their fun contests and giveaways and to become a part of a dynamic community. What’s also great is theSkimm appears in my inbox bright in early in the morning, so I can get a jumpstart on the days’ news.

Marketwired Marketwired Resonate

3. Resonate (Disclosure: Client Platform). When you want to share your news with the media, bloggers and influencers, Marketwired’s Resonate platform, allows you to take advantage of a three step system: Distribute, Social Share and Publish. News distribution has advanced to include better targeting, social media intelligence, and deeper analytics. Through the Resonate platform you are able to make better decisions regarding your news content and leverage the impact of your business communications.

www.cision.com us wp content uploads 2014 06 2014 Digital Reach_Overview.pdf

4. Digital Reach:  Digital Reach by Cision is a new way for PR professionals to measure UVPM (Unique Visitors Per Month) or “reach,” which is the number of people who visit a site in a any given month. Many publishers are not obligated to share these numbers and it’s often difficult to find the information. However, Digital Reach sample data relies on sharing activities across social media communities (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+), which increasingly drives web users to the content they choose to view everyday. It’s important to note that UVPM doesn’t represent the number of shares, but the number of people estimated to have visited a site based on the number of shares.

The workspace for your life’s work Evernote

5. Evernote (Audio Recordings):  I’ve been an Evernote fan for a few years now, but I’ve only recently started to use the audio recording function for my notes. Being on the go means you can be anywhere and have an idea for a blog post or want to brainstorm on a topic.  The ability to record a note and then synch it to all of your devices saves so much time and effort. Every week, I use Evernote for creating blog posts and interview responses; recording the articles and the answers to questions.  My PR world became so much more efficient when I learned how to take advantage of Evernote’s audio recording capabilities.

Google Databoard

6. Google Databoard: Everyone knows about Google Analytics, but not as many communications professionals know about Google Databoard.  Google has a lot of research to share with you. When you use Google Databoard, you get the benefit of Google’s powerful insights. You can select research on a variety of topics, from understanding consumer behavior and mobile search to research on the new multi-screen world and YouTube insights. Once you identify a study and topics of interest, you can then take existing research and build your own infographics to showcase the information. Google Databoard lets you search, find and create visuals, highlighting important stats from studies, without you doing any of the heavy lifting (the actual research).

Canva – Amazingly simple graphic design for blogs presentations Facebook covers flyers and so much more.

7. Canva: When social media became a part of the communicator’s world, so did design. Many of the programs you work on today require images, because you know that a picture is worth a thousand words and visual storytelling is powerful. Canva is a great resource for those who really don’t know anything about design, but want the ability to create on a blank canvas. The platform gives you the ability to build graphic presentations, posters and blog visuals, to name a few. You can even customize the dimensions of your graphics. Canva lets you experiment and be much more visual in your communications.

Meet Tiny Pitch. The Next Big Thing in PR

8. Tiny Pitch:  Tiny Pitch is the latest in news release development, launched by PitchEngine. It’s a new kind of press release (functional and concise) and “one of the simplest apps you’ll ever use.” With the Tiny Pitch app you’re able to create modern Web news releases on your desktop, or quickly create them in real-time via your smartphone.  The app is free, with no lengthy set up or password needed. Tiny Pitch is meant to not only simplify the news release, but also create an experience that’s crisp, clean and has more impact.

Yellowdig

9. YellowDig (For Classroom Collaboration): For all of my educator friends, here’s a great tool. I discovered. Yellowdig is an internal collaboration tool. It’s free for educators who want to bring the resource into their college classrooms. I’ll be sharing YellowDig with my #NYUPRSM students. We have an entire class dedicated to internal sharing resources because it’s so important that good communication begins internally with idea sharing and collaboration. YellowDig let’s you pin ideas and articles to boards so that you can share interesting information with your students or classmates.  Collaboration is the first step to getting on the same page and rallying around ideas that can take your class and project work to the next level.

Don’t stop here. I hope you will continue to Tech Test beyond what I’ve discovered to find more tools and resources to advance your communications toolbox. When you do please tweet or come back and share with us 🙂

 

Six Tips to Maximizing the Virtual Learning Environment

, , , , , , , 1

Screen Shot 2013-10-07 at 11.35.50 AMMore colleges and universities are moving to online education, blending the online and offline experience or offering complete online classes for their students.  Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are becoming popular and the class sizes are enormous. Technology is driving the changes we see today.

For the past 10 years, I’ve been teaching in both the physical and the virtual classroom environment. From the time I started with the Global Business Management (GBM) Department at Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), to the courses I teach today at NYU, UMASS at Amherst and Rutgers University, I’ve learned a few best practices to enhance the virtual classroom. My students have ultimately been my guinea pigs over the past several years and they are the best gauge of what works and what doesn’t, when it comes to online learning.

So whether you’re a professor or a student, and you’re interested in maximizing the time you’re “in” school, here are my best practice tips (note: these tips do not apply to MOOC size classes) for deeper in engagement when you physically can’t meet face-to-face every week:

  1. Use Welcome Videos Every Week.  I’ve been told by at least 75% of my students in each of my online classes that the Welcome Videos make them feel more comfortable and connected to the class each week. I plan these videos in advance and they are not only meant to create a warm, friendly “classroom” atmosphere, but also serve the purpose of weekly expectations.  Each week our online classes are different, so the ability to let students know how they will be participating, what assignments are due and how they can find you if they need extra help, is extremely effective.  I even let my students know if I’m traveling on a certain day, or if I have a day of back-to-back meetings.  This way they know that it will take me a little time to get through emails and to answer their question.  The videos are a great way to keep students on the right track as activities increase throughout the semester.
  2. Hold Virtual Classes Every Couple of Weeks.  When your class is on Blackboard or eCollege, for example, you should take the time to participate with the students in the discussions forums. However, the ability to hold virtual classes allows your students to receive some of the face-to-face time they would receive in the physical classroom. My virtual classes are not mandatory, because online classes attract students from different areas and also schedules are extremely tough to coordinate. My UMASS at Amherst Social Media and Public Relations Strategy class just had its first Google+ hangout this semester. I had several students join me to go over some of the basics of public relations, and to discuss their semester assignments.  Not everyone needed the PR 101 tutorial or had questions about their projects.  So, only the students who needed a little extra attention showed up.  Overall the experience was really good. Technology can be a challenge, so I always try to leave some extra time to work out the technical kinks.
  3. Use The Discussion Forum So Everyone Can Learn. In many cases, you may pose questions in the discussion forums related to weekly topics.  The students will answer your questions and you can also jump in with your own insights. However, one of my favorite exercises is having the students become “Tech Testers” by allowing them to teach their classmates about the latest social media platforms, resources and applications.  There are so many different areas to Tech Test, including social media monitoring, influencer tools, blog platforms, social media releases, blog ratings and rankings, etc. I select one platform or tool per student and ask each person to role up his/her sleeves to evaluate these tools. The students all work through a series of questions. Instead of sending me their responses, they share their answers in the discussion forum where everyone can review and ask additional questions, or comment on each other’s evaluations.  This type of exercise is an excellent way to have the entire class experience and learn about a number of different tools at once.
  4. Check In With The Class by Mid-Week.  By Wednesday of each week, I usually have questions from students who may need additional clarification on assignments or activities. Similar to any group you work with, if one person has a question, then there may be more people with the same question.  I always use my responses as an opportunity to educate everyone.  If a question comes in through the platform messaging system, I will send an announcement to the entire class answering the question, for everyone to review. For instance, if one student asks for project examples, I will share examples with the whole class.  The approach heightens the sharing process and allows the entire class to learn at the same time.
  5. Make Yourself Available To Your Students.  If you’re going to teach then you have to be ready to offer your students extra help, if they need it.  Some professors set virtual office hours or you can let students know when you are available by telephone.  Because my schedule usually changes from week to week, I just coordinate with students individually to book some one-on-one time. Many of my students also know that they can always find me on Twitter. So, if they have questions, or if they want to coordinate a time to Skype, then Twitter is a place for them to get my attention.
  6. Use Twitter to Keep the Class Connected.  For every class, virtual or physical, I have found tremendous success with Twitter through the use of a class hashtag.  Our classroom hashtag is always active and students are very excited to share the work they are doing as well as the interesting articles and blogs that they find during the semester. I require my students to set up a Twitter profile and to tweet 50 times during the semester. They are also required to follow 50 influencers. At first they are slightly apprehensive, especially if they are new to Twitter. However, by the end of class, many of them continue to tweet me and a classroom connection turns into the long- term relationship.  Twitter keeps us interested and connected, even if our conversations are only 140 characters or less.

With all of the discussions surrounding colleges and universities blending courses between the physical and the virtual environment, or moving classes completely online, it’s so important to focus on increasing the connection and engagement with students so you can all learn more. I really enjoy being in the physical classroom. However, with new teaching formats, the above tips really help me to feel more closely connected to my students.  What’s your experience in the online classroom and what are some of the best practices you’ve experienced?

 

 

imgres

August #PRStudChat Recap: Unraveling the Technical Aspect of PR

, , , , , , , , , , 2

 

A Guest Post by Murewa Olubela

Two months ago, I had an epiphany, or at least the beginning of one. I sat on a couch in my living room, questioning my non-existent interest in metrics and analytics. I wondered why I readily would attend another social media track, even if I knew what the speaker was going to touch on, but I have never attended any track that tackled measurements. I came to two conclusions: either I didn’t give two hoots about assessments and measurements, or I assumed that I had no present need to master metrics.

Neither one of the answers suited me. In my discovery, I had fallen into the current millennial discussion. Yes, as a millennial, I have the advantage of being a “native” user of technology. However, I needed to learn more about technology and social media, other than their use. Because, being social media savvy isn’t the same as being technical savvy.

While ruminating on my newfound thesis and writing half-completed blog posts on the subject, I was given an opportunity to moderate the last edition of #PRStudChat’s SummerCamp. What more could an inquisitive student pray for! I jumped at the chance. On August 15, 2012, I partook in an online discussion about Unraveling the Technical Aspect of PR.

Question 1: Is the technology tester role important in public relations?

Of course! In today’s practice, communications and technology are joined by the hip. Public relations professionals are expected to identify and test new technologies, in order to determine their use and benefits for their client(s). I think of it this way: how would you convince your client about the benefits of a new platform except if you are convinced yourself; and how can you be convinced if you aren’t comfortable with the said platform? Besides, as Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO of Pure Performance Communications, says, “technology helps us in our own planning and allows us break down the silos to work with other areas. So, hooray to all millennials, we’ve got one foot in the door.

Question 2: Which social media management tool do you use and why?

The usual platforms came up: Tweetdeck and HootSuite. A couple others like ArgyleSocial, Engage121, Radian6 and BufferApp did crop up. Truth is there are a million and one social management tools out there. And Valerie Simon, director, marketing communications at Plymouth Rock Assurance, will tell you that “it’s important to understand the strengths and differences among them.”

Question 3: Is it advisable to optimize news releases for social media?

Absolutely! Social media has changed the game and isn’t going away anytime soon. The way information is being dispersed and broken is no longer controlled by traditional media. “People do get their news from social media, as it is, and journalists are on SM at all hours,” says Mike Steier, an NYU graduate student. So ask yourself, what’s wrong in reaping the benefit(s) of an added advantage? And it definitely “doesn’t hurt to craft a social media release that is different from the traditional release,” says Jason Mollica, president of JRMComm.

Question 4: Why should a public relations student understand Google analytics or web metrics?

AVE is an outdated metric for PR measurement. Hence the reason for measurable goals and outcomes. It’s no secret that research is important in all stages of a public relations endeavor. You need data in order to figure out who your information would reach. And you need data to measure the success of your online actions: where the traffic is coming from and what’s driving action. It also “helps with adjustments in strategy,” should you need to tweak your plan, says Jeff Eisenberg, a Villanova University graduate. The thing to remember is that “where social media analytics end, website (Google analytics) begin; from click to conversion,” says Breakenridge.

Question 6: What’s the most important thing to know about web metrics?

For Lisa Brock, principal of Brock Communications, the most important thing to know about web metrics is how to “use them to gain business intelligence and improve your communication.” For Amy Bishop, digital media strategist at Campus Crusade for Christ, it’s “learning which metrics will represent progress toward your designated business goals and knowing which to focus on!” For Lisa Larranaga, social media manager for Cision, it’s important to remember that web metrics are “just estimates and shouldn’t be used as end-all-be-all.” The reason, Jennifer Rideout, a PR Consultant at StrategicAmpersand, will tell you, is because “there are always more metrics. [So], determine what is important, analyze and strategize.”

Question 7: Are QR codes dead?

It seems like a long time ago when QR codes were a constant fixture in advertising campaigns. However, even though the question sounds appealing and quite funny, QR codes aren’t dead. The hype about QR codes has however gone down. Infographics is the new status-quo. Nevertheless, should your client still request for QR codes, you need to provide “a creative placement and unique destination,” says Bishop. It should definitely not be like my recent encounter: a giant green QR code on the floor of a bus-stop. I brought out my phone, but it was only to twitpic and not to scan the code.

Question 8: Why is incorporating mobile technologies into communication campaigns necessary?

A whole lot of people are spending more time on their mobile device(s) than their computers. And as Allison Matherly, social media coordinator at Texas Tech University, says, “if your audience is there, shouldn’t you be? You are likely missing opportunit[ies] if you skip mobile.” Brock also pointed out, “If you don’t evolve, neither will your business.”

Question 9: Which aspect of mobile technology should brands and companies focus on?

Mobile apps and mobile optimization. And not just any kind of optimization, but responsive web design. You’ve got to provide an extra incentive for your target audience to hang around online. However, in your bid to be mobile conscious, it’s necessary to evaluate your need for an app. You might not need it. Should you create a mobile app, it should be consistent with your company’s brand. So, no half-hazard attempt.

Question 10: What do you wish you had known about PR before declaring your major?

Internship, internship, internship! I wished I had known the importance of gaining experience. Also, like Mike Hopkins, vice president of PRSSA BYU-Idaho, I do wish I knew that public relations would engulf my life and become my social life because of its incredible nature.

Thank you Deirdre Breakenridge and Valerie Simon, for extending me the honor of moderating the chat. And thanks to everyone who participated in the chat. You all taught me. I do hope that this isn’t the last #PRStudChat’s SummerCamp. It has been an incredible and different learning experience.

P.S. the next #PRStudChat is on September 12 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Murewa Olubela (@PRmurewa), who is an undergraduate studying creative writing and public relations at the University of South Florida.

Mission Ready Infographic

#PR Tech Testing: Using Easel.ly for Customized Infographics

, , , , , , , , 3

Lisa Gerber, Chief Content Officer at Spin Sucks, mentioned in her blog post, Becoming a PR Technologist, that “… it is our responsibility to stay ahead of technology. For that matter, it is the responsibility of any professional regardless of industry.” I agree with Lisa whole-heartedly. I enjoy being a Tech Tester (PR Practice #4 in my book) and I’ve been trying to tech test new platforms and experience different tools every week. It’s not only helping me to stay abreast of the latest resources for my clients, but also allowing me to speak the language of my marketing, brand and web colleagues. For most of my projects, I’m working with interactive agencies, brand professionals, and online web services teams.

As a part of my quest to rally my communications friends into tech testing mode, this post introduces a tool I’ve discovered to create custom Infographics. It’s called Easel.ly and it’s simple to use. You don’t have to be a designer by trade to develop colorful and creative visuals. And, with Infographics being “all the rave,” why not use some of the first-hand research you’ve uncovered to visually illustrate unique information about your client, product or cause.

Here are some tips to using Easel.ly that will help you create one of a kind Infographics with the potential to spark conversations and great collaboration with your stakeholders.

  1. Be Creative: An important thing to understand when beginning to use www.easel.ly is that the infographic themes provided are there to guide you, not dominate your creative vision. What makes an infographic interesting is the creativity and individuality that goes into each one.
  2. Select the Right Theme: Look at the information you have prepared, and analyze which layout would be the best fit from the choices provided. Do you mostly have statistics to share? Would it be more effective to use a chart or a graph? Those are the kinds questions to consider. When picking a theme, only concern yourself with the general layout because colors and objects can easily be deleted and replaced.
  3. Explore the Tools: There are so many options when it comes to using Easel.ly. However, none of them will be fully useful if you do not familiarize yourself with the different functionality. If you’ve selected your theme, then you’ve barely even touched the surface of what this resource has to offer. There are a multitude of objects, shapes, and text fonts to insert, you can change the colors, and if that’s not enough, you can also upload any images you’d like to customize your infographic. By capitalizing on the options provided, you’re able to transform one of the template themes into your own creation.
  4. Use the Lock Tool: Organization is the number one way to ease the process of making an infographic. The best way to stay organized is by using the lock tool. As your infographic progresses, you’re going to acquire an assemblage of various text, shapes, and objects, which can get confusing. The lock tool is functional for all items to prevent any further moving, resizing, and scaling. Once the object is in place, hit the lock button so any further design won’t interfere while you continue the creation process. Consider all confusion eliminated!
  5. Learn the Grid Tool: When you’re designing anything, uniformity should always be a major focus. The grid tool allows you to have even placement between all items within your graphic. By doing this, the graphic as a whole becomes more visually appealing to the eye, and, in turn, more effective for the viewer.
  6. Show How Less is More: You never want a graphic that is too overpowering, so simplicity is key! Although there are so many options to include in your infographic, you can avoid clutter by only using as much or as little as you need. Choose a few objects, maintain a minimal color scheme, and avoid too much font variation with your text. Here’s where the saying, “everything is better in moderation,” really applies.

Being a Tech Tester and finding the right technology tools to create interesting and meaningful ways to share information can be trial and error. So, when you discover an easy tool or application to use, please make sure you share your tool and tips with your colleagues.  Together we have a lot to learn, but we can uncover a lot of ground together.  Happy tech testing with Easel.ly!

PR Practice #3: PR Tech Tester Chart of Responsibilities

, , , , , , , , , , 6

Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional, will be available on May 4th!  As a part of the book’s launch, I thought it would a good idea to share some of the material that didn’t make it to print. So, I’m continuing with my chart series, which are all of the charts cut out of the production process (due to space constraints), when we were in the final home stretch. Today’s post discusses the chart from PR Practice #3, which is the PR Technology (Tech) Tester. The PR Tech Tester’s new role is to experiment with different types of technology for better internal and external communications, which results in building stronger relationships.

You can see from the wheel visual that there are several new roles and responsibilities for you to learn as a PR Tech Tester.  Learning, embracing and educating your peers on these responsibilities will make you a more valuable asset in your organization.  I’ll be doing a blog post in the next couple of weeks focusing on the results of a pilot study which reveals what employers look for in young professionals entering into the workforce, with respect to knowledge, skills, values and sensitivity. According to the study, information technology is among the most important skills and, today, is considered a core competence.

© PR 2.0 Strategies

The PR Tech Tester is a professional who quickly learns that a critical part of the communications strategic process is how you use technology in your planning for better monitoring and measurement, channel distribution, optimized content and stronger relationships via your brand communications. Remember, it all starts with the hybrid professional, whose knowledge often expands to other areas of marketing. Here are a few of your PR Tech Tester responsibilities:

Select a Database Contacts and News Monitoring Services

Technology offers you unlimited access an online searchable, contact database where you’re able to keep up with media and blog contacts, and their pitching preferences.  These services also offer you instantaneous access to your company’s media coverage, as well as intelligence on competitor mentions and trending industry topics in real-time.  Researching and testing the technology allows you to find the right solution and will help you to follow, engage and build better relationships with specific journalists and bloggers who would find your content to be relevant and newsworthy.

Create a Social Media Monitoring / Measurement Program

As a PR Tech Tester, you will immediately notice many of the social media monitoring platforms today allow you to track daily conversations across platforms, your share of voice (SOV) against competitors and your company’s brand sentiment. These platforms also offer information on key influencers, word cloud formations revealing relevant topics, and top domains where the most relevant conversations take place.  Selecting the right social media monitoring tools will help you to strategically put a system in place, offering a tremendous amount of intelligence; from trending topics to the critical issues of the people you want to reach.  

Determine Website Analytics

PR professionals are getting more and more familiar with the value of website tracking and analytics.  Where social media monitoring ends, website analytics begin. Typically, PR professionals have relied on the marketing and/or web team for website analytics.  But, with your social media programs and stories driving people to your company’s website and newsrooms, you can no longer rely on someone else providing you with the analytics you need.  The ability to track analytics in real time allows the PR Tech Tester to understand a great deal about the behavior of an audience, from how many of your active visitors have actually been to your site before and how long they stay to how many people go to certain pages of your site, revealing the most popular areas.

Test For Social Media Influence

When you discuss online influence or social media influence, from a technology standpoint, it’s an algorithm that helps you to capture the most powerful people in your network. However, there are different algorithms based on the tools you choose.  For example, one influence tool might calculate variables including reach, amplification probability and overall network influence. Another tool might measure different criteria, such as impact, engagement, clout, signal and the velocity, at which you share. It‘s important to familiarize yourself with these tools in your research process as they (1) help to identify people who may have greater impact on their own networks, and those who may be more likely to share your company’s content, as potential brand champions.

Identify the Right Social Channels for Audience Collaboration

The social media landscape is constantly changing and PR professionals must keep up to date on the new and different collaborative platforms, where their brands have an opportunity to engage with stakeholders.  As a PR Tech Tester it’s your job to know the platforms where your audiences congregate and the technology they prefer.  One of the best ways to keep updated on the latest platforms is to subscribe to blogs/bloggers that report on technology, social media and latest and most interesting collaborative platforms for businesses. Stepping outside of your regular circle / network of peers, and interacting and/or collaborating with professionals who have a stronger focus on business and technology will give you insight into many of the new evolving platforms.

Evaluate Email Marketing / Content Management Platforms

In the past, most PR professionals were not focused on platforms that managed content and sent out numerous emails at a time.  PR pros were used to crafting single, customized emails to media contacts. However, today, in order to accurately reach and track responses from numerous contacts, you need an email platform that enables you to customize and then monitor the open and response rates.  PR pros will benefit from sending out their news releases or pitch letters to a select group of contacts through a software management system to learn the number of emails sent out, the open rate and the bounce rate, the number of people who click as well as who forward your correspondence.

Review News Release Technology

Because the media landscape has changed, PR pros are faced with decisions regarding how to share business stories.  As a PR Tech Tester, you will realize how there are a few options.  One option is the use of a wire service that has ramped up distribution capabilities to include 2.0 functionality and reach.  They offer the ability to distribute your news release beyond traditional print, broadcast and online media outlets to reach bloggers and consumers. Then, on the other end of the release spectrum is the Social Media Release (SMR), which is a community tool for sharing news and customized stories.  The SMR is highly interactive and is housed on a blog platform. PR Tech Testers need to research and decide the best approach to sharing their stories with the public.

Being a PR Tech Tester and finding the right technology for your toolkit is trial and error.  Today, technology is no longer someone else’s job. You have to roll up you sleeves to experiment and make it an integral part of your programs for better engagement and communications impact.