How to avoid the biggest PR mistakes on social media

The biggest PR blooper of the year on social media goes to MasterCard UK’s agency who, in an effort to promote the brand’s sponsorship of the BritAwards, demanded journalists promote the event on Twitter using the hashtag #pricelesssurprises at specific times with specific phrases in return for accreditation to attend. Moments later the agency found itself at the centre of a Twitterstorm with journalists expressing their displeasure at conditions set, forcing the agency to backtrack.

The outrage was sparked by The Telegraph’s Tim Walker who tweeted: ‘Please fellow journalists do not agree to the absurd conditions for covering @BRITAwards. I’ve even just been told what I should tweet. No.’

Was the agency wrong for merely doing their job in getting publicity for their client? No. But did they choose the right channel to dictate what they want publicised? Absolutely not.

Social media, no matter how vast the reach and how effective a marketing platform, has and should always be managed differently from other media channels for PR purposes. This is because, and as the name clearly suggests, here it is about networking, socially – showing character versus corporation, sentiment versus selling and most importantly perspective rather than pitches. 

Our latest whitepaper spells out five golden rules you need to follow to make sure your social communications is in line with business objectives.

Brimming with practical ideas, tips, and examples, this definitive guide tells you how to:

• Build and protect online reputation, from a customer service to crisis communications to the social role of the CEO 
• Approach influencers on social networks, and how it differs from – and complements – traditional media outreach
• Create killer social media campaigns, by identifying, understanding engaging with the right influencers for your brand

Download the free whitepaper to ensure your strategy stays socially engaging and never finds its way to the hashtag #PRFail

Photo Courtesy of hobvias sudoneighm on Flickr