Mark Borkowski: ‘I combine insights with a tone that is humorous and always sceptical of woolly fads and PR guff’

Mark Borkowski is a publicist, strategist, innovator, thought leader and one of the 25 most influential figures in the public relations industry. His blog, Mark My Words,  is ranked among the top 5 PR blogs in the country and encapsulates his knowledge of public relations, digital marketing and social media marketing. In this interview, Mark spoke to us about telling it straight, keeping it real and blogging in the now.

Why should people read your blog? I’ve been in the PR business for 30 years, working with high profile clients and brands. Having fought corporate firestorms in many large institutions, crisis communications have been at the heart of my business. People read me to get my spin on the latest corporate blunder and trending memes. I aim to cut through the naval gazing bluster of the glorious nobodies and their 15 seconds of fame, and work out the larger meaning behind the hype.

What makes your blog different? I combine insights with a tone that is at times humorous and always sceptical of woolly fads and PR guff. 

How do you measure the success of your website? We have some fairly rigorous analytics across our various channels. Success is as qualitative as it is quantitative. We want to get the opinion formers and decision makers reading my thoughts and those of my team. If we get through to one of our targeted influencers that is as meaningful as getting a bundle of hits. Our thinking is the heartbeat of the brand.  

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a blog? Have something to say. If you want to stand a chance of being heard through the wall of noise you need to have something meaningful and fresh to contribute.

How do you work with marketers and PRs? I cross the street.

How do you use social media to promote/share content? What are the challenges? We tailor our content to different channels. Twitter @markborkowski @BorkowskiDo is the general broadcaster and we push everything out through this. Linkedin and our website are for corporate/industry stories and have their own specific following. We have a Medium space for containing the musings of our team and it reflects a broad sweep of interests –from politics to opera. This is plugged into its own community of medium-length bloggers and reaches those who may not have heard of us but are interested in the topic/theme being discussed. And then there’s Mark My Words which reflects my specific interest areas and reaches an audience that knows me, usually media and PR types. This thinking is often picked up by other channels and reaches new audiences.

What can PRs do in working better with you? Remain curious. Read. Think. Do differently

What has been your blogging highlight? Recently, my thoughts on the state of creativity (or lack thereof) at this year’s Cannes Lions got a lot of people talking. Not all agreed but it did start a sober conversation on the pressures being put on creatives to churn out eye-catching campaign ideas- sometimes without any concern for brand longevity.    

What will be big in your blogosphere in the coming months?  As a Chinese statesman once said on the impact of the French Revolution, it’s too early to tell. We don’t spend enough time trying to understand how we’ve arrived at the now, let alone have the cognitive equipment to really futuregaze. Speaking in generalities we’re only beginning to understand the implications of big data and the algorithms that rule our lives. Before someone cracks the algorithm for PR blogging I’ll be trying to provide some personal insights hewn from that most old fashioned of IPs- lived experience.